Marvel Announces Immortal Hulk Comic by Al Ewing & Joe Bennett

When night falls across the Marvel Universe its heroes must be extra vigilant because that's when the monsters come out; both the human and supernatural kind. This summer though a new monster with incredible strength will lay claim to the night. During the day this savage creature will be chained inside the psyche and fragile physical form of a human, but when the sun goes down the savage and undying brute will run free.

This is the description of the title character of writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett's new ongoing series Immortal Hulk, which launches this June as part of Marvel Comics Fresh Start initiative, and features covers by Alex Ross.

Ewing and Bennett spoke exclusively with CBR about their new, horror-themed comic, which finds Bruce Banner walking the Earth and using his savage, nocturnal alter-ego as an instrument of justice and vengeance. And in addition to re-thinking Bruce Banner's classic fate, the series will introduce a new character inspired by the classic Incredible Hulk television show, and feature a former member of Alpha Flight in a supporting role.

In June, you launch Immortal Hulk. Will this spin out of what's currently going on with Banner in “Avengers: No Surrender?” And how similar and how different is this Hulk from some of the more recent incarnations of the character?

Al Ewing: Okay - to begin with, the title character is Bruce Banner, and Bruce Banner is the Immortal Hulk, the World's Mightiest Mortal, the Green Goliath, the Strongest One There Is, et cetera, et cetera. A lot of people have been a little wary that we're actually bringing him back for keeps this time, so I figure this is as good a place as any to confirm that yes, this is Banner, he's back, he's got an ongoing solo series and he's not going to die again any time soon. In fact, that's kind of the point.

To answer another question that's going to be right at the top of people's minds - yes, this is spinning out of “No Surrender,” and obviously we hope you're reading that. However, you absolutely do not need to have read “No Surrender” - or any other comic ever published by Marvel or anyone else - to enjoy Immortal Hulk. We take care of all the hows and whys and wherefores of Hulk's various resurrections in “No Surrender” Episode 10, which I believe is Avengers #684 - that has a special additional 10-page prologue story by me and Joe where will deal with all of that. And then we're free to go into Immortal Hulk with all those questions answered and without any baggage. That was very important to me - to be able to make that promise, from me to you, that you do not need to read a single other comic to enjoy Immortal Hulk #1. Retailers - there's nothing else your customers will need. Readers - I welcome you with open arms. We want every Hulk fan, old and new, to experience this.

Because this is going to be a very good comic, and hopefully unlike any Hulk comic you've read before. It's a comic about a monster who can't die. It's about a man who believes he can use the darkest elements of his personality to do good in the world, and where that belief leads him. It's about mortality, atonement and denial. It's about all the parts of ourselves we don't like to look at. It's a horror comic. And if we've done even half the job I think we have, it'll be one of the most talked-about comics of 2018.

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Joe, what can you tell us about your take on the Hulk?

Joe Bennett: Tom Brevoort asked me if I'd be interested in a new Hulk series featuring unique visuals and atmosphere. Al's scripts really evoke those elements, too, so I decided I should approach the book with a style reminiscent of Bernie Wrightson. The Green Goliath will have a darker and more nocturnal look in this book. I'm trying to evoke the feel of all those great Warren magazines like Eerie, and Creepy

What kind of role does Banner play in your story? How would you describe his initial dynamic with the Hulk?

Ewing: There's one line that resonates strongly with me when it comes to Banner and Hulk. It's the line from the cover of the very first issue - "Is he man or monster or... is he both?" And that's the line we explore with Bruce Banner. When we join him, he's walking the Earth, his return from the dead whispered about but not yet public knowledge. He's attempting to use the power inside him - the rage inside him - to atone for his sins, to right wrongs, to bring a measure of justice - or vengeance - to the situations he finds himself in. He's allowing the Hulk to guide him a little. And if that idea sends a little chill down your spine... you're not alone.

EXCLUSIVE: Marvel's house ad for The Immortal Hulk

In terms of the Banner/Hulk dynamic - I've been getting a little Jungian. I've been thinking of the Hulk as Banner's shadow, the personification of all the things he doesn't like to see in himself. That leads to some interesting interplay between them - the Hulk side lives in mirrors, and during the day he brings hunches, sudden intuitions, magical thinking - but there's one difference between them I think people will want to know about right away.

Banner can die. The Hulk can't. If you shoot Banner in the head - he'll fall over dead. He'll lie there all day, dead as dirt, growing cold, getting stiff... right up until the sun goes down. And then... well, night is the Hulk's time.

And the Hulk remembers.

Who are some of the initial supporting characters we'll see in Immortal Hulk? Will this book feature familiar Hulk characters, brand new ones, or sort of a mix of both?

Ewing: In the spirit of the fresh start, we're bringing in some entirely new supporting characters - or at least new to Hulk. As time goes by, and word of Banner's return to the land of the living gets out into the public, you might see certain old characters making an appearance. But initially, we focus on a trio - there's Banner himself, so often a supporting character in his own life. We've heard plenty about him already.

EXCLUSIVE: Joe Bennett and inker Ruy Jose's art from The Immortal Hulk #1

Then there's Jackie McGee, who's a slight borrowing from the TV show - since we were looking at Banner walking the Earth and moving from one situation to the next, I thought it'd be nice to have a reporter tracking him, looking for the story. After all, in a world where the Hulk is a beloved celebrity in some states and a natural disaster to be feared in others, his comings and goings have the potential to be big news. Jackie finds herself on Banner's trail in Arizona, and as the Hulk makes his presence felt in the world more and more, she's right behind him. Banner, of course, doesn't want to be found, or written about, or noticed, and he especially doesn't want to be questioned. People in denial about themselves rarely do.

And finally, there's an old favorite who's new to this title - Walter Langkowski, aka the Sasquatch. He's taking a leave of absence from Alpha Flight to sort out some personal issues, and he needs Bruce Banner to do it. Langkowski and Banner were college friends, and Langkowski ended up duplicating Banner's experiments and becoming Canada's own hairy half-a-Hulk - I've been fascinated by Langkowski as a kind of healthy version of Banner, an intellectual jock, a big, handsome ex-Quarterback, millionaire, beloved hero of his country and his planet, and gosh-darned nice with it. How did Banner ever get along with this guy? And maybe more importantly - if Langkowski is so healthy and normal, why doesn't he want to change into Sasquatch any more? And why does Sasquatch suddenly have matted, filthy fur, drool on his muzzle and a vicious gleam in his eye? Alpha Flight fans might remember the Great Beasts - but as I said, we're not doing old continuity. This is something new...

Bennett: I've been a huge fan of Sasquatch since I was a teenager! So it's a real joy to get a chance to redesign the guy.

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What's the sort of the status quo and tone of the initial stories you have planned for Immortal Hulk?

Ewing: The status quo of the book, to begin with, is fairly classic - Banner walking the Earth, using the power of the Hulk to address situations he comes across - but it's all in the tonal shift. Tone is very important for this - it was the first thing I talked about in the pitch - and in terms of the general feel of the book, it's probably closest to some of the horror work I did when I was working solely in the UK comics field, where I got my start in the writing game. That said, I don't think I could have written this in my twenties - I'm got a command of my craft now that I didn't have then, and the confidence to take the work in a more interesting direction. What I'm hoping here is that this will be another of the periodic big shifts in what can be done with the character - in the same way that the Peter David era opened up the psychology of Banner and the Hulk a lot more, and that led to an explosion of story possibilities, I'd like to take the Hulk down a new path of my own and see where that leads. I think the readers are going to enjoy joining us on that journey.

One thing I will say, for anyone reading that and feeling nervous - I've been a fan of the Hulk since I was a little kid. He was my first ever "favorite superhero" - I had a Hulk cake for my birthday, I had a Hulk cardboard decal hanging on my wall, Hulk stickers on my door, a tape of Hulk cartoons on VHS that almost wore out with the number of times I watched them. I have nothing but love for the Hulk, and I'm showing that love by doing my absolute very best work on the character - and, with any luck, by making his solo book the most read, most talked-about, most exciting cape comic of the year. I famously don't even believe in "A-list" heroes, but if they exist, the Hulk is definitely one of them. And I'm bringing my A-game.

Bennett: Al's scripts are a joy to work from. All the images are already there. I just push them out. He's such a great writer.

Al, I know in the past you have worked Marvel style or different variations of it with your artists. Are you and Joe doing something similar here?

Ewing: For Immortal Hulk, I'm going very structured - laying out panels per page, what's in the panels, being very mindful of how the beats fall and where. Then, when the art comes back, I tinker with the dialogue until it works perfectly before it goes to the letterer. So in a way, it's Full Script Plus. Joe's been absolutely fantastic on his end - he brings a beautiful mix of realism and stylistic touches that really makes everything jump off the page. And then our inker, Ruy Jose, adds a wonderful Wrightson-esque shadowy tone. There's a particular moment in issue #1 that I think people are going to be talking about for a very long time to come.

Joe, there were some pretty creepy scenes in the issues of Phoenix Resurrection that you recently drew, but what's it like working on a full on horror book like this?

Bennett: If you thought I drew some creepy scenes in Phoenix Resurrection, you ain't seen nothing yet! The pages of the first issue will feature some pure psychological horror. I'll set up a lot of bad things there. [Laughs]

I started my career doing horror stories for Brazilian publishers. So the lines of time are crossing and I now can do a horror story with a superhero book. For that hero to be the Hulk is a dream come true. I've always loved the character and to have the chance to work with this classic hero and give him a brand new look has been amazing.

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Finally, can you talk about the role the Immortal Hulk will initially play in the larger Marvel Universe? Will the heroes and military be aware he exists? Will the horror edge of this book perhaps lead the character to other supernatural corners that he's had a slight connection to in the past given his ability to see ghosts?

Ewing: Actually, the Hulk being able to see ghosts was one of the earliest things that popped into my mind with this. Over time, we'll see why that is - and how it's connected to his inability to die.

In the spirit of "no baggage", one thing that I'm very adamant about is having no crossovers if at all possible. If you have to buy another comic to enjoy Immortal Hulk, that means I've failed in my duty to you. In terms of his connection to the main Marvel Universe - at first, we're very deliberately avoiding it. Bruce Banner walks the world alone, and that's how he wants it. The Avengers know he's alive, and the government are more than likely aware of him and working out what to do about it - but officially, the Hulk died and all those sightings cropping up are so much swamp gas. Which is the way Hulk likes it - but being a gigantic green monster makes it tough to keep a low profile, and over time we'll start to see more of the Marvel Universe become involved in our green goliath's comings and goings.

It's likely that'll lead to a run-in with some old friends and foes further down the line... but when it happens, it'll be in our own special Immortal Hulk style. (And if you see him guest in any other books before that point? Relax, it's the lifelike Hulk robot from the Eternals! And that's canon!)

I'll say one more thing - these are cynical times, and the lure of "meh" can be strong. But don't sleep on this. Call your retailers. Ask them to put copies aside. This is going to be something very, very special.