After concluding his sprawling Marvel crossover event, Empyre, writer Al Ewing teased some of his ongoing plans for Emperor Hulking and Abigale Brand after Empyre: Aftermath Avengers #1 ended with a revealing look into a bleak future.
In an interview with AIPT Comics, Ewing explained his ideas regarding the last two pages of Aftermath, which sees a moment in time, labeled only as "the future", where Hulkling, ruler of the Kree/Skrull alliance, is shown battered and defeated, along with the entirety of his army. The final page shows Abigale Brand, accompanied by Manifold, as she tells Hulkling he should have listened to her grave warnings from the past.
"We're seeing some of that looming drama I promised for Hulkling," Ewing explained. "I couldn't possibly comment, but the December solicits will provide further clues."
On mapping out his long-term plans in the present, Ewing promised the snapshot into the future will definitely happen, but for now, he's giving himself freedom to later decided the when and how. "I like to make plans that can easily change to fit new circumstances – setting end goals rather than plotting every step along the path."
Ewing was sure to emphasize that while the glimpse into the future sets up Hulkling's ongoing arc, it also functions as a vital setup for Brand that he already has in development. "I wouldn't have the scene end so definitively… if I wasn't going to pay that part of it off very soon indeed."
With both Empyre: Aftermath Avengers #1 and Empyre Fallout: Fantastic Four #1 setting up tracks for future stories in the aftermath of Empyre, the coming months are expected to reveal Ewing and Marvel's evolving story plans.