Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Incredible Hulk #22! Bruce Banner is famously the human alter ego of the Hulk, meaning he’s always been a superhero by association, since there could be no Hulk without Bruce Banner. But, to be honest, the Hulk is the one who is fighting alongside the Avengers, not Banner. Sure, he might be able to contribute in other ways, but Banner isn’t a superhero, as he doesn’t have any powers himself. At least, until now, as Banner finally has his own powers that aren’t connected to the Hulk.

In The Incredible Hulk #22 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein, the Hulk and his sidekick, Charlie, are on the run from the Eldest, especially now that Charlie has stolen the Godskin. The Godskin is the supernatural pelt of Lycana, the mother of skinwalkers. With it, Charlie has the power to transform into a winged, wolf-like creature, similar to how Bruce Banner can transform into the Hulk. Except, at the moment, Banner is out of the picture. At least, that’s what Hulk thinks.

The Hulk has trapped Banner in a corner of their shared psyche known as the Hulkscape, which is a hellish world from which there is no escape for Banner. However, Bruce found a way to claw his way back into the physical world. Bruce’s body may be occupied by the Hulk, but he can still project his essence into the minds of other monsters on Earth, who perceive Banner as a disembodied spirit showing up in places like rivers or on the side of trees. This is how Banner can speak with Hulk, and how he can talk to Charlie.

Bruce Banner Has Supernatural Powers that Aren’t Connected to the Hulk

Banner Can Project Himself into the Minds of Monsters

Bruce Banner has only ever been powerful (in the heroic, supernatural sense) because of the Hulk. Indeed, the Hulk’s strength is derived from his connection to the One Below All through gamma radiation - which, in Marvel Comics, is a supernatural substance that originated in the Below-Place, and is the One Below All’s link to Earth. But now, Banner has supernatural abilities that have nothing to do with the Hulk, as he can project himself into the minds of monsters.

So far, Banner has used his new powers only to communicate with the likes of Hulk and Charlie, but he has the potential to do so much more. In fact, Banner could even use this new power to be a legitimate superhero in his own right. How? Well, he can project his disembodied form into monsters’ minds, which means Banner can be the ultimate distraction - and perhaps the source of untold mental torment - to practically any creature that could threaten humanity, especially the monsters under the Eldest’s control.

There Is One Horrifying Catch to Bruce Banner’s New Powers

Banner Might Only Be Able to Access His New Power While in the Hulkscape

When Banner first spoke with Charlie, one of the first things she asked him was, “does it hurt?”, and Banner all but assured her that, yes, it does. Banner is basically trapped in a hell of the Hulk’s creation, one that was built in their shared psyche for the sole purpose of tormenting Banner specifically. While it’s unconfirmed as of now, it’s possible that Bruce might only be able to project himself into the minds of monsters from the Hulkscape, which would be a horrifying catch to an otherwise pretty useful power.

But, if Banner didn’t have to suffer the Hulkscape to use this power, imagine what a great team he and the Hulk would be. The Hulk could be fighting a monster while Banner could project himself inside the monster’s head, distracting and tormenting it while the Hulk smashed it. Unfortunately, Banner and the Hulk aren’t on the best right now, so that possibility is as uncertain as the very nature of Banner’s powers. However, that doesn’t detract from the fact that Bruce Banner does, indeed, have his own superpower, and it’s completely separate from the Hulk.

The Incredible Hulk #22 by Marvel Comics is available now.