Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2019

[Jekyll]

The praise is well earned. What an incredible run. By far the best Hulk book in decades, IMO.

This is not only the best Hulk book in decades, this is one of the best comic books that has come out from the big two in decades. When you have properties that are going to go on forever with no end, it is a challenge to bring something fresh to the character while still respecting what makes the character unique. Ewing is putting on a masterclass right now! This book is always at the top of my stack when it releases.

[Ptrvc]

We're so close to the next issue!

[Immortal Hulk]

This is not only the best Hulk book in decades, this is one of the best comic books that has come out from the big two in decades. When you have properties that are going to go on forever with no end, it is a challenge to bring something fresh to the character while still respecting what makes the character unique. Ewing is putting on a masterclass right now! This book is always at the top of my stack when it releases.

You summed up everything pretty well, Jekyll!

We're so close to the next issue!

Until I see the book as available on comixology, it's a torture!

[Subzero89]

Man i am looking forward to this next issue so much, it should have some nice revelations.

Every time we get to find out more about Hell/TOBA i get super excited.

Hulk is my favorite character but i always felt he lacked the background and mythos that guys like Thor or even Superman have, they could rely on Norse Mythology or Krypton but Hulk was born from a nuke explosion and that was it, this whole Hell aspect that ties into the Abrahamic religions is simply fascinating and gives the character a different kind of dept he previously never had.

[Immortal Hulk]

Man i am looking forward to this next issue so much, it should have some nice revelations.

Every time we get to find out more about Hell/TOBA i get super excited.

Hulk is my favorite character but i always felt he lacked the background and mythos that guys like Thor or even Superman have, they could rely on Norse Mythology or Krypton but Hulk was born from a nuke explosion and that was it, this whole Hell aspect that ties into the Abrahamic religions is simply fascinating and gives the character a different kind of dept he previously never had.

Indeed! And I dare to say, considering how deep the character already is, this extended mythos has the potential (it's already happening) for much more depth than the others mentioned, imo, of course.

[Cth]

So, I thought I'd re-read #19 in preparation for #20 to see if anything new popped out at me and had the following thoughts:

Ok, going over the issue again just solidifies in my mind the genius of Ewing's writing.

We've all gone over how the metaphor can work with so many of the cast's relationships. But I wanted to see if anything else could be read into it so here goes.

The spider (Bruce) creates a web (Hulk/Gamma Bomb) that entangles others (Rick, Betty, etc)

Fortean says the butterfly's wings (Red/Wings, obviously Betty - later confirmed when he says to wait that she's undergoing the next stage - something common with the butterfly cycle changing from worm to butterfly)

Wings (Betty) scare off the flies (McGee and soldiers)

It's cheesy, but worth noting (B)u(T)(T)(E)rfl(Y) contains all the letters in her name, which is another stroke of genius. Intentional or coincidence?

Betty says it's good if the butterfly destroys the web "Good. I hope it does." which Ewing repeats near the end of the issue. Given what Betty does to Hulk, to me it says Hulk is the web that entangles people. He says you don't want the web broke. Which says to me you don't want the Hulk dying -- which we've seen opens the Green door each time wider. "Killing" Hulk who serves as the gatekeeper of the door would be a bad thing.

Is Fortean acting as an agent of the TOBA? Is that why he is hellbent (ha!) on destroying him? He seems to know more than he's letting on. And maybe he's privy to secrets like bringing Rick back from the dead which could be otherworldly sourced.

Fortean says the web (Hulk) is more important than the butterfly (Betty) You don't like spiders (Bruce) but they and their web (Hulk) serve a function (keeping the Green Door closed)

Eventually the butterfly breaks the web near the end which is echoed when Betty destroys the Hulk. Does this mean she's "free"? Is this the end of gamma resurrections? Unlikely as it's a good hook to the series. Metaphorically? Sure.

Another thing worth noting is the person praying in the kitchen is spared by Betty. Is she being guided by divinity? She places a hand on their head and passes them by. It seems a conscious act and the text seems called out over multiple panels. It could be used for dramatic effect but a whole page devoted to it seems intentional.

Finally, Fortean has his own narration box (the blue one).. it seems to come from out of nowhere, and given how Betty's (red) is deliberate and previous issues have other narrative callouts (unseen narrator during the Hulk in Hell arc) I wonder if there might be something to that.

Basically I'm really starting to suspect there's something more to Fortean that's going to be revealed soon.

[ChrisIII]

Kind of curious that Fortean hasn't utilized Ross's body in some way yet.

[Subzero89]

Kind of curious that Fortean hasn't utilized Ross's body in some way yet.

Considering how much respect he has for Ross i would guess that's the only reason he hasn't done it.

He went with the Abomination approach, although he did utilize Ross in a way, he used his red hulk absorbing abilities to amp Absorbing Mans own absorbing abilities even further for his fight with Hulk.

[Immortal Hulk]

So, I thought I'd re-read #19 in preparation for #20 to see if anything new popped out at me and had the following thoughts:

Ok, going over the issue again just solidifies in my mind the genius of Ewing's writing.

We've all gone over how the metaphor can work with so many of the cast's relationships. But I wanted to see if anything else could be read into it so here goes.

The spider (Bruce) creates a web (Hulk/Gamma Bomb) that entangles others (Rick, Betty, etc)

Fortean says the butterfly's wings (Red/Wings, obviously Betty - later confirmed when he says to wait that she's undergoing the next stage - something common with the butterfly cycle changing from worm to butterfly)

Wings (Betty) scare off the flies (McGee and soldiers)

It's cheesy, but worth noting (B)u(T)(T)(E)rfl(Y) contains all the letters in her name, which is another stroke of genius. Intentional or coincidence?

Betty says it's good if the butterfly destroys the web "Good. I hope it does." which Ewing repeats near the end of the issue. Given what Betty does to Hulk, to me it says Hulk is the web that entangles people. He says you don't want the web broke. Which says to me you don't want the Hulk dying -- which we've seen opens the Green door each time wider. "Killing" Hulk who serves as the gatekeeper of the door would be a bad thing.

Is Fortean acting as an agent of the TOBA? Is that why he is hellbent (ha!) on destroying him? He seems to know more than he's letting on. And maybe he's privy to secrets like bringing Rick back from the dead which could be otherworldly sourced.

Fortean says the web (Hulk) is more important than the butterfly (Betty) You don't like spiders (Bruce) but they and their web (Hulk) serve a function (keeping the Green Door closed)

Eventually the butterfly breaks the web near the end which is echoed when Betty destroys the Hulk. Does this mean she's "free"? Is this the end of gamma resurrections? Unlikely as it's a good hook to the series. Metaphorically? Sure.

Another thing worth noting is the person praying in the kitchen is spared by Betty. Is she being guided by divinity? She places a hand on their head and passes them by. It seems a conscious act and the text seems called out over multiple panels. It could be used for dramatic effect but a whole page devoted to it seems intentional.

Finally, Fortean has his own narration box (the blue one).. it seems to come from out of nowhere, and given how Betty's (red) is deliberate and previous issues have other narrative callouts (unseen narrator during the Hulk in Hell arc) I wonder if there might be something to that.

Basically I'm really starting to suspect there's something more to Fortean that's going to be revealed soon.

That's a lot to think about. You could be onto something here...

One thing I have to say is that I always suspected Fortean knows a lot more about Gamma than people think. Probably even about the OBA.

He didn't seem surprised at all with the whole Hell on Earth thing, with the Green Door (while Burbank, for example, freaked out). Very suspect, imo.

[Subzero89]

Fortean really comes off out of place when you think about it. Some random general that used to be under Ross's command and seemingly idolized the man.

I wonder if he has a deeper story in all of this than just another military man.

[Cth]

Here's something interesting I read online..

Emanationism is a cosmological theory which asserts that all things "flow" from an underlying principle or reality, usually called the Absolute or Godhead. Any teachings which involve emanation are usually in opposition to creation ex nihilo as emanation advocates that everything has always existed and has not been "created" from nothing. (It's also) a transcendent principle from which everything is derived, and is opposed to both creationism (wherein the universe is created by a sentient God who is separate from creation) and materialism (which posits no underlying subjective and/or ontological nature behind phenomena being immanent).

In simpler terms, unlike particles or waves (radiate or depart from the source), emanations branch from the original source, like roots from the tree. So in the case of TOBA, all of His influence is also part of who He is (hence what Brian Banner says, "I am myself, but I am also Him"). This is the "third form of energy", a force whose power is only diluted by the distance from the source, but it's intrinsically tied to it.

[Cth]

Issue's out!

!!!!!

[Immortal Hulk]

Issue's out!

!!!!!

Still waiting for it in comixology! :/

[Immortal Hulk]

Wow! Immortal Hulk #20 was mind blowing. The two last pages themselves are already breathtaking, and leave us fans with a a LOT to speculate about the future!

The title alone: spoilers:

METATRON!

end of spoilers

[Ptrvc]

Wow! Immortal Hulk #20 was mind blowing. The two last pages themselves are already breathtaking, and leave us fans with a a LOT to speculate about the future!

The title alone: spoilers:

METATRON!

end of spoilers

spoilers:

The Voice of God...

end of spoilers