The MCU will fail both the Hulk and his fans if it fails to adapt the character’s best story in a decade. Across the Hulk’s 66-year history, a number of all-star creators have lined up to take a crack at him. From Bill Mantlo to Peter David, the Hulk has had some definitive runs, but one from a decade ago still shines.
Kicking off in 2018, Immortal Hulk ran for fifty issues, wrapping up in 2021. Immortal Hulk, written by Al Ewing and largely drawn by Joe Bennett, saw the “Devil Hulk’ persona take control.
alex ross art of the immortal hulk
One of the darkest and savagest of the Hulk’s personas, he takes any attack on Banner “personally.”
Immortal Hulk Was a Love Letter to the Jade Giant’s Extensive Lore
Immortal Hulk Looked at the Character’s Legacy
Writer Al Ewing explained Immortal Hulk’s origins in the first issue’s back matter. Ewing pointed to the cover of the Hulk’s debut issue in 1962, and the question it posed: is the Hulk a man? A monster? Or maybe both? The paradox posed by the cover fired up Ewing’s imagination, and Immortal Hulk would riff on this theme throughout.
The paradox posed by the cover fired up Ewing’s imagination, and Immortal Hulk would riff on this theme throughout.
Ewing and his collaborators leaned heavily into the Hulk’s roots in the horror genre. Lee and Kirby conceived the Hulk as a take on the “Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde” motif. The key difference was the Hulk used his brute strength for mostly noble ends, despite his horrific appearance and savage nature.
For instance, the Hulk is a prime example of what is called “body horror.” This subgenre, popularized by filmmakers such as David Cronenberg, mines terror from changes experienced by the human body in movies like The Fly. Artist Joe Bennett crafted some of the most intense and gruesome transformations in the character’s history.
Immortal Hulk was also a trip through the mythos that has built up around the character since 1962. Ewing and company shined a spotlight on other gamma mutates, such as She-Hulk, the Leader, Doc Samson and Sasquatch. Supporting characters such as Rick Jones and Betsy Ross also played major roles in Immortal Hulk, showing how he has impacted their lives.
The best example of Ewing’s approach was seen in the character of Mister Fixit, a classic Hulk persona from early in Peter David’s acclaimed 1980s run. This personality, long dormant, came back to the surface during Immortal Hulk, temporarily taking control of Banner’s body. Rather than just fan service, however, Immortal Hulk gave the Fixit persona greater depth.
Finally, Immortal Hulk dived into the character’s deep emotional core. Hulk writers, starting with Bill Mantlo, would explore Banner’s childhood, and how this relationship with his abusive father Brian would lead to the monster’s creation. In fact, Brian Banner can be viewed as one of Immortal Hulk’s primary villains, alongside other antagonists such as the Leader and the One Below All.
These elements all came together in a beautiful fashion in the pages of Immortal Hulk. The book received consistent praise from fans and critics, and it would appear on many “Best of the Year” lists. Some critics and publications have even cited Immortal Hulk as one of Marvel’s best books of the 2010s.
With Immortal Hulk being regarded as one of the best takes on the character, it makes sense to adapt it to the MCU. The franchise has already dabbled in bringing some of the Hulk’s biggest stories to life: in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarök, the filmmakers borrowed elements of Planet Hulk for the film’s story. “Professor Hulk” has also appeared.
An MCU Version of Immortal Hulk Would Rule, But Also Present Challenges
An Immortal Hulk Film Could Redeem Both the Leader and She-Hulk
Adapting Immortal Hulk to the big screen would prove challenging, but a competent filmmaker could create gold from the premise. The Hulk’s previous MCU outings have skipped over the childhood trauma that gave birth to the monster. While not part of the MCU, 2003’s Hulk explored this area of the character’s mythos.
An Immortal Hulk adaptation would also have to take into account the continuity established by the MCU. Some of Immortal Hulk’s most prominent characters, such as Rick Jones and General Fortean, have yet to be introduced into the franchise. Alpha Flight, also missing from the MCU, played a large role in Immortal Hulk.
Yet an enterprising filmmaker could easily work around these issues, and create a Hulk film for the ages. While Jones and Fortean await their MCU debut, other key players in Immortal Hulk have already been rolled out, such as She-Hulk and the Leader. The latter made an underwhelming appearance in Brave New World, and Immortal Hulk can redeem him.
An MCU Immortal Hulk Would Pose Big Risks for Marvel and Disney
Hulk Fans Deserve a Film Version of His Best Story
The Immortal Hulk is covered in blood during a thunderstorm
An MCU version of Immortal Hulk would also be a massive tonal shift for the character and the franchise as a whole. The Hulk of the MCU is a hero, through and through. As seen in later MCU installments such as Multiverse of Madness, he is even viewed as a celebrity, but Immortal Hulk would upend all of this.
Immortal Hulk did not shy away from violent scenes, nor did it skimp on the gore, and a faithful adaptation would almost certainly draw an “R” rating. The MCU has shown a willingness to branch out into more mature-rated content, but has been slow to do so overall, which could stall an Immortal Hulk adaptation.
Yet the MCU owes it to Hulk fans to attempt and bring this masterpiece to the big screen. Immortal Hulk is one of the best takes on the character, and it was so good, Marvel has struggled to find a worthy successor. In the hands of a good director, Immortal Hulk could be the best MCU outing ever.