Marvel Officially Confirms Bruce Banner Is No Longer The Hulk

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Published Jun 26, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

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The following article contains spoilers for Infernal Hulk #8.

Ever since Bruce Banner became exposed to gamma radiation, causing him to transform into a green behemoth when angered, he has desperately struggled to find a solution. Yet, no attempts to cure himself of The Incredible Hulk have resulted in success.

Well, it appears that his dream of becoming an average, completely human nuclear physicist has finally come true. However, Banner realizes that with every blessing comes a curse as he discovers the downside of losing his monstrous alter ego.

In the most recent issue of Infernal Hulk, Bruce Banner is discussing with a group of his fellow Marvel heroes — including Reed "Mister Fantastic" Richards, Tony "Iron Man" Stark, and Vision — how to get rid of the comic book series' eponymous villain. The others believe that the only solution is to sic another Hulk on him, meaning that it is time for Banner to get angry.

It is then that Banner reveals that the part of him that made him a superhero in the first place truly is no more. Even when trying to reverse the process that infected him with his alter ego by affecting himself with gamma radiation, for the first time ever, transforming into the Hulk is completely impossible for him.

Banner also explains that the moment when Infernal Hulk was created by Eldest, by violently separating the green monster from the Avenger's physical body and resulting in a new purely evil entity, he did not simply remove his irradiated cells. In the process, Banner became fully immune to gamma radiation.

As established, Banner has endured multiple attempts to develop a cure for The Hulk, none of which, much to his frustration, would manage to last. Of course, as luck would have it, just as a permanent solution finally and effectively presents itself, Banner's alter ego is needed more than ever.

The Search For A New Hulk Begins

As Banner points out during his discussion with his friends over how to defeat The Infernal Hulk, there are other Hulks around that could be of assistance. He even assures Tony Stark that they would be more than willing to help put a stop to the imposing new villain's rampage of destruction across the world.

The Avengers have already enlisted help from Banner's son Skaar, whom he conceived as the Hulk with an extraterrestrial named Caiera during the "Planet Hulk" storyline. The scientist's girlfriend, Betty Ross, may also be able to tap into her Red She-Hulk side to take on the enemy, if not the original She-Hulk, Bruce's cousin and attorney Jennifer Walters.

While the Avengers have plenty of trusted help at their disposal to defeat The Infernal Hulk, it still leaves the lingering question of whether this truly is the last of Bruce Banner's days as a mean, green crime-fighting machine. Could Eldest's mystical immunization of his gamma-susceptible physiology also be reversed with magic as well? Or will this storyline serve as a permanent end to that long, legendary era of the characters' legacy in Marvel Comics?

The Infernal Hulk is written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who is already no stranger to putting classic Marvel Comics characters through horrific situations, such as with his contribution to the Marvel Zombies franchise. With this series, he and artist Nic Klein have been laying the groundwork for the upcoming Hulk War crossover event, which they are leading into with a series of one-shots that see characters like Wolverine and Spider-Man taking their chances against the beast one at a time.

Infernal Hulk #8 is now available where comic books are sold.