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In a surprising twist ahead of the Fantastic Four‘s MCU debut, a key member has been replaced by the Incredible Hulk. Hulk and the FF have always had a complicated bond, but they’ve never been quite as close as this before.
In Fantastic Four #31 – by Ryan North, Cory Smith, Oren Junior, Joe Caramagna and Jesus Aburtov – the FF travel the multiverse, looking for ways to restore the Thing’s powers. The group visit multiple versions of their superhero origin, trying to expose Ben Grimm to the cosmic rays that originally gave him his rocky powers. In the wildest world they visit, the stumble across a version of the Fantastic Four made up of an invisible Thor, stretching Wolverine and flaming Hulk.
This new Hulking Torch is a wild fusion of Johnny Storm’s Human Torch and Bruce Banner’s Hulk, with all the strength of the gamma-powered behemoth along with the flaming skin of the Fantastic Four’s most reckless member. The new development is only fair, since it’s not that long since Human Torch got his own Hulk form.
The Fantastic Four Discover a Human Torch Hulk
The Connection Between the Teams Just Keeps Getting Deeper
It actually makes sense that cosmic rays would give the Hulk Human Torch’s powers. After all, General Ross’ Red Hulk was created with a mixture of gamma radiation and the cosmic rays that created the Fantastic Four, gaining the ability to emit more and more heat the angrier he gets. In this new world where Thor, Wolverine and Hulk apparently went on a voyage into space with Ben Grimm, it’s consistent that Hulk would gain fire powers, even without the quartet getting versions of the Human Torch’s powers.
While this new Human Torch Hulk has only appeared in a cameo capacity so far, Marvel often revisits the most interesting realities in its multiverse, and Hulk’s fire powers along with Wolverine’s stretching claws make this reality ripe for future stories. However, fans who want more of the fiery Hulk can check out the World War Hulks event, where the Human Torch was exposed to gamma energy and gained his own gigantic, muscular form as ‘The Hulking Torch.’
Hulk and the Fantastic Four are interesting reflections of each other, with their powers coming from antithetical sources – cosmic rays and gamma radiation, which are considered opposites in Marvel’s universe. Recent lore has revealed that Hulk and the Fantastic Four are cosmic opposites, with each connected to primordial abstracts known as the Four-in-One and One-in-Four. Hulk has even served on the Fantastic Four in the past, working with Wolverine, Ghost Rider and Spider-Man as 1990’s New Fantastic Four. It’s therefore fitting for Hulk to finally take his place on the main roster, albeit via a wild reinvention of the team’s origin.
Here’s hoping that Marvel revisit the world of the Human Torch Hulk soon, as the version of the Fantastic Four introduced here definitely deserve further exploration.
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The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel’s universe.
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The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics’ first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel’s success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
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