A hero that fans briefly met in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is dead, and their death is the catalyst for Imperial, a cosmic event from mastermind Jonathan Hickman. Imperial is a four-issue event series by Hickman and artists Iban Coello and Federico Vicentini. Its purpose is to set the foundation for a new wave of cosmic titles, with Hickman shaking up the status quo in a similar fashion to his work on the X-Men. Heroes such as Hulk, Black Panther, Star-Lord, and Nova will take center stage in Imperial, but a hero close to one of them has perished even before the battles begin.
ComicBook has the exclusive preview of Imperial #1 by Jonathan Hickman, Federico Vicentini, Iban Coello, and Federico Blee. The preview begins with a spacecraft entering through Gateway 231B from the Milky Way to Andromeda. Amadeus Cho and Jennifer Walters are sitting together on the ship, trying to understand why they’ve been called from their home million light-years away. There’s been an unexpected death, and someone’s attendance at the funeral is mandatory.
image credit: marvel comicsimage credit: marvel comicsimage credit: marvel comics
Jennifer hates space, but if there’s one thing Amadeus has learned, when the Big Guy insists you do something, it’s best to keep questions to a minimum. The Big Guy in question is Hulk, though it’s Bruce Banner who is sitting next to them. He says that he asked Amadeus and Jennifer to come with him because they’re family, and his son, Hiro-Kala, is dead.
Bruce Banner, Amadeus Cho, and Jennifer Walters are taken to the ship’s holding area to change into the proper regalia for the funeral ceremony. They’re heading to Sakaar en Nevo, the planet that replaces Sakaar. Much like its predecessor, Sakaar en Nevo is a war planet where only the strong survive. Once they land, we see our heroes in their Hulk forms, with Amadeus and Jennifer changing into Brawn and She-Hulk, respectively.
People are rioting in the streets instead of mourning their fallen king. Brawn uses a tech pad to look up the funeral process for a fallen regent, which includes a ceremonial funeral followed by a mourning period. After that, the Dominion Games of ascendancy begin. This is interrupted by a gladiator who begins to talk badly about Hiro-Kala, and how he wasn’t a true warrior king. The consul attempts to stand up to the gladiator, but suffers a quick death instead. The gladiator then points his sword at the Hulks and asks if they have any words to speak. Hulk has no time for words and launches the gladiator out of the city, crashing to the ground outside.
image credit: marvel comicsimage credit: Marvel comicsimage credit: Marvel comics
Hiro-Kala is the twin brother of Skaar, whom MCU fans briefly met in the season finale of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Hulk brought him to the cookout that Jennifer Walters and her family were throwing. She-Hulk set up the story arc of Hulk traveling into space to go to Sakaar, and there were rumors that a Planet Hulk or World War Hulk project was in the works. With Disney dialing back the number of Marvel Studios films and TV shows released in a given year, news on Planet Hulk/World War Hulk has dried up.
We’ve been told that assassinations of galactic leaders are the lightning rod for Imperial, and it appears Hiro-Kala may be its first death. With space in chaos, empires will start to accuse each other and go to war. Charles Xavier and Lilandra’s daughter, Xandra, also gets tied up in Imperial, with the finale of X-Manhunt sending Professor X and Lilandra into space to save their daughter.
There will also be five one-shots spinning out of the event, with the first two being Imperial War: Black Panther and Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk. Imperial War: Black Panther finds Hulk raging war against Black Panther and the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, while Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk follows Bruce Banner’s cousin, Jennifer Walters, on New Sakaar as she looks to keep the peace.
“JONATHAN HICKMAN, FEDERICO VICENTINI AND IBAN COELLO TAKE ON THE UNIVERSE!” the description of Imperial #1 reads. “A sweeping Marvel cosmic event! Imperial is a story of intrigue, mysteries and war, which takes place against the backdrop of the formation of new galactic order in the Marvel Universe. Featuring HULKS, BLACK PANTHERS, NOVAS, GUARDIANS and COSMIC KINGS and QUEENS. It’s the must-read book of the summer!”
Imperial #1 goes on sale Wednesday, June 4th. Let us know your thoughts on the preview in the comments!
An exclusive preview of Imperial #1 sends Hulk, Brawn, and She-Hulk to New Sakaar to attend the funeral of Hulk’s son, Hiro-Kala. Read More