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Marvel’s earliest Hulk was the strongest of the prehistoric Avengers, and his tragic story is one that deserves to be told in greater depth.
The Avengers have been considered Earth’s Mightiest Heroes ever since their first appearance nearly sixty years ago, but they have been filling that role for much longer. The very first iteration of the team was formed over one million years ago, and it included the very first Hulk, who is the most tragic iteration of the character.
The Prehistoric Avengers first appeared in 2017’s Marvel Legacy #1 by Jason Aaron. This eclectic team of heroes consisted of members such as Odin and the first human host of the Phoenix force, as well as the first to host the Starbrand. Known as Vnn, the Starbrand of the prehistoric age was quite possibly the strongest of his fellow heroes, imbued with not only a cosmic superpower but a rage that would rival even the Hulk’s. This rage was born out of a tragedy directly connected to Vnn’s origin.
Avengers #26 by Jason Aaron, Andrea Sorrentino, and Dale Keown revealed that Vnn’s existence before becoming the Starbrand was blissful and happy. Along with his partner Brrkk, Vnn lived in a veritable utopia on Earth, wandering the wilderness to discover and name new flora together as they fell more in love with each passing day. It was a love that neither of them thought they would ever find, as Vnn had walked away from his own tribe before the secret of his sexuality could cause them to exile him (or worse), and Brrkk had been on the brink of madness brought on by isolation. Unfortunately, Vnn and Brrkk’s life together was fated to come to a brutal end, brought about by the merciless Deviants.
These mutant offshoots of the Eternals had long plagued the Earth, and even in the prehistoric era they sought out any and all power that they could amass. This included that which was secretly buried under the garden where Vnn and Brrkk lived, and soon enough the Deviants arrived to wage war on the happy couple. Although they were able to fight off their invaders the first time, the Deviants subsequently unleashed technology that sent the two tumbling through the ground into a deep sinkhole. It was there that Brrkk took his final breaths as Vnn cradled him in his arms. It was also there that Vnn uncovered the corpse of the former host to the Starbrand, a dinosaur.
Before he could begin to comprehend what was happening, Vnn was overcome with the Starbrand’s power. The power merged with the rage burning inside of him, and the formerly slim, meek man emerged as a burning brute that can only be described as Hulk-like. One of the most iconic power fantasies in all of pop culture was turned on its head in an instant as Vnn tore through the Deviants who had cost him the one person he truly loved, only to weep uncontrollably once he realized that he had lost his and Brrkk’s utopia in the process. The weight of that day followed Vnn at least until the last time he was seen, although it is safe to assume he carried it far beyond then as even the Phoenix could sense his feelings of loss.
The Hulk has typically been depicted as the most stereotypically masculine figure in the Marvel Universe since his debut, and while the Starbrand of the Prehistoric Avengers isn’t officially a Hulk, there is no doubt that the role Vnn filled on his team was the same.
As much as he is defined by his tragedy, Vnn isn’t so far removed from Bruce Banner’s version of the Hulk, at least in terms of their earliest motivations. Still, Vnn’s story is one that has shined a new light on the archetype, and that alone is enough of an accomplishment to be recognized.
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