BY MATT TUCK
As the hype for She-Hulk begins, so do the rumors. We know that Titania has been cast for the Disney+ series, but there are rumblings that Hulk’s son, Skaar, could make a surprise appearance. That will give a boost to these four issues.
Admittedly, this sounds like a longshot. Marvel Studios has said that She-Hulk will be a legal comedy sitcom with much of the show taking place inside the courtroom. With the focus on She-Hulk’s alter-ego, Jennifer Walters, and the show being what sounds like an Ally McBeal-style comedy, then it seems hard to imagine Skaar fitting in.
Then again, that may be just what Marvel wants. Since this is taking place in the MCU, it could be that the studio wants odd, sci-fi cases that cross She-Hulk’s desk and need her legal counsel.
That being said, if Skaar does appear in She-Hulk, he will likely be there as a child, and that’s how he first appeared in the MCU. Down the road, Marvel Studios could transition him into a teenager or adult to become more like the Skaar fans know and love (at least some of them, anyway).
WHO IS SKAAR?
Spinning out of the “Planet Hulk” storyline, Skaar is Hulk’s son with Caiera during his time on Sakaar. Skaar would not be seen in that modern-classic story, but he would appear in the next chapter, “World War Hulk.” In that story, Worldbreaker Hulk returned home from Sakaar, bent on revenge against Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Mister Fantastic for shooting him into space in the first place. By the end, we saw that Worldbreaker Hulk truly lived up to the title of the strongest there is.
When Skaar first arrives on Earth, he aims to kill the Hulk, though the two would somewhat reconcile, at least enough for Skaar to no longer want to commit patricide.
As far as the MCU, it would not be tricky to introduce Skaar. In Thor: Ragnarok, Hulk stayed on Sakaar long enough to become a massive celebrity as the Grandmaster’s champion. It would not be out of the realm of possibility that Hulk fell in love with Caiera in the time between Age of Ultron and the events of Ragnarok. That would mean that Sakaar could have its own little Hulk running around, upholding the family tradition of beating the daylights out of everyone.
THE KEYS
WHAT IF…? PLANET HULK #1
These What If…? first appearances can be tricky. Remember the controversy surrounding the first appearance of Lady Thor? Technically, Jane Foster first lifted Mjolnir in What if…? #10, though she would become Lady Thor in the Marvel 616 in 2014’s Thor #1. From there, the debate was on, and it is still divided among fans.
The trouble is that stories taking place in What If…?, as the title suggests, are alternate realities and not part of continuity. However, as was the case with What If…? #10, many collectors still want that first view, even if it doesn’t take place in Marvel canon. Such is the case with Skaar.
Hulk’s interstellar son appeared as a preteen in this Planet Hulk tie-in around the time that Marvel was re-introducing the What If…? brand. Considering the values for the first appearance of Thordis in What If…? #10, we could see a massive spike in FMV for this issue.
The Skaar rumors are propelling What If…? Planet Hulk #1 to new heights. At a 9.8, it sold for a record-breaking $600 on June 12, smashing the previous mark of $265 set in 2018. Prices drop considerably when the grade dips outside the 9.8. The silver lining is that for $108, you can own a 9.6 that is virtually the same as the 9.8 to the naked eye.
WORLD WAR HULK #5
In Marvel 616 continuity, this is the first appearance of Skaar, shown in a cameo as a child. If Skaar makes it into the MCU in some form or fashion, then we can expect there to be another round of debates on the true first appearance: What If…? Planet Hulk #1 or WWH #5?
What makes this different is that it is the same character in both issues. When it comes to Jane Foster as Thor, Jason Aaron’s 2014 run saw her referred to as Lady Thor, whereas What If…? #10 gave us the debut of Thordis. Like it or not, those are two different characters. In Skaar’s case, this is the same character, so I lean toward What If…? Planet Hulk #1 as his true first appearance, but we will see where the collecting community gravitates.
There has not been a standard edition 9.8 to trade owners online since a copy brought $136 in December. So far this year, the highest grade sold has been the 9.6. Three have been bought and sold online for as much as $180, though the most recent sale was for just $32 earlier this month. This appears to be an outlier as a 9.4 sold for $150 on June 12.
Don’t forget about the variant edition, which carries the higher price tag. The 9.8 last sold for $249 in March. If you are willing to gamble on a raw copy, you can have one for about $60 based on the most recent sales.
SKAAR: SON OF HULK #1
There is no debate that this issue is the first full appearance and origin of Skaar. It also happens to be his first cover appearance, so this may be the key issue to have.
The first covers are becoming bigger and more valuable collectibles in the modern era, and this could become a similar situation to Wolverine’s first full/first cover appearance in Incredible Hulk #181. By no means am I saying Skaar #1 will be on the same level as Hulk #181, but it could be the bigger Skaar key in the long run depending on where the market leans.
The standard edition graded at a 9.8 brought $107 in October, but the variant cover sold for $200 earlier this month. Subsequent printings can be suddenly become valuable in today’s market, so it could pay off to grab the second and third prints of Skaar #1 to complete the set.
SKAAR: SON OF HULK #2
Between the four Skaar keys, this will definitely be seen as the consolation prize of the set. Still, it is worth your time to put it into the long box. After all, this issue is when Skaar first becomes an adult, and that is the far more popular version of the character. If Skaar appears in She-Hulk, he will likely be a child, but that does not mean an adult Skaar won’t ever appear in the MCU.
There is another reason to get this book; it features the debut of Skaar’s twin brother, the evil Hiro-Kala. If Skaar is used in the MCU, then we just might see his brother soon thereafter.
There has not been a graded copy sold online in 12 years, and the raw copies tend to sell for about $5 or less. At that price, there’s nothing to lose with rolling the dice.
FUTURE: UNCERTAIN
There are plenty of question marks over Skaar when it comes to the MCU. While the current rumor is that he will show in She-Hulk, it would make more sense for him to appear in cosmic adventure alongside Thor or the Guardians of the Galaxy. I don’t put much stock into this gossip, but I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is a professional writer, avid comic collector, former teacher, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog.