The Marvel cosmos is about to be embroiled in a violent, intergalactic war as theHulksjoin the fray to bring order to a collapsing cosmos. Planet Sakaar, the Hulk’s found home in an era of rage-induced isolation, has been caught in the conflict and now needs a Hulk to return and deliver a new generation of peace. However, Bruce Banner isn’t the one coming to save the day.
Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 -by Stephanie Phillips and Emilio Laiso - follows She-Hulk as she is tasked withprotecting and bringing peace to the war-torn planet of New Sakaar.
As part ofnext month’sImperial (2025)four-issue event, led by Jonathan Hickman, Iban Coello, and Federico Vicentini, Marvel is soon to be cast in a sudden, brutal war that promises to reshape the Marvel cosmos entirely. Armed with the immeasurable strength of a Hulk and Jennifer Walters’s mental prowess, She-Hulk is set to follow in her cousin’s footsteps decades after the Green Goliath left his newfound home.
Sakaar’s Past AndPlanet Hulk’s Impact On The World
The Hulks Have Become Sakaar’s Saviors
The last time many Marvel readers saw the planet of Sakaar, much of the plant’s surface was ravaged afterthe Hulk’s ally Miek secretly unleashed a devastating explosionthat seemingly took the lives of the Hulk’s wife and unborn children. As the Hulk abandoned Sakaar to return to Earth, both of the Green Behemoth’s children survived and were raised to become as violently unhinged as their father. Growing to hate the war-obsessed nature of the Sakaarans, the Hulk’s son Skaar planned tooffer the planet to Galactus.
While Sakaar ultimately saw its demise, it was revived as new whenthe Time Stoneemerged from within the planet’s core. Now branded as “New Sakaar,” the planet quickly fell under the rule of the power-hungry Warlord, just as Sakaar had once been under the Red King’s thumb when the Hulk first arrived. Years later,Amadeus Cho would answer the call to help this war-torn planetand helped install the Doka’abi Clan as Sakaar’s leading political faction. However, peace never lasts and without the heroes who liberated the planet, Sakaar is destined to fall again.
Sakaar Needs A Hulk To Maintain Its Delicate Peace
The Vaccuum Of Power Gives Rise To Future Tyrants
Now, a new war has broken out across the universe, leaving Sakaar once again at threat. While Marvel Comics has dropped multiple teasers for the upcomingImperialevent, there is still little known about the true scale of this cataclysmic war or the source of the conflict. Regardless, war never changes, especially on Sakaar. First revealed by AIPT Comics,Marvel has released a notable quotealongside She-Hulk’s character art for the series, reading:“Peace will not last. The wars of succession will resume. I need you to stay.”
Without a Hulk to safeguard the planet, Sakaar is doomed to fall under a new warlord.
While we can’t say for certain what this chillingly ominous message is explicitly referring to, this is most likelya quote from the Hulkto She-Hulk. Bruce Banner, the Green Scar, and Amadeus Cho each understand Sakaar’s volatile nature. Without a clear leader to unify the planet’s people,a new power-hungry despot will rise to fill the vacuum of leadership.Twice has the planet been liberated by a Hulk who has had to break through systemic oppression and grueling violence to free Sakaar from itself. Without a Hulk to safeguard the planet, Sakaar is doomed to fall under a new warlord.
Planet She-HulkWill Undoubtedly Be Different From Its Predecessors
Marvel Has An Opporunity To Bring She-Hulk Closer To The Hulk
WhileImperial War: Planet She-Hulkis similar in concept to the previousPlanet Hulkseries,we should expect a notably different tone from this new one-shot.Jennifer Walters, while entertaining, is a notably more comedic character than her fellow Hulks. She nor Amadeus Cho share the same trauma that Bruce Banner and his Hulks do, making their stories significantly more light-hearted by comparison. Wherethe originalPlanet Hulkdepended on the Hulk’s uncontrollable rage to tell a story of conquest and belonging, Jennifer Walters simply lacks that same internal drive.
Admittedly, there’s not much Marvel can do with a one-shot to deliver the same impact that the original series brought. That said, that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Hopefully, She-Hulk can bring about a new era of prosperity for Sakaar and rise to become the leader that her cousin once was before her. If She-Hulk were to get a follow-up series,Marvel would have a great opportunity to bring Jennifer Walters closer to the Hulk, forcing her to endure at least a fraction of the trials that Bruce and the Hulk were made to.
Regardless, Sakaar is gaining a new gamma-fueled leader whenShe-Hulktakes over as its new champion and protector later this summer.
