If the cover to Infernal Hulk #4 is any indication, an identity crisis is in order for Hulk as all his famous personas come out to play, and fight. As the Eldest grows in power and draws the attention of world superpowers, the fourth issue delves into what the true green Hulk is up to, deep inside him. It’s a mix of Alice in Wonderland and death metal weirdness!
Infernal Hulk #4 is a good jumping-on point, if you can believe it, with an opener showing Eldest is going after world leaders now. He’s also deeply evil, ripping open a plane and murdering hundreds with a big grin on his face. It’s a reminder of the stakes in the larger story before diving into Hulk’s magical journey through a dark and twisted land. Only teased so far, a new reader can jump in and soak up Hulk’s very strange location and the weirdness of encountering different versions of himself.
Nick Klein outdoes himself with these Hulk scenes, with a perfect introduction to Hulk and his surroundings at the very start. First, we see Eldest in great detail, with the Fibonacci sequence making up the panels of the plane being destroyed. The panels loop around, getting closer and closer to Eldest’s eye. On the very next page, the same Fibonacci sequence in reverse, which starts in Hulk’s eye and spirals out to his surroundings. It’s as if we’re zooming into Eldest and coming back out with Hulk. The very next page is a stunning full-page splash of the environment, from a giant skull and a house inside its jaw, to strange mushrooms holding fetuses, a maze off in the distance, and two hands cupping the sun even further on. There’s a lot to take in, and the painterly art style makes it feel all the more magical.
And that’s just the first three pages.
Note the Fibonacci sequence.
Credit: Marvel
If you’re a fan of fairy tales, you’ll adore the dark and bizarre adventure Hulk goes on. The creatures are dangerous, especially the Hulk personas he encounters. Each one seems to knock Hulk into a new scene, culminating in a massive battle of even more Hulks fighting giant monsters. This builds to even more dangerous threats, culminating in a twist that reveals the events weren’t happening as we might have thought.
While it’s early, it’s interesting to see how writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is using the Hulk personas. I can’t say for certain, but it feels like a unique take that makes them all work in relation to each other. It’s high-level stuff, as the issue is like a fever dream, but it’ll be interesting to see how it pans out.
It’s worth noting Klein is joined by Matthew Wilson on colors, though Klein also colors most of this issue. Cory Petit’s letters mix things up with each Hulk, helping set them apart from each other.
If more visceral comics reading isn’t your bag, you may be impatient while reading this. Bruce Banner isn’t present, for instance, and Eldest makes a move at the start but is absent for much of the rest of the issue. Still, it’s a gorgeously rendered wild ride that shouldn’t be missed.
Infernal Hulk #4 is a bold, visually stunning descent into Hulk’s fractured psyche. Johnson leans fully into the mythic and surreal, crafting a story that feels like a dark fairy tale soaked in cosmic horror. The issue works surprisingly well as a jumping-on point thanks to a vicious opening that establishes the threat of Eldest before plunging readers into Hulk’s internal battleground. Klein delivers some of the most inventive pages of the series so far, from spiraling panel layouts to grotesque and magical landscapes that demand careful attention. The narrative may feel disorienting by design, but the ambition and artistry on display make this one of the most memorable Hulk issues in recent memory.
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