[Warning: Totally Awesome Hulk #7 SPOILERS ahead.]
Between the big screen and the comic book pages, 2016 has undoubtedly been one of Marvel’s most divisive years, at least in a fictional sense, with the launch of Civil War II story arc won’t bring any more peace to the superwomen and men of Marvel’s printed page either.
Civil War II poses many interesting and difficult ethical questions to Marvel’s elite superhero forces. Yet for fans of the Incredible Hulk, one question has been prevalent: what the heck happened to Bruce Banner?
In All New, All Different Marvel reboot saw an end to the Secret Wars saga and the entrance of a new Hulk, that of Amadeus Cho. In the latest Hulk, we find out what actually put Cho in the driver’s seat of the mean green machine. In flashback it’s revealed that Banner/Hulk sacrifices himself to diffuse a fusion reactor meltdown, absorbing a lethal dose in the process. The near-prescient Cho drops into the scene just in time to stop the Hulk from exploding, saving Bruce Banner's life and the lives of countless innocents.
Old Man Logan, and dealing with the power trip of his new abilities (which serves as a great euphemism for the maturation process).
Tony Stark, in preparation for the Civil War tie-in teased by writer Greg Pak for Totally Awesome Hulk #9.
Watching a lesser-known character take the Hulk mantle has proven illuminating, though. After years of being driven by his mega-mind, Amadeus Cho is discovering that he too has teenage hormones via the big green man. Depending on how much time Pak is allotted to run with Cho-Hulk, there are a number of interesting concepts the storyline could explore, including watching Amadeus wrestle with his developing emotional core as the impending second Civil War requires his keenest tactical focus.
Having a chance to watch Banner deal with his Hulk-separation anxiety has been fascinating as well. Naturally, Dr. Banner will reclaim his emerald alter-ego before too long – as the law of conservation of classic superhero characters and decrees. But it remains to be seen how things come together for the Hulk and Bruce Banner as Civil War II splits everyone up.
Totally Awesome Hulk #7 is currently available. Totally Awesome Hulk #8 arrives on July 6 2016.