The Incredible Hulk versus Wolverine is one of the Marvel Universe's most enduring and popular superhero rivalries. The two heroes met in Wolverine's first appearance in 1974's Incredible Hulk #181, and have gotten into a host of savage scuffles since then. It's only natural that some sinister organization would be inspired by those fights and try to endow a test subject with the traits that make those combatants so lethal. In the recent “Weapons of Mutant Destruction” crossover between Weapon X and The Totally Awesome Hulk, the villainous Weapon X program created just such a test subject by transforming a man named Clay into the Marvel Universe's most dangerous hero: Weapon H.

RELATED: Marvel Releases Weapon H Series Details, Cover Art

The Weapon X program didn't count on its test subject being a strong-willed ex-soldier with a conscience, though. In the most recent Weapon X arc, Clay broke free from the program's control. Now, he'll use the massive physical power of the Hulk and Wolverine's healing factor, unbreakable skeleton and razor sharp claws to protect the citizens of the Marvel Universe from a whole host of villains. The next phase of Clay's life begins in March, when Pak and artist Cory Smith kick off the Weapon H ongoing series.

CBR: As a reader, it's been interesting watching the development of Weapon H as he moves from mysterious character to antagonist to hero of his own story. What can you tell us about the evolution of the character from a creative and editorial standpoint? When you were first working on the character, did you ever think you'd be writing him in his own series?

Greg Pak: As a Wolverine/Hulk hybrid, Weapon H looks like a marketer's dream, right? But the character developed organically through the story. Back when we were developing the “Weapons of Mutant Destruction” storyline, we established that the Weapon X scientists were collecting DNA from various mutants to turn people into killing machines. I said, "Well, we've got the Hulk in the book now. Seems like they'd want to collect Hulk DNA, too." Suddenly, we had a Wolverine-Hulk hybrid on our hands.

EXCLUSIVE: Art from Weapon H #1 by Cory Smith

We eventually revealed this Wolverine-Hulk hybrid as the ultimate weapon that Weapon X had been developing. And in the subsequent story that Fred Van Lente and I cowrote in Weapon X, we revealed that the man who was turned into this Wolverine-Hulk hybrid was Clay, a former soldier turned Eaglestar military contractor who'd been drugged and shipped out to Weapon X when he started challenging Eaglestar's brutal operating procedure.

I loved all of this because it was a chance to explore familiar tropes of Wolverine and Hulk through a different kind of character. The big danger of both Wolverine and the Hulk is, traditionally, that they can lose control, go berserk. But Clay was chosen for this procedure because he has intense military discipline. The idea is that he's the perfect weapon because he can control this tremendous power. But now Clay's free from Weapon X -- so the question is what a person with this tremendous discipline is going to do with this terrifying power?

One of the interesting twists about Weapon H is that he's sort of the opposite of characters with missing pasts, like Wolverine, in that he's trying to erase info about his past life rather than recover it. That begs the question of how much Clay remembers of his past as a mercenary and family man.

EXCLUSIVE: Art from Weapon H #1 by Cory Smith

Clay was partially lobotomized by Weapon X -- they wanted to keep the parts of his personality that gave him his discipline and control, but remove any pesky memories or morality that might prevent him from doing their bidding. But our brains aren't quite so easily sectioned off like that, so Clay had bits and pieces of memories of his past. His tremendous healing factor has reassembled his brain and made it possible for him to sort out more of his memories. But he doesn't remember everything -- and most importantly, he doesn't want to.

Clay's smart as hell -- he knows that any enemies he might make will go after his family or loved ones if they can find them. So Clay's done all he can to destroy any traces of his family from the Eaglestar servers. And he's determined not to go searching for his past. Which isn't to say his past won't come searching for him...

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Weapon H has the impressive physical abilities of the characters that inspired him, but like you said, he doesn't seem to have the rage that Hulk and Wolverine have wrestled with. Can you talk at all about how that lack of rage impacts his physical abilities? Does he have the adrenaline style surge of the Banner and Cho Hulks?

We've yet to reveal whether Clay's power levels are linked in any way to emotion the way the Hulk's traditionally have been. We have shown that Clay is in full control of his transformation to and from his Weapon H form. That's scary as hell, I think, and plenty for us to explore for now. [Laughs]

Weapon H's powers, durability, military skills, and his lonely quest to atone for his past and protect his family means the character can become involved in a variety of stories. What can you tell us about the initial stories we'll see in this book? The end of the "The Hunt for Weapon H" arc in Weapon X seemed to suggest a peripatetic life is in the character's immediate future.

EXCLUSIVE: Art from Weapon H #1 by Cory Smith

You are correct. That original Bixby/Ferrigno television series was a big reason I fell in love with the Hulk back in the day, and I always loved those stories of Banner on the road, on the run. But strangely enough, I've never really written many Hulk stories like that. So it's a ton of fun to be able to dig into that vibe with this opening arc of Weapon H.

But I'll also note that we've got a lead who's part Hulk and part Wolverine. He's the most dangerous hero in the Marvel Universe, and we're going to find massive opponents for him to tangle with. The action in this book will be ludicrously over the top, and I can't wait for you to see how much fun artist Cory Smith is having with it!

Cory did some recent work on X-Men Blue and IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. So his background with action and mutant strangeness suggests he'd be a great fit for this series. What do you enjoy most about Cory's style?

Cory's tremendous. We had a chance to work very briefly together on a Turok book for Dynamite a few years back, and we've hung out a bit at cons and signings. But this is our first chance to dig in on a longer run, and I'm absolutely loving it. Editor Darren Shan, Cory, and I had a great conversation a few weeks back, talking about the character and story and brainstorming about all kinds of stuff, and it's just fantastic when the artist gets involved early in those kinds of conversations. And Cory does what I love the most in comic book artists -- he can deliver those small, intimate, everyday, real moments, and then go nuts and deliver the massive Marvel action that a book like this is gonna explode with. He's the best.

Approximately how much off panel story time passes between the end of the most recent Weapon X arc and where you and Cory pick up with Clay in Weapon H #1? Where is he physically and emotionally when the story begins?

EXCLUSIVE: Art from Weapon H #1 by Cory Smith

It picks up a few weeks or months later. Clay's traveling incognito, getting work as a day laborer. He's still grappling with what he's been through and doing his best to disappear. In classic Hulk style, he just wants to be left alone. And in classic Hulk style, he won't be. [Laughs]

We know that Weapon H's first foe in this new series will be a brand new Wendigo, which seems only fitting given that Wolverine and the Hulk battled the Wendigo in the legendary Hulk story where Wolverine was first introduced. What can you tell us about this new Wendigo? Is it still a supernatural creature? And is it the only foe Clay is up against in this first story?

The first thing you might notice is that this Wendigo is about twenty feet tall. We're calling him the Ur-Wendigo, and he's more powerful and dangerous than any Wendigo we've ever seen before. Exactly what makes him who he is will be revealed in issue #2 -- it's a big, fun, creepy, weird bit of comics loopiness that I just love. Darren Shan deserves a lot of the love/credit/blame for this one.

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Who are some of the other supporting characters we'll meet in this initial Weapon H story? Will they primarily be new characters?

With every new series I'm lucky enough to write, I try to use a mix of brand new and classic characters for the supporting cast. In this case, we've got a very classic evil organization on Clay's tail who'll be revealed in issue #1. We're also introducing a woman archeologist who'll play an ongoing role. And another woman from an earlier Weapon X story will be key.

Weapon H's background and abilities means I'm excited to see his interactions with a whole host of Marvel characters. Will we see some guest stars in the initial issues of the series? And if so can you hint or tease who they might be?

Our first Marvel Universe co-star is a pretty... strange choice. I think you'll dig it.

EXCLUSIVE: Art from Weapon H #1 by Cory Smith

I really love the way the story's coming together. The first five issues make it seem like the book's going in one direction, but then the story comes together in a wild way to throw us into a huge development for the second arc that changes everything but makes so much sense in terms of how the characters and world are developing. I'm loving it, and I hope y'all will come on board for the ride!

Marvel is keeping you quite busy with your work on Weapon H, Weapon X and Totally Awesome Hulk, but I understand you've got some irons in the fire on the creator-owned front as well. What are some of the other books you've got going that fans of what you've done at Marvel should check out?

My biggest non-Marvel news is my BOOM! Studios book Mech Cadet Yu, which tells the story of a janitor's kid who bonds with a giant robot and joins the elite Sky Corps Academy. We're starting our second arc in January, and it's a ridiculous amount of fun. If you want to get a sample of what it's all about, check out the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQdTpnw0n5M

The first trade hits comic shops on January 3 -- ask your local shop to order a copy for ya.