Warning: contains potential spoilers for Maestro: World War M #1!
The Hulk has many personas, some darker than others, but perhaps the darkest of them all is Maestro, a tyrannical despot presiding over a post-apocalyptic Earth. First appearing in 1992, the Maestro has remained popular with fans. Marvel has published several limited series chronicling the Maestro’s rise to power, and this January, he returns for his biggest battle yet in Maestro: World War M.
In the late 1980s, writer Peter David helped redefine the Hulk, breathing new life into the character. In 1992, David teamed up with legendary artist George Perez for a two-issue Hulk miniseries titled Future Imperfect. Set hundreds of years in the future, the Hulk, now a brutal dictator calling himself Maestro, rules over much of the planet. The series was a smash hit and is regarded as a highlight of David’s tenure with the character. Last year, David returned to the Maestro’s world, writing two miniseries, each exploring the Maestro’s rise to power: after awakening from suspended animation, the Hulk is confronted with a hellish world, one where law and order have broken down and chaos reigns. Deciding his way is the best for humanity, the Hulk begins a terrifying rise to power, disposing of AIM, the Pantheon, and even Doctor Doom. His power now consolidated, the Maestro is ready to rule.
Yet, in a special preview appearing on AIPT, it appears there are still challengers to the Maestro’s throne. Maestro: World War M sees Peter David joined by artists German Peralta and Pasqual Ferry to tell the final chapter in the Maestro’s rise to power. The Abomination, one of Hulk’s greatest foes, returns from the dead, looking for a fight. Abomination teams up with Namor and Doctor Doom, the three of them swearing vengeance on the Maestro. Check out the preview covers below:
At his core, the Hulk is a tragic figure, and his transformation into the sadistic Maestro is perhaps his most tragic aspect yet. Bruce Banner only wanted to do good things for humanity through his gamma experiments, not turn himself into a monster. Seeing what had become of the same people he tried to save and do right by hardened his heart, eventually leading to the Maestro’s rise to power. However, the Maestro chose a life of brutality and violence, forsaking any chance at redemption. In this world, former villains such as the Abomination and Doctor Doom are working side by side with Namor to bring the Maestro down. What will give Maestro: World War M its weight is that it is a prequel to Future Imperfect; the Maestro was still in power in that story, meaning the Abomination’s quest for revenge is doomed to fail. If powerhouses such as Doctor Doom, Namor, and the Abomination cannot stop the Maestro—then who truly can?
The Maestro ranks as one of Hulk’s darkest personas, but also one of the most enduring and influential; the recently concluded Immortal Hulk explored the idea of a darker, more sinister Hulk, one bent on destruction and annihilation. It is not too much of a stretch to see the Maestro as a starting point for these darker interpretations, and he returns in January in Maestro: World War M.
Source: AIPT