Jennifer Walters nearly died fighting Thanos at the beginning of Marvel's Civil War II event, but she will be back later this year with a newly-revealed solo series simply titled Hulk.
Typically, the "Hulk" title has been reserved for comics starring Bruce Banner. However, with Banner dead and Walters picking up the pieces of her life after her near-fatal injuries, Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso says the "Hulk" name better represented the kind of story set to be told by writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Nico Leon.
"The title ‘She-Hulk' evokes light-hearted stories about a Jennifer Walters who is at peace with herself and in full control of her powers," Alonso tells the AV Club. "This isn't that book. On the other hand, the title ‘Hulk' implies all of the baggage that comes with that comic's 50-plus year history — the ongoing battle with the monster within — and that's why it's more appropriate for this series."
That "monster" will be more powerful than ever before, as Walters looks to overcome her own challenges and personal trauma. While she will be looking to resume her career as both a lawyer and a superhero, she will have to conquer monsters both inside and out.
"Jen is absolutely shaped by the trauma she's experienced," Tamaki says. "Much of it was inspired by thinking about how different people deal with the hard things that happen in their lives, how memory, trauma, can infuse our whole being, be a physical presence in our lives. I was really into the idea of a Hulk, of the ability to transform into something close to monstrous, that's still human, and heroic. It was interesting to think about what's human about Hulk and vice versa."
It will be a major challenge for the character, one that Alonso says may take Walters some time to overcome.
"Jen went through major trauma in Civil War II, and Mariko and Nico's story will deal with the fallout of that trauma — the anxiety and anger, sometimes self-destructive, that comes along with it," Alonso says. "If there is light at the end of the tunnel, Jen is going to have to search hard for it, and she's going to have to battle with some pretty big monsters — including the one within — to find herself again."
Hulk #1 will go on sale this December. Meanwhile, Totally Awesome Hulk starring Amadeus Cho continues as well and is currently on its 12th issue.
