One Marvel hero inexplicably suffers an apparent mortal wound off-screen, raising several questions about his future. There have been many new-generation heroes who follow in the footsteps of the Avengers, but only a few have established themselves as the true successors of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: the Young Avengers.
The Young Avengers starred in their own acclaimed run in the mid-aughts, and they have remained close since then. However, they have yet to reunite officially as a permanent fixture of the Marvel Universe in a long while. With the MCU assembling its own team of young heroes, it’s time for Marvel Comics’ original Young Avengers to return officially.
Unfortunately, there might be a big obstacle in the way of the Young Avengers’ reunion.
Hulkling Suddenly Dies After Surviving A Cosmic War
Wiccan: Witches’ Road #1; Written by Wyatt Kennedy; Art by Andy Pereira & Bryan Valenza
In Jonathan Hickman’s Imperial, both Hulkling and Wiccan survive an assassination attempt orchestrated by Maximus and the Grandmaster, but Wiccan is left severely injured. Wiccan uses a communication device to reach out to America Chavez for help, and she arrives to help them, teasing a long-overdue Young Avengers reunion.
Yet, after surviving the events of Imperial, Wiccan: Witches’ Road #1 sees Billy Kaplan and Teddy Altman crash-land on the titular Witches’ Road. Wiccan realizes Hulkling is too injured to get up, and he finds himself forced to continue without his partner, bidding him farewell with a kiss. Wiccan: Witches’ Road #1 doesn’t confirm whether Hulkling is truly dead, but the fact that Teddy is suddenly dying after being perfectly well in Imperial #4 raises many questions.
The last time readers saw the couple, it was Billy who was dangerously wounded. Now, Teddy bleeds out on the ground, and Billy is still strong enough to move on without him. Wyatt Kennedy’s Wiccan run must at least drop a few hints at what happened between Billy and Teddy’s call for help and their disastrous crash-landing, as well as America Chavez’s whereabouts.
Marvel May Have Big Plans For The Young Avengers
The Young Avengers Might Assemble Again, With A Twist
Hulkling’s apparent death may be more than a shocking twist. A few crucial events remain untold, and those missing answers could naturally pull Billy and Teddy’s team back together. As Wiccan’s solo run unravels the truth behind Teddy’s fate, the narrative momentum seems perfectly aligned for the Young Avengers to reform, whether to investigate Hulkling’s death or to mourn what appears to be a devastating loss.
America Chavez’s unexplained absence only amplifies the sense that something larger is unfolding behind the scenes. By the end of Wiccan’s solo run, the Young Avengers may find themselves reunited to solve more than one mystery. A resurrection quest or a mission to uncover what really happened would all justify the return of Marvel’s most beloved teen superhero team.
There’s another suspicious detail around Teddy Altman’s apparent death: Hulkling is the only major Young Avenger not yet introduced in the MCU. Marvel Comics may be preparing to match the MCU’s Young Avengers lineup. As controversial as it would be, the possibility exists that Marvel Studios will debut a live-action YA team without Hulkling, either by reuniting the original squad without him or merging it with the Champions.