The One Hulk Moment That's Too Gross And Horrifying For The MCU
At this stage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is essentially a teddy bear. There's no doubt Hulk could still throw down in a fight if he needs to, but it's unlikely Marvel will pursue some of the more horror-oriented Hulk stories from the comics.
One Hulk moment we'd be shocked to see adapted to the MCU comes in "The Immortal Hulk" #8, written by Al Ewing with additional work from Ruy José, Paul Mounts, Joe Bennett, and Cory Petit. The entire storyline is not for anyone with a weak stomach, but this particular comic takes things to another level. As evidenced by the series' title, Hulk has become immortal. In this issue, Dr. Clive vivisects Hulk and places his body parts into various jars to determine how his immortality functions. He makes an intriguing discovery by noting how Hulk's appendages will find each other when separated, allowing him to become whole again.
In a terrifying moment, Hulk reveals he's simply bided his time through all this, and with no effort at all, he breaks the jars. Sadly for Dr. Clive, the jars are spread out around the room with the doctor in the middle. Hulk's body reconstitutes itself around Dr. Clive, consuming him in a horrific display of body horror the MCU likely isn't going to delve into any time soon.
Al Ewing explored horrors of everyday life with Immortal Hulk
Seeing someone absorbed by Hulk's organs and bones is harrowing, and "Immortal Hulk" capitalizes on plenty of these shocking sequences. There are numerous other body horror moments, like Hulk crawling out of Bruce Banner's mouth. In another issue, Hulk has to fight Rick Jones, his friend whom readers thought had died previously but was resurrected as an unholy abomination, pleading, "Kill me." It's dark, and these ideas and images are precisely what writer Al Ewing wanted to explore.
Ewing spoke with Comics Beat about using horror concepts in "Immortal Hulk" to explore real-life politics. "I think the through-line there is both in the horror of the everyday, and anger as a theme," he elaborated. "I was really thinking about things that make people angry, and of what makes them afraid. If you're talking about the end of the world that we're currently living through, it's both anger-making and horrifying."
It's unlikely the MCU will take any cues from "Immortal Hulk," which is a shame because this is the obvious Hulk story to adapt. A Disney+ series or feature-length film of "Immortal Hulk" could bring the character back to his roots; he's a man on the run, and he must fight his basest impulses while experiencing some twisted things. Besides, the MCU will get its first R-rated movie with "Deadpool 3," and the franchise has already delved into horror with "Werewolf by Night." If Marvel feels feisty, perhaps an "Immortal Hulk" adaptation could be in the cards.