Marvel Comics has just killed off one of its most popular Avengers "” Dr. Bruce Banner, better known as the Hulk "” in the third issue of Civil War II, out today. The major character’s demise is even more shocking because he dies from an arrow to the head released by fellow Avenger Hawkeye. Axel Alonso, Marvel’s Editor in Chief, says:

This is uncharted territory for us. Only two things are for certain: it will take a long, long time for our heroes to come to terms with his loss, and the circumstance surrounding his death will leave a huge scar on the superhero community.

Hawkeye makes the drastic decision to prevent the vision that Ulysses, a new Inhuman with the ability to predict the future, has had of the Hulk losing control and killing all of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The arrow he uses was actually given to him by Banner in case such a rampage ever happens.

To add more fuel to the fury and dismay of the Hulk’s fans, Banner has been able to keep his anger in check through his own medication, and has not transformed in over a year. Civil War II writer Brian Michael Bendis defends the move:

Fans may be outraged, and there are probably Hawkeye writers who I’m very good friends with who will also be offended.But the point is that everything that happens in this issue is in character when you discover the hows and whys and wheres. We’ll let people argue about it.

Indeed, the description of the issue on Marvel’s online store reads:

This is the one everyone will be talking about! One of the biggest heroes in the Marvel Universe will fall! Who it is and how and why will divide fans for years to come. Will the heroes of the Marvel Universe survive the unthinkable happening? The fallout to this issue is enormous!

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Banner’s death isn’t the first of the event series; both War Machine and She-Hulk died at Thanos’ hands in the first issue of Civil War II, when they tried to ambush the Mad Titan using Ulysses’ precognitive powers.

Fans will likely be questioning whether the Hulk is really dead, or that even if he is, we’re sure to see him return in the future. Both Captain America and Spider-Man were killed in recent issues, yet they returned in less than a year.

Bendis, however, confirms that for now, the Hulk is truly dead. “Right now I can tell you this is the real deal. I can’t speak for the future, I honestly can’t, who knows what will happen? But I already have plans for the body (in upcoming issues.)”

Here’s the cover of Civil War II #3:

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