WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN: "WOLVERINE VS. HULK"

The "Wolverine vs. Hulk" episode of Wolverine and the X-Men debuts on Nicktoons on Friday.

The Continuum caught up with the series' head writer, Greg Johnson, to talk about the show.

The Continuum: Is this a sequel to the Hulk vs. movie?

Johnson: Mainly in spirit. This episode in Wolverine and the X-Men is about a rematch between Wolverine and the Hulk. We indicate that they've tangled once before, and even the Hulk remembers it. In the Hulk vs. movie, that throw-down is representative of the first time they met. But there are some details that don't quite match up exactly between the two, so calling it a sequel might not be totally accurate.

As Hulk remembers Wolverine, we do show a quick glimpse of Wolverine wearing the uniform he wore in Hulk #181, which is pretty cool. Regardless of how much connective tissue there is between them, this episode is a lot of fun as a stand-alone story, and credit goes to writer Chris Yost for that.

The Continuum: You have a long history with the Hulk.... what do you like about the character?

Johnson: Much of my experiences writing for Hulk has been under the control of a network's specific vision for the show, and their BS&P parameters. The first season of the series for UPN had the benefit of having Tom Tataranowicz and Rick Ungar overseeing production. We got to push the boundaries in those first 13 episodes, telling some darker stories, and exploring what kind of aftermath a more savage Hulk would leave behind. In the second season, however, UPN brought in a new team to produce it, and it became a different kind of series with a more light-hearted mandate. Let's just say it wasn't my favorite version of the Hulk. The odd thing is, the second season had higher ratings.

So to answer your question, I like the darker, more violent aspects of the character and what his rampages do to the people around him. When he's softened up too much, and given too much sympathy, he's less interesting in my opinion. I personally think Hulk is at his best as a real force of destruction like he was in Ultimate Avengers.

The Continuum: Will there be other Marvel Universe characters that aren't normally associated with the X-Men showing up in the series?

Johnson: Not in the first season. That's mainly because the X-Men really need to occupy a world without other super-powered beings to make mutant persecution believable. There are characters that would not violate this human/mutant rule, but we just didn't find the opportunities to use them in meaningful ways within our particular season continuity.

The Continuum: Can you say anything about how the next 26 are coming along?

Johnson: It's going well. We're still in the early stages, but Marvel's Joshua Fine and I spent a LOT of time orchestrating the season arc. It's going to be one very exciting journey.