Planet Hulk brought out a shocking new side of Bruce Banner and revealed that he really isn’t all that different from his monstrous alter ego.
The following contains major spoilers for Hulk #11, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
Ever since Bruce Banner sealed away the Hulk within the recesses of his mind and claimed the brute’s body as his own, he has piloted his living starship across dimensions in the search of some new place to call home. As luck would have it, Bruce has found exactly that in the form of an entire world of Gamma Mutates. Not only has this new world given Bruce a sense of belonging, but it has also brought out the beast within him, proving beyond any doubt that he and the Hulk aren’t nearly as different as they might like to think.
In the midst of countless other behemoths, the titular hero of Hulk #11 (by Tyan Ottley, Marte Gracia, and VC’s Cory Petit) finds himself preparing to join in the apparently beloved pastime known as Godball. This game involving massive boulders made from the cores of planets sounds simple enough. However, Bruce is concerned about what a passing or poor performance might hold for him. Of course, once the boulders start being slung, all of that changes in little more than an instant as the cool, calm, collected Banner becomes a screaming sports fanatic of the highest caliber.
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In just a few moves, Bruce goes from holding back and keeping himself together to shouting for his Starship Hulk to be pushed to the next level. Having come to understand how similarly indestructible his opponents and teammates are, Bruce doesn’t simply stop holding back, he actively pushes himself to what can only be described as a reasonable limit under these very particular circumstances. Bruce letting out his competitive side isn’t especially surprising, but the fact that he is so intense in doing so speaks to just how similar he and his irradiated alter ego truly are.
While there has never been any question that Bruce Banner and the Hulk are entirely different personas, there has also never been any question that one of them was a byproduct of the other. As such, the Hulk has frequently been seen as the worst part of Bruce. Although the truth of the matter is far more complicated than that, it isn’t exactly a terrible way to describe their relationship. Just as the Hulk was born from Gamma, he was also born from Bruce’s psyche, which is something that both of them are still grappling with at almost every turn.
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Much like how Bruce has sealed the Hulk away out of fear, resentment, and an innate desire to claim dominion over his own life, the Hulk has grown to both pity and despise Bruce for his overt cruelty. That Bruce is now displaying qualities that are so similar to those that have become synonymous with the Hulk may not be something he realizes he is doing. However, it is absolutely indicative of their shared identity.
Thankfully, Bruce and the Hulk have each made great strides in recent months in regard to their relationship. They have even shown genuine signs of not just coming to terms with one another but also coming to an understanding. With any luck, this strange new world will open Bruce’s eyes to the fact that Hulks don’t have to be monsters, even if they can’t help but unleash the beast within from time to time.
