Darth Vader vs. the Hulk: New Art Pits the Sith Lord Against the Green Goliath in the Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ Crossover
Fans have spent nearly 50 years imagining a Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ crossover. The two franchises share a long history, since Marvel published the very first ‘Star Wars’ comic in April 1977, just weeks before the original film hit theaters. Until this year, though, their characters had never met on the page.
That changed in August, when Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm Publishing announced ‘Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles’, the first official crossover between the two worlds. The five-issue limited series is timed to the 50th anniversary of ‘Star Wars’ and launches in January 2027. It has since become one of the most talked-about comic announcements of the year.
New artwork credited to Jerome Opeña now shows one of the matchups fans have been dreaming about. In the image, Darth Vader squares off against the Hulk, with his red lightsaber ignited and his cape whipping behind him. The Hulk lunges toward him under an orange sky filled with TIE fighters and X-wings.
The image captures the scale of the collision. Vader is dwarfed by the Hulk’s green bulk, yet he holds his ground. It is the kind of showdown that a crossover like this exists to deliver.
Darth Vader vs. The Hulk in the Marvel & Star Wars crossover comic series 🎨 Jerome Opena https://t.co/ZFokGexylz
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) October 10, 2026
The series is written by Kevin Smith, with art by David Marquez. It is set in Marvel’s main continuity, Earth-616, and begins when a reality-shattering spell causes the events of ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ to unfold on Earth. Marvel’s heroes witness the story play out in front of them.
The Avengers and Spider-Man team up with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca. On the other side, Doctor Doom allies with Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire. Cover art released with the announcement also featured Thanos, Ultron, Grand Moff Tarkin, Greedo and Venom.
Several other artists have contributed to the crossover’s visual identity. Variant covers were revealed from Kaare Andrews, Rafael Albuquerque, Alex Ross and Ron Lim. One showed Darth Vader wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, while another paired Professor X with Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Obi-Wan wearing Cerebro.
At New York Comic Con, the Lucasfilm Publishing panel also gave fans a first look at pages from the series. One page shows Vader fighting Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and The Thing, among others. Taken together, the previews suggest the series will deliver on the scale it has promised.
Opeña is a veteran Marvel artist who launched the fifth volume of ‘The Avengers’ with writer Jonathan Hickman in 2013. He began working full-time in comics in 2005. His style is known for detailed, cinematic compositions, which fits the epic tone of this particular image.
The Vader and Hulk piece is a reminder that the crossover is drawing on a deep bench of talent. Between Marquez on the main series and a rotating group of cover artists, Marvel is clearly treating the event as a milestone. For fans of both franchises, that is encouraging.
Marvel’s push to make this happen has reportedly stretched back more than a decade. Smith has said Lucasfilm rejected crossover requests for years, and he has described writing the story in the style of an MCU movie. Earlier rumors in February pointed to Mark Millar as the writer, but that report proved wrong.
Not everyone is convinced by the creative choices. Some commentators have questioned whether Smith is the right writer for such a huge event, though others see his love for both franchises as an asset. Either way, the first issue will arrive in January, with new installments monthly through May.
For now, the artwork is the main taste of what is coming. A Vader and Hulk clash is just one of many potential pairings in a story that spans two of pop culture’s biggest universes. With the Empire aligned with Marvel’s most dangerous villains, the stakes look enormous.
Anticipation will keep building through the winter. Whether the story can match the spectacle of its art remains to be seen. For many readers, though, the image of Vader facing off against the Hulk is already worth the price of admission.
Who would win in a fight between Darth Vader and the Hulk?
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