Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2019

[beetee]

I think people are forgetting this page. In which case the Leader capturing the moth ensures these events happen.

Eh.... It's reversible.... all toys get put back in the box eventually.... It's the ride that counts. Besides events sorta conflicts with the King Thor storylines...

[Intothevoid]

Eh.... It's reversible.... all toys get put back in the box eventually.... It's the ride that counts. Besides events sorta conflicts with the King Thor storylines...

Everything is reversible, however we will have to wait and see about this one. Actually i don't think they do conflict with the King Thor stuff, it seems the universe lasts a lot longer than what King Thor and Franklin thought it would, for instance Franklin thinks he is at the end of the universe but that actually happens a whole 2 billion years after, also i actually wouldn't be surprised if we saw Hulk at the end of King Thor, my prediction is that we will.

[krazijoe]

After reading #25, my head hurts...

[PlatinumThorns]

Do you guys think Gamma Flight will be mainstays of the roster for #26+? I just remembered they were suspiciously gone in #24.

[FrazettaHulk]

Do you guys think Gamma Flight will be mainstays of the roster for #26+? I just remembered they were suspiciously gone in #24.

I think the cover to 26 gives the accurate depiction of the team moving forward. Samson, Harpy, Jones and the assets and crew of Shadow Base is a lot to juggle. Plus the system making up all the Hulk personalities now with the possibility of 1-2 biggies returning to be a part of that Hulk system as well.

I am hoping Alpha Flight gets an ongoing series soon. They have a juicy Walter death/No Sasquatch sub-plot waiting to be told and explored more in-depth there.

[Digifiend]

Jeez, is everyone a Hulk now? Not only is there a one-shot in which Peter Parker Hulks out, in Tarot, apparently Steve Rogers is turned into a Hulk?
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/10...s-paul-renaud/

[Intothevoid]

Jeez, is everyone a Hulk now? Not only is there a one-shot in which Peter Parker Hulks out, in Tarot, apparently Steve Rogers is turned into a Hulk?
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/10...s-paul-renaud/

Could be Banner wearing Caps clothes transformed into Hulk, meh... The art looks fantastic though.

[PlatinumThorns]

Jeez, is everyone a Hulk now? Not only is there a one-shot in which Peter Parker Hulks out, in Tarot, apparently Steve Rogers is turned into a Hulk?
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/10...s-paul-renaud/

Looks Bruce disguises himself as Cap and then transforms. Also, based on their outfits, looks like the book takes place in the past.

[Intothevoid]

Looks Bruce disguises himself as Cap and then transforms. Also, based on their outfits, looks like the book takes place in the past.

It's definitely in the past, it looks like an older team of Avengers, not to mention the Defenders are present there as well and i doubt it was just a random reunion. This definitely takes place in the past.

[GreenScar1990]

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.

[Harpoon]

When TOBA says it’s frightened and disgusted by “the mystery,” it’s talking about all of existence, not specifically the Hulk.

And honestly, I don’t think it’s as ambiguous as you make it sound. TOBA says it killed all of the Hulk’s personas, and Bruce says something killed the Hulk; Devil Hulk’s the Hulk too, so that’d include him. And if Devil Hulk wanted to torment TOBA, then he’s doing a pretty terrible job of it as all we saw were Bruce and Hulk suffering.

Plus one of the major aspects of Devil Hulk’s characterization is how protective he is of the other personas, and previous insights into his motivations doesn’t paint him as someone who wants to kill everything forever.

[catbellysqueezer]

From now on when I see someone say Marvel isn't making good comics any more I will call them an idiot and ask why they didn't read Immortal Hulk #25

[Intothevoid]

TOBA definitely killed Hulk and took over his dead body, i don't think this is even debatable.

What is interesting is that TOBA even specifically mentions that he made his own Hulk, so he seems to have made a Hulk avatar to destroy everything as TOBA still chills in Hell.

[Cth]

RE: TOBA's Hulk..

https://www.comicboards.com/php/show...19020704050239

We can speak of the anger of God.
But does God have a Hulk?
"Hulk" -- something large, unwieldy.
A word pulled from the vocabulary of a frightened soldier to name the indescribable.
The primary definition is a rotted ship.
Vast and strong, but gutted.
Empty of treasure.
A shell.
There is a concept in the Qabalah called the Tree of Life.
A map of ten spheres or emanations describing both creation and mankind's spiritual path.
But the tree has an opposite side. A shadow side.
This is known as the Qlippoth.
Qlippoth, meaning shells.
In Qabalah, the highest point on the tree of life is called Keter. The crown, set above all things.
It is compassion beyond comprehension. The unity of the divine.
But on the opposite side if Thaumiel.

Note the figure has ten arms/legs.

This seems to describe the 9th realm..

In the Zurvanite tradition, Angra Mainyu and Ahura Mazda, the lord of creation, are the twin sons of Zurvan, who is Time itself.
Angra Mainyu tore free of Time's womb and thus, as first-born, inherited creation of 9,000 years.
Perhaps this was the earliest conception of the Fall of Man.
The idea that the world we are born to is tainted. Ruled by God's opposite.

This sounds like Banner's choice..

Interestingly, Angra Mainyu has it is his power to create good works.
He simply refuses to.
Evil is actively chosen.
Perhaps that is what defines the Devil, in the end.
That moment of choice.
But there is another Devil.
In the Old Testament -- the Book of Job -- is the first mention of an entity bearing the name Satan.
Meaning "accuser," or "adversary."

Could this be a battle for Banner's soul between TOAB and TOBA?

As one of God's angels, Satan is given permission to test Job, God's most pious servant.
A test that destroys all Job has. All that he is.
A test that scours him down to the soul.
Job demands an answer from God. He demands to know why he was hurt so much.
Eventually, God responds.
But he does not speak in human terms.
The 19th-centry theosopher Anna Kingsford likewise speaks of Satan as an angel of God.
In her writings, he is the sifter of souls.
The accuser, who brings judgment on all who fall short. The angel of wrath.
He is the keeper of the door, who holds the power to cast into Hell...
... and he is the breaker of worlds.

Furthermore.. this section is interesting given the direction of the series.. which leads me to believe that all is not as we should believe.. I think TOAA will ask Bruce again and he makes a different choice.. to become something more in balance with himself and his surroundings.

It is all too easy to fall to the Qlippoth.
To become a creature of hate.
To use anger only to create pain.
To lose balance.
Geburah is called the left hand of God.
But the right hand is mercy.
And so I ask again.
What is the Hulk?
What will the Hulk be?
The accuser or the adversary?
Khamael or Satan?
Is he of Geburah or of Golachab?
Is he man or monster?
What will you become Bruce Banner of Earth?
Who are you?
And who am I?
I'll speak to you again.
In due time.

EDIT:
There's also a little bit where the voice says, "Can you hear me?" which should echo the end quote where Bruce is reaching out to Joe. It'd be interesting if this earlier dialog was the voice reaching out to Banner in Hell appealing to him/pontificating about Banner knowing there would be a time coming where he has to decide.

[FrazettaHulk]

‘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”.