Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Aliens vs Avengers #1!Ever since getting blasted with gamma radiation and becoming the IncredibleHulk, Bruce Banner has effectively gained immortality. As the Hulk, Bruce can survive practically anything, from an alien invasion to the literal end of the world. Even when he dies, the Hulk can come back to life given the otherworldly source of his powers. Indeed, theHulk has made Banner strong beyond comprehension, but there does seem to be at least one downside to his gamma mutation, as Hulk reveals the terrifying way his powers will destroy his body as he ages.
InAliens vs Avengers#1by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić,Xenomorphs have completely taken over Planet Earth, forcing all of humanity to cower behind the walls of the last city stronghold in the world. Years pass, the Avengers have almost all been killed, and the survivors are considering leaving the planet altogether. However, the leader of humanity is holding strong, refusing to give up hope without putting up a fight - and that person is Bruce Banner aka the Hulk.
Banner sends Valeria Richards on a mission to obtain a Facehugger egg in order to experiment on it and find a way to defeat the Xenomorphs (specifically, engineer a deadly virus that only targets the aliens). As he’s waiting for an update from Valeria, Bruce speaks with Captain Marvel, who teases him that he’ll go blind if he keeps “staring into the sun like that” as Bruce is looking off into the distance. In response to Carol’s joke, Bruce admits, “I have gamma-powered cataracts half a millimeter thick, Carol. I’m already pretty much blind”.
Hulk’s Gamma Powers Give Bruce Banner ‘Super-Aging’
Bruce Banner’s Aging Experience is Heightened because of the Hulk
Cataracts are cloudy areas that develop in the lens of the eye, and it’s something many people experience as they grow older - including Bruce Banner. However, based on what Banner tells Danvers in this issue, it seems his cataracts are even worse due to the gamma in his blood. Cataracts that are “half a millimeter thick” are no joke, especially if they’re that severe because of Hulk’s gamma.
Basically, it seems Hulk’s gamma powers have given Bruce ‘super-aging’, as he’s still going through the natural aging process, but everything associated with that is heightened, with his cataracts just being one example. That begs the question: what other unfortunate side effects of aging have become heightened because of the Hulk? While no other conditions were named, one has to assume everything associated with aging has become enhanced, which is pretty terrifying, since it’s the gamma itself that is slowly destroying his body.
This Terrifying Side-Effect to the Hulk’s Powers Redefines What Fans Thought They Knew
Throughout his Marvel Comics history, the Hulk’s powers have been the one thing that keeps Banner alive even after the most severe injury or in the harshest environments. InThe Immortal Hulk, Hulk was completely dismembered, yet was able to pull his body parts back together and heal in a matter of moments. InHulk: The End, Hulk kept Bruce alive well after he should have died of old age while living in the barren wasteland that was once Planet Earth. But now, the opposite is happening, as the Hulk’s gamma isn’t keeping Banner alive, but slowly killing him.
Hulk’s powers are making Bruce Banner’s aging process more painful and severe, breaking his body down slowly as opposed to holding it together. This change toHulklore is absolutely fascinating, and decidedly terrifying, as it confirms that Bruce Banner is destined to have a pretty rough retirement, even without Xenomorphs ravaging the planet.
Aliens vs Avengers #1by Marvel Comics and 20th Century Studios is available now.
Hulk
The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel’s universe.
