The Hulk has always been a unique superhero, from his nightmarish powers to his complicated backstory. However, as unique as the Hulk is, the original character has nothing on the X-Men‘s version of him, which is primed for a comeback.
Behold The Power of The X-Men’s ‘Ice Hulk’ Behemoth
As revealed in Exceptional X-Men #12 by Eve L. Ewing and Federica Mancin, the members of the young mutant superhero team are training with their mentors, Emma Frost and Iceman. The Exceptional X-Men are an offshoot squad from the original X-Men team who are trying to find their own way in the post-Krakoa world, so they need all the training they can get. And Iceman doesn’t hold back.
Iceman uses his mutant powers to not only engulf the Exceptional X-Men in a room of ice, thereby giving them much more challenging terrain in which to train, but he also does something pretty spectacular. Iceman creates a ‘Hulk’ made entirely of ice, which he can control remotely and uses to test the Exceptional X-Men’s abilities.
X-Men is Potentially Teasing The Ice Hulk’s Return To Canon
While it may be a throwaway appearance for this issue, it’s also technically the first incarnation of the dreaded Ice Hulk, known to X-Men readers of 2013’s X-Men: Battle of the Atom. Ice Hulk hails from a potential future timeline in the Marvel multiverse (designated Earth-13729) and, just like the version seen in Exceptional X-Men #12, Ice Hulk is a creation of Iceman, but with one key difference: Ice Hulk is sentient.
The version of ‘Ice Hulk’ the Exceptional X-Men fought in this issue was no more sentient than a puppet, as Iceman had complete control over him during the training session. However, this issue could be setting the stage for the moment when Iceman does create a sentient Ice Hulk, leading to the return of a monstrous X-Men villain.
It’s Time for a Hulk vs Ice Hulk Showdown
Ice Hulk is an established villain in Marvel Comics, and this issue of Exceptional X-Men sets the stage for his return. If Ice Hulk does make a comeback and becomes a plague in the Marvel Universe, then it would only make sense for the original Hulk to step in and take him down. Then, fans will finally get to see how this unique version of the Hulk compares to the original.
Only time will tell if the non-sentient version of ‘Ice Hulk’ shown in this X-Men comic will eventually become the villain fans know and love. However, what is clear is how unique this version of the Hulk truly is, and how exciting even the mere prospect of his return to Marvel Comics canon is as well.
- First Appearance
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The Incredible Hulk (1962)
- Alias
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Robert Bruce Banner
- Alliance
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Avengers, Defenders, Horsemen of Apocalypse, Fantastic Four, Pantheon, Warbound, S.M.A.S.H., Secret Avengers
- Franchise
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Marvel
