The Incredible Hulk, Vol. 5: Gods Drink Blood

The Incredible Hulk (2023)

by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Danny Earls (Artist), Nic Klein (Artist)

Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s horror-infused, monstrous run on the Hulk continues!

In the aftermath of Bruce Banner and Charlie Tidwell’s dramatic escape from Las Vegas, they’re back on the road and lying low — or so Banner thinks. But as Charlie goes off at night to revel in the newfound power she doesn’t understand, she’s found by the Werewolf by Night, who warns her about the consequences of what she’s done — and what she’s becoming. Meanwhile, the Hulk is hunted down by one of those consequences: the immortal wolf-demon Varcolac, one of the oldest, most powerful creatures on Earth! As Charlie revels in her new strength, her childhood fantasy of becoming a super hero seems within reach after all — but as she continues to change in terrifying ways, she’s not sure whether she’s still one of the good guys. Plus: Banner becomes completely locked away within the body and mind of the Hulk! And Doctor Strange drops by for a spell!

COLLECTING: Incredible Hulk (2023) 20-24

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Science Fiction

152 pages, Paperback

Published August 12, 2025

About the author

Phillip Kennedy Johnson earned a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, where he served as Teaching Fellow for the Department of Jazz Studies, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Kentucky University. SFC Johnson has performed with the Lexington Philharmonic, Dallas Opera, Washington Symphonic Brass, and the Moscow Ballet, and was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 2004 to 2005. SFC Johnson remains active as a composer, arranger, teacher, and clinician, and also enjoys a second career as a writer of comics and graphic novels. His work has been published by DC Comics, Marvel Comics, BOOM! Studios, and more.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie Smash!



So now that Charlie is wearing the skin of Lycania, a god of the skinwalkers, she is a monster in her own right. Banner is still trapped in the Hulkscape, and without his voice of reason, she may end up becoming more monster than human.
And the clock is apparently ticking.



With Lycania's shapeshifting worshipers hot on their trail, they pay a visit to Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorium and ask Clea for help controlling her monster.
Or is it Clea?
And with Stephen Strange in Valhalla, this leads to a run-in with Thor as he remembers Lycania's skin from the days of...yore?
Anyway. Fun stuff.



I'm still really enjoying the way Johnson is bringing all the monster lore into this run.
Highly Recommended for Hulksters.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Hulk’s travels with Charlie in the darker corners of the Marvel Universe continue. While I’m very much in favour of the Hulk being a horror book, this is all starting to feel a bit samey.

I did enjoy seeing Banner again, though, and Kev Walker’s artwork on #24 was gorgeous. The transformation scene in that issue was pretty cool, too; very ‘Immortal Hulk’.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad dog!
Hulk encounters a multitude of werewolves.
Jack Russell makes an appearance as well as the God of Thunder.
The series continues to be entertaining, well written, and the writing is still up to par but it does feel like the author needs to start wrapping up this storyline.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This run's really hitting its stride now - the dynamic between Hulk, Banner, and Charlie has become really interesting, and these six issues (including an extra sized #25) continue to evolve that relationship as well as the ongoing battle with Eldest and her monsters.

This time around we get some werewolves, including Jack Russell, a skin-stealing little creepazoid, and some appearances by Clea, and Thor, in a rematch of Banner Of War from a few runs ago. There's little undercurrents that something is really not right here, and something's gotta give - it's just going to be a question of what, or who.

Artwise we're still switching between Nic Klein and Danny Earls, with a fill-in from Kev Walker along the way as well. I like a good rotating art team, and these two (plus Walker) have been tag-teaming well for a while now. I still prefer Klein to Earls, but they're a good one-two punch.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The age of monsters continues! In Volume 5 of The Incredible Hulk, "Gods Drink Blood", Hulk and Charlie escape Vegas, only to run across an ancient monster called Varcolac, who wants to eat Hulk. Charlie meets Werewolf By Night, who warns her that with great power comes great responsibility... and lots of unnecessary bloodshed (or something like that). The two travel to New York to see if Doctor Strange can help, only to find that Varcolac has gotten there first. Thor shows up, thinking Charlie's an ancient creature he battled once, only to find that she's not that bad. Black Widow and Winter Soldier (now calling himself The Revolution(?) ) show up looking for Bruce, but they are one step behind him...

[James DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've got to be honest, this run is starting to lose me. While the initial volumes had a great concept of blending horror folklore with the Hulk, this latest installment feels incredibly stretched out. The whole plot point of Bruce Banner and Charlie Tidwell hiding out after their dramatic escape from Las Vegas just isn't doing it for me anymore. It feels like the story has been spinning its wheels for a while now.

I really like the idea of Charlie and her newfound powers, but it doesn't feel like the story is doing enough with her. She has all this potential, yet her journey feels like it's on the back burner. The introduction of Werewolf by Night sounded really cool and had me excited, but the fight felt forced and didn't have the impact I was hoping for. It's a perfect example of how the run seems to be straying from its core strengths.

My biggest wish for this series is for it to go back to the simple, fun horror folklore tales that made the start of the run so compelling. This volume gets bogged down with a slow-burn narrative that just doesn't feel as engaging.

There are great ideas here, the immortal wolf-demon Varcolac is a genuinely cool threat, but the execution holds it back. It's a comic with a lot of potential that, for me, just didn't live up to it this time around. A 2.5 out of 5.

[Khurram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the most horror-based book of the Hulk so far. There are no good guys, or heroes just survivors. Monster, sacrifices and lots of collateral damage.

Charlie has the God skin for all the power and strength it gives her it has painted a huge target on her back. Everyone is coming after. Can even the Hulk protest her or is this a job for Banner? The main event of the book is the battle between Hulk and Thor.

This is just a violent smash-mouth style monster mash. The Hulk can punch his way out of almost anything but even he can't punch destiny. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some cool cameos this time at least, and twisty-turny plotting. I'll be back for Vol. 6.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

Certainly a bit of complacency on this arc, which is short but still overstretched.

Nevertheless, I admit to being caught up in this horrific run full of sound and fury. It could move faster, but I'm entertained enough, so...

The characters don't develop much: Charlie is still a pain in the neck – and it's not going to get any better – and Hulk is... Hulk. Short but fun sentences, way to go mate!

Artwise, I'm not a big fan of Danny Earls, too street art cartoony for my taste, but Kev Walker's fill-in is really good, with a gory transformation just the way we like it.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Werewolf By Night! Clea! Thor! Black Widow! Bucky! Very excited to see where things go from here, especially as Charlie fights against the growing hunger within her and Bruce and Hulk are still fighting.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gods Drink Blood is a transitional volume, a bit all over the place, but definitely satisfying when it focuses on Charlie and her new, dangerous wolf-skin that's drawing other monsters out of the woodwork. Essentially, it's the classic tale of a nobody receiving superpowers and not quite knowing what to do with them. Add a grumpy Hulk to the stew and things often get interesting.

They also get scattered. Over the course of the volume, Charlie and Hulk make their way to the east coast, resulting in individual issues feeling more like locale-specific one-shots. The wildly varying artwork adds to this sense. It's fun when the duo work with Clea (though it seems outrageous that a bunch of wolf demons could trap her within the Sanctum Sanctorum!) and the battle with Thor is predictable, if enjoyable, mostly through the lore about Varcolac, the immortal wolf-demon. The end stinger promises interesting adventures ahead with Black Widow and Bucky - I'm down, though I feel like the Mother of Monsters bit was never really resolved.

[Evan Horad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the plot twist.

[Roman · Rating 4 out of 5]

П'ятий том у рані ФКД на Галці зосереджується на Чарлі, її нових здібностях та ціні, яку їй доводиться платити за те, що вона стала новою носійкою шкури Лікани.

Томик вкотре вийшов достатньо екшоновим із фірмовими сутичками з різними монстрами, кульмінацією яких тут стає битва між Галком та Тором, який вбачає в новій сайдкікині зеленого Голіафа лиш давнє зло. Головною проблемою тут для мене є лиш те, що перші дві історії можна було б спокійно скоротити до одного номеру, а не двох. Також дещо лишнім, як на мене, вийшла поява Нічного Перевертня, який побився з Чарлі, потім постояв з нашими героями й пішов, складається враження, що це було потрібно лиш для того, щоб його власну серію якось прорекламувати.

Щодо малюнку то у нас тут декілька художників і всі вони видали непогано роботу, головною окрасою звісно, як завжди був Нік Кляйн, але й Денні Ірлс та Кев Волкер теж молодці, особливо сподобався момент з тим як Галк вирвався із животів перевертнів після того, як вони зжерли Бенера.

Неймовірний Галк, попри деякі мої претензії, продовжує бути крутою серією, якщо ви любите персонажа, то однозначно вартує зацінити.

[Alex Sarll]

Sometimes this feels less like a Hulk comic than a Marvel monsters series in which he's part of the ensemble. And when Nic Klein or Kev Walker are drawing, I'm fine with that, though the two issues of Jack Russell crossover with art by Danny Earls feel cartoonish and flimsy by comparison.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another pretty solid romp for the Incredible Hulk series. Phillip Kennedy Johnson continues to write one the best written books for current Marvel. We get some pretty sizable action in this volume and a couple guest appearances. One I admit I was a bit disappointed with while the other was awesome sauce. Let's get this out of the way, the current Marvel continuity is a mess. I just don't know what is going on anymore and as a whole the larger Marvel universe is just treading water. This can be felt then in the appearance of Clea as the Sorcerer Supreme. Now I am familiar with Clea and she is a good character but let's face it Doctor Strange and Hulk team ups have always been a great staple in Marvel storytelling and I was really looking forward to Stephen and Bruce meeting up. Especially at this hectic point in the Hulk's story. But Johnson does redeem this volume with the inclusion of the God of Thunder Thor. We get a small Hulk vs Thor clash and some really good character beats in the back end of this book. The artwork was pretty good in this volume as well. Between this and the Al Ewing the Hulk has had a few solid runs as of recent. It's almost like the folks at Marvel saw how well Swamp Thing stories were being told at DC comics and copied the formula, LOL. All in all the horror elements have blended very nicely into the Hulk mythos and I can't wait to see what else Johnson has in store for readers in this continuously good series. If you enjoyed this series here are few like it I'd recommend: Swamp Thing, Volume 4: Seeder, The Immortal Hulk, Vol. 1: Or is He Both?, Demon Knights, Volume 1: Seven Against the Dark, The Demon: Hell is Earth, Hulk: Gray & Strange Academy: First Class.

[AviChaim Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another strong volume from PKJ. I really enjoyed seeing Charlie step into a more active role as both a threat and an ally to the Hulk. I’m still a bit conflicted about her character, though. There are moments where she feels genuinely compelling and even cool, but overall she can come across as a bit grating. That said, she does have some strong character moments that help balance that out.
One of the more interesting elements was her struggle with being cut off from the human world and having to reinvent herself just to do something as normal as play basketball. That thread led into my favorite part of the volume, where the creature (I believe it was Nargul) takes Charlie’s skin in an attempt to pass as human. It was a strange mix of funny, unsettling, and even a little tragic, and it really stood out.
The appearances from Clea and Werewolf by Night were solid, but they didn’t hit as strongly as the main storyline. As I’ve said before, the book really shines when Nic Klein is handling the art. The frequent shifts in artists continue to disrupt the flow and take away from the overall experience.
Overall, I do recommend this volume. It’s a good read with some standout moments, even if it isn’t without its flaws. Grade: B

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie and a Godskin sitting in a tree...
K-I-L-L-I-N-G

So, they've made it out of Vegas only to have Charlie realize that the Godskin could be....bad. Waking up with bits of sinew on you and pieces of earring in your mouth could be a bit jarring, I guess. If you forget, this comic is dark A.F. Charlie survived SO much abuse that we've barely heard about. She's still idolizing Hulk and his strength, hoping that her new skinwalker powers will make her a hero in her own right.

The, 'Werewolf by Night' stops by to remind her that the Godskin is a death sentence. Whoever gets it is going to be hunted and slaughtered by EVERYBODY that wants to wear it. It's been that way FOREVER. If she's lucky, maybe Doctor Strange could help her find a loophole (or...*sic* control the Godskin).

Surely, somebody has a plan?

====
Bonus: The Godskin is gross. It's like a snakeskin that you...climb into and wear
Bonus Bonus: Still don't remember how Banner and Hulk got SO polarized...

[Ángel Javier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vaaaale: así que esto es Hulk contra el monstruo de la semana. Pues... menudo coñazo. La cole se vuelve repetitiva, se estira más que un chicle, y de paso aprendemos que el Universo Marvel es el World of Darkness, o poco menos.

A Kennedy Johnson le sienta bien Hulk porque los dos son de pocas palabras: en dos minutos, despachas cada cómic, porque además, excepto cuando está Nick Klein a los lápices, no merece la pena fijarse ni un segundo en los demás pintamonas que campan a sus anchas en la serie, y que son los que realmente dan miedo de lo mal que dibujan.

Menos mal que el episodio de la falsa Clea y el de Thor salvan el volumen. Ambos cambian un poco el tono de la colección, y nos hacen ver que Hulk y Charlie comparten mundo con algunos seres, raros y dispersos, que no parecen sacados de una peli de John Landis o de David Cronenberg. Estamos buenos...

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it speaks volumes that I didn’t remember any of what had happened in the last volume before starting this one and piecing things back together. No Eldest in this one, some weirdly convenient elements about the fractured son (did we already know that Hulk was unkillable?), and Clea and Thor being thrown into the mix for the last two issues felt rushed. I’m guessing Thor and Asgard play a bigger role now so we can bring in something about Fenris, which I’d be on board with if it didn’t feel like such a likely detour from the main narrative. Some of the art in this, especially by Klein, was truly grotesque. I found it off-putting but it also, in compelling ways, reminded me of Swamp Thing comics from the 80s/90s?

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm getting tired of this. Johnson's run is focused on the horror and the monsters, but it's not even close to what Al Ewing was doing and is starting to seem like a mere echo of that previous run. The art's not even that great for most of this volume. Plus, we get another Hulk vs. Thor beatdown. I just want something new. Is that too much to ask?

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie's turning into a monster now that she's put on the godskin. All these werewolves keep coming after her even though half of the time they look like vampires. Hulk's more along for the ride for this one.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic installment in a series that expertly mixes brutal, visceral, body and supernatural horror with other fantastic elements of the Marvel Universe. Some of the art is pretty great and gruesome. This is a series that you'll have a lot of fun with if you love horror and monsters,

[Sam Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great volume! Love the Werewolf stuff with Charlie, love the little two part Norgul aside, and I love the Thor fight/Valravn lore. This doesn’t hit quite as hard as some of the earliest stuff in this run, but it’s still absolutely fantastic stuff. I really hope there are at least 5 more volumes of this run! At least!

[Andres Pasten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se siente algo estancada la historia, pero entretiene

[Blaine McGaffigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume is starting to wear on me. Feels like it’s treading water a bit. Would love to see more concrete story movement.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hulk and Charlie walk from episode to episode I mean mini arc to mini arc brushing up against Marvel horror and heroes.

[Oscar Alvarez Alonso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameos galore, but otherwise not much else I can say. I'm excited to see what Johnson has in store for the final volume!

[The_J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong Thor, Banner/Hulk relationship and chape changing wolves to battle. Rock and roll to Asgard