In the midst of the New 52, Marvel is bringing one of their flagship characters back to square one as well. Between “Planet Hulk,” “World War Hulk,” and “Red Hulk/She-Hulk,” the Hulk has been seeing a lot of changes and reboots over the last few years. This book is no exception. If you happened to join me for the end of Marvel’s Fear Itself #7, then you’ll know that after this event, Hulk and Bruce Banner are now two separate entities. What does that mean for the characters and the series? Let’s find out.
Last we saw Hulk (depending on which epilogue you read), he had mysteriously separated himself and Banner into two separate physical entities and then abandoned puny Banner in the desert. Well, it looks like some time has passed since then and both our boys have been busy. Hulk has found his way to a community of friendly yellow-skinned tribespeople and has joined them as a hunter and protector. We get some very cool shots of him destroying lots of monsters while waxing poetic about his life of persecution. This is not the simple-minded Savage Hulk, but the one we have seen lately who has a mind of his own and the intelligence to use it. Also, a sense of drama. Let’s call him “Brooding warrior who has the soul of a poet Hulk.” He even grew a beard. Yes, the simple life is good for our less-than-jolly green giant, but as he and we both know, it can’t last. Soon, there are drills, robots, and hot, no-nonsense secret agents with peculiar names coming out of the proverbial woodwork. And they want Hulk. Why? Apparently Hulk’s better half is showing his bad side.