The following contains spoilers for The Incredible Hulk #1, now on sale from Marvel Comics
The Hulk has always been at the crossroads of horror and heroism, with titles focusing on the characters often finding the balance between the inherent terrifying elements of the Hulk's story with the typical superhero storytelling of the Marvel Universe. But the Hulk arguably works best when the balance shifts further into the frightening aspects, with titles like Immortal Hulk highlighting what makes the character so frightening — especially in contrast to the other heroes and villains of the surrounding universe.
A different tonal version of horror is on display in The Incredible Hulk #1 (by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Nic Klein, Matthew Wilson, and VC's Cory Petit), which embraces body horror and overarching monstrous threats for its storyline. In fact, this new Hulk series seems to be taking cues from the kind of horror/heroics fusion that made Hellboy such a compelling series. It's also a genuinely great idea and a fun way to approach the Hulk.
The Hulk's New Direction, Explained
The Incredible Hulk #1 sets up the status quo for Bruce Banner quickly, highlighting exactly why — after extended periods of being a global icon, a wanted fugitive, an Avenger, and a monster — he's simply on the run and trying to make his way through the world unnoticed. In the aftermath of his most recent series, Bruce Banner finds himself in less control than ever before. Whenever Banner stops and communicates with people, even just going so far as to give a dog some food or chat with a patron while ordering sandwiches to go, the Hulk whispers in his ear. Taking over his body and destroying the establishment for the unknowing act of helping Banner, the Hulk has seemingly embraced his rage and is content to take it out on innocent people. He specifically blames Banner for this, something Bruce seems to agree with.
This isolation leaves Banner more haggard and disconnected than ever, setting up a dark dynamic between Hulk and Banner going forward. The problem is only compounded by the Eldest, the oldest child of the mysterious Mother of Horrors. Seeking the Hulk as the final key to unleashing the demonic force onto the Earth, the Eldest has dark plans to control the Hulk. Using shapeshifting monstrosities to chase after them, the Eldest even seems to have captured and turned Betty Ross into one of her followers. The issue ends with the Eldest using her powers to speak to all of the "Terrors of Earth," contacting beings like Man-Thing, the Moloids, and countless others — all to order them to hunt down the Hulk.
How Hulk Is Becoming Marvel's Hellboy
The Hulk has fought supernatural forces in the past, with Immortal Hulk delving into some wild theoretical science as it explored concepts of faith and spirituality. The Incredible Hulk seems to be taking a more direct approach, setting up Hulk to face off with plenty of monstrous threats. The issue overall feels more in line with something like Hellboy than Immortal Hulk — which admittedly also embraced body horror but in a far more directly grotesque way. By contrast, The Incredible Hulk's coloring and look feel more stylistic, fitting into the more monster-driven tone than the horrors wrought by science gone wrong. This feels closer to the moody and atmospheric elements of Hellboy than most versions of the Hulk.
The new series also takes similar cues as Hellboy in terms of the opening plot, with the hunt for Hulk's body to unleash the Mother of Horrors feeling similar to the attempts to use Hellboy's Right Hand of Doom to unlock the Ogdru Jahad. Both books even contrasted their brutish leads with a human foil, with Incredible Hulk introducing Charlie as a fellow (rage-fueled and violent) runaway. This is a solid direction to take for the Jade Giant, allowing the title to retain its horror connections while still feeling removed enough from Immortal Hulk and its central themes to stand out. The basic setup of pitting Hulk against Marvel's monsters could make it an ideal series to run for a while, throwing him into different battles every issue. It's a fun way to play the Hulk and can hopefully reach the heights of what creators like Mike Mignola accomplished with Hellboy.