Marvel's The Incredible Hulk Battles Some Sinister Monsters In Brand-New Series

Marvel's Hulk is getting a brand-new series, as the latest chapter for the Jade Giant has been revealed. In a first look at "Incredible Hulk" #1 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson ("Alien") and Nic Klein ("Thor"), the Hulk will be thrown into a dangerous war as a mysterious new villain will be transforming monsters into enemies of the longtime Avenger to free the Mother of Horrors.

The Hulk is in a transitional phase in the pages of Marvel Comics. After the success and critical acclaim of Al Ewing and Joe Bennett's "Immortal Hulk" run, which is already considered a modern classic, the follow-up run from Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley is soon coming to an end after just 14 issues. In the latest "Hulk" run, Bruce Banner lives inside the psyche of Hulk, operating the hero like a starship, as the physical body of the Hulk has been embedded with advanced technology. Cates shockingly left the series after ten issues, leaving Ottley to finish the series in the "Hulk Planet" arc, where the titular hero's final battle with the deadliest Hulk persona ever, Titan, is currently unfolding.

Choosing the newest creative team for the Hulk's adventures was always going to be a challenge. Following the success of "Immortal Hulk" and the drastic changes made to the hero in Hulk's "Smashtroanut" arc, where both runs changed the status quo in a major way, finding a new normal for the character was always going to be difficult. However, pairing Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who is best known for his horror work on "Alien" as well as his fantastic "Action Comics" run at DC, with Nic Klein, whose work on "Thor" has been consistently excellent, was a tremendous choice. The text for "Incredible Hulk" #1 teases the Hulk's world being shrouded in darkness as he takes on a new threat in the Marvel Universe.

"As an enraged Hulk tries to take control of Bruce Banner's body permanently, a mysterious immortal turns every monster in the Marvel Universe against Banner in an attempt to free their creator, the primordial Mother of Horrors. With the help of an unlikely new friend, Banner and Hulk must try to stop the world from getting plunged into darkness!"

Johnson expressed enthusiasm about bringing back the classic "Incredible Hulk" title, saying working with Klein has pushed his storytelling. Johnson added the run would be inspired by "Immortal Hulk" while going back to the original monster roots for the character.

"We're getting back to Stan Lee's Frankenstein/Jekyll & Hyde inspirations for the character, and giving readers a proper monster book in the best, truest Hulk tradition," Johnson told Marvel.com. "If you loved IMMORTAL HULK, if you love ghost stories, if you love Marvel monsters, if you loved old school 'adventure of the month' stories from books like MARVEL TEAM-UP, and if you want the best, most timeless Hulk art you've ever seen, you do not want to miss this return of INCREDIBLE HULK."

Klein said the new series will feature monsters, suspense, and new characters entering the mix. For readers who have been waiting for the Hulk to revert to his usual place in the Marvel Universe, "Incredible Hulk" appears to be resetting the course for the hero while offering a fresh take on storylines that are closer to the classic monster arcs seen in the hero's history. All-in-all, it's an exciting new chapter for the hero, which should have fans thrilled about what's coming next.

"Incredible Hulk #1" by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein from Marvel Comics arrives in comic book stores on June 21, 2023.