Marvel announces the new creative team for the upcoming Incredible Hulk relaunch, writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson and artist Nick Klein. The story will pick up from the current Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley run, which will see Ottley finishing up the story on his own before the relaunch. The run kicks off ‘The Age of Monsters,’ and features the Hulk battling depraved creatures in a horror influenced story. The upcoming Hulk Annual #1 will feature a preview of the series before it launches June 21.
“The significance that we’re finally bringing back the classic title INCREDIBLE HULK is not lost on me. It’s a tremendous honor, and Nic and I have the clearest possible vision for what we want to do with this story,” Johnson explained in a press release. “Nic Klein is a genius, and working with him is pushing me to write a story worthy of his very best.”
Johnson is coming off the heels of his horror stories like Alien and The Last God, and is no stranger to superhero stories, having taken the reins on books like Action Comics and the upcoming Green Lantern. Artist Nic Klein is no stranger to the Hulk, having worked on the previous Thor run with writer Donny Cates, which featured a crossover, ‘Banner of War,’ between the two Marvel berserkers.
“Phillip and I put a big serving of monsters, a bit of eldritch gods, a good dash of suspense, and some cool new characters into the cauldron,” Klein added. “We’re trying to serve up a Hulk the readers haven’t seen before. And if they like it half as much as I’m enjoying drawing it, they’re gonna love it.”
The book looks to its modern roots, specifically Immortal Hulk from Al Ewing, Joe Bennett and more. The series was a critically acclaimed, inventive twist on the modern Hulk mythology that showcased the winning combo of Hulk and horror for the modern age.
“The work that Al, Joe and the rest did with Immortal Hulk was so impactful and spoke so clearly to me personally, it was impossible to come up with an idea that wasn’t inspired by it,” Johnson continued. “We’re getting back to Stan Lee’s Frankenstein/Jekyll & Hyde inspirations for the character, and giving readers a proper monster book in the best, truest Hulk tradition. If you loved Immortal Hulk, if you love ghost stories, if you love Marvel monsters, if you loved old school ‘adventure of the month’ stories from books like Marvel Team-Up, and if you want the best, most timeless Hulk art you’ve ever seen, you DO NOT want to miss this return of INCREDIBLE HULK.”
For more information about Incredible Hulk #1, visit Marvel.com.
INCREDIBLE HULK #1
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art and Cover by NIC KLEIN
On Sale 6/21