Marvel Comics is embarking on a series of What If…? one-shots all about Galactus’ potential Heralds. Silver Surfer is out, and now the Hulk is the Herald, particularly this week. The What If…? line of one-shots is storied, iconic, and even has a TV show, but can the latest foray into the alternate realities of Marvel succeed? The answer is more or less.
Out of the other What If…? Galactus one-shots, Hulk is probably the most logical. Gambit, Moon Knight, Spider-Gwen, and Rogue can certainly make sense under the right circumstances, but Hulk is one of the most powerful heroes at Marvel and, thus, a logical choice. Writer Mat Groom also makes a strong case as to why Hulk would be a good fit, particularly because Bruce Banner could use it as an excuse to leave Earth and keep everyone there safe.
What If…? Galactus Transformed Hulk? #1 opens with Bruce flying to a soon-to-be-consumed planet, hoping the people take his protocol and prepare their escape. They haven’t. It seems Bruce’s side is hiding his intellect to give them the means to escape, but people are stubborn, or in some cases, refuse to leave without a fight.
You don’t want to see the Herald angry!
Credit: Marvel
After a brief yet moody origin of Hulk getting the Herald duties drawn masterfully by Lan Medina with colors by Juancho Velez, the story moves to its main plot. That involves the Kree world of Elysion-3, with the Avengers at the ready-to-stop Hulk and Galactus. This allows for some superhero fighting and some exposition to further explain Hulk’s plight.
That’s about as far as the one-shot goes, though. Even with the words “End” plastered on the last page, this issue feels like it’s far from an ending. Instead, it’s the beginning of something even bigger that it chooses not to explore. Unless there’s some connective tissue to this one-shot, which we don’t know yet, this issue ends in a way that could have easily been worked into the one-shot format. It basically pulls its biggest punch, leaving you wanting more.
While What If…? Galactus Transformed Hulk? #1 has a compelling concept and stunning visual moments, it struggles to deliver a self-contained narrative, leaving readers with an unsatisfying sense of incompletion. Fans of alternate Marvel realities may enjoy the exploration of Hulk as Galactus’ Herald, but its lack of closure might frustrate those looking for a definitive story.
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