| Skaar | |
|---|---|
Variant Cover to Skaar: Son of Hulk #1. Art by Carlo Pagulayan. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | World War Hulk #5 (January 2008) |
| Created by | Greg Pak (writer) John Romita, Jr. (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Skaar |
| Place of origin | Sakaar |
| Team affiliations | Dark Avengers |
| Notable aliases | Son of Hulk, Sakaarson, Worldbreaker, the Killer of Killers, Hulk |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength, speed ,stamina and durability Regenerative healing factor Ability to draw power from the planet Immunity to fire and high temperatures Skilled swordsman |
Skaar is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character to Hulk. He is the son of the Hulk and the extraterrestrial Caiera, who conceived him during the "Planet Hulk" storyline. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist John Romita, Jr., he first appeared in World War Hulk #5 (January 2008).
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Skaar first appeared World War Hulk #5 (January 2008), a miniseries written by Greg Pak, and illustrated by John Romita, Jr. He subsequently starred in his own ongoing series by Pak, Skaar: Son of Hulk, which ran for 12 issues from 2008[1] to 2009.[2][3][4]
Following the "Planet Skaar" story arc, which resulted in Skaar's arrival on Earth, the book's title changed with issue #13 to Son of Hulk, after which new writer Paul Jenkins focused on Hiro-Kala, another son of Bruce Banner. The series ran until issue #17.[5] The story of Hiro-Kala that begins in these issues continue in a mini series that ties into the Realm of Kings event, Realm of Kings: Son of Hulk.[6]
When Greg Pak took over writing chores on The Incredible Hulk with issue #601, Skaar allied himself with a de-powered Bruce Banner.[7]
The character would then appear in the Skaar: King of the Savage Land limited series by writer Rob Williams.[8]
Skaar is the progeny of the Hulk and of Caiera the Oldstrong, who conceived Skaar during the Hulk's time on Caiera's home planet, Sakaar. After Caiera's death, and the Hulk's departure from Sakaar, Skaar emerged from a cocoon, appearing to be the age equivalent of a human preteen. A year later he resembles a human teenager, and subsequently, an intelligent adult, in both appearance and intelligence.[9] He also demonstrates himself to be a fierce and capable warrior, and becomes the enemy of Axeman Bone. He later gains the power of the stone-based "Oldstrong", which allows him to draw energy from the planet himself, and comes to be seen by some on Sakaar as a savior. Though Skaar is able to communicate with the spirit of his dead mother, Caiera, she is troubled by his becoming a killer instead of a bringer of peace to their people. To address this problem, she summons the Silver Surfer to the planet, who removes Skaar's Oldstrong power before Skaar can kill Axeman Bone, and informs him that the planet-eater, Galactus, who travels the universe consuming planets for sustenance, is approaching Sakaar. The Surfer offers Skaar the chance to use the Oldstrong power to evacuate the planet, not only saving his people, but becoming a hero to the universe, as the planet harbors enough energy to satiate Galactus' hunger for a hundred thousand years.[10] However, after the Surfer restores Skaar's Oldstrong power, Skaar destroys the evacuation ships, and tells the Surfer that if he does not spare Sakaar, he will use the Oldstrong power to increase Galactus' hunger, and endanger more planets, including ones that Surfer has saved. After the Surfer informs the planet that their safety will lead to the death of countless other planets, he leaves Sakaar. Caiera denounces Skaar for his decision, and exiles him from the planet, absorbing the Oldstrong power from him and waits for Galactus to consume her.[11]
Skaar arrives on Earth with the sole desire to kill his father, the Hulk. After coming into conflict with the United States military, and other characters such as the Fantastic Four and the Warbound, he confronts the Hulk, though not the version who was present on Sakaar. After Hulk engages Skaar in battle, he effortlessly beats him, though their fight creates a fissure that endangers a nuclear power plant. Skaar ceases his attack when he realizes that this Hulk is not the "War Hulk" version that conceived him, who is the one he truly wishes to kill, and prevents the fissure from endangering the power plant. He declares Earth to be his new home.
Skaar later encounters Bruce Banner, who had been robbed of the ability to become the Hulk by the Red Hulk. Skaar then reiterates his desire to kill the Hulk, but not in Banner's form, since they truly are separate personas. Bruce offers to teach Skaar how to kill the Hulk, should he ever return, though this is a ruse to allow Banner to monitor Skaar, and impart fatherly wisdom in the hope of turning the savage warrior into a hero. Skaar demonstrates his ability to use cunning as well as his physical strength by hurling the villain Juggernaut into outer space.[12] Subsequent lessons by Banner include encounters with Wolverine, Wolverine's son, Daken,[13] Victoria Hand, Moonstone,[14] a mutated Marlo Chandler,[15] Tyrannus, the Mole Man and his army of Moloids.[16]
After defeating the Moloids, Skaar is proclaimed a hero, and a parade is given in his honor. After a confrontation with the Red Hulk that angers Banner, Banner, fearing he will turn into the Hulk, teleports to the country of Latveria, supposedly to transform in private. During a subsequent battle between the Hulk and the Latverian villain Doctor Doom, Skaar intervenes, having teleported to Latveria with Banner's teleportation technology, as he does not wish Doom to rob him of the ability to kill Hulk. Doom overpowers Skaar with magic, reverting him to his human form, and reveals that this Hulk was a robot. Banner then arrives and rescues his son, seeing him in his human form for the first time, but Skaar rejects Banner's affection, believing that Banner cares only for his deceased wife. Concluding that Banner schemed to provoke Skaar's discovery of his teleporter in order to prompt him to come to Latveria for another "lesson", Skaar reiterates his desire to someday kill him as the Hulk.[17]
During the "Fall of the Hulks", "World War Hulks" and "Dark Son" storylines, Skaar comes to the aid of the Avengers by battling the Red She-Hulk,[18] in a story that involves the villainous group the Intelligencia turning scores of people in Washington, D.C. into Hulks, including the genius Amadeus Cho, and capturing Banner.[19] During the course of the story, Banner reemerges as the Green Scar, and Skaar, finally granted the confrontation he had longed for, attacks him. During the course of their battle, Hulk rescues a number of innocent bystanders endangered by their fight. Skaar reacts to this compassion by ceasing his assault, but Hulk continues his, causing Skaar to revert to human form. These actions remind Hulk of Banner's own abusive father, and a result, Hulk reverts to human form himself, and embraces his son, who accepts his love.[20] Skaar sets out on a journey with his father, sister, Jennifer, Rick Jones, and Betty Ross, after which he senses his brother, Hiro-Kala, approaching Earth.[21]
During the Chaos War storyline, Skaar helps his father and his friends in their fight against the forces of Amatsu-Mikaboshi.[22] When Brian Banner is discovered to have also been brought back from the dead after what happened to the death realms and becomes a Guilt Hulk/Devil Hulk hybrid, Skaar helps his father fight Brian Banner[23]
Skaar accompanied Hulk and the Warbound to the Savage Land when they were contacted by Ka-Zar on the death of some of the Sakaarians that were living there.[24] They discover that Miek was responsible in a plot to use the Sakaarian bodies to store his hatchlings.[25] When Skaar didn't want Hulk to harm the hatchlings, Miek then attempted to drug Skaar. Following Miek's supposed death, Skaar remained in the Savage Land to keep an eye on the remaining Sakaarians.[26]
Skaar was later recruited by Norman Osborn to join the second incarnation of the Dark Avengers.[27]
Skaar has powers inherited from both his parents. Like the Hulk, his father, he has superhuman endurance, regenerative abilities, and superhuman strength and durability, which, like his father, increases when he is enraged, although he is not as strong as the Savage Hulk persona. He can boost his strength further with old power, in one instance having absorbed the energy of an entire city.[28] He also can revert to a human form when calm or otherwise incapacitated. However, in his case, his other form is half-human, half-Oldstrong. From his mother, Caiera, he has the powers of an Oldstrong, emerging from his birth cocoon able to walk and talk within moments, and he can draw power from the planet and harden his body. Having been born within the depths of a lake of lava Skaar is resistant to intense heat.
In the 2007 What If? storyline "What if Caiera the Oldstrong had survived the destruction of Sakaar instead of the Hulk?", a 21-year-old version of Skaar appeared near the end, partially seen and obscured by shadows.
The series the character has appeared in have been collected into individual volumes: