Cover Art for The Infernal Hulk #8
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johson
Art by Adam Gorham
Colors by Matthew Wilson
Letters by VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Art by Nic Klein
The Infernal Hulk #8 is one of the least action-packed issues in the series’ run so far, but by no means does that make it one of the worst. This issue offers a great amount of setup for what is to come, not only in the final two issues of the Infernal Hulk run but for what lies beyond in the Hulk War next year. There’s a lot I liked about this issue, including the fact that we get much more time with Bruce Banner and the Avengers as they seek to find some “Hail Mary” way of defeating Eldest and its forces of darkness. Things are growing darker for the Marvel Universe by the day, and if Eldest has her way, the world will be plunged into eternal darkness. Let’s see what our heroes are up to. Spoiler Warning Now in Effect for Infernal Hulk #8!
Recap of the Issue
The Infernal Hulk #8 opens with a macabre scene at a church in South Carolina. Eldest lays a hand on a corpse, and a strange tree sprouts from this “Pious Gardener” named Jonah Deveux. Eldest throws the two mutant prisoners, Glob and Madrox, onto the tree as it continues to grow to a massive size. We’ll check back in with Eldest and the horrors of the church in a bit, but now it’s time to see what Bruce Banner and the Avengers are up to in New York City.
After 11 days spent trying to find some sort of solution to their Eldest problem, Bruce Banner and the Avengers are not any closer to finding the answers they seek. Eldest is beginning to seem unbeatable. With no other solutions coming to mind, Tony Stark tells Bruce he might need to step into another gamma bomb blast but Bruce drops a figurative bomb: he’s been irradiating his cells with gamma radiation since he got back to New York City, and his cells are no longer responding to it. He isn’t able to absorb gamma anymore. Bruce can no longer be the Hulk. With almost no options left for the group, Bruce agrees to take them to the ancient cave system in hopes of finding something to help.
Bruce calls Betty before they leave, and to say it's not the most pleasant conversation is sugar-coating it. Betty’s frustration with Bruce finally and completely boils over. She’s pissed he went back to New York to try to become the Hulk again when she’s still trying to live a life she didn’t want any part of. She hangs up on Bruce, storms out of her fake life, and calls up her father, General Ross, and says it's time for them to see each other again.
The Avengers get to the cave system and make their way through the ancient underground graveyard. After some light exploration and a small mishap with the Quinjet, they are, let’s just say, greeted by Skaar, the son of the Incredible Hulk from the Planet Sakaar. Skaar demands to know why Bruce and the Avengers are there, and they simply tell him they’re looking for something that can kill a Hulk. Skaar says there’s nothing that can do that, but tiny voices from within the cave offer a glimpse of hope. Tiny goblin-looking creatures called Rutlings emerge from the darkness, and after some deliberation from the group, get them to follow deeper underground.
The Rutlings lead the group to a small clearing that contains a shining light blue tree growing out of a pristine crystal. As Tony gets closer to the small tree, he finds his wounds are all being healed just by being in its vicinity. The group learns that the tree grew from the blood of the Author of Creation, and Skaar tells the group that “It heals wounds… makes young… keeps evil away.” Reed Richards remarks that this tree could be the answer that they’re searching for. Bruce is still skeptical but wishes Reed luck. He’s still intent on finding another Hulk to do the job.
As the issue begins to come to a close, we rejoin Eldest at the church where her evil tree has grown to an immense size with some strange “fruit” beginning to grow on its branches. Eldest gets a vision of the “good” tree that the Avengers found and says now that she might have to intervene and commands their forces to find Betty Banner. The issue closes on a dark and stormy night in New Orleans as Bruce goes to visit Strange Academy. He needs Doctor Voodoo’s help once again to get back into the Soul Cage and needs him to come with him. There’s something locked inside the soul cage that Bruce needs…
Thoughts on the Issue
Ah, the set-up issue. Sometimes these issues can be a drag, but thankfully, as has been the case with the entirety of this run, it had some developments that made it extremely worthwhile to get into. First off, whatever is going on with Eldest cannot be anything remotely good, and I highly doubt what is grown on that massive, evil-looking tree is anything nice. Is what is happening on that tree related to Glob’s vision from last issue, where he saw parts of the world consumed in hellfire? It easily could be. How does Madrox fit into Eldest's plans? What is it gonna use the multiple men's powers for? So many questions with this evil tree, but I’m sure we won’t have to wait long for the answers.
On the flip side, we finally have some movement from Bruce Banner again, and the Avengers get a dose of that hope they have so desperately needed in their fight against Eldest and its forces. Can this tiny crystalized tree, formed from the blood of a being of pure creation, be a part of the solution? Who or what does Bruce hope to find inside the soul cage after struggling to make it out the first time he went inside? If Bruce can’t change into the Hulk in our realm, does that mean Bruce plans to see if magic can provide the solution to his gamma problem? This issue raises a lot of new questions for both sides of the widening divide of good and evil.
I liked the segment where Betty finally tells Bruce that she’s had enough of their fake life. The relationship between the two of them has been rocky for a minute now, and I think this is one Marvel couple that needs their time apart. Betty is sure to play a big role in the upcoming Infernal War when she most likely will receive her powers back, and I’m very eager to see where her journey takes her, especially dealing with her own gamma-powered father again.
Adam Gorham proves once again that he is more than capable of handling these art duties for this series. Gorham’s art gives off a creepy feeling throughout this entire book, from the dilapidated church where Eldest is growing that massive abomination of a tree to the ancient cave system that houses Skaar and the Rutlings, the issue is a visual feast. Both the characters and the environments look great, and I’m glad this guy is leading the way in this series. Gorham got the ball and ran with it after Nic Klein’s departure to work on Infernal War, and his art looks fantastic.
Infernal Hulk #8 slows the story down a bit with a set-up issue that sets the stage for the final two issues of Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s acclaimed run. Eldest believes nothing can stand in its way, but the Avengers find something to finally give them a spark of hope, and Bruce Banner decides to step up and seek answers his own way. Adam Gorham’s art is the cherry on top of an issue that got me excited for the penultimate issue of the series. Make sure this one is on your pull list.
Rating: 8/10