New Series Marvel Magic- Infernal Hulk, Nova: Centurion, and The End: 2099
From Marvel Comics
Writers: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Jed MacKay, Steve Orlando
Artists: Nic Klein, Alvaro Lopez, Ibraim Roberson
I have been pretty negative about Marvel Comics overall narrative direction as of late. So much so, that I feel the need to straighten the record and celebrate a handful of brand new series released this month from the legendary publisher that I am eager to see continue.
A central part of the joy of being an avid comic book fan in this day and age is the opportunity to explore so many different worlds and characters’ journeys from so many amazingly talented writers and artists, which is why picking sides and limiting one’s preferences never made much sense to me. Sure, I have my opinions (oh, that much is clear) and my predelections change month to month between publishers, but more than anything I want to see bold new stories told no matter what logo is stamped on the cover.
However, I and many other reviewers, can’t help by address the deflating giant elephant in the room that is the sudden cancellation of one of Marvel’s most popular series in Ultimates, so I hope that fledgling fans looking for something to devote their time, money, and interest to another Marvel title might consider any of the following:
WARNING! MINOR PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD!
Infernal Hulk
Infernal Hulk marks a pretty significant milestone for a legacy Marvel title in which a series organically evolves into an entirely new series due to the plot. I think it is easy to see why this practice doesn’t occur regularly, because it would be entirely too confusing to readers. Imagine if every story arc from a series changed the literal title of the run, like Venom becoming “Mary Jane and the Goo Take on the Big Apple.” Maybe that’s not the best example… Of course, this transition is also evident in The Immortal Thor by Al Ewing becoming The Mortal Thor but Infernal Hulk came out most recently, so that’s what we are talking about today, damnit!
To the uninitiated reader, the change from Incredible to Infernal must sound like a glaring marketing gimmick, however fans of Johnson’s groundbreaking series to date know that this change is all but essential. In the final act of The Incredible Hulk Chapter 6 “Monster Road”, Marvel fans witnessed the Hulk coming face to face with the primordial mother of all monsters, enemy to The One Below All that the Hulk confronted in The Immortal Hulk for which this entire series functions as a “Part 2.” I won’t go into the specifics for anyone still catching up, but what is most essential is that the Hulk inevitably gives himself over to his series villain Eldest, seemingly killing Bruce Banner in the process, leading to the inciting incident of Infernal Hulk. With a conclusion as dramatic and course altering as that- you kind of have to change the title, right?
While the concept of “The Death of Bruce Banner” has been repeated multiple times throughout the long history of The Incredible Hulk comics (with one of my personal favorite instances occurring in The Incredible Hulk #299 for the curious minded) this latest climax feels entirely different. For one, Johnson and company have done an immense job of furthering the central dramatic conflict between Bruce and the many Hulk personas that initially reached a harmonious, momentary reconciliation at the conclusion of The Immortal Hulk before being thrust into an absurd, tortuous mind prison in the pages of Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley’s short lived The Incredible Hulk run that I and many other Hulk fans are content with forgetting about entirely. However, it is clear throughout Johnson’s story that at least one person has not forgotten the cycle of pain, abuse, and dismissal at the hands of Bruce Banner- The Hulk himself. Which culminates in making this dramatic separation from Incredible to Infernal feel all the more final and definitive.
Additionally, the new Infernal series, now in Issue #2, makes pointed use of some of the most alluring aesthetic and contextual details from Johnson’s 30 issue The Incredible Hulk series namely, “The Hulk Meets Cosmic Horror” and “The Hulk and Hell Magic.” Fans of Johnson’s plot thus far are almost certainly supporters of the imaginative, eldritch horror angle infecting the pages of one of Marvel’s most traditional Superhero characters. While Hulk has had forays into Body Horror and Magic territory before, the events of Johnson’s work to date are simply at a whole other level. What’s more, Infernal Hulk ups the ante even further allowing this entirely new iteration of the Hulk to wield his untethered strength and utilize magic incantations and unfathomable hellish powers to grand effect. Only time will tell how the Infernal Hulk character will evolve and if we will ever see the more familiar Green brute we know and love fight for control with his newest host. After all, hasn’t the Hulk traded Banner for an even more vicious and domineering host to share a body with? For fans despairing over the Hulk’s shocking new form and personality change, just put your faith in the Golden, or I suppose, Green rule: Hulk is the Strongest One There Is.
Nova: Centurion
There are so many well established characters at Marvel Comics that they can’t possibly all have current ongoing series. However, if there is any character that should have a solo title series, a strong case can be made that it should be Nova. Yet, the character has seen little spotlight in over a decade, with the height of his popularity occurring in the massive Annihilation event from 2006 and his subsequent solo series that lasted until 2010. Oh sure, there was another Nova series in 2013 you might argue, but it was essentially a way of phasing out Richard Ryder for his younger replacement Sam Alexander, so does it really count?
What makes Nova such a worthy character over others, you are probably asking? Well, first and foremost, Nova’s character functions as an intrinsic tie to the vast cosmic spaceways of Marvel Comics as the last bastion of justice and honor in a war ravaged and politically divided universe. The only other title in which these crucial themes and environs are explored is the equally as infrequent Guardians of the Galaxy series. However, as evidenced in Al Ewing’s criminally underappreciated iteration, Nova serves as a perfect glimpse into the psychological trauma of superherodom as a soldier suffering with PTSD, loss, and imposter syndrome. Even more recently in Jonathon Hickman’s bold Imperial series from which Nova:Centurion is derived, it is clear that Nova is one of the most relatable, grounded cosmic characters that serves as our window into a complex galaxy.
Also, as a total side note here- are fans going to see other new series emerge from Imperial besides Nova and She-Hulk? Because there are some much more glaring, obvious series that should be happening as a result of that series that seem more thematically important, namely Star Lord and Inhumans, but thank god we are at least getting a new Guardians of the Galaxy series rebranded as Imperial Guardians written by Dan Abnett, the creator of Annihilation and the aforementioned Nova series- ohmygodimsoexcitedhelpsomeonepleaseimhavinganerdcrisis…
The two issues of Nova: Centurion released thus far have offered a retrospective look at some of the pivotal events, characters, and places in Nova’s career while promising a grounded, detective-like action spectacle tale following Nova and crime in Kree-Skrull War territory. This series is a direct follow up to the events of Imperial in which Nova returned to the ruins of Xandar and reactivated the Nova Corps Worldmind, in order to use the supreme intelligence machine to ascertain the true identity of the manipulator behind the events of Imperial. With the Worldmind uploaded into his suit, Nova runs the risk of erasing his entire history if his suit runs out of sufficient power, adding a poignant “ticking clock” sensibility to the series as well as eloquently centralizing Nova’s goals in this new title.
Jed Mackay has proven more than capable of revitalizing fan interest in a Marvel character in the recent past with his extensive Moon Knight series, so we can only hope that a portion of that fervor can be restored to our boy Nova. I hope that at the very least, Nova: Centurion can offer the character a fresh perspective and new direction as most of his characterization is still tied to the events and fallout of the Annihilation war from literally decades ago. What does a future look like for Nova in the Marvel Comics universe if he is able to let go of the past?
The End: 2099
Steve Orlando is consistently one of the most surprising and inventive writers that Marvel Comics has to offer- when they give him a chance to actually write something that gets printed unlike Astonishing Avengers which quietly reached 30 “Digitally Exclusive” issues.
In 2022, Orlando began his foray into the fan favorite “2099” universe, beginning with Spider-Man 2099: Exodus, then Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis, that functioned as a revitalization of the Miguel O’Hara mythos. However, in 2024 Orlando released multiple volumes of groundbreaking new content in 2099 beginning with several original character one-shots under the name, Annihilation: 2099, which lead to the ensemble event series Conquest: 2099, and now evolved once more with The End: 2099.
If you haven’t read any of Orlando’s recent “2099” titles than I honestly can’t blame you because I feel like next to nothing has been said about them in the mainstream comic book sphere, most likely overshadowed by more popular/relevant titles such Ultimates, Avengers, or the multi-part One World Under Doom. However, to those of us who have read Annihilation: 2099 and Conquest: 2099… these might be the best new characters Marvel has offered in decades.
Exploring the heightened violence, scientific advancements, and bizarre character evolution of the 2099 universe, Orlando takes readers on a thrill ride across space and time with bold new characters that feel like the cumulative result of every Marvel Comic fan’s futuristic fever dream. “Wolverine imbued with the power of the Nova force? Ghost Rider combined with the Silver Surfer? DRACULA IN SPACE?!” These are only a few examples of the inventive and lore driven characters that color Orlando’s rich new direction for the 2099 universe while still including some fan favorite characters such as Spider-Man 2099. Moreover, these two volumes feel like Marvel Comics in their heyday of creative invention, free from the burden of crossover event series and thematically empty ensemble team ups, allowed to forge new ground with dramatic stakes and consequences with niche and new characters worthy of narrative expansion.
While Conquest: 2099 was essentially, “Tomb of Dracula Vol 3” in disguise. Similarly, the first issue of The End: 2099 reveals that it is essentially “Secret Wars: 2099.” Not only do we see the characters we have grown to obsess over in the series to date, but we also see glimpses at even more bold character additions from Orlando’s singular mind. If you are looking for an all out, comic book spectacle, then you can do no better than this new era of 2099 titles that expand Marvel lore in exciting ways you never even dreamed of.
These are just a few of the promising new titles hitting shelves at your local comic book stores these days, hopefully you gained some insight into why these comics are happening or some context into the current circumstances of some legacy characters. If you are looking for more recommendations on what comics to read, then please check out the rest of my reviews on Medium, or watch my video reviews and sketches over on TikTok.
