Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2020

[PCN24454]

There's character development and then there's having Superman kill criminals or the Punisher not kill criminals. It's just against the core of the character.

Hulk being a loner is like that it's not something he's supposed to grow out of. It's part of his core identity.

Secondly, I'd presume that any major growth for the character would come out of his solo, not out of team book. Team books tend to focus on the folks who don't have a solo on the team.

Lastly, about the power thing. Teams work when members all have unique roles and a purpose to be on the team. The problem is when the power between characters is wildly divergent, to the point that one member is better at everything than the rest of the team.

You either get the problem of Aquaman on the Superfriends where, since Superman can do everything he can do but better Aquaman becomes the talk to fish joke.

Or you get the modern wording problem where the supposed powerhouse only exists to get their ass kicked bu the villain of the week. Hulk in every MCU movie post the original Avengers.

The problem I have with that is that even in his own books, they addressed the problems with his own loner mentality.

Not everything is always "someone else's fault". That's why the idea that he, somehow, never killed anyone is so jarring. He's too careless with other people to really notice if he did. It doesn't help that Banner isn't always portrayed as a saint either.

It's arguably why him being portrayed as a demonically-charged undead monster works. It is inline with his previous depictions in his own books.

[Immortal Hulk]

Revisiting young Bruce Banner (and his first monster) in Immortal Hulk #38 preview

[Immortal Hulk]

https://www.gamesradar.com/immortal-hulk-38-preview/


We'll get another masterpiece.

[Immortal Hulk]

Immortal Hulk Will Have an 'Incredibly Significant' Year in 2021

"Things are definitely building to a crescendo — or even a series of crescendos."

https://www.cbr.com/immortal-hulk-incredible-2021/

Interesting.

[Immortal Hulk]

Immortal Hulk's Al Ewing Leads the Avenger Back to His Most Ingenious Rival and Beyond
Writer Al Ewing talks his long-term plans for the Immortal Hulk which include battles with the Leader, the next chapter of the Hulk-Thing rivalry and more.

CBR: These past few issues have felt like a story about demonic possession with the Hulk's arch-enemy, the Leader, serving as the possessing malevolent entity. Was that your intent? And what made you want to introduce the Leader into your long-form story this way?

Al Ewing: I don't know if it was the entire intent, but if it conveys that feeling, that's good - it's definitely in the ballpark I was going for. As for the Leader, I knew I'd be introducing him before I was done, and as the book took shape and I knew what #25 looked like, I knew the Leader was going to be a major villain moving on from that story. But he had to be introduced in a way that fit the horror tone of the book, and the person you thought you knew actually being possessed by an evil invasive entity is a horror trope as old as horror itself.

Do you have long term plans for the Leader?

Absolutely! He's uniquely placed as the Hulk's arch-enemy - not an equal type of force against the Hulk, like the Abomination, but an opposite one. Which means he shares the Hulk's status as an archetypal figure - as I've said in previous interviews, if Hulk really is the strongest one there is, then "will this villain prove stronger" is a non-question. Enemies have to challenge him on different ground or either the story is dull or it doesn't feel real. Similarly, the Leader has to be the smartest one there is, or he doesn't work. So everything becomes part of the plan, every defeat is just a cog in a larger machine. Given time and resources, the Leader will out-think any foe. You can't beat him in a rational contest of minds, which is why the Hulk is a great foe for him, since the Hulk represents the irrational unconscious.

One interesting element introduced in both the current arc and the Immortal She-Hulk special is the idea of the resurrecting "green door" sort of closing by becoming red, another important hue in the Hulk mythos. Can you talk at all about the significance of that color change?

If I recall correctly, red gamma beings are touched by cosmic rays as well as gamma rays. That might be significant...

It looks like there's going to be some major and immediate conflict between two of Bruce's alters, Devil Hulk and Green Scar. What can you tell us about that discord, and how do you see the relationship between them?

Well, as people who read #37 will know from the ending of that issue, the Leader is using Green Scar - the "Gravage" Hulk - as a trojan horse, and has been since at least #32. Whether that's the Leader just disguising himself, or whether he's somehow possessed one of Bruce's alters - the effect is the same. He's managed to worm his way inside Hulk's system in a way he never has before, caging and imprisoning the alters under cover of the earlier assault by Xemnu. So if Devil Hulk were to break out of the cage Leader constructed in Bruce Banner's inner world - you have you assume he'd be very angry.

You and Joe Bennett introduce a new Sasquatch in November's Immortal Hulk #40. How similar and how different is this character to the previous one we saw in the early chapters of Immortal Hulk

He's similar in some respects but very, very different in others. He's very much not the Sasquatch we know and love. Watch this space.

The new Sasquatch was an idea that came to me quite suddenly, so Joe didn't have as much time to prepare as he has in the past - but that fits with what we're doing with the character, in that he both is different and isn't. Joe's done an amazing job of bringing out the personality underneath the fur, but then he's been an absolute legend art-wise the whole way through this. We've got things coming up - including in the very next issue, #38 - that are absolutely going to blow your mind.

In December's Immortal Hulk #41 you're revisiting one of Marvel's most classic rivalries, the Thing vs Hulk. What's your sense of that rivalry?

Originally, I was going to leave the THING VS. HULK dichotomy to the pages of FF -- the fight they had there was a fun example of the genre -- but while I was plotting the upcoming issues, I realized there was a great opportunity for a twist on that, and I didn't want to let that chance go to waste. It's ended up really playing into some ideas I've been having about gamma rays and cosmic rays, and some of the larger workings of the book. I can promise that this is a Thing/Hulk story unlike any you've read before.

In Immortal Hulk #42, you close out 2020 with a tale that looks to be reflective but also sets a lot of the stage for what's to come. What can you tell us about this issue?

It's the first all-out jam issue we've had since #3, and very much an issue to check in on the supporting cast and, as you say, set the stage for what's coming. With help from Adam Gorham, Alex Lins and Rachael Stott, we're seeing how things are playing out for the Gamma Flight, the Leader, and Jackie McGee - and each of those stories come with some major consequences, including a new set of foes arriving from the Hulk's stormy past! Things are definitely coming to a head, and I don't just mean Sam Sterns' massive megabonce.

Finally, can you talk at all about what 2021 holds for the Immortal Hulk? I know your long-form story has an end. Are you nearing the finish line?

I've been pretty good about avoiding spoilers in terms of exactly when we finish. I've always promised that the solicitation for the last issue will tell you unequivocally that it's the last issue, and I plan to keep to that, if there isn't some official word before that. But things are definitely building to a crescendo - or even a series of crescendos. 2021 is going to be an incredibly significant year for the Green Goliath.

Thank you, to all those reading and spreading the word on this book - I still hear from people just discovering it, even now, and it's great that it's got that kind of longevity. I can promise that we'll be carrying through the rest of 2020 and into 2021 with the same gamma energy, so keep on keepin' it green!


https://www.cbr.com/al-ewing-immortal-hulk-interview/

[Vordan]

Love Ewing’s take on the Hulk vs. Leader relationship as one of rational vs irrational thinking. It’s something that’s always been there but I don’t think it’s ever been articulated like that. Hulk is a monster of the id whereas Leader is basically the superego. Ewing is right about straight up “who is stronger” fights with Hulk lacking weight because Hulk is always going to be “The Strongest One There Is” but then I do wonder if that means he’s not going to bother bringing Blonsky back into the picture which would be a shame imo.

[PlatinumThorns]

Immortal Hulk's Al Ewing Leads the Avenger Back to His Most Ingenious Rival and Beyond
Writer Al Ewing talks his long-term plans for the Immortal Hulk which include battles with the Leader, the next chapter of the Hulk-Thing rivalry and more.

CBR: These past few issues have felt like a story about demonic possession with the Hulk's arch-enemy, the Leader, serving as the possessing malevolent entity. Was that your intent? And what made you want to introduce the Leader into your long-form story this way?

Al Ewing: I don't know if it was the entire intent, but if it conveys that feeling, that's good - it's definitely in the ballpark I was going for. As for the Leader, I knew I'd be introducing him before I was done, and as the book took shape and I knew what #25 looked like, I knew the Leader was going to be a major villain moving on from that story. But he had to be introduced in a way that fit the horror tone of the book, and the person you thought you knew actually being possessed by an evil invasive entity is a horror trope as old as horror itself.

Do you have long term plans for the Leader?

Absolutely! He's uniquely placed as the Hulk's arch-enemy - not an equal type of force against the Hulk, like the Abomination, but an opposite one. Which means he shares the Hulk's status as an archetypal figure - as I've said in previous interviews, if Hulk really is the strongest one there is, then "will this villain prove stronger" is a non-question. Enemies have to challenge him on different ground or either the story is dull or it doesn't feel real. Similarly, the Leader has to be the smartest one there is, or he doesn't work. So everything becomes part of the plan, every defeat is just a cog in a larger machine. Given time and resources, the Leader will out-think any foe. You can't beat him in a rational contest of minds, which is why the Hulk is a great foe for him, since the Hulk represents the irrational unconscious.

One interesting element introduced in both the current arc and the Immortal She-Hulk special is the idea of the resurrecting "green door" sort of closing by becoming red, another important hue in the Hulk mythos. Can you talk at all about the significance of that color change?

If I recall correctly, red gamma beings are touched by cosmic rays as well as gamma rays. That might be significant...

It looks like there's going to be some major and immediate conflict between two of Bruce's alters, Devil Hulk and Green Scar. What can you tell us about that discord, and how do you see the relationship between them?

Well, as people who read #37 will know from the ending of that issue, the Leader is using Green Scar - the "Gravage" Hulk - as a trojan horse, and has been since at least #32. Whether that's the Leader just disguising himself, or whether he's somehow possessed one of Bruce's alters - the effect is the same. He's managed to worm his way inside Hulk's system in a way he never has before, caging and imprisoning the alters under cover of the earlier assault by Xemnu. So if Devil Hulk were to break out of the cage Leader constructed in Bruce Banner's inner world - you have you assume he'd be very angry.

You and Joe Bennett introduce a new Sasquatch in November's Immortal Hulk #40. How similar and how different is this character to the previous one we saw in the early chapters of Immortal Hulk

He's similar in some respects but very, very different in others. He's very much not the Sasquatch we know and love. Watch this space.

The new Sasquatch was an idea that came to me quite suddenly, so Joe didn't have as much time to prepare as he has in the past - but that fits with what we're doing with the character, in that he both is different and isn't. Joe's done an amazing job of bringing out the personality underneath the fur, but then he's been an absolute legend art-wise the whole way through this. We've got things coming up - including in the very next issue, #38 - that are absolutely going to blow your mind.

In December's Immortal Hulk #41 you're revisiting one of Marvel's most classic rivalries, the Thing vs Hulk. What's your sense of that rivalry?

Originally, I was going to leave the THING VS. HULK dichotomy to the pages of FF -- the fight they had there was a fun example of the genre -- but while I was plotting the upcoming issues, I realized there was a great opportunity for a twist on that, and I didn't want to let that chance go to waste. It's ended up really playing into some ideas I've been having about gamma rays and cosmic rays, and some of the larger workings of the book. I can promise that this is a Thing/Hulk story unlike any you've read before.

In Immortal Hulk #42, you close out 2020 with a tale that looks to be reflective but also sets a lot of the stage for what's to come. What can you tell us about this issue?

It's the first all-out jam issue we've had since #3, and very much an issue to check in on the supporting cast and, as you say, set the stage for what's coming. With help from Adam Gorham, Alex Lins and Rachael Stott, we're seeing how things are playing out for the Gamma Flight, the Leader, and Jackie McGee - and each of those stories come with some major consequences, including a new set of foes arriving from the Hulk's stormy past! Things are definitely coming to a head, and I don't just mean Sam Sterns' massive megabonce.

Finally, can you talk at all about what 2021 holds for the Immortal Hulk? I know your long-form story has an end. Are you nearing the finish line?

I've been pretty good about avoiding spoilers in terms of exactly when we finish. I've always promised that the solicitation for the last issue will tell you unequivocally that it's the last issue, and I plan to keep to that, if there isn't some official word before that. But things are definitely building to a crescendo - or even a series of crescendos. 2021 is going to be an incredibly significant year for the Green Goliath.

Thank you, to all those reading and spreading the word on this book - I still hear from people just discovering it, even now, and it's great that it's got that kind of longevity. I can promise that we'll be carrying through the rest of 2020 and into 2021 with the same gamma energy, so keep on keepin' it green!


https://www.cbr.com/al-ewing-immortal-hulk-interview/

Foes huh? I wonder if it's the "U" kind.

[Intothevoid]

Love Ewing’s take on the Hulk vs. Leader relationship as one of rational vs irrational thinking. It’s something that’s always been there but I don’t think it’s ever been articulated like that. Hulk is a monster of the id whereas Leader is basically the superego. Ewing is right about straight up “who is stronger” fights with Hulk lacking weight because Hulk is always going to be “The Strongest One There Is” but then I do wonder if that means he’s not going to bother bringing Blonsky back into the picture which would be a shame imo.

He already spoke about not bringing back Abomination, he said he will leave it for other writers if they wish to do so, the only thing he did was the Abomination skin/flesh stuff which wasn't even Ewings idea in the first place but something Joe suggested to him because he wanted to draw Abomination.

Also Ewing kinda spoiled it in one of the letters he answered in some of the previous issues but at least one of Hulks villains he is bringing in are gonna be the U-Foes.

[Sataniel]

Foes huh? I wonder if it's the "U" kind.

U-Foes fit very well into what Ewing is building with gamma/cosmic radiation dualism. Also "stormy past".

[Vordan]

He already spoke about not bringing back Abomination, he said he will leave it for other writers if they wish to do so, the only thing he did was the Abomination skin/flesh stuff which wasn't even Ewings idea in the first place but something Joe suggested to him because he wanted to draw Abomination.

Also Ewing kinda spoiled it in one of the letters he answered in some of the previews issues but at least one of Hulks villains he is bringing in are gonna be the U-Foes.

Figured as much. Oh well, least he’s giving Leader his best showing in ages. Someone needs to come on board and revamp Abomination the way Ewing is doing Leader though.

[the nomad]

I AM SO READY FOR THE IMMORTAL HULK #38, as well as what 2021 has in store.....even though it's ending. UGH!! every time I hear it, my soul breaks just a bit because I know I won't have any other book that scratches this particular itch, that gamma itch. LOL.

[ChrisIII]

Interesting that the Mindscape version of DH seems to have been inspired by that Milton illustration.

[Hulkbanner12]

I love immortal hulk comics but one thing that bothers me is his durability. he get damage like paper with weapons like what's going on? can someone explain?

[Intothevoid]

I love immortal hulk comics but one thing that bothers me is his durability. he get damage like paper with weapons like what's going on? can someone explain?

The problem is gore/body horror is the driving force of Joe Bennetts art and is fundamental to the series and you can't have that without Hulks body getting damaged in all kinds of horrific ways. As a result it gives of the illusion that Hulk is way less durable than he really is, which isn't really the case. Even early on in issue 8, Ewing established that even an adamantium scalpel mounted on a hydraulic arm that can bend titanium like paper had trouble cutting through Hulks already exposed organs, so his durability is there the problem is Ewing doesn't always address that the weapons that hurt him are powerful enough to hurt pretty much anyone. For instance remember when Buschwacker blew half of Hulks head away with a 1000 caliber bullet? Well people thought he used regular bullets there which means anyone can blow a hole through Hulk now as long as they have large caliber bullets, so a friend of mine asked Ewing on twitter about this and his response was that the bullets were special and had a special mix in them from some of the unique metals found in Marvel i presume he is referring to stuff like vibranium/adamantium but the exact composition isn't known, either way that is enough to dispel the notion that he can be hurt by regular bullets even high caliber ones the problem is he didn't put that in the comic. Even more recently we saw Puck split open Hulks head with his bazooka which again isn't explained what type of weapon/bullet/energy blast it used, although funny enough he shot Hulk with it in issue 36 in the chest and it didn't blow a hole in him there, it was only after Creel started damaging and rag dolling Hulk around that i guess his durability got compromised so he was easier to hurt or at least i presume that's Ewings logic behind it, the problem is he didn't put it in the comic as a throaway line to explain it.

So once again because Ewing either personally doesn't care to explain each weapon or attack that hurts Hulk or because he thought issue 8 is enough to cover that Hulk is really durable so anything that hurts him has to be exceptional, we get the false idea that Hulk is easy to damage, in reality if anyone were to ask Ewing this question he would probably tell you that Hulk is every bit as durable if not more than any other superhero out there. Now if the kind of weapons that hurt Hulk end up not hurting other super heroes at some point in the comic then we can definitely say that he done goofed when it comes Hulks durability and it isn't what it's suppose to be until then, you can't really say his durability is bad until you know exactly how powerful the weapons and attacks on him really are.

[The Cool Thatguy]

I love immortal hulk comics but one thing that bothers me is his durability. he get damage like paper with weapons like what's going on? can someone explain?

When you come at the king, you best not miss

Also, bring high caliber weapons