Warning: contains spoilers for Incredible Hulk #11!
The Marvel Universe is full of gods and other assorted deities, and now the publisher has confirmed how the traditional conception of “God” fits into the equation. Over the years, fans have met extremely powerful beings, some of whom may fit the mold of “God.” In Incredible Hulk #11, however, fans learn the God of Christianity is indeed a part of Marvel’s pantheon.
In Incredible Hulk #11, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and drawn by Danny Earls, the Jade Giant is fighting “Frozen Charlotte,” a former angel who is now collecting “virtuous” souls. Frozen Charlotte was once the lover of Lucifer, but was cast out of “Heaven” alongside him after his failed rebellion.
Later, in the issue’s back matter, a deity named “God of the Heavens” is revealed as the one Lucifer rebelled against.
This God of the Heavens commands legions of angels, including Lucifer and Frozen Charlotte, and in its jealousy, casts them out of “Heaven.”
While Incredible Hulk #11’s back matter does not directly link the God the Heavens with the classic, Judeo-Christian conception of God, the similarities are undeniable. Within some strands of Christian thought, Satan (also known as Lucifer) led a rebellion against God in primordial times. After this great war, Satan and those who sided with him were cast into Hell. This story, popularized in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, bears a strong resemblance to the one described at the end of the issue. It is one of the few (and maybe only) times Marvel has addressed the issue.
Since the birth of the modern Marvel Universe in the early 1960s, numerous powerful beings, some even claiming to be gods, have revealed themselves to Earth’s heroes. While never claiming to be a god to be worshiped, Eternity, the living embodiment of the universe, can be reconciled with the Christian conception of God. Some believers feel that God is also a judge, and this finds echoes in the Living Tribunal. Finally, there is the One-Above-All, arguably the most powerful being in the entire Marvel Universe, and another candidate to be the Christian “God.”
Now, however, Marvel has shown exactly how “God” fits into their universe. It has a title, “the God of the Heavens,” but as the back matter in Incredible Hulk #11 makes clear, it is not a multiversal or cosmic entity along the lines of Galactus or the One-Above-All. Instead, the Christian “God” is just another deity in the Marvel Universe, more on par with Odin or Zeus. The back matter does not reveal what happened to the God of the Heavens, meaning he could still be out there. God may one day return to the Marvel Universe, seeking vengeance.
Incredible Hulk #11 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!