With the road to Hulk War already laid out, The Infernal Hulk is hotter than ever. Last month, the creature named Eldest, which had taken over the Hulk’s body, fought the X-Men. Now with key mutants kidnapped, Bruce Banner needs to rush more than ever, or else the world is doomed! The Infernal Hulk #8 shows the trials Bruce faces to even have the chance, while trees become a major focus of power. Yes, trees!
The Infernal Hulk #8 opens with Eldest punching his way into a church, which is a fitting location for his operations. He is an ancient, eldritch “child god” after all. In his possession are Glob and Madrox, who are quickly thrown up on a growing tree from the grave of Jonah Deveaux like they were Christmas ornaments. Later, we’ll see there’s nothing cheery about this tree, however, and given Glob’s visions, these mutants are likely being used for very nefarious means. It’s an ominous start.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson has already established an uphill battle for our heroes since the Eldest is impossible to kill, let alone fight, and he continues to narrow their options in this issue. Bruce has always been a bit of a sacrificial lamb, and now that he knows you can only beat a Hulk with a Hulk, he gets to work, even if it means losing the quaint life he built. The emotional core of this issue lies in Betty, who is still in suburbia, sick and tired of being weak. She wants to be a monster again, or at least have some of that strength back.
Time to decorate the tree!
Credit: Marvel
The second half of the issue is devoted to Vision, Mr. Fantastic, Bruce, and Iron Man on a mission that sends them to a very dark and dangerous place. If the first half was about heartbreak and ominous danger, this second half leans into the adventure side of comics. That includes a familiar face popping up, but more importantly, a key tree. It’s a neat concept, symbolically that is shown, with far more to tell going forward.
Adam Gorham is back on art this issue, delivering whenever Eldest is on the page, or when the weird and macabre is required visually. The way he draws Bruce really stands out against the other heroes as if he’s far weaker than even an average person. Colors by Matthew Wilson lean into the mundane when it comes to the heroes at their base, which juxtaposes well with the bright color of Eldest’s scar and his pink word balloons.
This issue does feel a bit too heavy on table setting, establishing the heroes’ next move while Eldest preps his as well. The adventure of our heroes going deep into the Earth is cool, though it ends abruptly with a slightly awkward cut to Eldest, then to Bruce, without indicating a time change.
The Infernal Hulk #8 is a slower chapter by design, but it succeeds in deepening the threat of Eldest while positioning its cast for the battles ahead. Johnson balances horror, mythology, and character drama effectively, with Betty’s struggles adding emotional weight and the underground expedition opening the door to intriguing possibilities. Gorham’s artwork shines whenever the story embraces the strange and unsettling, giving the issue a memorable visual identity. While the pacing occasionally feels uneven, the growing sense of dread keeps the story engaging from start to finish. The roots of Hulk War are growing deeper by the page.
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