When a character has been around for 60 years or so, it’s tough to keep it fresh. Witness how many different takes have happened with the Hulk. He’s been incredible, he’s been rampaging, he’s been immortal. He’s ruled a planet. Let’s not forget his alternate identities: Mr. Fix-It, The Professor, and The Maestro. There’s also this Starship Hulk thing wrapping up — interesting but… not immortal. Oh, and he was briefly an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
So for at least one upcoming annual, writer David Pepose has found an interesting way in. Collaborating with artist Caio Majado, Pepose will present the Hulk from the outside. (Starship Hulk doesn’t get more inside.) With “The Viridian Project,” we’ll read about a group of young filmmakers going back to where it all began, with the story pieced together from what’s left of their footage after they found… you know.
While a straightforward, superheroic Hulk can be enjoyable, it just makes more sense that the character is terrifying. Whether Hulk means to be or not, he’s destructive. And a one-shot story exploring how bad that can be? Seems just right. Marvel promises a preview of the new creative team and creative direction; it also seems like Pepose and Majado might be just right for that, too.
From Marvel:
Readers will get a chance to witness the Hulk’s fury from a horrifying new perspective in a fascinating new HULK ANNUAL this May! Written by David Pepose (Savage Avengers) and drawn by Caio Majado (Edge of Spider-Verse), the over-sized issue will present “The Viridian Project,” a terrifying tale stitched together from found footage. Set in the town that birthed the Hulk, the story will introduce a ragtag group of young filmmakers who set out to uncover the truth behind the green goliath’s origin but end up getting a firsthand look at his deadly rage! The terrifying tale will keep readers on the edge of their seat with thrills as well as thought-provoking insights into Hulk’s effect on the world around him.
A documentary crew is on the hunt for a monster at the heart of a gamma radiation leak, but they get much more than they bargained for when they’re caught in the middle of a brawl between two unstoppable giants, as Hulk battles an unleashed Giganto!
“When my editor Wil Moss first reached out to me about writing this HULK ANNUAL, it took me a beat to wrap my head around the enormity of it all,” Pepose said. “The Hulk is such a massive character, just this larger-than-life figure who is equal parts man, monster, and unstoppable force of nature. And it’s that feeling of unfathomable scale that we’re looking to explore in ‘The Viridian Project,’ our found-footage story about a team of filmmakers shooting a documentary on the legacy of Bruce Banner… and the horrors they discover when they actually find him. It’s been incredibly exciting to dive into the Hulk’s adventures through this truly human lens, and I can’t wait for readers to witness first-hand what it’s like to ride out an encounter with The Strongest One There Is!”
In addition, HULK ANNUAL #1 will include an exclusive preview of the Hulk’s next era that a new creative team will be kicking off this summer! Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the full announcement!
Check out legendary Hulk artist Gary Frank’s cover below and brace yourselves for HULK ANNUAL #1’s arrival on May 17!
