COMIC DETAILS
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Comic Description:
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What If? 31 Signature
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Grade:
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9.8
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Page Quality:
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WHITE
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Certification #:
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4205483001
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Owner:
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ottodidact
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SET DETAILS
Owner's Description
What If #31 was one of the most memorable comics from my childhood. This was my introduction into the first appearance of Wolverine, but in a different reality. I love the cover art done by Budiansky and Wiacek. The initial battle where the Hulk is slain was shocking enough, but then to see the X-Men have an epic battle with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led by Magneto, was also quite exciting...
Two stories in this comic: 1) What If Wolverine Had Killed the Hulk? and 2) What If There Was No Fantastic Four?
This reality diverged during the battle between Wolverine and the Hulk (Incredible Hulk #181-182). On this reality Wolverine disobeys his order to capture him, but instead kills the Hulk. Wolverine went to celebrate at a tavern where a bar fight ensued and in the heat of the moment, unsheathed his claws and killed a civilian. He returned to his superior, James Hudson who told him he had to go through the judicial system. Wolverine was against this and fled the base, but was picked up by Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He joined them and set about infiltrating the X-Men, and after several weeks, destroyed Cerebro's defenses to allow Magneto and the Brotherhood to invade the mansion. However, Wolverine had grown affection for Jean Grey and when Magneto attacked her, he turned on the Brotherhood and helped the X-Men defeat them. With Magneto the only one left, Wolverine attempted to kill him but was stopped and when Magneto pretended to be unconscious he used his powers over metal to turn Wolverine's claws on himself and he skewered himself with them, killing him.
In a world where a bitter Ben Grimm skulked off on his own after his transformation, the remaining members of the rocket crew later assemble to a "3" shaped flare fired by Reed Richards to figure out how to deal with their friend who has been tearing a path of destruction towards New York. In his clearer moments, the Thing knows he needs help and is trying to get back to Richards, but whenever people see him and react to him like he's a monster, he inevitably loses his temper and begins acting like one.
When the Thing arrives in New York, his rampage disrupts the routines of Peter Parker, Donald Blake, Tony Stark, and Bruce Banner at critical times that happen to prevent the origins of their own superheroic personas. Stark and Banner have been tasked to build an anti-Thing weapon that is almost ready to fire when the Fantastic Three make their debut in an attempt to talk Ben down first. However by then, the Thing is too angry to listen to reason and fights the trio off until Stark and Banner's gun is ready and fires. The cosmic radiation of the weapon is meant to cure the Thing, but it fails and mutates him further while generating feedback that robs the other three of their powers instead. The resultant explosion knocks everybody present unconscious except Ben, who lumbers off morosely intending to stay hidden from then on. When everybody else comes to, they assume the weapon atomized the Thing. With him presumed dead, a world deprived of many of its major heroes continues on an uncertain path. (description by marvel.fandom.com)
Cover pencils by Bob Budiansky, inks by Bob Wiacek. "What If Wolverine Had Killed the Hulk?", script by Rich Margopoulos, pencils by Bob Budiansky, inks by Mike Esposito; Wolverine kills the Hulk and joins Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants; Co-starring the X-Men, Magneto, and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants; Cameos by Spider-Man, the Avengers, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four, and the Sentinels; Based on The Incredible Hulk #181. Dungeons & Dragons ad. "What If There Was No Fantastic Four?", script by Roger Stern (based on a plot by Bill Mantlo), pencils by Alan Kupperberg, inks by Frank Giacoia; The Thing never joins the team which has repercussions throughout the Marvel Universe. "Daredevil's Longest Fight!" ad for Hostess Fruit Pies. 52 pgs. Cover price $1.00. (description by mycomicshop.com)
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