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THE INFERNAL HULK #1 – Review

  • Written by: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
  • Art by: Nic Klein
  • Colors by: Matthew Wilson
  • Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
  • Cover art by: Nic Klein (cover A)
  • Cover price: $4.99
  • Release date: November 26, 2025

The Infernal Hulk #1, by Marvel on 11/26/25, hits stands as a Lovecraftian sledgehammer masquerading behind the brand of its gamma giant. If you thought “Hulk” meant rage, smashing, or even a trace of Banner’s tortured soul, prepare to be mugged by eldritch horror and left with barely a green crumb for comfort.

First Impressions

The opening pages jerk the reader away from any comfort zone associated with classic Hulk stories. There’s a jarring sense of unfamiliarity: the horror vibe is relentless, and the Hulk is no longer a hero – he’s a walking apocalypse. My gut tells me die-hard Hulk fans won’t recognize a thing except the color palette, and even that feels like it’s borrowed from a nightmare.​

Recap

Previously, Bruce Banner and the Hulk suffered a gruesome fate as Eldest, a Lovecraftian parasite, used Hulk’s body to break open the prison of the horrific Mother of Horrors. Eldest consumed his mother’s mindless remains, investing Hulk’s body with the primal corruption that conceived the Great Old Ones. The Marvel universe is now staring down the barrel of a threat so monstrous it has instigated the Age of Monsters.​

Plot Analysis

The story pivots away from superhero slugfests, plunging into the quiet dread of Red Creek, Kentucky, where locals chat about everyday worries, until an ancient siren wails and panic seeps into their routine. Characters like Bridger and Travis reveal themselves as regular people thrust into cosmic disaster.​

A military convoy scrambles as they witness the arrival of the Infernal Hulk, no longer a savior but a harbinger of annihilation. Dialogue turns grim, and aspirations of heroism are snuffed by the bleak odds against them. The corpse puppet of Hulk speaks with the voice of Eldest, dismissing any hope of Bruce Banner’s presence and reducing the opposition to cannon fodder.​

As the chaos unfolds, Kentucky suffers a supernatural catastrophe: an entire mountain collapses, soldiers on the scene are eviscerated (or worse), and the region falls into confusion. News reports swirl with misinformation, and the Avengers are missing in action. The occult whispers grow louder, warning of a new, monstrous epoch. In these pages, Hulk’s identity is erased in favor of raw, unsettling horror.​

The comic finishes with an elaborate mythic sight: ancient gods, corrupted civilizations, and the rise of “Gologolthia, the Living City,” a sanctuary built from monster flesh. It’s as if Lovecraft hijacked Stan Lee’s original roadmap and left Hulk as a footnote in cosmic terror. The lore swells, overshadowing what little is left of Marvel’s classic formula. Any trace of heroism is drowned in mythology, not muscle.​

Writing

Pacing is deliberate, building suspense through slow reveals and dialogue that feels both fraught and fatalistic. The spoken lines are efficient, sparing no fluff, and lend authenticity to the panic in Red Creek. Structurally, the script is tight but leans heavily on myth-building rather than character arcs or superhero stakes, sacrificing action for atmosphere.​

Art

Artist Nic Klein draws with a moody, shadow-drenched palette. Clarity is hampered in some panels by heavy use of darkness, but compositions consistently magnify dread. The use of color shifts away from traditional green Hulk tones and embraces reds, blacks, and sickly purples that reinforce the horror motif, creating a crushing sense of discomfort and alienation.​

Character Development

There’s little motivation on display for Hulk/Banner. His persona is lost to eldritch possession, so all agency flows from Eldest’s external horror rather than internal struggle. Side characters, like Travis and Bridger, are relatable in their terror, but the Hulk himself is a muted tool for the plot’s monstrous ambitions. Consistency is kept for the genre but abandoned for the lore of Hulk.​

Originality & Concept Execution

The comic’s originality is undeniable. This isn’t just a fresh take, it’s a hostile takeover from cosmic horror. The writer risks everything to trade superhero tropes for Lovecraft-inspired world-building, and the concept succeeds in making Hulk secondary to a mythic apocalypse. Whether that’s a triumph or a tragedy depends on your attachment to the big green guy.​

Positives

The comic’s best feature is full commitment to horror. Every page, from moody art to myth-heavy exposition, creates an immersive descent into madness that fans of eldritch storytelling will relish. The story structure is coherent and the pacing builds genuine tension, making the reader’s investment well spent if horror and bold reinvention are what they crave.​

Negatives

This issue nearly completely abandons the core ethos of Hulk as a character. Banner’s tragic journey and transformative rage are missing, leaving longtime Hulk fans with a shell wrapped in Lovecraftian lore. The art’s tendency toward darkness sometimes muddies action scenes, and the myth-building, although ambitious, sidelines relatability for world-building. Furthermore, I’d be remiss in pointing out that there’s no point in publishing a #1 issue when this story is simply a continuation of Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s and Nic Klein’s Hulk run, repackaged for a short-term cash hit. If the prior series wasn’t strong enough to continue, Marvel is hoping to “trick” readers by restarting at #1, which is a continually disappointing tactic.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

The Scorecard

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [2/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [2/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]

Final Verdict

For those with taste buds tuned to cosmic horror and mythic guts, The Infernal Hulk #1 is worth a glance. If you’re counting on Hulk, Banner, or any recognizable Marvel heroics, consider this issue a ruse: the only smashing you’ll get is your expectations, not much more.

5/10

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