Marvel Kills Off Iconic 'Avenger' and 50-Year-Old Superhero

— -- The latest issue of "Civil War II" is out today, and with it, we said goodbye to another iconic Marvel superhero.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The tease from Marvel.com 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!"

Marvel wasn't kidding, as the company killed off the original Incredible Hulk in "Civil War II" issue No. 3.

It should be noted that Bruce Banner, the Hulk for 50 years, was killed off. Amadeus Cho, the new Hulk, was not killed off, but the move continues Marvel's emphasis on diversity and a lack of fear about ending iconic characters.

An Asian-American Hulk, a female Thor and a Captain America vowing his allegiance to Hydra are just a few of the big-time moves Marvel has captivated fans with in its books.

Here's what went down.

The issue opens in a Manhattan courthouse, where Banner's demise is being talked about in flashbacks. Heroes like Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man and others had been worried about Banner's losing control and what he's working on.

You have to read the issues to find out all the details, but basically, he hasn't done anything horrible or Hulked out yet. The heroes have a way of knowing what's coming, knowing the future.

So they confront Banner, and eventually an ally and fellow Avenger, Hawkeye, kills him, but there's a twist: Banner asks him to do it with a special arrow he gives him.

"I need you to promise me you'll stop me once and for all," he tells his friend in another flashback.

For more, head over to Marvel.com and check out the fourth issue of the groundbreaking series. The future issues will deal with the possibility of knowing one's future and the ethics associated with that.

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