The Infernal Hulk #8 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 8, August 2026

There’s probably some sort of reasonably acceptable plot lurking beneath the surface of “Beasts Of The Sanguine Tree” considering that within its narrative the “Earth's Mightiest Heroes reunite to stop [the] Infernal Hulk.” But due to Adam Gorham’s debatably disappointing pencils, many of its readers will surely struggle to enjoy its multiple plot-threads; most notably that involving Skaar and a sudden horde of underground dwelling goblins; “The Rutlings are not your concern. Leave this place.” 

To begin with it’s not made terribly clear from the Canadian illustrator’s layouts just what is happening when the titular character pays a visit to the resting place of Reverend Jonah Deveaux, and somehow utilises the Pious Gardener’s tree-growing abilities along with those of Glob Herman and the Multiple Man to create an enormous fruit-bearing conifer. Clearly this nefarious giant plant is going to cause the planet's population some problems in the near future. However, it’s genuinely difficult to see just what is going on with the ever growing evergreen from the various panels sketched of its diabolical birth.

Likewise the majority of onlookers will arguably have to wait until Doctor Banner calls General Thunderbolt Ross’s daughter by her first name before they twig Bruce is actually phoning up his ex-wife in Munchie, Indiana. This ultimately fiery exchange between the former couple is then made all the more bemusing by “your friendly neighbourhood comic artist” drawing the clearly angry woman either purposely self-harming herself by digging her fingernails into her arm as she attempts to make contact with her father, or inadvertently reopening the wounds she caused a few nights earlier when she freaked out over being unable to open a pot of ice cream.

Perhaps the biggest head-scratcher though is just how easily it appears the Avengers manage to penetrate down through the Earth’s crust in one of their quinjets and quickly discover the subterranean level lived on during “another Age of Monsters.” Now admittedly the planet’s surface has been somewhat recently ravaged by the Infernal Hulk’s recent (re)raising of the Living City and Iron Man’s “overpowered strike force.” But according to Gorham’s all-too brief depiction of Tony Stark piloting the flying vessel their journey is simply a matter of moments before they crash-land near the cavern hosting the mystical, all-healing tree supposedly made from God’s Blood.

The regular cover art of "INFERNAL HULK" #8 by Nic Klein

The Infernal Hulk #7 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 7, July 2026

Whilst it’s never ever really explained just how the Infernal Hulk suddenly “exerts [a] mysterious control over all mutantkind” and begins “drawing them to his growing army in the horrific Living City”, it’s probably a safe bet that many a fan of this ongoing series will give Phillip Kennedy Johnson a pass due to the unconvincing notion setting up a scintillating scrap between the titular character and the X-Men. True, the confrontation only features those super-heroes located at the Factory Merle in Alaska – so doesn’t include such notable team members such as Wolverine, Rogue, Emma Frost and Ice Man. But this comic does still show Cyclops, Magneto and Magik doing their best against Eldest’s host body.

Furthermore, having horribly killed Marrow when the firstborn of Vinruviel kidnapped the Morlock Leech, the tense atmosphere inside the Sentinel manufacturing plant is arguably pretty palpable during the fight, with a few of the lesser known mutants certainly seeming to be close to a grim, grisly death whenever the Hulk turns his attention upon them. Indeed, at one point even Illyana Rasputina genuinely appears to be upon the cusp of being cut in two by the ‘daughter of horrors’ when the sorceress' Soulsword is taken from her; “This blade is bound… to your life force. Yes? What would happen, then… If I took your head with it?”

Perhaps far less impressive though is how the American author depicts the rest of the leading members of the Marvel Universe, who seem to be huddled up within the safety of the Baxter Building. Only Iron Man has actively challenged the might of the Hulk face-to-face so far, yet the way Reed Richards talks to such untried power-houses like Carol Danvers, Spider-Man, the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, any resistance against Eldest is disappointingly already doomed before it’s even begun.

Likewise, Adam Gorham’s artwork debatably doesn’t do the pulse-pounding punch-up much good either, with poor Sarah’s aforementioned death appearing to be overly gratuitous for no obvious reason. In fact, if it wasn’t for a hastily-sketch Pyro calling her by name some readers might even struggle to recognise that the figure sketched in the comic is actually Marrow, and not some other poor unknown Morlock. Furthermore the illustrator tries to cram in so much action into such thin panels, that there’s little room to really see who is doing what to each other when the action heats up – e.g. Magik actually stabling Hulk through the heart area with her hand-weapon.

The regular cover art of "INFERNAL HULK" #7 by Nic Klein

The Infernal Hulk #6 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 6, June 2026

Considering that this twenty-page periodical makes good on its promise to depict Iron Man leading “an overpowered strike force to level the Living City and end the Age of Monsters forever”, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s writing for Issue Six of “Infernal Hulk” probably still fell surprisingly flat with most of its audience. In fact, despite actually showcasing the titular character in an all-swinging fistfight against one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, there’s just something a little ‘wrong’ with how the cataclysmic story is told; “Twenty percent of the world’s arsenal is aimed at your living city right now.”

For starters, it’s not clear just why Tony Stark is the only super-hero taking up the challenge when this assault is supposedly the Earth’s best chance to kill Eldest’s seemingly unstoppable host; especially when the likes of Mister Fantastic and Bucky Barnes are watching it live along with the American military’s top brass. Surely if things were as dire as the leader of the Fantastic Four keeps saying then his super-powered squad would be ‘on the ground’ alongside Iron Man and his freshly-fashioned Hellbuster Armour? Not repeatedly stretching his rubber-like neck in disbelief as the firstborn of Vinruviel defies every planet-shattering attempt he has planned to defeat them.

Likewise it is never explained how Gologoltha of the Volantine Choir is able to survive quite literally having the land beneath its foundations obliterated, and resultantly dropping into the molten core of the Earth.? Admittedly, as the Infernal Hulk himself swiftly points out, the unholy metropolis is an Elder God capable of a great manner things. But somehow this comic’s readers are supposed to accept that it can both happily float upon the surface of the boiling lava it falls into, and then somehow shield itself from the white-hot laser-blast of an orbiting satellite without any plausible explanation whatsoever.

Lastly, the layouts of Adam Gorham arguably don’t help sell the storyline towards the battle’s end either, with much of the action beneath the world’s surface being unclear and indistinct. In addition, the Canadian artist’s decision to greatly reduce the amount of detail used for all of the aforementioned scenes featuring Reed Richards and the Winter Soldier genuinely make them appear the work of a far less able illustrator, and frustratingly snatch any onlooker out of the moment with their jarring contrast.

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Adam Gorham, and Color Artist: Matthew Wilson

The Infernal Hulk #5 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 5, May 2026

Initially appearing to be setting up a titanic tussle between the Avengers and this ongoing series’ titular character, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s decision to suddenly turn to one of Mark Waid’s co-creations from 2004 as the central protagonist probably had a fair few readers outwardly groan in frustration. Indeed, whilst the Almighty’s pulse-pounding punch-up definitely proves an unputdownable experience, its aftermath will still leave plenty of bibliophiles wondering what would have happened if Iron Man hadn’t stood his team down just as their quinjet was hovering over the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati, Ohio.

However, to make matters even more perplexing the Infernal Hulk’s opponent is soon revealed to simply be one of the Creator of the Marvel Universe’s servants, rather than the real deal themself. Obviously such a ‘bait-and-switch’ plot-twist provides the American author with a way out for the vessel of Eldest to defeat their fiery adversary without them appearing overly formidable in besting “a being of unimaginable power”. Yet it also begs the question as to why the writer announced they were using the One Above All in the first place – except to help (mis)sell the comic book. 

Debatably far more engrossing than this “never-before-seen battle for the ages” is therefore Bruce Banner’s encounter with the grotesque living corpse of Tommy Watson, who despite dying horribly at the hands of the Infernal Hulk, somehow manages to walk back to his distraught mother’s address. This scene is superbly penned by Johnson, and mixes the terrifying notion of the Undead coming back to haunt the living, with the grief of a parent who having just buried her child, now sees his mutilated body stood before her; “Nattie! We’ve got to go right now!”

Similarly as successful as this twenty-page periodical’s second half are its layouts by Kev Walker. The British illustrator does a solid job of imbuing this publication’s heavily publicised centre-piece with plenty of earth-shattering shenanigans. But it’s the former “2000 A.D.” artist’s pencilling for Banner’s aforementioned scrap with Private Watson which really captures the imagination, and shows just how physically enfeebled the gamma radiologist has become now he can no longer transform into the Jade Giant.

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Kev Walker, and Inker: Cam Smith

The Infernal Hulk #4 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 4, April 2026

Whilst many a bibliophile may well enjoy Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s trip down memory lane as Bruce Banner’s alter-ego takes something of a tumble down into the depths of the Hulkscape and encounters a number of his past, green-hued personas, a number of readers will probably feel that this twenty-page periodical is perfectly missable. Sure, the American author pads out this comic’s rather bemusing plot with a number of action-packed sequences, such as Joe Fixit blazing away at all-comers with a submachine gun. But nothing actually seems to occur in the book which would have any impact upon this ongoing series’ overarching narrative; “What have you learned, fractured son?”

Indeed, the sole purpose of this particular publication appears to be to simply show that the consciousness of the Incredible Hulk is still somehow alive, and dwelling within the belly of the beast who has eaten him. Disappointingly though Just how this remarkable situation is possible isn’t in any way explained, nor even explored, and resultantly the entire cataclysmic battle against the Mother of Horrors smacks of the Army veteran-turned-writer simply setting up some adrenalin-fuelled events simply to fill up an entire instalment of this title’s supposedly “planned ten-issue run”.

Similarly as unpersuasive as this storytelling is arguably also the opening to “Alone”, which depicts the President (of the United States) simply abandoning a United Nation’s Ambassador to their grim and ghastly fate at the hands of giant, flying Pteranodon-like demons. This cowardly (in)action supposedly stems from the belief that absolutely no-one else can save Humanity from the all-powerful Eldest except perhaps Banner, so the best that the ‘Leader of the Free World’ can do is “close down all air travel over the North Atlantic”. However, any member of the Merry Marvel Marching Society would easily be able to name a good number of super-heroes who could debatably stand toe-to-toe against the mass-murdering purple behemoth, let alone the variety of impressively-rostered teams, groups and all-powerful cosmic entities.

Much of this comic’s impact therefore rests entirely upon the shoulders of Nic Klein, and in this respect the book definitely does not disappoint. Featuring some truly sumptuous splash pages highlighting the disconcertingly beautiful landscape of the Hulk’s bowel-deep home, many of the panels pencilled genuinely contain an incredible amount of detail to bewitch the perusing eye. In fact, the fantastic interior layouts are probably worth the cover price alone, regardless of whether an onlooker is swayed by the publication’s script or not.

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Nic Klein, and Color Artists: Nic Klein & Matthew Wilson

The Infernal Hulk #3 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 3, March 2026

Touted as being a “pivotal issue” in which the comic’s readers will finally discover just “what happened to Bruce Banner in that cave”, this twenty-page periodical probably came as something of a disappointment to its customers. In fact, despite somehow being the forty-seventh best-selling book of January 2026 – at least according to “Icv2.com” – many a Hulk-head could debatably have given it a miss and been no less the poorer as far as the ongoing series’ over-arching narrative was concerned; “One of the bravest, most selfless, most brilliant scientists who ever lived transformed into a snivelling coward.”

For openers, absolutely nothing of any consequence whatsoever actually takes place within the publication, as Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s disappointingly sedentary script focuses upon the domestic life of Betty Ross and her ‘husband’ in sleepy Muncie, Indiana. Sure, General Thunderbolt Ross’ daughter has a disconcerting episode in the kitchen one night when she starts to self-harm after being unable to open a tub of ice cream. But many a bibliophile would debatably have preferred her ordinarily strong-willed character to have demonstrated her frustration at no longer being able to become the super-powered Harpy in a far less extreme manner than mutilating her own body with a kitchen knife.

Furthermore, as Iron Man rather bluntly points out to the nuclear physicist, the customarily brave Banner is depicted within this publication as a selfish, spineless individual, who rather than help Humanity fend off Eldest’s seemingly unstoppable incarnation of the Hulk, would much prefer to simply skulk in the shadows with little regard for anyone’s safety. Perhaps unsurprisingly, such a huge departure from the ‘norm’ actually makes “David Hamilton” a rather disagreeable character, and resultantly causes his endless, dialogue-driven scenes to be quite a chore to progress through.

Lastly, the decision to chaotically mesh the distinctly different drawing styles of Kev Walker and Nic Klein together in a single comic must surely have thrown any and all onlookers completely out of the storytelling whenever the swap occurs. This amalgamation of artwork proves particularly annoying towards the end of the book, when a couple of panels featuring Klein’s readily recognisable Hulk is suddenly crowbarred in between Walker’s much less detailed Iron Man whilst Shellhead is talking with Banner in his backyard.

The regular cover art of "INFERNAL HULK" #3 by Nic Klein

The Infernal Hulk #2 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 2, February 2026

Quite possibly surprising many of this comic’s audience by having the (new) titular character first go up against a deep-sea adversary rather than a land-based opponent, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s narrative for Issue Two of “Infernal Hulk” is unequivocally packed full of some serious stomach-churning action. Indeed, Eldest’s grisly journey straight through Ngathil the Endless’ internal organs is graphically gratuitous at best, and certainly should put the odd patron of this publication off their food in the short-term.

Of course having the central lead get swallowed whole by a titanic-sized monstrosity and then punching his way to freedom is disappointingly a trope used before by this book’s American author. But at least on this occasion the American Eisner-nominated writer mixes things up a little bit by having the God-Eater’s gut populated by a seemingly sentient form of large beetle – a plot device which debatably deserves far more screen time than the half dozen panels it is eventually awarded.

Similarly as unfortunate is the fact that despite all the pre-publication promise that this twenty-page periodical would pit the Hulk against Namor the Sub-Mariner in a battle for Atlantis’ future, the former Defenders never actually come face-to-face until the adventure’s end. And then Bill Everett’s creation is casually cast aside by the firstborn of Vinruviel like he was just a hapless, impotent doll. This confrontation, or rather lack of, is really frustrating, and brings the comic to a less than satisfactory conclusion; “Hrrnn. I sent Ngathil away because your deaths do not yet interest me. When they do interest me you will see me again.”

Also slightly off-kilter appears to be the pencilling of Nic Klein whose pictures featuring the ruler of Atlantis are strangely somewhat roughly-hewn when compared to the smoother, more detailed art of the Hulk. In addition, the sudden switch from the German’s heavily embellished layouts to the cartoon style of Kev Walker for this book’s cliff-hanger is shockingly jarring, and incredibly off-putting. True, using such markedly different artists to depict contrasting situations within a storyline is not new. However, on this occasion it wouldn’t come as a great surprise if some bibliophiles passed over the British illustrator’s work the first time round – thinking it to be an advertisement of some kind rather than the magazine’s actual conclusion.

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Nic Klein, and Color Artist: Matthew Wilson

The Infernal Hulk #1 - Marvel Comics

THE INFERNAL HULK No. 1, January 2026

Proudly publicised by its New York City based publisher in August 2025 as “a brand-new take on Hulk” in which “an ancient horror begins its conquest of the Marvel Universe”, and weighing in as the twenty-sixth best-selling comic book of November, many a bibliophile would probably argue that Issue One of “Infernal Hulk” had an awful lot to live up to. Fortunately, Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s script succeeds in doing just that by quite literally hurling its audience straight into the thick of things as “the vessel of Eldest” descends upon poor hapless Red Creek, Kentucky, and utterly annihilates the armed forces hastily assembled to meet its threat.

Impressively though, this twenty-five page periodical isn’t simply a senseless, seemingly endless display of gratuitous violence and physical dismemberment either, with the American author cleverly weaving some more ‘humane moments’ into his narrative through the experiences of war hero-turned-local builder David Bridger. This resolute and determined soldier comes across as a character the reader can actually believe in, and resultantly makes the man's gruesome fate towards this tome’s end all the more hauntingly impactful.

Likewise, the creation of the Living City of Gologolthia should hook many a Marvelite with both its grotesque grandeur, as well as the future potential in attracting the attention of such notable super-heroes as Captain America, Spider-Man and the Avengers to its monster-infested streets. Indeed, in many ways “Rise” plays out like a major Summer Event rather than just the debut edition of a new ongoing series, and certainly seems to live up to its writer’s promise that “no corner of the Marvel Universe will be left untouched before the end."

Helping add to the sheer carnage on show throughout Johnson’s sensational storyline are the prodigious pencils of Nic Klein and Matthew Wilson’s colours. Together the creative duo really provide a pulse-poundingly strong sequence of interior visuals, with many a piece of brain matter, internal organ and partially-shredded limb being overtly splattered all over the panel whenever the utterly merciless titular character can get his enormous, purple-hued hands wrapped around a soon-to-be-slaughtered individual; “Bridger. Come down. You said you’d look out for us, Bridger. Remember? You promised.”

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Nic Klein, and Color Artist: Matthew Wilson