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The Hulk’s Supporting Cast is Way More Important Than the Hero Himself (And I Can Prove It)
Hulk is indeed the strongest there is, but is he not stronger when he has people around him. I know we all think of Bruce Banner and his other half as solitary creatures. But despite that reputation, Hulk has a lot of people who frequently appear in his life and stories and honestly, their presence makes his stories that much better. If there was ever a saga that showed how important the Hulk’s supporting cast is to him, the epic series The Immortal Hulk proved that the people Banner knows, loves, or even fears are absolutely critical to his story.
From 2018 to 2021, Marvel Comics published The Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett. This lauded story took the Hulk back to this horror roots and dramatically expanded on the hero’s lore. But despite the title, this was more than a cosmic horror story about the Hulk. This was a tale about the Hulk and his relationship to his loved ones, his allies, and even his enemies. As Bruce discovered the horrifying cosmic truth behind gamma radiation, we as readers discovered how crucial these people are in the Jade Giant’s mythos.
The Immortal Hulk Proves It’s About Much More Than Bruce Banner
The Immortal Hulk is such a great creepy story, that starts with a very simple premise: What if there was something sinister attached to the gamma radiation that altered Bruce Banner? Naturally that leads to a couple of introductory tales about what such an idea would mean for Bruce and his behemoth counterpart. But the longer The Immortal Hulk went on, the more the story opens up and expands and explores the role of gamma radiation in the lives of everyone Bruce knows. And let’s face it, at this point, everyone in Hulk’s life has been exposed to gamma radiation.
While Hulk and Banner go on a journey of cosmic self-discovery, The Immortal Hulk slowly brings in people that the hero has known for years, many of them affected in new ways by the gamma. Thanks to her previous stint as Red She-Hulk and Harpy, Betty Ross evolves into a combination of the two, Red Harpy. Rick Jones is used as the basis for a horrifying new Abomination before later being used as by the Leader as a pawn. And Doc Samson returns as a caretaker, later accidentally winding up in the body of Walter Langkowski and becoming ‘Doc Sasquatch’.
But aside from the usual supporting cast (including horrifyingly revamped versions of Hulk’s classic nemeses), The Immortal Hulk also introduces a new character. Throughout the series, Hulk is followed by reporter Jaqueline McGee, a Black woman who’s observed the Hulk for most of her life. While she does eventually gain a form of truesight that allows her to suss out gamma mutates, her real strength is inside and she’s one of the few people that actually stands up to the Hulk throughout the series, holding him accountable for his actions.
Hulk’s Greatest Story Would Have Been Nothing Without His Supporting Cast
Could Ewing and Bennett have done a horror-based Hulk story without characters like Jaqueline, Rick, or Betty? Sure, but let’s be real. One of the biggest things The Immortal Hulk explores is the destruction Bruce leaves behind him. Not just physical damage to buildings and property, but the emotional damage his gamma-powered side does to the people who love and care about Bruce. From his failures to Rick Jones to his tumultuous relationship with Betty, all of these sins come back to haunt Bruce, manifested as gamma mutates as strong and destructive as the Hulk himself.
I know it’s easy to write the Hulk as a solo character or, at least, someone who doesn’t come by making bonds easily. But The Immortal Hulk didn’t shy away from Hulk’s supporting cast. It brought them back, acknowledged the ups and downs (well, mostly downs) of being associated with Bruce, and showed how that has fundamentally changed them. The supporting cast enrich this story and if they weren’t included, I can’t imagine The Immortal Hulk hitting as hard or being as great a story if Ewing and Bennett without them and their individual struggles.
Hulk is always going to be the star, obviously. People want to see him smash stuff and fight giant monsters. But The Immortal Hulk and it’s extremely positive reception proved that the best kind of Hulk stories don’t just focus on the gamma-powered beast himself. The Hulk’s world is better when his supporting cast is around and playing an active role in the story. It’s probably a lofty expectation to hope for another Immortal Hulk, but I think future stories can learn a lot from just how well it utilized the people in Bruce Banner’s life.
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