The Hulk has been many things over the decades: a founding Avenger, a gladiator champion, a broken scientist’s angry side. Right now, Marvel is letting him be what he was always meant to be: a monster at the center of a horror story. The current run of Hulk comics, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Nic Klein, has pulled the Jade Giant back toward the terrifying roots that made him famous. It has also built one of the most consistent and well-reviewed Hulk stories in years, and it is still going.
What the Hulk Horror Era Actually Is
Marvel relaunched The Incredible Hulk with a new #1 on June 21, 2023. Johnson and Klein took over the character after Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley’s run and moved him firmly into horror territory. The first arc, called Age of Monsters, set the tone early.
An ancient being known as the Eldest possesses people, twists their bodies, and murders without hesitation. Bruce Banner is on the run again, and his transformation into the Hulk is shown as painful, bloody body horror rather than a clean superhero change. The series ran for 30 issues and ended with the Eldest taking control of the Hulk’s body entirely.
That ending set up the next phase of the story.
How the Infernal Hulk Story Began
The second act launched as Infernal Hulk #1 on November 26, 2025. The series picks up with the Eldest fully in control of the Hulk’s body. Bruce Banner and the Hulk have been torn apart. Banner is powerless. The new creature, called the Infernal Hulk, is described by Marvel as “ten times the monster that everyone always feared Hulk would be.”
The Eldest’s plan is to drag the world back into an ancient age of horrors by turning heroes into nightmarish beasts. Bruce Banner, powerless but determined, works to stop it. He is joined by Charlie Tidwell, a teenage sidekick, and Betty Ross, who has lost her own powers.
The Infernal Hulk series ran for 10 issues and wrapped with Infernal Hulk #10 on August 12, 2026. The final issue sent Bruce Banner into the Soul Cage for a battle of riddles against the sorcerer Sumanguru, while the heroes edged closer to a showdown with the Eldest.
Infernal Hulk vs. Wolverine and the March to Hulk War
A series of one-shots is showing the Infernal Hulk tearing through Marvel’s biggest heroes. The first, Infernal Hulk vs. Wolverine #1, released on September 23, 2026, written by Johnson with art by Jonas Scharf. The issue ranked as one of the top-selling comics of its release week on Bleeding Cool’s bestseller list, and reviews described it as a brutal, gore-heavy fight that pushed both characters to their limits.
The schedule for the remaining one-shots is:
- Infernal Hulk vs. Fantastic Four #1 — releasing October 14, 2026, written by Johnson with art by Cian Tormey
- Infernal Hulk vs. Spider-Man #1 — releasing November 2026, written by Johnson with art by Javier Pina
- Infernal Hulk vs. Avengers #1 — releasing December 2026, written by Johnson
The Fantastic Four issue focuses on Reed Richards and a mysterious machine called the Immaculate Engine, which could destroy the Infernal Hulk’s army in one blow. The one-shots are building the Infernal Hulk’s team of corrupted heroes, called the Infernal Avengers.
Hulk War: Infernal Rage Details Announced at New York Comic Con
Marvel announced the next major chapter at New York Comic Con on October 10, 2026. Hulk War: Infernal Rage is a five-issue event series written by Johnson with art and covers by Klein. It is scheduled to launch in February 2027.
The event is the final act of the Infernal Saga that began with The Incredible Hulk #1 in 2023. Marvel describes it as the moment the Infernal Hulk’s “final vision” arrives and the Marvel Universe faces his full fury. The Infernal Avengers were first seen in the Amazing Spider-Man #1000/Queen in Black #1 Comics Giveaway Day book.
Johnson has spoken about how the story builds to this point. In an interview with Popverse, he said, “Hulk War is about, as we’ve seen in the Hulkscape, all the different Hulk alters are still in there. And without spoiling it too much, Hulk War is the act in which we see multiple Hulks against each other.”
Why Readers and Critics Call It the Best in Years
The numbers back up the praise. Incredible Hulk #1 holds a 9.0 critic score and an 8.8 user score on ComicBookRoundup, based on 14 critic reviews and 56 user reviews. ComicsOnline called it “a must read” for horror fans. COMICON wrote that the creative team made “the creepiest superhero book in a lot time” and called it “a more than worthy successor to Immortal Hulk.”
ComicBook.com gave Infernal Hulk #1 a 4.5 out of 5 rating, calling it “one of those perfect first issues” and praising how it takes “the concept of the Hulk horror story to new places.” AIPT wrote that the series pairs “Johnson’s emotionally sharp, lore-rich horror storytelling with Klein’s career-best, nightmare-fueled visuals.”
Fan reactions have been just as strong. Dexerto collected comments from readers reacting to one particularly gruesome transformation, including one user who said, “This might be my favorite Hulk transformation of all time now,” and another who simply wrote, “That’s actually horrifying.” A Tumblr user, readingtoinfinity, wrote, “Any time a Hulk series makes me physically recoil or make some audible noise in reaction, I consider it pretty successful.”
Johnson has spoken about his approach. In an interview with Popverse, he said, “I was really inspired by the work of Greg Pak on Planet Hulk. I was even more so inspired by Al Ewing’s run on Immortal Hulk.” He also explained how his version differs: “This is more like Hellboy, where Hulk is kind of this lightning rod for the monstrous side of the world to which the rest of us are blind.”
Before the Infernal Hulk series launched, Johnson told CBR: “I’ve been promising Hulk fans the biggest, boldest status quo change in Hulk’s history, and that time is finally here… Infernal Hulk is the beginning of a terrifying new normal, not just for the Hulk series but for the entire Marvel Universe.”
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How to Start Reading the Hulk Horror Comics
New readers can jump into the current era without reading everything that came before. The Infernal Hulk #1 was designed as an entry point. For a complete reading order, start with The Incredible Hulk (2023) #1–30, then continue with Infernal Hulk (2025) #1–10, followed by the Infernal Hulk vs. one-shots, and then Hulk War: Infernal Rage in February 2027.
Single issues are available at local comic book shops in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and other markets. Digital copies are sold through the Marvel Comics app and Marvel Unlimited. Collected editions, including Incredible Hulk Vol. 1: Age of Monsters, are available in paperback and hardcover. A collected edition of the Infernal Hulk series is scheduled for November 10, 2026, collecting Infernal Hulk (2025) #1–10.
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