Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Incredible Hulk #22! Bruce Banner and the Hulk have been fighting for total control over their shared body practically since their debut in Marvel Comics. Although this constant internal conflict is usually pushed aside in lieu of more pressing villain threats, the storm still rages in their minds. But now, that conflict is finally over, as Hulk finally conquers his human half.
When requesting The Incredible Hulk #22 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein, fans get a first look at the main cover (by artist Nic Klein) and variants (by artists Rogê Antônio and Mark Brooks, respectively), along with the official synopsis.
NO MORE FLAG?! Bruce Banner is now fully locked in the body and mind of the INCREDIBLE HULK… no more than a memory of the Hulk’s former self. But as an increasingly violent Charlie loses control to her skinwalker alter ego, LYCANA, she finds a way to seek Banner’s help within the Hulkscape. Can Banner help Charlie maintain his new power without sacrificing his humanity? Meanwhile, people with gamma mutations all over the world are disappearing! Is the eldest to blame? So what does this mean for the Incredible Hulk?
As the synopsis reveals, Bruce Banner became trapped in Hulk’s psyche, which became an elaborate, hellish world known as Hulkscape. In fact, the synopsis clearly states that Banner has become little more than a distant memory of someone Hulk used to be associated with, nothing more. Although Charlie (with her new Skinwalker alter ego, Lycana) may spoil Hulk’s victory, it’s important to note that Charlie is Hulk’s sidekick, not Banner’s, and she only joined him after promising to make Banner’s life miserable. . In other words, it looks like Bruce Banner might be permanently trapped in the Hulkscape.
Marvel has been teasing Hulk’s victory over Banner for some time now
Bruce Banner’s Fate Is Horrible, But Not Very Surprising
Since the beginning of this chain Incredible Hulk run, Banner and Hulk are at odds. Hulk made it his mission to make Bruce’s life as miserable as possible, with his most effective torture method being Hulk’s manipulation of the transformation process. Hulk has made the process of transforming between his two forms unbearable for Banner, as his body is literally torn apart every time it happens.
Not only that, but Hulk has also developed his own pocket dimension within their corner of the shared psyche, the Hulkscape. This world is infested with gamma mutants, each more hellish than the last, and each of them wants nothing more than to make Banner suffer. In fact, each resident of the Hulkscape is a fraction of the Hulk’s own anger towards Banner, meaning this space is literally Bruce’s personal hell.
Bruce Banner was warned by a fragment of Hulk’s consciousness that he wouldn’t be able to leave if he kept coming back, and it looks like Hulk made good on that promise.
In a previous comic, Bruce was trapped in the Hulkscape after being hit by a truck. Since Hulk is the reason Banner is immortal, Bruce’s consciousness is only kept alive because of the Hulk, which is why he went to the Hulkscape while his physical body healed. When he was there, Bruce was warned by a fragment of Hulk’s consciousness that he wouldn’t be able to leave if he kept coming back. And now, it looks like Hulk has finally made good on that promise.
Hulk is more than justified in his treatment of Bruce Banner
Banner did the same thing to Hulk during Marvel’s “Starship Hulk” story arc
The Hulk hates Banner to the extreme in this Incredible Hulk series because of how Banner treated Hulk during Marvel’s “Starship Hulk” story arc. That comic saw Banner trapping Hulk’s consciousness in a metaphysical torture chamber after taking control of Hulk’s physical body, piloting him like a “starship” and sucking out the Hulk’s inner anguish to fuel him. Now, Hulk has finally gotten revenge on Banner by doing pretty much the same thing to him.
Hopefully, with Bruce Banner trapped in the Hulkscape, the two will finally be able to “even things out” and become at least partial allies once again. However, the history between Hulk and Banner goes back much further than the last few story arcs, so it’s possible they could never see eye to eye. But as it stands, it doesn’t really matter, because Bruce Banner has been effectively taken out of the equation, as Hulk finally conquers his human half.
The Incredible Hulk #22 from Marvel Comics will be available on February 19, 2025.