Ever since Phillip Kennedy Johnson revealed his plans for the X-Men to cross over into Infernal Hulk, I couldn’t wait to read it. It’s not just a fight comic, either, but a revealing moment for all mutants as the Eldest’s control of monsters extends to mutants. Are they but pawns for Eldest to use, or is he playing some game to debase them as something subhuman? It’s a question hanging over Infernal Hulk #7 as the villain continues to grow in power.
After the truly horrifying Comics Giveaway Day reveal of the Eldest’s monster team earlier this year, it’s fair to say the character is on a quest to be the most dangerous thing to ever exist on 616 Earth. The horrific foreshadowing continues in Infernal Hulk #7, which opens with a vision of a pink monster destroying Times Square in a tsunami, only to reform into a rocky angel of death. The vision, we learn, is a dream by Glob, who is being shown what he will become. If you’re a Glob fan, this is an important issue, especially if this vision comes true.
As it turns out, Glob wasn’t the only mutant to get a vision, as all of them got one too. Eldest sent it as a warning or message, setting telepaths in motion to protect mutants for fear he could use this power to control them.
With that hanging over the mutants, which include the Uncanny X-Men Haven House mutants, those in Alaska with Cyclops, and those in X-Men United, the power Eldest has is frightening. Enter scavenger mutants hiding out, who get the brunt of his power right after the cold open, including familiar mutants Marrow and Leech. Pair this scene, which features some brutal gore, with a full-on attack on the X-Men in Alaska, and this is a bona fide X-Men comic.
How flipping cool does Eldest look here?
Credit: Marvel
Adam Gorham matches Eldest’s powers with highly detailed and straight-up striking pencil work. The attack on the scanger mutants is chaotic and unhinged, especially when Eldest reveals himself to a tiny Leech in all his purple-and-green scar glory. Gorham manages to make the X-Men feel competent against Eldest in Alaska, with some impressive strikes by Magneto using a Sentinel and a number of the characters all at once. That latter page does look a little underfinished, but there are so many characters and great fight moves, it’s hard to harp too hard on it. Most importantly, Gorham succeeds in making Eldest look frightening.
Matthew Wilson’s colors continue to impress, especially with Eldest’s green glowing scar. Paired with the inks, the opening could have looked a bit silly with all the pink, but Wilson pulls off Glob’s transformation well.
The issue isn’t all mutant fear-mongering, though it’s close. Johnson fits in one last page to tie things back to the Avengers, who are still dumbfounded by how they’ll defeat Eldest. It’s just enough to get you excited for the heroes to get an edge, or at least for Bruce Banner’s Hulk to step in and stop being a coward.
Infernal Hulk #7 fully embraces its mutant crossover ambitions while deepening the terrifying mythology surrounding Eldest. Phillip Kennedy Johnson turns the issue into a horror-driven X-Men event packed with dread, brutal action, and escalating stakes, all while continuing to position Eldest as one of Marvel’s most disturbing new villains. Adam Gorham and Matthew Wilson elevate the nightmare atmosphere through grotesque imagery and dynamic action sequences, making every encounter feel dangerous. The issue certainly sidelines Hulk himself, but the mutant-focused storytelling is compelling enough that it hardly matters.
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