Immortal Hulk is lighting up the market and breathing new life into some old favorites. It sets the stage for a potential return of Red Hulk, who could impact the comics and would make for a suitable threat to the MCU.
This is pure speculation on my part, and I haven't read even a rumor suggesting it, but the pieces are in place for Red Hulk to make his presence felt in both the comics and cinematic universes.
For those who need a refresher, the original incarnation of Red Hulk was Hulk's longtime arch-nemesis, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross. He made his first appearance in 2008's Hulk #1, and he was an immediate hit with comic fans. However, Thunderbolt died in the pages of the comics, but when is death ever permanent in the comic world? That is especially true in the pages of Immortal Hulk.
If you've been keeping up with Al Ewing's hit series (and the best Hulk series ever written, in my opinion), death and resurrection are an ongoing theme. As we've discovered in the pages of Immortal Hulk, anyone who has been affected by gamma rays can't die - at least not their alter egos. Repeatedly we see Bruce Banner "killed" during the daylight hours only to return after transforming into the Hulk once the sun sets.
It's not just Hulk who is immortal these days. Ewing has introduced "the green door," which brings all the gamma monsters back from the dead. We've already seen the resurrections of Doc Samson and a new version of Abomination. Most recently Red She-Hulk has returned to the fold, only this isn't the same Red She-Hulk that we've seen in the past.
Ewing and artist Joe Bennett have reimagined Betty as a monster that echoes of the Furies from Greco-Roman mythology. With Red She-Hulk back in the mix in impressive fashion, it leaves the (green) door open for the original Red Hulk to make an epic return.
In previous Immortal Hulk issues, readers saw the funeral for Thunderbolt Ross, but now that the green door has been established, that means it's a matter of time before Thunderbolt climbs out of his grave. When he does, I predict we'll see a new monstrous version of Red Hulk like we've never seen before, and it will reinvigorate his popularity.
How does this connect to the MCU?
In 2008's Incredible Hulk, William Hurt gave moviegoers a new Thunderbolt Ross. Since then, Hurt has reprised the role in Captain America: Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame, but he's been the antagonistic Secretary of State rather than a general obsessed with capturing the Hulk. However, it wouldn't be too far of a leap to transform him into Red Hulk on the silver screen, and the key to doing it is Dark Avengers.
Rumor has it that Marvel Studios is looking to bring the Dark Avengers to the MCU, and that would be perfect for Red Hulk to make his grand entrance. The team was comprised of evil versions of the Avengers, and Red Hulk would be the perfect antithesis of the Hulk. Considering we are in the midst of the hipster Hulk after Endgame, Red Hulk's inclusion would be a great way to bring back the more aggressive onscreen Green Goliath that many fans miss.
While I cross my fingers and hope that either of my theories come to fruition, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get your hands on that previously mentioned Hulk #1. A 9.8 in the standard cover recently sold for $130, and it's brought as much as $216 this year. If there is even a hint of Ross evolving into Red Hulk in the MCU, that price will seem like a bargain.
