First Look: THANOS VS HULK #1

The Green Goliath goes toe-to-toe with the Mad Titan for a universe shaking cosmic throwdown in THANOS VS. HULK #1 – the first issue in a brand new limited series kicking off this December! Legendary creator Jim Starlin (Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos: The Infinity Revelation OGN) returns to answer the question – is Hulk really the strongest there is? Abducted by Pip the Troll and dragged halfway across the galaxy to be ransomed to Annihilus, Hulk is already angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. But Annihilus has plans of his own – plans that will put the Incredible Hulk directly in the path of Thanos, the Mad Titan! Guest starring Iron Man, Blastarr, S.H.I.E.L.D. and more, be there when Jim Starlin brings two of the Marvel Universe’s heaviest hitters to planet shaking blows in THANOS VS. HULK #1 this December!

THANOS VS. HULK #1 (of 4) (OCT140875)

Written by JIM STARLIN

Art & Cover by JIM STARLIN

Variant Cover by RON LIM (OCT140876)

FOC – 11/10/2014, On-Sale – 12/03/2014

@theacidskull: Yeah, there definitely has to be more to it than it appears. Especially if this is four issues.

hmmmm interesting :)

This will probably be really good right up until the PIS ending. Here's hoping I'm wrong.

Can anyone fill me in how Annihilus is alive?

This could be interesting. I never thought of Hulk as in the same class as Thanos with the exception of maybe brute strength. Even with that, I always took Thanos as stronger. In Infinity 6, Thanos sends him flying with a punch. Once you take his shields, energy blasts, and intelligence into consideration, it's hard to fathom how it will be a real contest. I feel like there will be a lot of plot factors in here to make it compelling.

Is that supposed to be Banner with Hulk in those scans.

Annihilus is reborn every time he dies. At the very end of Annihilation, after Rider rips his innards out through his mouth, it shows Annihilus being reborn on a planet ceded to the Negative Zone forces. He has been seen in Hickman's FF and Avengers(Infinity) since then. It is a different, younger Annihilus.

gonna read it. ik they will have thanos back down in some way . but i like thanos so ill pick it up regardless

If the Hulk can beat Thanos then is there a point for the Avengers?

Hulk has enough power to physically hold his own against Thanos for a while. If the writers find some way to hold Thanos back via PIS for a while Hulk has a chance of providing some threat against him. It might be an interesting read.

remember when thanos was a joke character getting beaten up by squirrel girl and wielding a magic glove of nonsense

You know folks always say that Thanos can beat the Hulk, and rightly so if Thanos uses the Cube, Gems or other power amps. Without them I see it possible for Hulk to defeat him in H2H combat. To prove a point can anyone show the comic and issue number where Thanos totally defeated Hulk without power amp? That I know of it has NEVER happen and I have almost all there confrontations. I'm glad that the creator of Thanos is writing it. So what ever happens I will accept it as fact. Good thing about Jim Starlin is he's NOT going to short change Hulk like Jonathan (can't write Hulk for $hit) Hickman.

I still hope Thanos will unlock Hulk power level. If not, this series may be a little bit "boring".

I am a Thanos fanboy, but I can't really bring myself to buy this until it hits trade...if my pull list were smaller I'd get it.

Keep the Starlin Thanos stories coming, now that Marvel and Starlin have made peace again I'm sure this is going to be a spring board for the other Thanos/Adam Warlock stories Starlin hinted about early this year.

@cap10nate: Thank you, I remember his death in Annihilation but I don't remember the whole rebirth part.

Thanos is above Hulk even with Brute Strength but Drax was also going toe-to-toe with Thanos..

I guess I will say Thanos outclasses Hulk on his full potential , using his full powers but when it comes to raw strength I guess it depends on what writer wants.

Much like many Superman stories.

Thanos is way above Hulk's pay grade, I'm sure they will rustle each others jimmies but in the end they will be about more than a fist fight.

Hopefully any confrontation between Thanos and Hulk will be kept at a minimum. Given Thanos' feats and past showings, it's abundantly clear he's an elite teambuster whereas Hulk is an Earthbound powerhouse at best. If more powerful beings than Hulk like Thor, Beta Ray Bill and even Silver Surfer fail to best Thanos, what chance does Hulk have? Starlin better not have his creation job to Hulk in battle given Thanos' superior power and versatility.

I just hope they really have a fight, no gimmicks just go at it.The whole point of the comic is to see a throw down.If they do anything else I will be disappointed. I feel Hulk is going to get a boost from Annihilus.

Starlin is a legend I am glad that he made a Hulk story..

HULK WILL SMASH!!!!!

can't wait for this

Savage Hulk can't beat Thanos. it will have to be a specific Verizon or something that can even come close like Worldbreaker. Hopefully we get to see that.

I think I sense a Cosmic Control Rod power up in the Hulk's future. Why else include Annihilus in the story?

I hope this isn't loaded with PIS. In no way is Hulk supposed to even stand up to Thanos considering Thanos's huge versatility advantage.

That pic above with Thanos punching Hulk is funny cause Hulk got right back up and instead Thanos sent his minions to handle Hulk (what a chick dude Thanos is). By the way Hulk has been a TEAM buster long before Thanos show up in Marvel universe. Hulk has taken on Inhumans, Thundebolts, Defenders, FF and Avengers, Avengers (east and west coast together),Champions and the X-men. So no big deal that Thanos is a team buster Hulk has been doing it also. Again without pushing Thanos HYPE where has Thanos beaten Hulk without amp power in comicbook Marvel history?

It has never happen so some people are pushing hype and not stating the facts. Here's the funny thing that even with amp power Thanos has never been shown in Marvel comics to KO'd Hulk. Please do your homework folks and read carefully. It's NEVER happen and folks are just assuming. Again if I'm wrong please show it to me. You will only find dreams or what if's but nothing that actually happen where Hulk was KO'd by Thanos.

Hmm...a curbstomp.

Sounds interesting

Thanos > Hulk

I don't get it??? Hasn't thanos took on hulk n multiple other powerhouses all at once before likethor, cap etc? How is hulk going to beat him alone??

Also here's some fun FACT about Thanos and Hulk.

Infinity Gauntlet 4 - Hulk had a amp up Thanos on the floor while Hulk was whaling away. Hulk is also one of 4 heroes that lived in the confrontation in space against Thanos (even Thor died) The ones that made out alive were Silver Surfer, Hulk, Drax and Firelord.

X-Man and Hulk Annual 1998 - A amp 10 story Thanos couldn't KO Hulk even thought Thanos unleashed power to rip Hulk's skin off.

Quasar 38- amp Thanos ( with one of he Infinty gems) is taking on Hulk, Thor, Herc and Thing and it's not shown who won.

Thanos Quest- Thanos says he's been avoiding Hulk in a physical confrontation......hmmm I wonder why?

I would like to imagine that they will allow Hulk access to this 'other universe/dimension' where he gets his strength from. That would make it a fairly titanic battle. I cannot ever remember a story going down this route. I always had an idea that Hulk would be a bit like Juggs in respect of the source of their strength i.e. outside of their inhabited dimension, making it difficult to quantify.

I am very excited for this story, just nervous for the PIS element. Inevitable.

At last just like Chicago Bear fans, Thanos fan boys will shut up after their favorite gets beat up by a green bully.

Kluh would smash after thanos beats hulk

@earthsmightiest:

I really hope your not using Waid's shitty Hulk to prove a point. I would like to see how Doc Green would fight him though.

@bonifidehustla:

You hit right person to reply to? Have no idea what your even talking about?

I agree, but it would be cool to see hulk get angrier than hes ever been and just go all out on thanos.

I love Thanos and I love Hulk. It is funny how some people don' t want a confrontation to last long just so hulk can't show his potential.As for me whoever wins I just hope it will be epic. I see a lot of people comment on hulk and on thanos but probably didnt read much comics. On this forum I see a lot of downplayers of hulk, people who i'm assuming didn t read much hulk or maybe a few here and there and still live in the 70s. I do see a lot of people over hyping hulk wich I find a bit ridiculous at times. As far as thanos by his own words he doesn't really want to fight hulk for good reasons but thanos is extremely powerful so if hulk loses it will still be an amasing feat to be able to dance with him and to tell the truth it will probably be a stalemate. All I have to say is enjoy your comics. I do have a preference for hulk but I will probably enjoy this even if he gets beaten.

You said it best my friend- enjoy your comics. I think that's something all comic readers need to remember. And Starlin doing Thanos?

Happy Happy Happy INDEED.

I'm hoping starlin has something happen to really p*ss hulk off, I can't see a regular not so angry hulk contending with thanos, even physically. The guys just in a different league altogether.

Surprising

@hulk465: Agree with all your posts on this. The Hulk should not be underestimated.

@grimoire:

Thank you, and here's more facts on Hulk/Thanos.

Some folks think that Thanos is bada$$ because he took a direct hit in the face by Black Bolt scream, well Hulk did it's years ago twice.

Hulk annual 1- Hulk states that BB is NOT strong enough to beat him. The dialogue box states that the brute strength of the Hulk is about to crush the very life of BB. BB then resorts to speak right to Hulk face and KO's Hulk but moments later Hulk get right back up ready to fight.

Incredible Hulk 175- Hulk has BB on the floor just about beaten and again uses his voice on Hulk. The city is destroyed and BB collaspes from the from the effort. Hulk still up walks over then drops (only stunned, but again recovers.

Inhumans 12- Hulk takes on Karnak, Medusa, Triton, Gorgon and BB all at the same time. BB gives Hulk his best shot and Hulk come back takes out the WHOLE team in 3 seconds flat (read it if you dot believe me). BB has to suspend Hulk in the air and let lightning take Hulk out.

World War Hulk 1- Hulk again take on BB but this time it's a skrull with almost the same power and he still gets beat.

So if folks are impressed with Thanos vs BB, then they should be in awe with Hulk vs BB and Inhumans.

Folks low ball Hulk cause they either hate Hulk or don't know what Hulk has done in the past.

NOTE to Marvel- How about putting all those 4 issues together in one collection called Hulk vs. Inhumans. Just in time for the Inhumans movie.

Hulk would have to be incredibly angry to reach Thanos' base strength level. Having said that, even if Thanos thought Hulk stronger at a certain point, he has many more options at his disposal.

It should be epic, I always wonder why Hulk never goes berserk against Thanos, I mean he did to everyone but Thanos, now it's time to kick his ass a little. Though Thanos should win in the end.

@johnfrank120: How is thor, beta ray bill and silver surfer more powerfull than the hulk? The hulk is way more powerfull than all three of them put together. Also hulk would beat thanos any day. Hulk is stronger than thanos and in a fight between them hulk would just keep getting stronger and stronger. Hulk would soon knock thanos out. Hulk is strongest there is.hulk would beat thanos even if thanos had the infinity gauntlet. If hulk had a fight with the marvel and dc univese put together then hulk would eventually win. He would get stronger and stronger and eventually beat the marvel and dc universe put together. Hulk smash thanos. Thanos was beaten by the avengers and the avengers were beaten by hulk. Nuff said.

Learn to bait better.

Nice.

@claymore1998: Side man.