There are massive spoilers ahead for Marvel’s Civil War II #3 ahead. Turn back now if you don’t want to know what happens! You’ve been warned!
Throughout the first two issues of Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez‘s Civil War II, the superhero community has grappled with the emergence of a new Inhuman: Ulysses, who has the ability to accurately predict the future. Last issue, Ulysses had a premonition that the Hulk was going to kill several of his fellow heroes. In Civil War II #3, another hero acts on that information with lethal results.
Via The New York Daily News, Marvel has revealed that Bruce Banner, the original Hulk, is actually the one who perishes, and at the hands of Hawkeye… and it’s a pretty gruesome death. The act is compounded by the fact that Banner is in his human form at the time and he is essentially executed for something that he didn’t do. Or at least it’s something that he hadn’t done yet.
If recent comic book history is any indication, many old school Hulk fans are not going to be pleased by this turn of events. How could Marvel kill off one of its most iconic characters? You could say that this was teased when they lined up Amadeus Cho last fall as the center of the Totally Awesome Hulk series. With Banner out of the game, he became expendable.
But don’t worry, comic fans. There are no deaths that can’t be eventually reversed in superhero fiction. Bendis himself killed off Hawkeye over a decade ago before eventually resurrecting him. The original Hulk will be back at some point, but in the meantime, Hawkeye has just ignited the second superhero Civil War. And the Hulk may not be the only casualty before this conflict is over.
How do you feel about the fate of Bruce Banner and Hawkeye’s role in putting him down? Take aim, and share your opinions below!
Images: Marvel Comics
