The plot is the culmination of a series of events that began with the Hulk being tricked into space by the Illuminati and a Life Model Decoy of Nick Fury.

The crossover extended into regular issues of Avengers: The Initiative, Ghost Rider, Heroes for Hire, Irredeemable Ant-Man, The Punisher War Journal, and Iron Man, as well as a miniseries starring the Hulk and the X-Men and a newly created group, the Gamma Corps.

[7] Blaming the Illuminati for her death, and more powerful than ever because of his time spent absorbing the radiation levels on Planet Sakaar, Hulk returns to Earth for revenge with his allies, the Warbound: Hiroim, Korg, Elloe Kaifi, Miek, No-Name of the Brood, Arch-E-5912, and Mung.

The Hulk defeats several teams of X-Men [9] and battles the Juggernaut but leaves after learning of the M-Day incident, believing that Xavier has suffered enough.

[13] After a brief battle involving Hercules, Amadeus Cho, Namora, and Angel, the Hulk defeats Thunderbolt Ross and a U.S. Army force.

[15] An imprisoned Tony Stark (Iron Man) communicates with S.H.I.E.L.D., revealing an emergency plan to engulf Manhattan in the Negative Zone, thereby annihilating the Hulk and all other positive matter on the island, should the heroes fail.

As the Hulk attacks the Warbound, Miek reveals the explosion that started this war was not caused by the Illuminati, but by Red King loyalists.

Stark activates a series of weaponized satellites that open fire on the Hulk, leaving him unconscious in his Bruce Banner form.

As was revealed by series writer Greg Pak, Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards, is not amused with the arrival of another Hulk-like being, and the meeting between father and son will not be very pleasant for the Hulk.

In Chris Giarrusso's Mini Marvels comics, a World War Hulk three-story series had been written.

[24] This table is set in the ruins of New York City and features voice acting and battles between the Hulk and the superheroes he sought to confront as revenge for his exile.

1 was at the top of the Diamond Comic Distributors' sales chart for June 2007, selling an estimated 178,302 copies.