How THOR: THE DARK WORLD Is Connected To WORLD WAR HULK

Marvel unveiled the second trailer for THOR: THE DARK WORLD earlier today, and if you managed to watch the hammer swinging affair until the very end, then you would’ve noticed a very familiar character. Remember that giant, stone monster? Do you know who that was? And before you even chime in with a Fantastic Four themed guess, let me say… NO! it’s not the blue eyed, ever loving Thing.

This is Korg, of the rock skinned alien species known as  Kronan. In fact, this cosmic baddie is a relic of the early days of Thor, appearing alongside the Odinson in 1962’s Journey Into Mystery #83, in what would become both characters’ inaugural adventure in the Marvel universe.

What makes the big baddie even more interesting, though, is his relationship with Hulk a few decades later. Planet Hulk, a comic storyline from 2006, focused on Bruce Banner and his rage challenged alter ego as they were kicked off Earth. The two body roommates landed on a world called Sakaar, where a wormhole weakened Hulk was forced to battle through gladiatorial games for freedom.

Yes, the story was every bit as unoriginal as it sounds. BUT, as the Big Green rose through the ranks, he developed relationships with his fellow gladiators and outcasts, among whom was Korg, the mighty Kronan. The same individual who Thor appears to shatter in the final moments of the THOR: THE DARK WORLD trailer. Although, in all fairness, I’m somewhat blinded by my Kronan centric racism, and they all look the same. This giant rock monster could very well be a different Kronan, but our Korg should appear at some point (if this isn’t him) according to Wikipedia.

Now, I know Marvel Studios’ head honcho Kevin Feige has dismissed all of the recent Planet Hulk gossip from earlier this year, but could the appearance of Korg and his Kronan buddies indicate that a few threads from the World War Hulk story arc will be incorporated in future films?

I’m not sure how they’d manage to incorporate Mark Ruffalo’s iteration of the character into the trite tale of Green Skaar, but perhaps its worth a shot. What do you think?