Warning! Spoilers for Hulk #1 by Marvel Comics
The newest ongoing series for the Hulk will ask, 'what if the Hulk is actually protecting the world from Bruce Banner?' In a brand new preview for the much-anticipated series, a narrator wonders if the Hulk is the one who protects the Marvel Universe from his human form, which creates an interesting new dynamic between the Jade Giant and Banner.
The Hulk has always been seen as the darker side of Bruce Banner, as the genius scientist transformed into the powerful monster following accidental exposure to gamma radiation. The Hulk is summoned when Banner's anger reaches a certain level, unleashing the Marvel Universe's strongest - but often most unpredictable - hero. Banner has rarely been able to control the Hulk, leading him to numerous conflicts with Avengers and other heroes. With Banner recently being freed from Hell at the conclusion of the Immortal Hulk, it appears Marvel is going to take a deeper dive into the character's human form.
In a new preview (H/T CBR.com) for Hulk #1 by Donny Cates, Ryan Ottley, and Frank Martin, a mysterious voice monologues about their own theory about the Hulk, as the hero violently smashes against a giant door. They say the Hulk has always been thought of as a manifestation of Bruce Banner's trauma that he experienced as a child. However, they wonder if the Hulk isn't a shadow or representation of pure rage but instead exists solely to protect the world from Bruce Banner. The narrator says they've never shared the theory about the Hulk, as it terrifies them to their core.
Exploring Bruce Banner's darker side would be a great way to differentiate from the previous Immortal Hulk run, one of the greatest modern comics ever. Cates, Ottley, and Martin picking up the Hulk's story so soon after completing the previous run might split some fans who think it's too soon to continue the Jade Giant's solo adventures. Still, if the creative team is doing something new and exciting - which seems to be the case - it appears the character is in great hands.
The question remains, what is the Hulk protecting the world from? Is Banner that much of a threat that the Hulk exists solely to stop him from doing or creating something sinister? Even if he doesn't remember being trapped in Hell, Bruce Banner returning is sure to cause a stir in the Marvel Universe. Readers will learn more about the Hulk's existence in relation to Bruce Banner when Hulk #1 from Marvel Comics arrives in comic book stores next week.
Source: CBR.com