Tony Stark has flown into battle wearing a number of different Iron Man suits over the years, but none are as iconic as the character's massive Hulkbuster armor. The Hulkbuster is designed specifically for going toe-to-toe with the incredible strength of the Hulk, something that played out on the big screen in last year's Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Tony Stark, however, isn't the only man with a Hulkbuster suit anymore.
Spoilers for Totally Awesome Hulk #9 below!
As revealed at the end of this week's Totally Awesome Hulk #9, Black Panther is seen sporting a Hulkbuster suit of his very own. It's the first time a character other than Tony Stark has been seen using Hulkbusting technology since the concept was introduced back in 1994.
So, what's the special occasion? It all has to do with the fallout of Civil War II #3. In that issue, the supposedly Hulk-free Bruce Banner is killed with an arrow shot from Hawkeye after being confronted by a group of Avengers looking to arrest Bruce for a crime the Hulk had yet to commit. Hawkeye promised Bruce that he would kill him if it ever looked like Bruce might once again transform into the Hulk, and that's exactly what happened.
Marvel's current Hulk, who is also the star of Totally Awesome Hulk, is Amadeus Cho. Bruce was a mentor to Cho, so he's struggling to deal with the death of his friend. However, he's not given much time to himself before Captain Marvel (who is staunchly in favor of pre-crime arrests) knocks on his door to check up on him. Cho doesn't trust her intentions. He sends Captain Marvel a clear message, and it's then that Black Panther's own version of the the Iron Man Hulkbuster armor is revealed.
Sadly, fans will have to wait for next issue to see Black Panther's new toy in action. Might it be even more powerful than Tony Stark's creation? It's a possibility. Wakanda, after all, is home to some of the most advanced technology on the planet, and T'Challa is a bit of a genius himself. If he could incorporate Wakanda's abundant (and nearly indestructible) vibranium into the suit, Black Panther's Hulkbuster armor might be nearly indestructible. If that's the case, Cho might have his work cut out for him.
