Comic Book Journal

As summer draws closer (though you wouldn’t know looking outside my window), it can mean only one thing: time, yet again, for the annual “big summer event”, the comic book equivalent (or rather, attempt of) a much hyped blockbuster.

Interestingly enough, Marvel hasn’t spared spoilers left and right, as was the case with previous summer event “Civil War”, and by and large only three words spell out the future for the Marvel Universe: World War Hulk.

If you’re just joining us, let me set up the scene. The Illuminati, a gathering of the greatest minds in the Marvel Universe, voted a while back to put a final option regarding the Hulk - luring him to space station to fight some vague villain, and then shooting him off into space, blissfully believing he’d cause less damage that way.

Yeah, right.

Hulk’s coming back even more enraged than . . . well . . . Hulk normally is. He wants payback, and seeing how two of the Illuminati are the “victors” of Civil War (Tony Stark and Reed Richards), it looks like the world is going to pay along with it.

But here’s a surprise: Hulk isn’t going at it alone. So whose going with Hulk? That’s what I’m answering today, in order of most to least likely.

Amadeus Cho
Odds of Helping Hulk: 100% (Marvel Confirmed)
Who He is: Absolutely no clue. Apparently he’s a teenage supergenius who’s taken on Reed Richards in the past on behalf of the Hulkster himself. He’s friends with Hulk, and the solicitations read that he’s going to take things to “the next level” in terms of the conflict.

She-Hulk
Odds of Helping Hulk: 80%.
Who She Is: Hulk’s more more calm, and much more hot, cousin. In a Marvel preview, she’s seen walking through the desert as the human alter ego Jennifer Walters in a torn SHIELD outfit, still reeling from the events of Civil War. She’s also chatting with Amadeus Cho in a diner. Jen is Hulk’s cousin and loyal friend - Bruce Banner is family, and Jen would be among the first people to help him out. In her ongoing series, She-Hulk’s proven she can stand on her own - but can she stand for Hulk’s barbaric justice?

Namor the Submariner
Odds of Helping Hulk: 65%
Who He Is: The only Illuminati who didn’t vote to send Hulk into space, and who fought, most admirably, to prevent it. If anything knows a thing or two extra about rage, its definitely the surly Namor. Not only did he fight on the losing side of Civil War, but he also lost one of his own - Namorita - in the opening volley of Civil War. With that stablizing element removed, Namor may not only throw it in with the likes of the Hulk, but go all in. Make no mistake, if Namor joins Hulk, he, unlike She-Hulk, will fight to the bloody end.

Doc Sampson
Odds of Helping Hulk: 40%
Who He Is: Essentially a gamma-irradiated shrink, Doc Sampson is also on the list of people Amadeus Cho wants to talk to. He’s one of Hulk’s friends, and like She-Hulk, one of Bruce Banner’s confidants. But the two have slugged just as many times as they’ve spoken. Since he knows a lot about the Hulk’s interior psyche, its possible both he and She-Hulk would side with the gamma giant to try to reach Bruce Banner and put the breaks on this battle. Seeing as how Doc Sampson is a pro-registration ally of Tony Stark’s though, it doesn’t seem very likely he’ll join up with Hulk.

Hulkling
Odds of Helping Hulk: 10%
Who He Is: A young gay and green size-changer in the ranks of “Young Avengers”, Hulkling actually has no relation to the Incredible Hulk. It has since been revealed Hulkling has no relation to the Hulk - he is in fact the son of Captain Mar-Vell and the Skrull Princess Anelle. Still, World War Hulk has to have some effect on Teddy Altman - even if its just as minor as his name change. Plus, since his father Mar-Vell recently returned during Civil War, it seems he’d more than likely be tied down by that development that my Hulk’s concidental World War.