The Hulk is easily one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel Universe, but how would he fare against a gargantuan kaiju with atomic breath like Godzilla? That’s the question Marvel Comics poses with a variant cover for The Incredible Hulk #17, which features the Hulk battling Godzilla in a pop culture titan-clash fans have waited decades to see.

Marvel issued a press release announcing a variant cover initiative that will see Godzilla face-off against Marvel Comics’ most popular characters. This is in celebration of Godzilla’s original comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics in the ‘70s, as the publisher is reprinting every issue in two separate formats: Godzilla #1 Facsimile Edition and Godzilla: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus.

Among the variant covers is this one, which shows Godzilla attempting to crush the Hulk with its mighty claws. The Hulk is able to withstand Godzilla’s raw strength, which should also be true with the King of the Monsters’ atomic breath, given the Hulk’s famous history of surviving massive explosions. But, can the Hulk’s strength do more than just withstand that of Godzilla, but surpass it? Since their conflict is limited to a single variant cover, fans may never know, but it sure is a fun thought to entertain.

The Incredible Hulk #17’s Godzilla Variant Cover is done by artist Andrei Bressan.

Hulk’s Fight with Godzilla Actually Fits with Bruce Banner’s Ongoing Story

The Incredible Hulk Vol. 4

Right now in Marvel Comics canon, the Hulk is battling ancient monsters, all of which are led by the eldritch beast known as the Mother of Horrors. Unlike other god-like beings in the Marvel Universe, the Mother of Horrors isn’t otherworldly or cosmic, but a creature spawned by the Earth itself - which isn’t too dissimilar to Godzilla. In MonsterVerse canon, Godzilla is linked to the Earth so intrinsically, that he can feel when the planet is out of balance. Godzilla is the physical manifestation of nature, one that corrects imbalance through sheer destructive force.

In contrast, the Hulk is a being whose power originates with the One Below All, making him an agent of otherworldly, cosmic design by a higher power. The Hulk is an affront to nature as it is personified in the Mother of Horrors, meaning his existence on Earth would also alert Godzilla as an ‘imbalance’, prompting the King of the Monsters to attack. While Godzilla likely wouldn’t be an ally of the Mother of Horrors, he likely would attack the Hulk for virtually the same reasons as the eldritch beast, meaning he’d fit right in with the Hulk’s ongoing storyline.

Godzilla Could Prove to be the Hulk’s Greatest Ally Against the Mother of Horrors

While Godzilla could initially see the Hulk as a threat to the entire planet, the King of the Monsters isn’t just a mindless brute, meaning he can eventually understand that Hulk is a hero, and that the true ‘imbalance’ in the Avenger’s current storyline lies with the Mother of Horrors herself, despite her link to Planet Earth. If that happened, then Godzilla could become the Hulk’s greatest ally, helping the Green Goliath obliterate the Mother of Horrors with his unparalleled power, thereby proving himself as the King of the Monsters even in the Marvel Universe.

Of course, all this speculation only means something if Godzilla actually crosses over into Marvel Comics continuity, which - unfortunately - is not in the foreseeable future, as he’s merely making cameo appearances on these variant covers. However, it’s still incredibly fun to not only see Godzilla battling heroes like the Hulk, but also create narratives surrounding it based on Marvel’s current canon, and it’s safe to say that that’s the whole point of this outrageously awesome variant cover initiative.

The Incredible Hulk #17 Godzilla Variant Cover by Marvel Comics is available September 18, 2024.

Source: Marvel