Original artwork, not a still
The salute of Hydra, Marvel Comics, from Strange Tales (1965)
Hail Hydra!
— Strange Tales · 1965
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Hail Hydra is the villain salute the Marvel universe cannot shake. It carries the group's promise of resilience, cut one limb off and two more grow, and doubles as an oath of total loyalty to a hidden master. Outside the comics it has become a meme for any sudden reveal of secret allegiance, helped along by the films and by Secret Empire, and fans shout it as a joke at plot twists.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Strange TalesShow the scene
The cry belongs to Hydra, the secret organisation that debuted in Strange Tales #135 (August 1965), in the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby feature Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. That issue's Hydra oath opens with 'Hail, Hydra! Immortal Hydra!' and promises that if a limb is cut off, two more shall take its place. The group was first headed by a nondescript businessman, Arnold Brown, before Baron Wolfgang von Strucker took over, a change counted among Marvel's earliest retcons. In 2017 the Secret Empire storyline showed Hydra seizing control of the United States under a Hydra-aligned Captain America.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: Hydra (comics)Lead, publication history and quote boxReference checked
- Wikipedia: Strange TalesNick Fury featureReference checked
Context reviewed
