Hulk Just Ripped Apart An MCU Monster From The Inside Out (WARNING: It's Nasty)

Contains spoilers for "The Incredible Hulk" #4, by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Travel Foreman, Matt Wilson, and VC's Cory Petit

The Hulk's latest encounter with Man-Thing just resulted in one of the most brutal takedowns of the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities. But even for a character as powerful as the Jade Giant, killing Man-Thing simply isn't that easy, even after ripping his physical form into pieces and leaving it in tatters.

In the current "Incredible Hulk" ongoing series from Marvel Comics, the Hulk has dealt with several monsters being awoken across the Earth by an ancient monster called the Eldest. The dark foe has gone after the Hulk in its attempts to free the Mother of Horrors, a mysterious creature connected to the creator of the Marvel Universe, the One-Above-All. As Bruce Banner and the Hulk deal with the dangerous threats, they encounter Charlie, a young runaway from an abusive family whom they reluctantly agree to protect and help. 

In "The Incredible Hulk" #4, while Charlie is confronted by her dead brother, the Hulk is met with Man-Thing, who wants his help in stopping those looking to cause permanent damage to the Nexus. However, before Man-Thing convinces them to help, the Hulk is unleashed and rages out first while asking questions second.

In "Hulk" #4, from Marvel Comics, Bruce Banner and Charlie's pitstop leads to them being split up. As Charlie is haunted by her deceased younger brother, Banner is approached by Man-Thing, with the creature towering over his human form. However, as Bruce tries to reason with him and inform him about the Eldest and the undead monsters that have attacked him, Man-Thing grabs Banner and absorbs him into his body.

The Hulk doesn't take kindly to the fiery connection with Man-Thing, and the Jade Giant's arm emerges from the body of the monster who swallowed him. The Hulk rips apart Man-Thing from inside his body, leaving him in pieces. However, when the dust settles, Man-Thing's human form, Ted Sallis, appears and tells the former Avenger that he's inside the Nexus of All Realities with him. Sallis reveals he needed to talk with Hulk and that his physical form wasn't capable of doing so with as much clarity as he would have inside the Nexus.

Man-Thing shares that the Nexus of All Realities is in danger from the Eldest, who is too strong for him to deal with alone. Sallis adds she's older than anything he's ever encountered before. While Hulk and Man-Thing have had their fair share of tussles in the past, the two powerful monsters are about to work together to stop the Eldest from freeing the Mother of Horrors and prevent the destruction of the Nexus of All Realities. So the pair will need to put aside their differences to take on a common enemy who's much more powerful than either of them could handle alone.

Seeing Hulk rip apart Man-Thing only for the monster to be completely fine shows once again why the former will most likely never be able to defeat the latter — at least when using his rage and strength. Man-Thing is immortal, and his connection to the Nexus of All Realities and incredible powers means his physical being can be destroyed and the creature be totally fine, as he can take an alternate body immediately. However, Hulk has still tried his hardest to kill Man-Thing for good.

In "Incredible Hulk" #197, by Len Wein, Sal Buscema, Joe Staton, Glynis Wein, and John Constanza, Man-Thing (under the mind control of the Collector) easily dispatches the Hulk alongside the monster Glob by enveloping his head into his body and suffocating him. In "Incredible Hulk" #428, by Peter David, Liam Sharp, Robin Riggs, Glynis Oliver, Comcraft, and Bobbie Chase, Hulk's search for a young boy leads him into direct conflict with Man-Thing, whom the hero sees as an impediment to his mission. The pair fight, with Hulk even ripping Man-Thing to pieces. However, when Hulk believes he has defeated Man-Thing, the swamp creature remakes his physical form and hits his opponent with his burning touch. 

Much like the fight in the new issue of "The Incredible Hulk," Man-Thing has proven to be too powerful and elusive for Hulk to ever kill. It's simply not possible. Despite Hulk being among the strongest characters in the Marvel Universe, Man-Thing's immortal nature and constantly reconstituting form mean that Hulk's physical strength is limited and ineffective against him.

The Hulk and Man-Thing will work together to try to stop the Eldest and the Mother of Horrors, with the text preview for "The Incredible Hulk" #5 highlighting the challenges ahead for them. Hulk and Man-Thing will fight against the Swamp Siren, who is set to be the latest undead foe presenting significant problems for the heroes. The horrifying creature seen on Nic Klein's cover art for the issue appears at the end of the latest story, with the disgusting monster confronting Charlie while showing it can create human forms (such as her brother) by making them bubble out of its body. Hulk is ready to smash the foe, but it seems highly likely he'll be forced to confront more undead beings along the way.

"The Swamp Siren Revealed! Hulk tracks down the beauty that has been luring man and monster alike to their dooms! An epic brawl breaks out between the Jade Giant, Man-Thing and the true face of the Swamp Siren... but even the Jade Giant is not immune to her song! Plus... A backup story featuring a surprise guest character to honor Latin and Latinx characters and creators!"

Marvel Comics

Readers can see the Hulk and Man-Thing's latest fight in "The Incredible Hulk" #4, by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Travel Foreman, Matt Wilson, and VC's Cory Petit, from Marvel Comics, which is now in comic book stores and available at online retailers.