Members - The Incredible Hulk

HULK [Robert Bruce Banner]

Founding Member – Active: Avengers V1 #1

First Appearance: Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers #1 (Sep 1963)

Origin: Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)

History

During the experimental detonation of a gamma bomb, scientist Bruce Banner saved Rick Jones, a teenager who had wandered into the test area, by shoving him into a trench. Banner however is exposed to the full force of the blast. Miraculously he survived but at night he transforms into a lumbering grey behemoth that a soldier calls a "hulk".

 

The Hulk soon mutated from grey to green in colour and overtime he underwent many other changes. Initially the change occurred at nightfall but soon Banner also used a gamma ray device to trigger his transformation. More commonly the change has been caused by extreme emotional reaction such as fear, pain, or anger. The Hulk has also exhibited fluctuating levels of intelligence ranging from savage and unreasoning through slow and dim witted to highly intelligent and canny. At times Banner’s personality has had complete control while on other occasions banner has been physically separated from The Hulk.  

Powers & Abilities

The Hulk possesses an incredible level of superhuman physical ability including strength, endurance, resistance to weapons / energy / poison / diseases, and advanced tissue regeneration.

Publication History

The Hulk’s first title lasted only 6 issues with Stan Lee scripting this series and Jack Kirby drew the first 5 with Steve Ditko drawing the final issue. On cancellation the Hulk appeared in Fantastic Four (#12) and soon became a founding member of The Avengers.

In October 1964 The Hulk was awarded his own 13 page feature in the anthology series Tales to Astonish. He appeared the month earlier as Giant-man’s adversary and his own series ran from #60 to #101 when it was re-titled The Incredible Hulk.

In 1998 a second short-lived Rampaging Hulk title appeared and The Incredible Hulk ceased as of #474 in March 1999 replaced by a new series simply title Hulk. As of Issue 12, the word Incredible returned to the series title. The Hulk disappeared from this title as of #112 when it was renamed The Incredible Hercules featuring his fellow Avenger of the same name.

A new “Hulk” series appeared in March 2008 and featured not only the Bruce Banner / green Hulk but a new mysterious Red Hulk. This series continues today focusing on The Red Hulk. Meanwhile, The Incredible Hulk title was resurrected in September 2009 as of issue #600, changed to The Incredible Hulks as of #612 and ceased publication again from #635.

 

A third volume of The Incredible Hulk commenced in December 2011 and continues today.    

Writers & Artists

Artists on the Hulk’s TTA appearances include, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Gill Kane (also as Scott Edwards) Bill Everett, John Buscema, and Marie Severin. Herb Trimpe’s name  became synonymous as The Hulks artist in the early 1970s and Sal Buscema drew the series for 10 years starting in 1975.

Writers to play significant parts in Hulk’s history include Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Roger Stern, and Bill Mantlo (5 years). John Byrne made a brief but notable contribution to The Hulk’s history when he wrote and pencilled the title. However the writer now most associated with the Hulk is Peter David who wrote the Hulk for 12 years commencing in #337 (May 1987) with many acclaimed and celebrated storyline’s linked to Banner’s pre-Hulk existence.

Membership

Often described as a cross between the Frankenstein Monster and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde it is surprising that The Hulk became a founding member of The Avengers and later a core contributor to The Defenders.

 

Thor’s step-brother Loki used images of The Hulk causing destruction to lure Thor out into the open. This resulted in other heroes; Iron Man, Ant-man, and Wasp to also seek out The Hulk. When Loki’s plan is revealed the heroes, including Thor and Hulk, agree to band together.

Despite playing such a pivotal role in the team’s formation he quit the team at the end of issue #2 and in #3 teamed up with The Sub-Mariner to battle his former team-mates. Not long after he was pursued by the combined might of The Avengers and The Fantastic Four. The Hulk never again sought active membership with the team but did fight alongside his team-mates in The Avengers #100, The Marvel Super-Heroes Secret War limited series, and The Evolutionary War story arc that ran through the 1988 annuals. Banner was also recruited to help the team when Diablo released a plague of Hulk based creatures in Greece.

 

Although the Hulk was not often an active Avenger, the team did have the benefit of another gamma-spawned member - Jennifer Walters, who became The She-Hulk after a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner, also joined the team. The Red Hulk is also a member of Steve Rogers’ current Avengers team.