Iron Manalready knows how to kill theHulk, and it is way too dark for theMCU. The two founding members of the Avengers have not always seen eye to eye, and at times their relationship has become downright contentious. Yet in 2009’sRealm of Kings#1, Iron Man finally got the Hulk in a dark fashion.
Realm of Kings#1 was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and drawn by Leonardo Manco and Mahmud Asrar. Quasar accidentally arrives on an alternate Earth dominated by a supernatural force.
In this world, the Hulk is a Lovecraftian nightmare, and when he reverts to Banner, a demon-possessed Iron Man kills him by ripping his heart out.
Iron Man and the Hulk Are Two Sides of the Same Coin in the Marvel Universe
Iron Man’s Life is Positively Charmed Next to the Hulk’s
Iron Man and the Hulk are two of Marvel’s most popular heroes, debuting early in the Silver Age of Comics. The Hulk was a unique hero, in that he was not really a “hero,” but instead a rampaging brute prone to instability and violence. That the Hulk helps people is secondary to him: he just wants to be left alone.
While both the Hulk and Iron Man were born in tragedy, Iron Man has had a much easier go of being a hero: he is not hounded by the government and generally trusted by the public.
On the opposite side is Iron Man. Wealthy industrialist Tony Stark was injured and forced to build a suit of armor to survive. While both the Hulk and Iron Man were born in tragedy, Iron Man has had a much easier go of being a hero: he is not hounded by the government and generally trusted by the public.
The Hulk and Iron Man Have Fought Many Times
Iron Man Was Directly Responsible for One of the Hulk’s Biggest Losses
The Hulk’s frequent outbursts have come with casualties and untold amounts of property damage, making him a menace that must be contained. As Tony Stark, Iron Man has been at the forefront of some of these initiatives, be it building Hulkbuster armor suits or masterminding a plan to exile the Hulk into deep space.
Sending the Hulk into exile drove a particularly big wedge between him and Iron Man. Iron Man was one of the plan’s architects, and it worked, just not the way Tony hoped.As detailed inPlanet Hulk,Banner landed on a gladiator world, where he fought his way to the top of the pecking order.
At first, this plan seemed to give the Hulk a purpose at long last, as well as a place to call home, but once again Iron Man got in the way.
At first, this plan seemed to give the Hulk a purpose at long last, as well as a place to call home, but once again Iron Man got in the way. The Hulk’s ship was set to self-destruct, to prevent him from escaping. It detonated, but killed the family Hulk had created on the planet.
Today,Iron Man and the Hulk have anuneasy relationship. The crimes of the past have not been forgiven, nor forgotten, but they have put their differences aside for the greater good. However, the Hulk is unpredictable, and could pop again at any time, leading to his and Stark’s friendship heating up again.
Realm of KingsShowed a Dark End to Iron Man and the Hulk’s Rivalry
The tension between the Hulk and Iron Man came to a brutal end on the alternate Earth visited by Quasar. The Earth he found was a dark blasphemy of the Marvel Universe, literally, as it had been conquered by demonic forces, ones that corrupted the Avengers and turned the Hulk into an eldritch nightmare.
The demon-possessed Iron Man, not held back by Tony’s usual inhibitions, did what his 616 counterpart has been unable to do for over 60 years: defeat the Hulk. Granted, Iron Man had to “cheat,” waiting for the Hulk to turn back to Banner. Iron Man took advantage of Banner’s weakened state and murdered him.
Iron Man and the Hulk Will Never Be Enemies in the MCU Like They Are in the Comics
Iron Man and the Hulk Are Best Buddies in the MCU
This was one ofRealm of Kings’darkest moments, and it is one that will never be seen in the MCU. Even though the franchise is currently exploring its multiverse, the alternate Earth seen in this issue is way too dark and violent for the traditionally PG-13 MCU, and ripping a man’s heart out would earn the film an “R” rating.
Furthermore, even thoughIron Manand theHulkhave an uneasy relationship in the comics, their MCU counterparts are best friends, and even have a nickname: Science Bros. Their tight friendship in theMCUhas translated into collaboration, as seen inAge of Ultron,meaning the two most likely will never fight.
