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The Hulk is a known commodity in the Marvel universe, but did you know Bruce Banner was not the first to use the moniker. In Immortal Hulk #30, the former character to use that name comes to the forefront. Xemnu the Living Titan came onto the scene in Journey into Mystery #62 back in 1960. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby even put “here comes the Hulk” on the front cover of that issue. So, that’s a nice nod to the fans, but Xemnu is back to cause some trouble for Bruce Banner here in the modern Marvel landscape. It seems as though Hulk will have to solve this one with his brains and not his anger. *Spoilers for Immortal Hulk #30 to follow.*

So, lately, Xemnu is more a psychic threat and uses his powers to target weak-minded people. Roxxon’s CEO Dari Agger has teamed with the old Hulk villain to try and turn the public against the hero. Readers get to see Xemnu starring in a Saturday morning television program. He speaks directly to the children with his hypnotic eyes and that’s all it takes. The monster implores the audience to give in to nostalgia for the times of their youth. It’s absolutely strange and at least mildly entertaining to see this take on the effects of television on an audience.

Hulk barges in and tries to stop the monster. Xemnu proceeds to invoke the taste of old sodas and then tells the audience the hero is hurting him. Grabbing a television personality by the scruff is pretty bad optics, honestly. “Oh dear. He’s going to kill me. Do you remember your first love?” is an all-timer as a line of dialogue. Crusher Steel intervenes and takes the big green hero back to Doctor McGowan. The doctor tells Hulk that displaying all that anger isn’t helping matters at all.

(Photo: Marvel Entertainment)

Roxxon seems to have the upper hand and it will be up to Hulk to find a way to break Xemnu’s hold on the populace. PR spin is a tricky thing, but that should be no match for a man with Bruce Banner’s intellect. But, the next round between the furry villain and Hulk should play out quite a bit differently.

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