Incredible Hulk: The End: The Last Titan
Encyclopedia
Hulk: The End is a one-shot comic book
published by Marvel Comics
. Written by Peter David
, pencilled by Dale Keown
and inked by Joe Weems, the story depicts a possible future for the Hulk
like all of the other The End
stories.
that only he could have survived.
Banner begins the story, talking to a camera left by a robot Recorder belonging to one of The Watchers to record "The Last Days of Earth" as an archival lesson for other planets.
While Banner is forced to drown in sorrow as the last human alive on Earth, wandering for years across the ruins of the old cities and remembering what he can of the world before, the Hulk (in his Rampaging Hulk form) is angry at Banner, in that with Banner he is still not alone in the World. During one of Banner's walks, he is beset upon some gigantic cockroaches
, mutated by the nuclear fallout, and it is the Hulk who gets up to try to stop them.
When Banner awakens later, he watches a video recording made by the alien camera of the cockroaches eating the Hulk alive before he heals.
The story is mainly fueled by the fact that Banner and the Hulk's desires, even at the end of the world, are still conflicted; whereas Hulk still stubbornly wishes to prove himself the strongest being on Earth, Banner merely wishes to die, attempting suicides that fail when he becomes the Hulk again.
Eventually, Banner falls asleep in an old cave, only to dream of a woman with the appearance of Betty Ross. In the dream, he becomes young again and they begin to make love amongst a paradise. However, when she begins to talk, saying that the two will eventually be 'like gods', Banner awakens violently.
Suffering a painful heart attack, Banner realizes how much his punishment resembles that of Prometheus
, the Last Titan; condemned to stay forever alive even while animals devour him. As he dies, the Hulk's persona arises in his mind. Banner pleads with the Hulk, begging him to simply let go of his conflicts - claiming that they are going to a paradise where all their dead friends are, where they will be happy. Hulk throws away this suggestion because, in his eyes, friends have always betrayed him. Amidst a thunderous storm, Hulk proclaims that all he wants is to be left alone.
The next morning, the Hulk somberly sits outside the cave, musing in his inner monologue: "Banner is gone...got rid of him last night." As he remembers the confrontation, he realizes that if he were ever to change back to Banner, he would die also. The Hulk is glad, because he does not need Banner, only for the truly tragic realization to come upon him: "Hulk...strongest one there is. Hulk...only one there is...Hulk feels...cold."
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Written by Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
, pencilled by Dale Keown
Dale Keown
Dale Keown is a Canadian comic book artist from Grande Prairie, Alberta who currently resides in Toronto.-Career:Keown started working in comics in 1986 drawing several series for Aircel Comics, including Samurai, Elflord, Dragon Ring , and Warlock 5.Keown moved to Marvel Comics in 1989, where he...
and inked by Joe Weems, the story depicts a possible future for the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
like all of the other The End
The End (comics)
The End is a line of comic books published by Marvel Comics. They follow possible endings for various Marvel characters, as they are set in the future...
stories.
Publication history
It is an adaptation of a prose story of the same name by Peter David from "The Ultimate Hulk" short story collection (ISBN 0425165132).Synopsis
The story follows the narrative of Bruce Banner and the Hulk following a war which ended in a violent nuclear holocaustNuclear holocaust
Nuclear holocaust refers to the possibility of the near complete annihilation of human civilization by nuclear warfare. Under such a scenario, all or most of the Earth is made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons in future world wars....
that only he could have survived.
Banner begins the story, talking to a camera left by a robot Recorder belonging to one of The Watchers to record "The Last Days of Earth" as an archival lesson for other planets.
While Banner is forced to drown in sorrow as the last human alive on Earth, wandering for years across the ruins of the old cities and remembering what he can of the world before, the Hulk (in his Rampaging Hulk form) is angry at Banner, in that with Banner he is still not alone in the World. During one of Banner's walks, he is beset upon some gigantic cockroaches
Cockroaches
A cockroach is an insect of the order Blattaria. "Cockroach" may also refer to:*Cockroach , a 2001 album by Danger Danger*Cockroach , a 2008 novel by Rawi Hage...
, mutated by the nuclear fallout, and it is the Hulk who gets up to try to stop them.
When Banner awakens later, he watches a video recording made by the alien camera of the cockroaches eating the Hulk alive before he heals.
The story is mainly fueled by the fact that Banner and the Hulk's desires, even at the end of the world, are still conflicted; whereas Hulk still stubbornly wishes to prove himself the strongest being on Earth, Banner merely wishes to die, attempting suicides that fail when he becomes the Hulk again.
Eventually, Banner falls asleep in an old cave, only to dream of a woman with the appearance of Betty Ross. In the dream, he becomes young again and they begin to make love amongst a paradise. However, when she begins to talk, saying that the two will eventually be 'like gods', Banner awakens violently.
Suffering a painful heart attack, Banner realizes how much his punishment resembles that of Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
, the Last Titan; condemned to stay forever alive even while animals devour him. As he dies, the Hulk's persona arises in his mind. Banner pleads with the Hulk, begging him to simply let go of his conflicts - claiming that they are going to a paradise where all their dead friends are, where they will be happy. Hulk throws away this suggestion because, in his eyes, friends have always betrayed him. Amidst a thunderous storm, Hulk proclaims that all he wants is to be left alone.
The next morning, the Hulk somberly sits outside the cave, musing in his inner monologue: "Banner is gone...got rid of him last night." As he remembers the confrontation, he realizes that if he were ever to change back to Banner, he would die also. The Hulk is glad, because he does not need Banner, only for the truly tragic realization to come upon him: "Hulk...strongest one there is. Hulk...only one there is...Hulk feels...cold."