Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2019

[ChrisIII]

It's been awhile since I last posted, but I wanted to share my thoughts on The Immortal Hulk #25, which I freaking loved! It's a definitive masterpiece issue! Dark. Epic. Terrifying. Majestic. Horrific. Tragic. Thought Provoking. Basically, it's everything that one could have hoped for in a double-sized issue. And that last page with The Leader? Wow! I cannot wait to see what happens as our story progresses further!

However, while many believe that The One Below All is responsible for corrupting Hulk and taking him over, I do not believe it to be that simple. I have several solid reasons as to why that is, many that my friend FrazettaHulk brought to my attention. First, before I state my thoughts, let me ask all of you this:

Has The One Below All taken over the Hulk before and after he became The Breaker of Worlds, or has The Hulk (or more accurately, The Devil Hulk) imprisoned and taken the power of The One Below All for himself at the expense of Banner and the other Hulk personas?

It just feels way too easy and convenient that The One Below All is solely the reason why the Hulk becomes a monster and evolves into an unstoppable force of destruction in the form of The Breaker of Worlds. There may be a lot more going on than most of us suspect. Perhaps the true terrible decision that Hulk/Banner make is yet to come, and that is when they usurp the power of and imprison one of the two most powerful beings in ALL of existence?

But you may ask/wonder, how can they overcome the all-powerful, omnipotent darker equal of The One Above All/GOD and manage to contain it?

The Hulk could be the only being in all existence, with the exception of The One Above All, who can actually affect The One Below All. Why is that? Well, I have a theory as to why that is. Actually, I have two theories.

1st Theory - If TOBA is the creator of the Hulk, then he may be the bane of TOBA's existence and power. One could compare TOBA and The Hulk to Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his Monster. Creator and Creation. And, much like how Victor Frankenstein was terrified of and unable to stop his monstrous creation, so is it true with TOBA fearing and being utterly unable to overcome the Hulk.

2nd Theory - The Hulk is as much a creation of The One Below All as he is a creation of The One Above All. He could potentially be a weapon that TOAA had a part in creating in order to punish TOBA for all the death, destruction, entropy and evil it inflicts and influences upon all existence.

My 1st theory has some weight to it given what was shown in The Immortal Hulk #25. We see TOBA, no longer free and darkening the vasts skies of the Hell Beneath All Hells. Instead, we see TOBA writhing with the trillions upon trillions of devoured souls, speaking of his fear of the Hulk, his disgust of the Hulk, and the desire to try to kill him. But he cannot! He never could, even after billions of years! And now he is trapped within the Hulk. Trapped and contained. Suffering with the countless trillions upon trillions of souls from all existence that he devoured. Suffering forever. The ultimate agony and punishment for The One Below All from the Devil and the King of Hell... The Immortal Hulk. Or rather... The Breaker of Worlds.

"I have made of this a thing of hate. A hollow shell. A Hulk. The mystery frightens and disgusts me. I will kill it. Make all as hollow as I. Dead and dark as I. And I will be alone."

We know that Devil hates The One Below All, that he utterly despises the all-powerful omnipotent entity for trying to defeat, kill and overtake him. I could honestly see Devil taking great pleasure in exacting vengeance and punishment to TOBA by trapping it in a never ending cycle of suffering, torture and torment knowing that there's nothing TOBA can do to stop him.

The smile that adorns the face of The Breaker of Worlds makes me believe this may be true. And it further makes me wonder if the Devil is the one responsible for this statement from Bruce Banner rather than The One Below All:

"Joe? Is that you? Are you there? I need help, Joe. I can't see. Something's eating me. I think... I think it killed the Hulk."

Could it be that the Devil is responsible for killing the Hulk? That it is the Devil who's imprisoned or killed the Professor and the Green Scar, the two missing Hulk personas? Could it be that the Devil Hulk is secretly the main antagonist in this run?

I'm definitely been wondering about it.

We do know that The One Above All will make its presence known and engage with The One Below All. But will it be The One Below All we know or in the form of The Breaker of Worlds who may have imprisoned and taken the power of The One Below All?

We shall see. About all of this.

I think in one issue it's stated that the Devil Hulk killed off the Secret Empire Hulk. As for the others, the main adversaries of Devil back in the Jenkins run were Fixit and Savage, and they've obviously changed their minds about the whole thing. Professor mainly seemed more concerned with helping Bruce with the Lou Gehrigs disease. As for Green scar, who knows really, although I'm kind of curious how he'd react to Brian Banner frequently showing up, as Green Scar was the Hulk who became a father, and Brian's legacy weighed heavily on him at times, especially when he first fought Skaar.

[GreenScar1990]

‘THE Hulk/TOBA Thesis by Sir PoetTree’

Its over 3 times the maximum length that can be posted here so here’s a link to this masterpiece!

https://www.comicboards.com/php/show...ayout=portable

His view is my view. Its the correct view even if Ewing says its not. Ewing can be “wrong”.

Everybody needs to read this! An incredible piece!

[PlatinumThorns]

‘THE Hulk/TOBA Thesis by Sir PoetTree’

Its over 3 times the maximum length that can be posted here so here’s a link to this masterpiece!

https://www.comicboards.com/php/show...ayout=portable

His view is my view. Its the correct view even if Ewing says its not. Ewing can be “wrong”.

Great write-up. Though, I don't think Ewing exactly would tell you you're wrong (death of the author and all that), he'd just say it's "up to your interpretation".

[GrandEleven]

‘THE Hulk/TOBA Thesis by Sir PoetTree’

Its over 3 times the maximum length that can be posted here so here’s a link to this masterpiece!

https://www.comicboards.com/php/show...ayout=portable

His view is my view. Its the correct view even if Ewing says its not. Ewing can be “wrong”.

.... but cant this evidence be completely refuted simply by reminding ourselves that at the end of #24 he absorbed a cosmic being to gain the complete power cosmic that drives the likes of Galactus? The "Breaker of Worlds" and devourer of light and knowledge kind of got a power amp as the 9th age started, so applying it that feat back to Hulk and saying "See???? He's limitless" is kind of ... I dunno.

Hulk has always been "stupid strong" ... (so strong the feats he pulls off are simply stupid if you think about them too much, so you're better off not) ... I don't think there's any reason, however, we should be using #25 as some kind of definitive power meter. That resulting being is effectively beyond the Hulk.

Oh, and to say Ewing is "wrong" is one thing ... to say he's wrong about his own story? Uh .... no?

Hulk's strength is effectively limitless. He's always just stronger than he needs to be to beat the other guy, or do the "so impossible it's stupid" like "punch through dimensions". But we don't need the TOBA #25 as some flag benchmark. That's really not Hulk. That's something more (less?).

[Hulkbanner12]

Everybody needs to read this! An incredible piece!

Are they saying that was the actual hulk destroying universes in Immortal hulk issue 25 and what is your view you made?

[GrandEleven]

Are they saying that was the actual hulk destroying universes in Immortal hulk issue 25 and what is your view you made?

Essentially.

Basically the text implies TOBA's strength is limited to the host, and therefore the power Hulk uses to destroy the 9th universe is his own limitless power, regardless of who is in control. So the conclusion is Hulk's power is universal.

Now there have been statements from characters in the past such as Dr. Strange already stating Hulks power could end the universe, but some are saying #25 is more definitive/less hyperbolic proof of that.

The problem ... that being isn't just the hulk. He's been merged with the power cosmic to become part of the Marvel Pantheon. To claim it's proof of Hulk's limitless power is ignoring a whole ton of context of the story. Again, there's plenty other books you can pull from if that's your goal, and there are much better reasons to promote this issue than "it proves Hulk is strongest!"

[Hulkbanner12]

Essentially.

Basically the text implies TOBA's strength is limited to the host, and therefore the power Hulk uses to destroy the 9th universe is his own limitless power, regardless of who is in control. So the conclusion is Hulk's power is universal.

Now there have been statements from characters in the past such as Dr. Strange already stating Hulks power could end the universe, but some are saying #25 is more definitive/less hyperbolic proof of that.

The problem ... that being isn't just the hulk. He's been merged with the power cosmic to become part of the Marvel Pantheon. To claim it's proof of Hulk's limitless power is ignoring a whole ton of context of the story. Again, there's plenty other books you can pull from if that's your goal, and there are much better reasons to promote this issue than "it proves Hulk is strongest!"

I don't think that's just hulk power. I thought someone in thiscomment section said one below all created an avatar to do his dirty work. Hulk and Bruce banner are both dead in the future. Hulk doing all these feat and growing bigger is just a theory. We will have to find out from the source himself.

[Hulkbanner12]

Essentially.

Basically the text implies TOBA's strength is limited to the host, and therefore the power Hulk uses to destroy the 9th universe is his own limitless power, regardless of who is in control. So the conclusion is Hulk's power is universal.

Now there have been statements from characters in the past such as Dr. Strange already stating Hulks power could end the universe, but some are saying #25 is more definitive/less hyperbolic proof of that.

The problem ... that being isn't just the hulk. He's been merged with the power cosmic to become part of the Marvel Pantheon. To claim it's proof of Hulk's limitless power is ignoring a whole ton of context of the story. Again, there's plenty other books you can pull from if that's your goal, and there are much better reasons to promote this issue than "it proves Hulk is strongest!"

I saw the link the guy posted. He is a fan boy who want to see the hulk reach multiversal level of power. Lol.

[Intothevoid]

I am not sure i could take anything serious from a place called "Church of Hulk". I mean i love Hulks character and sure we are constantly told he has the potential for limitless strength but i don't think that's what we saw here, it's quite clear TOBA is in charge and is using Hulks body as it's avatar, fueling it with it's own power.

[PlatinumThorns]

Anyone know what the deal is with this Immortal Hulk "paperback omnibus"? https://forbiddenplanet.com/288254-i...-hulk-omnibus/

Apparently it was on sale at the UK Comic-Con last week (while only available in the UK so far), and collects issues #1-#15. I heaven't seen anyone talking about and there's basically no pictures online that I've found.

[Hulkbanner12]

I am not sure i could take anything serious from a place called "Church of Hulk". I mean i love Hulks character and sure we are constantly told he has the potential for limitless strength but i don't think that's what we saw here, it's quite clear TOBA is in charge and is using Hulks body as it's avatar, fueling it with it's own power.

Church of Hulk is a hulk fanboy who would do anything to wank the hulk lol. The only feat i can see here is that the hulk can contain limitless energy or power. Someone in this site said that the one below all created another avatar hulk so he can do his dirty work, i don't know if that is true but I'm ready to here from anyone to correct me on that

[krazijoe]

The Anger Force?

[ChrisIII]

New preview is up with a special guest.

https://www.cbr.com/immortal-hulk-de...ar-human-race/


Kind of weird that they're referring to the MPD as "Hulk syndrome" now.

[PlatinumThorns]

New preview is up with a special guest.

https://www.cbr.com/immortal-hulk-de...ar-human-race/


Kind of weird that they're referring to the MPD as "Hulk syndrome" now.

Hnnng, I'm more hyped for this arch than Act 2! There's so many directions this plot can go and bring Cho into this is great.

[Intothevoid]

It's just funny to me that the cook is Namor... like why would Namor cook Banners food in a random dinner lol. I am guessing it probably ties with Roxxon and Namor going after them in the Invaders run.