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The Immortal Hulk (Collected Editions) #1-3
The Immortal Hulk Omnibus, Volume 1
Horror has a name. You'd never notice the man. He doesn't like to be noticed. He's quiet. Calm. If someone were to shoot him in the head... all he'd do is die. Until night falls and someone else gets up again. The man's name is Banner. The horror is the Immortal Hulk. And trouble has a way of following them both. As Bruce Banner struggles to control the undying monster within, he finds himself hunted by his old friends and allies. But there are more sinister forces at work. Something terrible has infected Banner. A dark infection with unspeakable plans for humanity. The problem is only the Immortal Hulk knows about it. The Hulk is the one thing standing between the world of the living and the terrors that await on the other side of the Green Door. Collecting Immortal Hulk 1-15 & Avengers 684.
388 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2019
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227 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
December 31, 2019
An amazing first half...probably the best Hulk comic I’ve ever read. The latter half has its ups and downs, then finishes lazily trying to be poetic but ultimately confusing.
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May 12, 2021Odličan!
September 6, 2020
A really enjoyable read that can be picked up without having read any previous Hulk stories, everything you'd need to know is all recapped at the start and within the narrative.
The art was really solid throughout and there are some moments of really grotesque body horror.
The biggest downside wasn't to do with the story but more the way the book is put together. Unfortunately you do get some gutter loss from the spine not allowing the pages to sprawl so much. Its less noticeable on pages with a grid layout but very noticeable when you get to a splash page. Saying that, it is still an excellent price for the first 3 volumes of Immortal Hulk.
The art was really solid throughout and there are some moments of really grotesque body horror.
The biggest downside wasn't to do with the story but more the way the book is put together. Unfortunately you do get some gutter loss from the spine not allowing the pages to sprawl so much. Its less noticeable on pages with a grid layout but very noticeable when you get to a splash page. Saying that, it is still an excellent price for the first 3 volumes of Immortal Hulk.
April 21, 2023
Look, I'm often burned by comics. But this one has some weird body-horror stuff, which I dig. I have no idea what the Hulks whole deal is beyond the obvious, so that's fun too.
August 21, 2020
I have never read a Hulk story before, and I must say that the results with this series are rather impressive. The Hulk is a big scary brute that seeks vengeance in a very aggressive manner, and there is something supernatural about his superpower set—it goes into metaphysical territory, and that keeps each new issue a chance to develop and add to his mythology—not that previous stories remain unmentioned—they are worked into the main narrative in a seamless manner that works as character dialogue/narration. The horror is an ever lingering unpleasant feeling that on occasion magnifies as the stories climax. It builds with excellent pacing and it shows the darker side of the world, the creepy moonlit crack houses and mountainside caves.
Each issue has a full story, which makes it a simple and very rewarding thing to read issue after issue. Each issue is also prologued with a brief quote from some literary source, and while I had no experience with reading those sources, they provided adequate ominous feeling.
The art is perfect and does an awe-inspiring job of depicting the massive muscles of the Hulk, and I was particularly engrossed when the Hulk was embroiled in combat or transformation. I could see the sinew in each foot, and the Hulk always looks impossibly strong—it is very striking.
I want to read more of this series, for I have heard from some reviews that the quality dips, but in this volume I noticed nothing of the sort—but my collection stretches from the first issue to the tenth, so I am missing one-third of the total amount.
The Immortal Hulk by writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett is scary good and super easy to digest.
Each issue has a full story, which makes it a simple and very rewarding thing to read issue after issue. Each issue is also prologued with a brief quote from some literary source, and while I had no experience with reading those sources, they provided adequate ominous feeling.
The art is perfect and does an awe-inspiring job of depicting the massive muscles of the Hulk, and I was particularly engrossed when the Hulk was embroiled in combat or transformation. I could see the sinew in each foot, and the Hulk always looks impossibly strong—it is very striking.
I want to read more of this series, for I have heard from some reviews that the quality dips, but in this volume I noticed nothing of the sort—but my collection stretches from the first issue to the tenth, so I am missing one-third of the total amount.
The Immortal Hulk by writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett is scary good and super easy to digest.
July 25, 2022
After reading volume 1 and putting it down, I'm back with a vengeance to try this series again.
This starts out great. I'd describe it as being like the X-Files' "Monster of the Week" era where we've got a general premise, but each episode stands alone.
Then we get into the X-Files' "Overly-complicated, hey, where's all the monsters?" period.
My mom would watch X-Files with me and often commented on how pretty Scully was. Being raised mostly by my mom, this is the closest I came to bro-ing down with a parent over a hot babe, which is something I assume dads and sons do, sort of, at some point, but maybe not.
I remember reading that they dressed Scully in big suit jackets and shit to sort of downplay her looks, also to age her a little. She WAS pretty young at the time. But that seems dumb to me now because
A) I'm watching these FBI agents hunt down a gill man, so verisimilitude is out the window.
B) That's like putting Arnold in a role where you want to downplay the fact that he's ripped. Which almost never works. Junior, Jingle All The Way. No. Twins? Yes. He's ripped, might as well just go with it. Scully was a babe, we can all just accept it.
This starts out great. I'd describe it as being like the X-Files' "Monster of the Week" era where we've got a general premise, but each episode stands alone.
Then we get into the X-Files' "Overly-complicated, hey, where's all the monsters?" period.
My mom would watch X-Files with me and often commented on how pretty Scully was. Being raised mostly by my mom, this is the closest I came to bro-ing down with a parent over a hot babe, which is something I assume dads and sons do, sort of, at some point, but maybe not.
I remember reading that they dressed Scully in big suit jackets and shit to sort of downplay her looks, also to age her a little. She WAS pretty young at the time. But that seems dumb to me now because
A) I'm watching these FBI agents hunt down a gill man, so verisimilitude is out the window.
B) That's like putting Arnold in a role where you want to downplay the fact that he's ripped. Which almost never works. Junior, Jingle All The Way. No. Twins? Yes. He's ripped, might as well just go with it. Scully was a babe, we can all just accept it.
January 24, 2021
Ewing knows how to piece together a good story. I love the horror elements scattered throughout as well. Body horror works particularly well in comic form.
However, as the arc progresses, particularly into the second half, I felt that I was at a disadvantage having never read a Hulk comic before. Especially as we are introduced to characters with long-standing backstories deeply entwined with Banner’s past (looking at you, General Fortean) a new reader has a lot to catch-up with. It may have been helpful to add some further context into the collected edition since there’s a greater flexibility than in the comics themselves.
Also, Ewing’s actual writing is pretty uneven. He’s an excellent big picture thinker. Also, when he strays into the philosophical, his writing can veer into the poetic. Just take a look at the first issue with Hulk exploring the landscape of hell and you’ll see his writing at its best. However, he struggles to consistently write good dialogue. It veers from the cliched (take a look at the doctor’s comments during Langkowski’s emergency surgery - I burst out laughing) to the outright bad. Since so much of a typical issue is told through dialogue, this severely weakens the story.
However, as the arc progresses, particularly into the second half, I felt that I was at a disadvantage having never read a Hulk comic before. Especially as we are introduced to characters with long-standing backstories deeply entwined with Banner’s past (looking at you, General Fortean) a new reader has a lot to catch-up with. It may have been helpful to add some further context into the collected edition since there’s a greater flexibility than in the comics themselves.
Also, Ewing’s actual writing is pretty uneven. He’s an excellent big picture thinker. Also, when he strays into the philosophical, his writing can veer into the poetic. Just take a look at the first issue with Hulk exploring the landscape of hell and you’ll see his writing at its best. However, he struggles to consistently write good dialogue. It veers from the cliched (take a look at the doctor’s comments during Langkowski’s emergency surgery - I burst out laughing) to the outright bad. Since so much of a typical issue is told through dialogue, this severely weakens the story.
September 4, 2023
This is by far the most talked about Marvel comic of the last five years, at least in all the circles I'm a part of. So I had to check it out. (Finally). Needless to say, the hype was crazy high. It's been described as a horror comic and the best Hulk run ever.
I found myself a little disappointed. This was my first Hulk comic experience, and there were many aspects of it that I could tell were meant for longtime fans. I didn't find the horror elements to be all that scary, though it played out more like a cosmic horror idea than an actual horror story, and in that regard, it was well done.
I have to give it 4 stars, because it is well written, and the pacing and setup are all done very well. I was just expecting a lot more horror elements, and the hype was too big for it to fully live up to it, but it's good, and now my expectations are leveled for the next volume.
I found myself a little disappointed. This was my first Hulk comic experience, and there were many aspects of it that I could tell were meant for longtime fans. I didn't find the horror elements to be all that scary, though it played out more like a cosmic horror idea than an actual horror story, and in that regard, it was well done.
I have to give it 4 stars, because it is well written, and the pacing and setup are all done very well. I was just expecting a lot more horror elements, and the hype was too big for it to fully live up to it, but it's good, and now my expectations are leveled for the next volume.
August 31, 2020
We're finally getting a sequel to the Greg Pak years on Hulk. And Al Ewing really shakes things up. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about the directions he's taking the Hulk family but I'll read the entire run and see where it goes.
June 12, 2021
I got chills reading this.
October 26, 2022
I’m fascinated by how people can write for Marvel - coping with the sheer weight of decades of farcical continuity is mind-boggling. Even when beloved 2000AD alum Al Ewing crafts an ambitious but pretty direct exploration of who (or what) Hulk is, every other page still needs to comment on how characters were dead, then alive, then a sleeper agent, then not a sleeper agent, then exiled in outer space, then arrested for failing to pay tax, then discovering they’re been secretly their own mother this whole time.
No wonder so many writers attempt to deliver a “definitive” take. Something which cuts through all the history to state, “This is what’s REALLY going on.” Until of course the next ambitious writer turns up and goes, “Yeah but no, THIS is what’s really going on.”
Al Ewing isn’t responsible for those who follow him of course, and bless him for making Hulk’s ludicrously contrived history just about understandable to outsiders like me, but this whole system seems quite bonkers. Still, he is, as ever, literate, engaging, and darkly funny. Gawd bless these lunatics who attempt to write for 60 year old sci-fi soap operas…
No wonder so many writers attempt to deliver a “definitive” take. Something which cuts through all the history to state, “This is what’s REALLY going on.” Until of course the next ambitious writer turns up and goes, “Yeah but no, THIS is what’s really going on.”
Al Ewing isn’t responsible for those who follow him of course, and bless him for making Hulk’s ludicrously contrived history just about understandable to outsiders like me, but this whole system seems quite bonkers. Still, he is, as ever, literate, engaging, and darkly funny. Gawd bless these lunatics who attempt to write for 60 year old sci-fi soap operas…
August 22, 2021
Unlike a lot of comic book fans, I grew up thinking of the Hulk predominantly as a horror character. Because he is a monster, right? I mean, part of the core appeal of the story is the universal idea of losing control, of letting go of something buried deep inside that's vicious and uncivilized and powerful. Hulk is the id, the unrestrained whirlwind of primal emotion that we keep in check so we can function in society... but which we always know is there, even as we try to ignore it. And while the books and later the movies would try to place Hulk on the side of the angels, making him more controlled and heroic and even occasionally an Avenger... I could never think of him as a superhero. Because he's still a creature created from the dark side of human nature.
Al Ewing's Immortal Hulk takes those horror underpinnings that have been there from the start and cranks them up to 11. This book runs the gamut from body horror to psychological horror to intimate existential horror to sheer Lovecraftian madness, all while plumbing the conceptual depths of what exactly the Hulk actually IS. It takes this pretty well-explored character and finds new, complex ways to look at him, all while featuring some of the most bone-chilling moments and visuals a Marvel book has ever put to print (the artwork, primarily from Joe Bennett, is both gorgeous and truly disturbing). This honestly reminds me of Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing, in terms of how completely it revitalizes and reimagines the Green Goliath.
Coming away from this book, I find the most brilliant part of Ewing's concept to be how it re-frames the Hulk overall-- resolving that tension I always felt when trying to classify the character. Is he a hero? Or is he a monster? The answer is as unsettling as it is obvious:
He is both.
Al Ewing's Immortal Hulk takes those horror underpinnings that have been there from the start and cranks them up to 11. This book runs the gamut from body horror to psychological horror to intimate existential horror to sheer Lovecraftian madness, all while plumbing the conceptual depths of what exactly the Hulk actually IS. It takes this pretty well-explored character and finds new, complex ways to look at him, all while featuring some of the most bone-chilling moments and visuals a Marvel book has ever put to print (the artwork, primarily from Joe Bennett, is both gorgeous and truly disturbing). This honestly reminds me of Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing, in terms of how completely it revitalizes and reimagines the Green Goliath.
Coming away from this book, I find the most brilliant part of Ewing's concept to be how it re-frames the Hulk overall-- resolving that tension I always felt when trying to classify the character. Is he a hero? Or is he a monster? The answer is as unsettling as it is obvious:
He is both.
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February 28, 2022It seems even the most accessible of comic runs is mired in lore and history. The Immortal Hulk's attachment to the grander picture of comicdom makes for a treacle-thick opening half, as Avengers and generals and long-dead comrades clog up the picture and get in the way of feeling what makes this storyline unique - what makes it worth reading to someone like me, who is interested in a cosmic horror spin, and in the dark on everything else. The other goodreads reviews on here paint a weird picture of expectations, with a lot of people enjoying this continuity-heavy first half and dropping off for the second. I braced myself for an already underwhelming read to become even more difficult.
Instead, the script flipped, and The Immortal Hulk reveals its true interests: a biblical examination of monsterhood that folds together Freudian baggage, Doomslayer Hellscapes, and musings on the nature of Devilry and the opposing Trees of Life. It's a lot to take in, and I don't really know if I would call myself invested in the raw plot that Ewing is spinning, but I am intrigued by the lens with which he is choosing to view it through. As I said with my review of Fractions Hawkeye Omnibus 1, superhero comics are an unfriendly place for a newcomer such as myself; even with a storyline designed to welcome me in, the weight of history is suffocating, and I struggle to determine what information I'm supposed to understand, and what is something new. This is the advantage of The Immortal Hulk's 'green door' and the world below. When cosmic ideas are at play, everything is new, and nobody knows what is going on. It levels the playing field, at least just a smidge.
Instead, the script flipped, and The Immortal Hulk reveals its true interests: a biblical examination of monsterhood that folds together Freudian baggage, Doomslayer Hellscapes, and musings on the nature of Devilry and the opposing Trees of Life. It's a lot to take in, and I don't really know if I would call myself invested in the raw plot that Ewing is spinning, but I am intrigued by the lens with which he is choosing to view it through. As I said with my review of Fractions Hawkeye Omnibus 1, superhero comics are an unfriendly place for a newcomer such as myself; even with a storyline designed to welcome me in, the weight of history is suffocating, and I struggle to determine what information I'm supposed to understand, and what is something new. This is the advantage of The Immortal Hulk's 'green door' and the world below. When cosmic ideas are at play, everything is new, and nobody knows what is going on. It levels the playing field, at least just a smidge.
April 24, 2020
Horror has a name. You'd never notice the man. He doesn't like to be noticed. He's quiet. Calm. If someone were to shoot him in the head... all he'd do is die. Until night falls and someone else gets up again. The man's name is Banner. The horror is the Immortal Hulk. And trouble has a way of following them both. As Bruce Banner struggles to control the undying monster within, he finds himself hunted by his old friends and allies. But there are more sinister forces at work.
WOW! What a comic and this is only the first 15 issues! I was instantly blown away. I love my green boy the hulk, nerd by day, rage monster by night, Jacklyn and Hyde all rolled into one. The best way to explain this graphic novel is "if Stephen king was to write comic" im not userly scared by stories, but the art work and story really scared me, i had literal shivers down my spine, the hulk is scary they hit the nail on the coffin with the art work, just looking at the hulks manic face, you knew something bad was going to happen. There was spot on horror and terror, and when the hulk goes full beast mode, you feel it, you feel the comic quake in your hands and was just instantly drawn in, and like i said this is only the first 15 issues, i have to wait till the end of 2020 for the next Omnibus. The scares spot on, epic rage and battles spot on, the hulk was epic! You need to go pick this one up, if you love the hulk or not. He will forever be immortal in my mind, and will always be my favourite avenger!
5/5 Stars Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
100/100 GingerPoints 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
WOW! What a comic and this is only the first 15 issues! I was instantly blown away. I love my green boy the hulk, nerd by day, rage monster by night, Jacklyn and Hyde all rolled into one. The best way to explain this graphic novel is "if Stephen king was to write comic" im not userly scared by stories, but the art work and story really scared me, i had literal shivers down my spine, the hulk is scary they hit the nail on the coffin with the art work, just looking at the hulks manic face, you knew something bad was going to happen. There was spot on horror and terror, and when the hulk goes full beast mode, you feel it, you feel the comic quake in your hands and was just instantly drawn in, and like i said this is only the first 15 issues, i have to wait till the end of 2020 for the next Omnibus. The scares spot on, epic rage and battles spot on, the hulk was epic! You need to go pick this one up, if you love the hulk or not. He will forever be immortal in my mind, and will always be my favourite avenger!
5/5 Stars Goodreads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
100/100 GingerPoints 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
December 4, 2022
I’m really torn on this book. I picked it up because I’ve liked everything else by Al Ewing that I’ve read, and I heard really great things about it. My first reaction is that I don’t get the hype. Maybe it’s because I haven’t read a Hulk book before, and I’m not super informed on his lore (or the Avengers). There are things that are interesting. I think Ewing asks questions that bear considering about mortality and morality, but the execution doesn’t fully land for me.
Banner isn’t a character I find myself rooting for. I don’t fully understand his motivations. I can’t root for the Hulk all the time either (though it often seems easier than Banner). It’s hard to put my finger on it, just none of it really captivates me or feels fully of consequence. It’s interesting, because the immortality angle seems to work against this title, while I find it captivating in the X-Men titles now.
Part of it is also the art. It’s a beautifully done style, just not really for me. It also goes to the character design in general. Hulk has never been a visually interesting character to me.
I also really don’t get the “horror” angle that they try to market the book under. It’s spooky at times, sure. There are unanswered questions, and ties to nighttime and whatnot, but nothing genuinely scary to speak of.
It’s fine. Good even, just not as good as I was led to believe. I’ll probably still pick up the next omnibus to try to get some of the answers that are hinted at.
Banner isn’t a character I find myself rooting for. I don’t fully understand his motivations. I can’t root for the Hulk all the time either (though it often seems easier than Banner). It’s hard to put my finger on it, just none of it really captivates me or feels fully of consequence. It’s interesting, because the immortality angle seems to work against this title, while I find it captivating in the X-Men titles now.
Part of it is also the art. It’s a beautifully done style, just not really for me. It also goes to the character design in general. Hulk has never been a visually interesting character to me.
I also really don’t get the “horror” angle that they try to market the book under. It’s spooky at times, sure. There are unanswered questions, and ties to nighttime and whatnot, but nothing genuinely scary to speak of.
It’s fine. Good even, just not as good as I was led to believe. I’ll probably still pick up the next omnibus to try to get some of the answers that are hinted at.
March 13, 2020
In reality, I read these issues as the first 3 collections of the comic, but as I read them all together I want to keep them together in 1 entry.
I didn't read Western comics as a child and I don't like superhero movies now. In that regard I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these comics -- that is, at all. The art is quite good, especially the saturated color and storyboard-style panel framing. The frequent off-modeling is excusable as it's a body horror story.
However, it's a bit of a thin story that, after 15 issues, I still have little to say about: the Hulk is an immortal being separate from Bruce Banner and which arises regenerated from Banner's mass every night; this literal Jekyll-and-Hyde situation leads to some episodic moral dilemmas as Banner stays in hiding following a destructive event before this series began (as per usual for Marvel, I'm told); the Hulk and all other beings associated with "gamma ray exposure" have a delicate mental health situation due to the intrusion of incorporeal beings from hell; at some point the Avengers catch up with Banner/the Hulk. The story never really began, as it's a continuation of a previous story; it will never end, as it's a superhero comic. At least I wanted to know what would happen next when there was still more to read.
I didn't read Western comics as a child and I don't like superhero movies now. In that regard I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these comics -- that is, at all. The art is quite good, especially the saturated color and storyboard-style panel framing. The frequent off-modeling is excusable as it's a body horror story.
However, it's a bit of a thin story that, after 15 issues, I still have little to say about: the Hulk is an immortal being separate from Bruce Banner and which arises regenerated from Banner's mass every night; this literal Jekyll-and-Hyde situation leads to some episodic moral dilemmas as Banner stays in hiding following a destructive event before this series began (as per usual for Marvel, I'm told); the Hulk and all other beings associated with "gamma ray exposure" have a delicate mental health situation due to the intrusion of incorporeal beings from hell; at some point the Avengers catch up with Banner/the Hulk. The story never really began, as it's a continuation of a previous story; it will never end, as it's a superhero comic. At least I wanted to know what would happen next when there was still more to read.
June 10, 2024
This is something I started reading some time ago and then, for whatever reason, I had to leave it on hold for some time. By then I was already aware this might be one of my favorite Hulk runs ever and among the finest Marvel has pulled in the latest years. After finally turning the last page, I can now confirm I still stand on that impression.
Al Ewing is such a talented writer and is amazing here, adding enough of decades of lore as to make it an interesting read for those who may approach the character for their first time (or so I want to think). The multilayered and interconnected personalities of Hulk/Banner (and whatever is beyond that) swings from the Kirbyan beastly epic to a pathos which will remind you of Moore's Swamp Thing... all of this with some Cronenbergesque horror thanks to the awesome pencils of Joe Bennett, who does another wonderful job here.
One could say the story might drag a bit in the latter episodes and some of the other collections included in the book feel a bit like filler, but considering how well inserted is into the Marvel continuity and how well the secondary characters are portrayed, I can't even complain.
Definitely, one of the (maybe few) titles I'll remember 2020's Marvel for.
Al Ewing is such a talented writer and is amazing here, adding enough of decades of lore as to make it an interesting read for those who may approach the character for their first time (or so I want to think). The multilayered and interconnected personalities of Hulk/Banner (and whatever is beyond that) swings from the Kirbyan beastly epic to a pathos which will remind you of Moore's Swamp Thing... all of this with some Cronenbergesque horror thanks to the awesome pencils of Joe Bennett, who does another wonderful job here.
One could say the story might drag a bit in the latter episodes and some of the other collections included in the book feel a bit like filler, but considering how well inserted is into the Marvel continuity and how well the secondary characters are portrayed, I can't even complain.
Definitely, one of the (maybe few) titles I'll remember 2020's Marvel for.
February 22, 2020
I grew up reading Spidey and Supes but as an adult (hahaha) I generally don't enjoy Marvel comics; DC even less. Loved the MCU movies to bits, tho, and grew up with the Hulk TV show so, given how many praises of this I've read on comics sites recently (and having really enjoyed Al Ewing's Zombo strip for 2000AD), I thought I'd give it a go.
But, God, it was wearing. Started ok-ish with some kind of mysterious horror vibe but quickly descended into the usual Marvel blend of shitty, pre-existing characters cropping up that may or may not have some kind of bearing on things. Captain Marvel was around for a bit with pointless depictions of her pointlessly great ass, two different haircuts (artistic continuity, anyone?) and her shittily-named band of nobodies. There were plenty of Banner back story refs, which I imagine are great if you dig the history, then a load of demon/hell/narration-heavy garbage which made no sense and seemed completely irrelevant. And there was no obvious ending as far as I could tell, but maybe I'd switched off by that point.
There were one or two grim, horrific moments that were visually fun but that's it. Rubbish. Flush.
But, God, it was wearing. Started ok-ish with some kind of mysterious horror vibe but quickly descended into the usual Marvel blend of shitty, pre-existing characters cropping up that may or may not have some kind of bearing on things. Captain Marvel was around for a bit with pointless depictions of her pointlessly great ass, two different haircuts (artistic continuity, anyone?) and her shittily-named band of nobodies. There were plenty of Banner back story refs, which I imagine are great if you dig the history, then a load of demon/hell/narration-heavy garbage which made no sense and seemed completely irrelevant. And there was no obvious ending as far as I could tell, but maybe I'd switched off by that point.
There were one or two grim, horrific moments that were visually fun but that's it. Rubbish. Flush.
January 4, 2022
Al Ewing and Joe Bennet really lean into the horror aspect of the Hulk with this new approach/title. There are strong vibes of Alan Moore's initial run on "swamp thing" where he cleans the slate before doing what he wants. This seems to be the case here where previous continuity is addressed then cast aside in order to tell a gruesome tale. Credit needs to be given to the artist as there are some truly disturbing images here that would make kroenenberg proud from mutilation to wasting away, it's chilling stuff.
The weakest part of the book is the prologue which messily tries to address why the main story attempts to explain why Banner is believed dead. But I was still left confused and the quality was far below that of the main "immortal" story. I'd have been happy with a text reminder at the start instead.
I'll be reading the rest of the series as it was just hitting its stride and I want to know more about the green door and Hulk's connection to it.
The weakest part of the book is the prologue which messily tries to address why the main story attempts to explain why Banner is believed dead. But I was still left confused and the quality was far below that of the main "immortal" story. I'd have been happy with a text reminder at the start instead.
I'll be reading the rest of the series as it was just hitting its stride and I want to know more about the green door and Hulk's connection to it.
December 15, 2024
Given the Hulk’s obvious origins in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it’s somewhat peculiar that the horror elements of the character weren’t exploited sooner. Writer Al Ewing certainly fulfilled this by resurrecting the Green Goliath into a satanic new incarnation. While I haven’t read a Hulk comic since the days when Peter David and Bruce Jones were at the helm it’s clear that Ewing both pays tribute here to its chief protagonist’s complex history while also scything a revolutionary new path for character and reader alike. While I may have been lost for some of the plot, turns out it’s probably because I need to swat up on my Zoroastrianism, Kabbalah, Freud and Jung more than I do Hulk history. Indeed it’s clear Ewing wants to elevate the superhero medium in the same way Alan Moore did for Swamp Thing in the 1980s, bringing that same complex deconstruction and exploration of the macabre that brought that title such acclaim.
9/10
9/10
December 28, 2021
I fell off reading superhero comics a few years ago opting for standalone stories instead. I read this on an enthusiastic recommendation and was not disappointed. This comic contains many of the things that made me fall in love with long form super hero stories such as the swamp thing run, rot world. This comic is dark, disturbing in places but enthralling and is obviously building to something which I look forward to reading in the later volumes. Highly recommend this for anyone interested in horror/high sci-fi or fantasy, but in a modern setting.
As usual with hulk the art is patchy in some places but also breath taking in others, the writing is strong throughout. Though as is the case for many comics, alot of prior knowledge would help here, but as someone who has never read a hulk comic before, or barely any marvel, I followed it fine.
As usual with hulk the art is patchy in some places but also breath taking in others, the writing is strong throughout. Though as is the case for many comics, alot of prior knowledge would help here, but as someone who has never read a hulk comic before, or barely any marvel, I followed it fine.
February 23, 2023
I had originally read the first five issues of this collection and LOVED them, which made me pick up the omnibus. Unfortunately, those first five issues were deceptively good, because the story never reached those same highs in the following 10 issues. The first 5 is an incredible view into the Hulk as a true horror character who can't be killed, loses control, commits atrocities, and is struggling to find his way in life... Perfect Horror Hulk. Then, however, they take a weird detour into morality, family strife, child abuse, DID personality splitting, 4+ different Hulk characters... then suddenly try to jump back into the horror story right at the end.
If you're new to the Hulk, Volume 1 (issues 1-5) are a great view into a horror version of the Hulk. But the rest of the omnibus is not necessarily worth picking up.
If you're new to the Hulk, Volume 1 (issues 1-5) are a great view into a horror version of the Hulk. But the rest of the omnibus is not necessarily worth picking up.
March 19, 2023
The Immortal Hulk-run is philosophical in nature and takes the Banner/Hulk-dichotomy back to its origins. Next to the fact that Banner is (mostly) in control by day and Hulk by night, Banner moves from town to town like a vagabond, fleeing the destruction Hulk leaves behind.
Immortal Hulk delves into the mythos of the creature and does so well. The art is concurrently gruesome and beautiful and worth buying the book on its own merit.
As this is the first book in the run, it mostly introduces the idea of the hellish 'Green Door', a magical/scientific portal into the world below, powered by gamma radiation and intrinsically linked with Hulk. It also focuses on Banner's history with his father and the government trying to hunt him down. It is a wonderful read and a great book.
Immortal Hulk delves into the mythos of the creature and does so well. The art is concurrently gruesome and beautiful and worth buying the book on its own merit.
As this is the first book in the run, it mostly introduces the idea of the hellish 'Green Door', a magical/scientific portal into the world below, powered by gamma radiation and intrinsically linked with Hulk. It also focuses on Banner's history with his father and the government trying to hunt him down. It is a wonderful read and a great book.
April 14, 2021
I never thought The Hulk of all characters would work in a horror narrative. But boy does it! It had moments of genuine tension and some imagery that one can only define as 'HARROWING'. I found the story really enjoyable, Hulk's character shockingly interesting and the art compelling.
Like almost all horror media, however, it kinda lost me as it ended. The reveal and the results of that reveal were a bit... melodramatic. Plus, like a lot of omnibuses of Marvel comics, there is a severe case of in media res with characters and what happened to them before the series began. Which kinda sucks but the narrative is so strong that you don't necessarily have to know everyone and everything.
Despite my problems, I will certainly continue reading this series. It was great.
Like almost all horror media, however, it kinda lost me as it ended. The reveal and the results of that reveal were a bit... melodramatic. Plus, like a lot of omnibuses of Marvel comics, there is a severe case of in media res with characters and what happened to them before the series began. Which kinda sucks but the narrative is so strong that you don't necessarily have to know everyone and everything.
Despite my problems, I will certainly continue reading this series. It was great.
August 8, 2024
This book has everything you could ever want. It starts very slow but the pace it gets with time is incredible. If theres only one comic that i could preserve for the rest of time, i wouldn't be mad if it was this one. It has some of the most introspective and interesting writing i have ever seen for Hulk. It introduces parts of the history of hulk in such a semminglylesss way. Devil Hulk has some great lines, and Bruce Banner basically turning into a socialist by the middle half of it was fun. The whole world was against Hulk in a different manner and that was fun. The ending kind of leaves some to be desrired, but the middle and latter half in general is so good that i feel like it doesn't matter. The point wasn't the ending, it was the journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2020
This collection contains Immortal Hulk 1-15 of 30, so about half the story.
I really like the more cunning, dark hulk. He is now smarteer than Bruce, which could be cool I guess. But he talks too much. Long dialogues that are just to long. The story in itself is very good, in the middle, The first pages hints about some puppeteers that then are absent from the story, and the ending is just confusing. I don't know what they try to tell us here but they could reallly have skipped that part. But must say I really liked one emotional page at the end that you just have to read, I'm not gonna spoil it for you :)
I really like the more cunning, dark hulk. He is now smarteer than Bruce, which could be cool I guess. But he talks too much. Long dialogues that are just to long. The story in itself is very good, in the middle, The first pages hints about some puppeteers that then are absent from the story, and the ending is just confusing. I don't know what they try to tell us here but they could reallly have skipped that part. But must say I really liked one emotional page at the end that you just have to read, I'm not gonna spoil it for you :)
Read
May 28, 2022Read the entire Immortal Hulk and despite knowing absolutely nothing about Hulk (aside from the fact that he's green and angry) I definitely enjoyed it. The body horror, grotesque art style and horror tones are superb and perfect for such a tragic character, there are many references to Hulk's mythos that you will appreciate even if you aren't familiarized with it, and there are a lot of politics/psychology/philosophy/supernatural elements that feel really natural and treated with the respect and research it deserves.
Definitely recommended if you are a Hulk fan or want to know the character in a way more complex way than "The green dude that says Hulk smash".
Definitely recommended if you are a Hulk fan or want to know the character in a way more complex way than "The green dude that says Hulk smash".
July 22, 2022
I watched the Hulk TV series as a child, cringed at that awful Ang Lee film, quite liked the Ed Norton one, was impressed by the Peter David collection 'the End' and enjoy the MCU version but this collection is, for me, the perfect Hulk. A horror story in which Banner turns into the Hulk at night and has no control over his transformations, these 15 issues (oddly bundled with an incomprehensible issue of the Avengers that tells half a story in which the Hulk is the villain) are a fantastic read. My favourite bit - when Hulk finds an irradiated, immortal madman who's killing local people and hikers, he rips off his limbs and leaves him walled up in a mountain cave. Awesome.
May 2, 2023
I've never been a big Hulk fan, but being a fan of horror, this book has converted me. Taking all the psychological horror/trauma of Bruce Banner and his multiple personalities and mixing it with visceral body horror makes this one of the best Marvel series I've ever read.
The Hulk is a terrifying monster and so are the people/creatures he fights and I love it. If you're not fully bought in when Hulk's severed body parts meld back together and in the process kill someone by absorbing him into its body, then this is not for you.
If they made a MCU movie with this type of Hulk horror then it'd be my favorite. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!
The Hulk is a terrifying monster and so are the people/creatures he fights and I love it. If you're not fully bought in when Hulk's severed body parts meld back together and in the process kill someone by absorbing him into its body, then this is not for you.
If they made a MCU movie with this type of Hulk horror then it'd be my favorite. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!
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