A classic issue of What If…? took the Hulk’s origin story in a terrifying direction and proved how easy it is to turn him into a monster.
The flexible tone of the Marvel Universe is one of the benefits of the superhero genre. It’s a setting that allows for grounded stories, fantastical tales, and genre shifts. This is especially prevalent with horror, with plenty of stories over the years turning classic heroes into horrifying monsters.
What If…? #45 (by Peter Gillis, Ron Wilson, Akine Garvey, John Morelli, and Bob Sharen) took the Hulk in a ridiculously dark direction — reimagining his origin story and giving Bruce Banner’s initial transformation a far higher kill count. It’s a reminder that the Hulk is perhaps the easiest hero for Marvel to shift into the horror genre, especially with the limitless potential offered by What If…?. When Marvel plays the character for scares, it leaves an entire Marvel timeline irrevocably changed forever.
What If…? Turned the Hulk’s Origin into a Horror Story
Earth-840645 takes a serious divergence from the core-Marvel timeline of Earth-616 during the events that birthed the Hulk. In this timeline, Bruce Banner was less successful in protecting Rick Jones from a bombardment of Gamma Radiation. This created a telepathic connection between the two, leaving it possible for Thunderbolt Ross and the military to target Banner through their psychic bond. Hurting one would damage the other, and Ross quickly had the soldiers under his command push Jones’ body to the absolute limit in an effort to draw Hulk out into the open — ultimately overwhelming and killing him.
These actions did little to slow down the Jade Giant, and instead left him in a far more dangerous state. This forced Ross to turn to the Fantastic Four for support — only for the Hulk’s rampage to cause the deaths of his consistent Marvel rival the Thing and Human Torch. Calling in further back-up from Iron Man and Thor, the former had his armor crushed by the uncontrollable Hulk, depriving him of the support needed to keep his heart beating. With only Thor still standing, the Asgardian was forced to use all his might to kill the Hulk with his bare hands in self-defense, snapping his neck just before reverting to his human form. It’s a brutal ending to this version of the Hulk and speaks to his strength as a horror character.
The Hulk is Marvel’s Scariest Hero
Playing the Hulk for scares has been at the root of plenty of storylines, such as Immortal Hulk and the terrifying Titan Hulk.
There’s an inherent horror to his transformation and rage. It also allows creators to explore his deep psychological issues and the supernatural elements that exist within the greater Marvel Universe.
What If…? #45 is a good example of that premise being played out, as a slight turn of events transforms the Hulk from a tragic character into a monster. This version of the Hulk is blunt enough to simply murder his foes with his overwhelming strength and deprive this timeline of its many heroes.
The portrayal of the Hulk in this issue is a wild thing, with bulging eyes and a perpetually snarling face. While the early portrayals of the Hulk accentuated some of his harsher, more animalistic elements, a completely out of control Hulk is something else entirely.
There’s a clear malice to his rampage, driven by his pure rage at Ross for slaying Jones. The Hulk of this era already transitioned into a more noble figure, with him proving his potential through stories alongside the other heroes of the Marvel Universe. But a broken Hulk could easily become a monster, turning him into one of the universe’s most horrifying figures.
