Bruce Banner, The Incredible Hulk Appreciation 2023

[Intothevoid]

Kind of wonder how the monsters put "Trudy's" skin back together but I think they take the form through some other means, one of the hench-monsters I think was consuming the body of Charlene's father and 'became' his form.

PKJ said that Eldest is a shapeshifter. I dont think that's original Trudy's skin anymore...

[Vordan]

PKJ said that Eldest is a shapeshifter. I dont think that's original Trudy's skin anymore...

I think Eldest is wearing her like a meat sack, and it seems to have two forms: the avian form and then that freakshow centaur design (which I assume is it’s “true” form).

[Cth]

I think Eldest is wearing her like a meat sack, and it seems to have two forms: the avian form and then that freakshow centaur design (which I assume is it’s “true” form).

This is likely it, since PKJ says he's tying it all into the Green Door. During Ewings run, TOBA was said to wear many faces, and if you view Hulk's many forms from this perspective, maybe that's what the "Godflesh" is, after all God (TOAA) was wearing the TOBA as a mask as well ("Does God have a Hulk?")

I really need to look into the Demiurge stuff since PKJ confirmed he's going to be using it during his run. I always found it interesting the Crossroads is tied into it, since not many titles outside of Hulk has utilized it.

[Intothevoid]

I think Eldest is wearing her like a meat sack, and it seems to have two forms: the avian form and then that freakshow centaur design (which I assume is it’s “true” form).

Could be, she does have 2 forms and yea PKJ has confirmed that the giant one is her true form.

[ChrisIII]

Second issue's out. Basically there's a zombie church congregation that needs Banner/Hulk for some sacrifice.

Charlene basically has a similar motive to Mcgee, she wants to be 'strong' like Hulk. Banner adamantly says he's not a role model nor needs sidekicks. Charlene brings up his Avenger status and basically wants to be like Bucky was to Cap (Funny thing is, Hulk's main sidekick Rick was one of the temporary Buckys over the years).

Banner has a dream or a mindscape think where Hulk taunts him. Hulk mentions Betty and "What you did" as to not wishing him any friends. There are corpses in the dream, one is the Abomination and the other seems to have a white beard (Ross? Maestro?)

Banner is "killed" by a blade to the heart but this triggers the transformation at the end. So maybe the Green Door isn't shut?

[Intothevoid]

The second issue was great, i really enjoyed it. Honestly feels so good when you can just sit back and read some creepy Hulk story and not watch Hulk become a stupid freaking space ship lol. But i digress... I love all the set up and callbacks, cant wait for next issue.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Damn, I completely lost track of time today to go pick that up.

[Kolwyr]

Banner is "killed" by a blade to the heart but this triggers the transformation at the end. So maybe the Green Door isn't shut?

I think it was Phillip who touched on this sometime back. Apparently, the Hulk doesn't need the Green Door to resurrect.

[Vordan]

When the zombie stopped and pleasantly talked back to Bruce that got a laugh out of me, just because I wasn’t expecting it. Glad PKJ is doing his songs again, he loved using them in The Last God but hasn’t really used them over in Action. Want to see Hulk get a horror folk song of his own by PKJ. Not too much action, there’s some teases about Bruce having done something to Betty, maybe he’s the reason she ended up in the clutches of Eldest? But Bruce doesn’t seem to know about his pursuers just yet.

Klein is absolutely crushing it on art, and the colors are phenomenal!

[ChrisIII]

Bruce and Betty weren't on the best terms I think in Immortal I think, but obviously she still cares about him (and also the Hulks, especially Joe).

In Cate's run she was part of the mind palace, but was Titan in disguise or something.

Not sure if she's shown up in anything apart from Defenders recently.

[Cth]

I wonder if that panel where Banner's blood turns green is noteworthy.

Specifically, as someone mentioned already, he doesn't need the Green Door anymore to come back from the dead. I'm guessing that avenue is closed to all other gamma beings and intrinsically tied to Banner now due to the events of Ewing's run.

Say, for example, if Betty had died and came under the Eldest's power?

Also worth mentioning(?) is issue 311. Aside from the Crossroads/Demiurge connection, that issue featured Banner being put on a slab to be sacrificed for his blood. Turns out the alchemist is trying to find the key to immortality (nice coincidence?) Given it's proximity to 312, I wonder if that contributed anything to Ewing and PKJ's runs.

[Gamma Irradiated Being]

"We Are Called Upon To Dig! To Free Brother Deep And Bring Him Into His Kingdom......That He May Smite Down The Enemy And Rule On High As In The Time Before Man!"

"Praise Him! Praise Be To Brothe---"

[Vordan]

Bruce and Betty weren't on the best terms I think in Immortal I think, but obviously she still cares about him (and also the Hulks, especially Joe).

In Cate's run she was part of the mind palace, but was Titan in disguise or something.

Not sure if she's shown up in anything apart from Defenders recently.

Could be referring to Immortal, but clearly there has been a time skip between the end of Cates and now. Long enough for Bruce to grow his hair out at least.



I read this and to me it feels like foreshadowing or teasing that Bruce did something that put Betty in Eldest’s clutches.

[ChrisIII]

Think the "Bird(rib)cage" might be a bit of a metaphor...


"The Caged Bird Metaphor is a common Animal Metaphor whereby a character—often a woman or girl in an oppressive environment—is associated with a caged bird, symbolizing their sense of confinement and longing for freedom."


https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.p...0for%20freedom.

[Mantis-Ray]

Its sad to think about but Bruce and Betty's last interaction landed their issues on a completely inconclusive note.

As Bruce wound up trapped in Hell and Betty would abandon the Hulks out of disgust towards Joe, meaning they never made up. Which gets sadder since Betty made a point of constantly refusing to actually talk to Bruce so their last words to each other was entirely negative.