The Thing kicks the Hulk's ass in Immortal Hulk #41 preview

Fans of old-time Marvel rivalries may want to avert their eyes from December 16's Immortal Hulk #41.

No matter what the changes at Marvel Comics, there are some things you could always count on that would never change - Spider-Man would crack jokes during a fight, the Thing and the Human Torch would play pranks on one another, Namor and Susan Richards would never act on their mutual attraction, and the Hulk and the Thing would throw hands (and ruin some city streets) every couple of years.

The two Marvel strong men are some of the biggest and most powerful in their weight class, and their super-large physics has traditionally made them perfect sparring partners, even if the Hulk always had something of an edge.

But that edge is gone in these preview pages from next week's issue. Ben is kicking Bruce's butt all over Coney Island, and unlike the Alex Ross cover that shows the characters in their more classic forms, the Hulk is obviously dealing with some things and as the official solicitation copy describes, is "a shadow of his former self..."

Shadow is an understatement. Eat a sandwich, Hulk!

Of course, Immortal Hulk readers already know why the Hulk looks like he overdid it on the Nutrisystem in these pages by Joe Bennett, anyone who isn't versed might want to check out writer Al Ewing's work on the entire Immortal Hulk series, which is building to something of a conclusion in the near but still interminate future. 

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