Marvel fans will know Sakaar as the world where the Hulk fought in gladiator arena battles in the highly acclaimed Planet Hulk comic series. This world was also featured prominently in Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Thor: Ragnarok as well as in the animated Planet Hulk film adaptation.
If you are hungry for more stories on Sakaar, then we have good news: It has just been announced that a new one-shot comic called Return to Planet Hulk - which is being released to mark Planet Hulk’s 20th anniversary - is coming, and it will take place on the hostile alien world. It has also been confirmed that original Planet Hulk writer Greg Pak and original artist Carlo Pagulayan are once again working on Return to Planet Hulk, so it really is great to see the creators of the classic comic returning for this exciting tale. Pagulayan also provided the cover for the one-shot, which shows a defiant Hulk wielding a battle-axe in one hand and the remains of his robot foe in the other, with the look of pure rage on the green monster’s face no doubt encapsulating the mindset he will be in throughout the story.
The comic will focus on the choices the Hulk makes throughout the events of the original Planet Hulk storyline, particularly how he struggles with liberating the planet or bringing about his downfall due to his uncontrollable anger and his unquenched thirst for vengeance. In other words, it sounds like this story will showcase the Hulk at his absolute angriest. Pak also issued the following statement about the new comic and what it will entail:
“Working on Planet Hulk remains one of the greatest joys of my comics career, and I’m enormously grateful for the love so many readers have shared for the storyline over the years. This 20th anniversary special is a celebration and a huge thank you to everyone — and a chance to take one more journey into the dark heart of the Green Scar and add to the wild mythos of Sakaar. It’s also a huge pleasure to be working with Carlo Pagulayan and Mark Paniccia again — it’s like we never left off, and it feels like home.”
As you can clearly tell, it sounds like Return to Planet Hulk will be a story which fans of the original Planet Hulk comic will thoroughly enjoy. The one-shot will be available on October 8, so Marvel fans might want to mark that date in their calendars. Because this is clearly a story which fans of the original Planet Hulk series will not want to miss.
The Hulk is one of Marvel's most timeless superheroes and he has transcended the genre into movies, television, and video games over the years. As fans await the character's return in the MCU, there is no better time to dive into the character's Marvel Comics adventures. And the chance to do so with a sequel to one of his biggest and best stories is just too exciting.
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