Infernal Hulk is heating up, as is obvious from the glowing yellow cover of #5, out this week. There’s also the fact that the Eldest has taken over the Hulk’s body and is bringing the power of the Great Old Ones to every human on Earth. It’s not looking good, the Avengers are scared, and Bruce Banner wants nothing to do with it. Kev Walker returns on pencils for what amounts to an angel versus demon issue, but who will win when both are this terrifying?
Infernal Hulk #5 is a good reminder that you can’t run away from your demons, as Bruce Banner is doing in Muncie, Indiana. The issue opens there, where soldiers are being laid to rest after the Eldest had his way with them. Unflinching in his lack of emotion, Bruce isn’t happy, but he’s also not motivated to do anything.
From there, we pick up where the Avengers left off, last seen in the series, heading to stop the Eldest. He’s got an army of monsters as he crosses a bridge, and it’s not looking like the Avengers have much of a chance. Enter The One Above All, as seen in the preview, and it’s about to get epic.
Walker delivers Invincible caliber action, with the first punch by The One Above All ripping the lower jaw off Eldest with ease. The action takes them into the Earth, out into space, and The One Above All’s yellow powers streak with intensity. It’s an exciting fight with brutal death blows coming in hot over and over. Walker outdoes himself with great double-page layouts and some epic full-page splashes.
Not looking good for the Avengers.
Credit: Marvel
Adding to the intensity are Cory Petit’s letters, which give The One Above All its own style that’s too epic and godly to be contained within word balloons. They also come in at odd angles, adding a 3D effect, making them otherworldly.
The level of danger is felt thanks to the distance the Avengers take. They know they can’t win against the Eldest, or at least they won’t win without casualties. The heavy weight of the battle to come weighs heavily on the characters in the closing pages.
As for the Bruce Banner of it all, writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson delivers a shock to his system, complete with one of the most gruesome behind-the-back shots Bruce may have ever witnessed. It’s a great horror ender that shows you can’t escape the monsters in your closet when you are one yourself.
Infernal Hulk #5 leans hard into spectacle while keeping its emotional core intact. The issue delivers massive, reality-shaking action through Kev Walker’s explosive visuals, but it also grounds the chaos in Bruce Banner’s detachment and dread. The contrast between cosmic violence and personal horror gives the issue weight, especially as the Avengers recognize they are outmatched. By the final pages, the story shifts from epic to deeply unsettling, reminding readers that the real battle may be happening inside Bruce as much as outside.
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