TheHulkis famously Marvel’s “Strongest One There Is”, but even he can get more powerful when infused withGalactus’cosmic power. Fans are about to see exactly that, asGalactus rejects the Silver Surfer to turn the Hulk into his cosmic herald, transforming the Green Goliath into a space-faring servant of his endless hunger.
The change is coming in January’sWhat If…? Galactus Transformed Hulk? #1, in which Marvel readers will witness an alternate timeline where Galactus empowered the Hulk for a mysterious mission that only the Green Goliath and his genius other half Bruce Banner can accomplish.
Cover Artist:
Ron Lim
Galactus has conscripted Earth’s strongest warrior - the Incredible Hulk - into his service. But what will turn out to be the bigger mistake: trying to direct the fury of the Green Goliath… or giving the great mind of Bruce Banner a cosmic problem to solve?
The issue will kick off a new series of one-shots depictingWhat If…?scenarios where Galactus recruits heroesincluding Gambit, Spider-Gwen and Moon Knight. Each hero will be transformed as Galactus gifts them his Power Cosmic, with Hulk’s body being partly covered in a cracked version of Silver Surfer’s silver in Ron Lim’s epic cover art and character design.
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Galactus is a fundamental force of naturein Marvel canon, constantly feeding on living worlds to feed his unyielding cosmic hunger. In order to conserve energy, Galactus often empowers heralds - powerful beings who search out new worlds for him to consume. The most famous is the Silver Surfer, but there have been many others, all with their own reasons for sacrificing their humanity to serve Galactus. However, there have also been occasions where Galactus is faced with a unique cosmic problem and chooses a specific herald to help him conquer it. These heralds are often purely heroic, since -while Galactus feeds on the galaxy - he is also one of the chief forces protecting it from outside threatsand ensuring it lives as long as possible.
What If…? Galactus Transformed Hulk? #1will seemingly see Galactus empower the Hulk for one such mission - one that requires both Hulk’s strength and Bruce Banner’s genius. While Galactus may feed on the universe, killing billions of sentient beings each time he feasts, he is overall a force for good on the cosmic level. Galactus both protects the multiverse from outside threats and - once the current cycle of Marvel’s reality ends - the energy he has collected will be unleashed, helping to birth the next ‘cosmos.’ Marvel is currently on its Ninth Cosmos, primarily because all the previous World-Eaters before Galactus (like his predecessor the Omnimax) were successful in their mission.
Marvel’s summary makes it clear thatGalactus may regret gifting so much power to the Hulk, and this could be because of the Jade Giant’s links to a terrifying multiversal predator who exists to verify that Galactus' ultimate purpose goes unfulfilled…
Hulk is connected to the most powerful force of evil in Marvel lore - one who is dedicated to fighting against Galactus' larger mission…
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In Al Ewing and Joe Bennett’sImmortal Hulk, fans finally met the One-Below-All. This terrifying being that lives beneath the multiverse is an enemy of all life, and its grand plan was to take possession of the Hulk and use him to effectively steal Galactus' power. Fans saw the consequence inThe Immortal Hulk #25, asHulk became the Breaker of Worlds- a being who eradicated all life in the universe not to feed, but in order to bring the cycle of creation to a permanent end. Thankfully, that timeline was averted, butHulk is still connected to the most powerful force of evil in Marvel lore - one who is dedicated to fighting against Galactus' larger mission.
Because of the One-Below-All, fans have seen Hulk’s possessed body infused with the totality of Galactus' power, turning him into a gigantic world-killer who punches entire planets to dust. However, fans haven’t seen the Hulk actuallyin controlof the Power Cosmic, and that’s what they’re being offered inWhat If…? Galactus Transformed Hulk? #1. In fact, while a Silver Surfer Hulk is an awesome idea,it will almost be more interesting to see how Bruce Banner wields the Power Cosmicand the attendant ability to construct essentially anything his genius mind can dream up.
Galactusis about to turn theHulkinto his cosmic herald, resulting in an epic redesign, but if their history is anything to go by, the World-Eater should beverycareful handing even a fraction of his power over to the Green Goliath.
What If…? Galactus Transformed Hulk? #1is coming August 19, 2025.
Hulk
Bruce Banner, AKA the Hulk, is one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes. The character, who shifts between a mild-mannered scientist and a brutish green brawler, has starred in several live-action and animated movies and TV shows across seven decades and counting.
