Warning: The following contains spoilers for "Time of Monsters" in Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters #1, by Al Ewing, Alex Paknadel, Juan Ferreyra and VC's Cory Petit, on sale now.
Immortal Hulk has, more often than not, been a horror comic. Throughout the series, the Green Goliath and his entire supporting cast have all been through some horrific events. One early version of the Hulk used his most disgusting power in a gruesome manner, reinforcing some of the horror elements in Immortal Hulk.
This early version of the Hulk recently appeared in Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters #1, by Al Ewing, Alex Paknadel and Juan Ferreyra. A Jordanian villager named Tammuz became an old incarnation of the Hulk, right before he was captured and killed by his village. The people proceeded to consume Tammuz's flesh and organs, which was terrifying enough. Then the Hulk's healing power kicked in. The following sight was truly horrific, as the Hulk's body parts were violently expelled from the villagers' mouths and guts.
The Hulk's flesh and blood coalesced around his skeleton, reforming the monster. This visual was truly terrifying, not only because of the graphic nature of the Hulk's reformation. The Hulk's body parts were also forcibly purged from the villagers, reinforcing previous claims of Immortal Hulk's most horrifying theme: being eaten alive.
The fear of being eaten alive has played a big role in Immortal Hulk as a series. The scene from Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters harkens back to an infamous moment in 2018's Immortal Hulk #8, by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett.
In one specific moment, the Hulk's disassembled body parts reformed, coalescing around an evil scientist named Dr. Clive. The Hulk consumed Dr. Clive as he reformed, in a moment that was echoed during Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters. In Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters, however, the Hulk's reformation didn't consume anyone. Rather, this gruesome image ripped people apart from the inside.
Both examples still showcased a rather disgusting power of the Hulk's, both surrounding the horror of human consumption. These are only two of countless instances in which the Hulk or people in the Hulk's vicinity have been eaten, with horrific results.
More broadly, these examples also speak to the prominence of body horror throughout Immortal Hulk. One prime example came from 2020's Immortal Hulk: The Threshing Place by Jeff Lemire and Mike Del Mundo, when Bruce Banner underwent a horrific transformation into the Hulk.
Of course, this is just one of several disturbing transformations that Banner has undergone throughout the series. Another prominent example took place in 2019's Immortal Hulk #19, by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett, when Rick Jones was trapped inside the new Abomination.
Not only was Rick essentially consumed by the Abomination suit, but his power also enabled him to spew stomach acid at the Hulk, doing serious damage to the Jade Giant's body. The Hulk lost all of his limbs and both of his eyes before Red Harpy ripped out his heart. This was a visceral image that still stands as one of the most disturbing moments in Immortal Hulk history.
Some moments of body horror didn't even take place in the physical plane, like in 2020's Immortal Hulk #39, by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett. In Bruce Banner's mindscape, the Leader ripped the Devil Hulk in half, pulled his spine from his body and crushed his heart before placing Banner inside of the Devil Hulk's body. This was a terrifying sight to behold, among many other shocking moments of body horror.
Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters might just win the award for the most horrifying moment, however. This recent scene was particularly disgusting, as the villagers ended up forcibly purging the Hulk from their systems. It was disturbing enough that the villagers ate the Hulk, but seeing them forcibly purge the Hulk from their systems, in more ways than one, was something else entirely. Readers had seen the Hulk reform, but never in such a visually disturbing manner.