BY MATT TUCK
IG@matt.tuck.writer
FB@ The Comic Blog
Is Marvel bringing World War Hulk to the MCU? That’s the rumor, and it will have you wanting these key issues.
If we have learned anything from 2021, it’s that even the most unlikely of rumors have a chance at being true. This time last year, the No Way Home rumors began rolling in, and they sounded too good to be true. The gossip sites named so many characters who were being included in NWH that it didn’t seem possible to have them all. Yet, Marvel Studios pulled it off, and it has given credibility to even the most far-fetched rumors going forward.
In recent months, those same gossip sites that were laughed at for their NWH coverage are reporting that Marvel may be adapting World War Hulk for the big screen.
WWH followed the events of Planet Hulk, a story that saw Marvel’s Illuminati blast the Green Goliath off-planet to protect Earth from Hulk’s collateral damage. After fighting as a gladiator on Sakaar, Hulk became a mythical hero to the planet, and he settled down with his wife, Caiera. Then his spaceship exploded, and the Illuminati were framed for the deaths. That sent Hulk and his fellow gladiators on the warpath to Earth, thus creating the strongest version of the character ever seen, World Breaker Hulk.
Considering the events of the MCU and Hulk’s place in them, there is no way Marvel Studios can do a straight adaptation of WWH. Of course, Marvel leans toward the cartoony ‘60s side of comics for its inspiration, and WWH breaks that mold in half. Still, there could be a version on the way to the silver screen or perhaps Disney+, and that will have you eying these issues.
INCREDIBLE HULK #105
The debuts of the various Hulks have become big investments in recent years. From Professor Hulk, Savage Hulk, and Joe Fix-It to Immortal Hulk and Devil Hulk, Green Goliath fans have been stocking their long boxes with these minor first appearances. If Marvel is considering bringing WWH to the MCU, then it will certainly preface the arrival of World Breaker Hulk. This is a fan-favorite Hulk who is as merciless and fearsome as he has ever been. Considering how many fans detested the MCU’s Professor Hulk, this would be a welcome change to the character and add immediate value to his first appearance in Incredible Hulk #105.
There hasn’t been a graded 9.8 to sell online since one brought $46 in 2019. While the graded copies are few and far between, there have been plenty of raw copies on the move in recent months. Lucky for you, these can be purchased for $10 or less.
WORLD WAR HULK #1
No question, if the scuttlebutt about a WWH movie is true, then collectors will be taking aim at World War Hulk #1. As far as a key issue, there’s not much here that elevates it past minor status aside from being the first issue of the series after the World War Hulk Prologue. Still, that coveted first is always a bonus for your collections. Last year, the graded 9.8 sold for as much as $385, and one already traded hands in 2022 after it brought $128 on January 1.
WHAT IF…? WORLD WAR HULK #1
This may not be the first issue you turn to for WWH keys, but it could have implications for the future season of What If…?. Since the Sakaar storyline that introduced Planet Hulk and World War Hulk to the comics was dismembered for Thor: Ragnarok, it would be a challenge to bring WWH to life in the MCU. That could mean that the rumors are hinting at a major storyline for the upcoming season of What If…? rather than the silver screen. That would have collectors jumping on this issue as fast as possible. At the moment, you can get a raw copy for less than $20.
WHAT IF…? PLANET HULK #1
There is one way to do a WWH movie within the current MCU timeline. Instead of World Breaker Hulk, Marvel Studios could introduce World Breaker Skaar.
There have been rumors of Hulk’s Sakarian son coming to the MCU, and we also know that the Grandmaster is still alive. Perhaps the Grandmaster brainwashes Skaar into believing Hulk and the Avengers are his enemies, and then a superpowered Skaar is unleashed on Earth. That could set up a final showdown between father and son that would light up the screen.
Remember that when Skaar first appeared in a comic, he was part of a What If…? alternate timeline story. With the gossip surrounding his possible live-action arrival, this issue has been on a fast pace this year. There hasn’t been a 9.8 to sell online since November, but the last one to trade hands brought $625. The price drops dramatically when the grade falls to a 9.6, most recently selling for $80.
COULD THE RUMORS BE TRUE?
A few months ago, I raised an eyebrow when I first read the WWH gossip. After No Way Home confirmed so many rumors that at one time seemed far-fetched, anything is possible within the MCU. That’s got me wondering if Marvel is actually going to adapt WWH in one fashion or another.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is a professional writer, avid comic collector, former teacher, and the Blogger Supreme. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog, or on Instagram at matt.tuck.writer.