WhileHulk’s arc seems to have reached a peaceful conclusion in the MCU, something big and scary might be brewing inside Bruce Banner’s mind, and it could resemble a recent addition to Marvel Comics lore. Following years of struggling against his monstrous alter ego, Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner came up with a way to merge his mind with the Hulk’s body inAvengers: Endgame. As Smart Hulk, Banner has finally found peace in his condition.
Despite fulfilling his longtime dream, Ruffalo’s Smart Hulk didn’t retire inAvengers: Endgame. Smart Hulk returned inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Lawand Banner made a cameo inShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene. Smart Hulk’s permanence in the Multiverse Saga suggests that Marvel Studios isn’t done with the character yet. Next time he appears, Bruce Banner may face his biggest threat yet, and the conflict could take place entirely inside his own psyche.
Marvel’s Hulkscape Reveals Hulk’s Punishment For Bruce Banner
The Incredible Hulk #14; Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson; Art by Nic Klein and Matthew Wilson; Letters by Cory Petit
In 2023’sThe Incredible Hulk #1, the"age of monsters"begins with Hulk being pursued by the ancient entity “Eldest,” which seeks a rematch from a previous life.Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s run ofThe Incredible Hulkintroduces the Hulkscape, a realm where Bruce Banner resides every time the Hulk takes over.The Hulkscape is a bizarre pocket dimension where Hulk and Banner’s inner conflict takes the shape of Gamma-powered nightmares.
Now that Hulk is free, it’s Bruce Banner’s time to serve an indefinite number of sentences in a hellish dimension inside his own psyche
The first time Bruce Banner is shown trapped in Hulkscape, he’s stuck inside a birdcage that dangles from the back of a kaiju that fights another giant monster. A magical bird identifies itself asHulk’s lifelong friend Rick Jonesand helps Banner escape the cage, but the bird turns out to be Hulk in disguise, who mocks Banner and reveals that Banner’s torment will never end. Hulk and Banner have managed to separate temporarily, but the Hulkscape remains.
InThe Incredible Hulk’s “age of monsters” era, all monsters are drawn to Hulk, who they name"the fractured one."
Hulk’s new pocked dimension is a new addition to Marvel lore, butthe Hulkscape a direct result of Bruce Banner’s mistreatment of the Hulk. InHulkVol. 5, Banner trapped Hulk inside his own mind and tortured him in order to draw power from the Gamma monster without giving up control of his body. Now that Hulk is free, it’s Bruce Banner’s time to serve an indefinite number of sentences in a hellish dimension inside his own psyche.
Marvel’s Hulkscape Builds Upon The Immortal Hulk’s Best Ideas
Bruce Banner And Hulk Take Turns Being Imprisoned Inside The Hulkscape
Marvel’s latestThe Incredible Hulkrun builds on the horror-fueled cosmology introduced inAl Ewing’s acclaimedThe Immortal Hulk, especially through the creation of the Hulkscape. InThe Immortal Hulk, the Below-Place is revealed as the lowest layer of reality, beneath even Hell, where Gamma mutates pass through the Green Door after death. It’s ruled by the One Below All, a malevolent force linked to the origin of gamma power and Hulk’s own immortal nature.
The Hulkscape functions similarly to the Below-Place as a metaphysical dimension tied directly to Hulk’s psyche, complete with mind-bending horror imagery.Like the Below-Place, the Hulkscape is a liminal space that bridges the supernatural and the psychological. However, the Below-Place serves as a kind of Gamma afterlife, while the Hulkscape is a more personalized prison built from Bruce Banner’s trauma.
Instead of disappearing into nothingness, Banner is trapped in an ever-changing mental plane forged by Hulk’s resentment. It’s the clearest representation of Banner’s helplessness as he watches his worst impulses personified in the Hulk.Banner’s gruesome transformations into the Hulkare depicted both as a form of possession and a sentence to Hell.
Hulkscape Is The Best Concept For Hulk’s Next MCU Appearance
The Hulkscape Could Explain Why The Savage Hulk Hasn’t Returned In The MCU
In theory, Smart Hulk seems like the perfect solution for Bruce Banner’s Hulk problems, as he didn’t even have to trade his human body permanently in order to achieve it. However, Smart Hulk may only be a temporary break for Banner.Sooner or later, Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner may realize that his creation has condemned the original, savage Hulk to a live-action version of Hulkscape.
Currently, Hulk may be deep inside Banner’s psyche creating Hulkscape
The MCU has yet to reveal how Bruce Banner convinced Hulk to give up his Gamma powers, or if he even received Hulk’s consent to develop Smart Hulk. Last time the original Hulk appeared, the Gamma monster was unwilling to come out to fight due to his humiliating defeat at the hands of Thanos. This disagreement is the perfect foundation for Hulk’s revenge against Banner. Currently, Hulk may be deep inside Banner’s psyche creating Hulkscape.
The next chapter in Bruce Banner’s MCU story could flipThe Immortal Hulkand Marvel’s currentThe Incredible Hulkrun to ease audiences intoHulk’s cosmic horror.Hulk could return angrier than ever while Bruce Banner finds a way out of Hulkscape. Then, Banner and Hulk could dive into the Below-Place and reach the deepest corners of their trauma by facing villains like Devil Hulk, a possessed Samuel Sterns, and the One Below All itself.
Marvel’s Cosmic And Body Horror Are The Ideal Next Step For The MCU’s Hulk
Hulk’s Body Horror Is The Best Way To Bring The Savage Monster Back
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has explored several key areas of Hulk lore, but it hasn’t tapped into the character’s recent horror stories, which have become an essential part ofHulk’s comic book history.SinceThe Immortal Hulk, Marvel has fully leaned into the inherent terror in Bruce Banner’s duality.This includes the physical effects of each transformation, the psychological side effects of having another being trapped inside of him, and the mystical side of Gamma energy.
Cosmic horror concepts like the Below-Place, the Green Door, and the Hulkscape depict Hulk as something more than a brute. Bruce Banner and Hulk’s perpetual conflict is linked to the very foundations of reality itself. These themes would let the MCU explore more Lovecraftian, mind-bending territory with starkly different visuals that would stand apart from prior Hulk appearances.
Instead of straightforward transformations, Hulk’s next MCU appearance could take a page from Hulk’s recent comics and add body horror to the process. InThe Immortal HulkandThe Incredible Hulk, Banner andHulk’s transformations are grotesque and often painful to both of them. Their instability instills fear in the idea of transforming back and forth, and the evident pain adds stakes to every transformation.
