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  1. #1
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
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    Default Help: The Hulk - Looking for some reading

    There are lots of suggestions list and reviews over the internet. And you can find very different opinions. The best one is always your own. But I'll ask here, maybe with the number of answers I will get, I might be able to sum in up to a good essential reading list.

    I am looking more for tpb and collected editions. I would prefer reading in chronological order.

    First I'd like to know if any of you know of a tpb that collects best early Hulk stories/issues like the books "The very best of Spider-Man" or "Wizard Spider-Man Masterpiece Edition" ?

    This one sound good, what do you think:
    Incredible Hulk: Transformations - The Incredible Hulk (1962) #3 & 6, The Incredible Hulk (1968) #272, 315, 324, 347, and 377

    Also I'd like to know your opinion on these books/stories:

    Epic Vol.1: Man or Monster? - The Incredible Hulk (1962) #1-6; Fantastic Four (1961) #12, 25-26; Avengers (1963) #1-3, 5; Amazing Spider-man (1963) #14; Tales To Astonish (1959) #59; Journey Into Mystery (1952) #112

    Epic Vol.2: The Hulk Must Die - Tales to Astonish #60-96 + Not Brand Echh #3

    Startling Stories: Banner

    Hardcover Vol. 1: Return of the Monster - Incredible Hulk #34-43 + Startling Stories: Banner #1-4

    Hulk: Gray

    I read that John Byrne's and Peter David's runs are not bad, but 10+ Marverl Visionnaries books is too much.

    Ground Zero - Incredible Hulk #340-346

    Epic vol.20: Ghost of the Past - Incredible Hulk #397-406, Annual #18-19

    Epic vol.21: Future Imperfect - Incredible Hulk #407-419, Annual #20 + Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2

    The End - The End + Future Imperfect #1-2

    Planet Hulk - Incredible Hulk #92-105 + Amazing Fantasy (2004) #15, Giant-Size Hulk #1, and Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook

    What about later on stories ?


    Thanks in advance for your helps and I'm open to any other suggestion such as Marvel events and crossovers.
    Last edited by jb681131; 09-06-2017 at 04:28 PM.

  2. #2
    Mighty Member nnelg's Avatar
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    Well I just started the free month of Comixoligy Unlimited and there is the first volume of Peter Davids Hulk run to read with the service. I recommend Marvel Unlimited. The problem with Marvel Unlimited is that there are gaps in the runs that shouldn't be there. That Peter David run was really good.

  3. #3
    Astonishing Member Ptrvc's Avatar
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    nnelg above suggested PADs runs, which is great, though not my favorite Hulk run to be honest. I love Planet Hulk, but if you are brand new to the Hulk I wouldn't necessarily start there.

    Hulk is an odd duck in that it took a relatively long time for him to really hit his groove. If you can track it down, and don't mind reading black and white Essential Incredible Hulk, VOL 2 is what got me started on the Hulk and contains a lot of great classic Savage Hulk, which is what a lot of the other runs are based on.

    Hulk Annual #5 is great action packed brawl. Single issue but one of my faves, and a good introduction to the character and mindset of the Hulk.

    Really anything from Tales to Astonish #90 or so to somewhere around Incredible Hulk #270 is prime classic Hulk. You don't have to start with the classics of course and if you're not a fan of Silver Age storytelling I wouldn't even recommend it, but I'd say the above range is where most of what we tend to think of as the Hulk, characterwise, lorewise, tone, etc. originates.

  4. #4
    Mighty Member McFarlane's Green Hulk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jb681131 View Post
    There are lots of suggestions list and reviews over the internet. And you can find very different opinions. The best one is always your own. But I'll ask here, maybe with the number of answers I will get, I might be able to sum in up to a good essential reading list.

    I am looking more for tpb and collected editions. I would prefer reading in chronological order.

    First I'd like to know if any of you know of a tpb that collects best early Hulk stories/issues like the books "The very best of Spider-Man" or "Wizard Spider-Man Masterpiece Edition" ?

    This one sound good, what do you think:
    Incredible Hulk: Transformations - The Incredible Hulk (1962) #3 & 6, The Incredible Hulk (1968) #272, 315, 324, 347, and 377

    Also I'd like to know your opinion on these books/stories:

    Epic Vol.1: Man or Monster? - The Incredible Hulk (1962) #1-6; Fantastic Four (1961) #12, 25-26; Avengers (1963) #1-3, 5; Amazing Spider-man (1963) #14; Tales To Astonish (1959) #59; Journey Into Mystery (1952) #112

    Epic Vol.2: The Hulk Must Die - Tales to Astonish #60-96 + Not Brand Echh #3

    Startling Stories: Banner

    Hardcover Vol. 1: Return of the Monster - Incredible Hulk #34-43 + Startling Stories: Banner #1-4

    Hulk: Gray

    I read that John Byrne's and Peter David's runs are not bad, but 10+ Marverl Visionnaries books is too much.

    Ground Zero - Incredible Hulk #340-346

    Epic vol.20: Ghost of the Past - Incredible Hulk #397-406, Annual #18-19

    Epic vol.21: Future Imperfect - Incredible Hulk #407-419, Annual #20 + Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2

    The End - The End + Future Imperfect #1-2

    Planet Hulk - Incredible Hulk #92-105 + Amazing Fantasy (2004) #15, Giant-Size Hulk #1, and Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook

    What about later on stories ?


    Thanks in advance for your helps and I'm open to any other suggestion such as Marvel events and crossovers.
    Heck yeah to the first two Hulk Epics; gives you a taste of the Lee/Kirby/Ditko stories.
    I recommend the Transformations book also; gives you a look at various takes/incarnations he's gone thru -- at least up to the point of its publication.
    Ground Zero by itself is a solid story, but it leaves out some of the backstory leading up to it. And there are some pages that were put in the incorrect order in #343. I'd recommend the first two volumes of the PAD Hulk Visionaries -- that gives you issues #330 thru #347. Then you can decide if you want to continue with the "Mr. Fixit" era and beyond.

    Oh, and HULK Visionaries #5 and 6; post-Fixit era, where the Green Hulk returns and both Hulks battle for dominance, which leads to the Merged Hulk in #377.

    It's a hefty reading list, but good stuff.

  5. #5
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by McFarlane's Green Hulk View Post
    Heck yeah to the first two Hulk Epics; gives you a taste of the Lee/Kirby/Ditko stories.
    I recommend the Transformations book also; gives you a look at various takes/incarnations he's gone thru -- at least up to the point of its publication.
    Ground Zero by itself is a solid story, but it leaves out some of the backstory leading up to it. And there are some pages that were put in the incorrect order in #343. I'd recommend the first two volumes of the PAD Hulk Visionaries -- that gives you issues #330 thru #347. Then you can decide if you want to continue with the "Mr. Fixit" era and beyond.

    Oh, and HULK Visionaries #5 and 6; post-Fixit era, where the Green Hulk returns and both Hulks battle for dominance, which leads to the Merged Hulk in #377.

    It's a hefty reading list, but good stuff.
    Sure the first 2 epics give me a taste of Lee/Kirby/Ditko, but is it really worth it to begin ?

    For PAD's run I think I will wait for an Omnibus or the publication of the corresponding Epic books.

    No one else care to comment ?

  6. #6
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ptrvc View Post
    nnelg above suggested PADs runs, which is great, though not my favorite Hulk run to be honest. I love Planet Hulk, but if you are brand new to the Hulk I wouldn't necessarily start there.

    Hulk is an odd duck in that it took a relatively long time for him to really hit his groove. If you can track it down, and don't mind reading black and white Essential Incredible Hulk, VOL 2 is what got me started on the Hulk and contains a lot of great classic Savage Hulk, which is what a lot of the other runs are based on.

    Hulk Annual #5 is great action packed brawl. Single issue but one of my faves, and a good introduction to the character and mindset of the Hulk.

    Really anything from Tales to Astonish #90 or so to somewhere around Incredible Hulk #270 is prime classic Hulk. You don't have to start with the classics of course and if you're not a fan of Silver Age storytelling I wouldn't even recommend it, but I'd say the above range is where most of what we tend to think of as the Hulk, characterwise, lorewise, tone, etc. originates.
    Thanks for the tips. I ordered Hulk: Transformations, and I've read Hulk: Gray.

  7. #7
    Mighty Member LifeIsILL's Avatar
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    Paul Jenkins and Bruce Jones run on Hulk was scary and intense. That is just as classic to me as the Peter David stuff. But sadly they rarely get mentioned due to the popularity of Planet Hulk.

  8. #8
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LifeIsILL View Post
    Paul Jenkins and Bruce Jones run on Hulk was scary and intense. That is just as classic to me as the Peter David stuff. But sadly they rarely get mentioned due to the popularity of Planet Hulk.
    Could you more suggest tpb / omnibus / arcs or other collected books.

  9. #9
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
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    More opinions please.

  10. #10
    Mighty Member jb681131's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LifeIsILL View Post
    Paul Jenkins and Bruce Jones run on Hulk was scary and intense. That is just as classic to me as the Peter David stuff. But sadly they rarely get mentioned due to the popularity of Planet Hulk.
    I did some digging to look for tpb concerning thoses 2 writters:

    Paul Jenkins
    The Incredible Hulk: Dogs of War - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #12–20
    The Incredible Hulk: Past Perfect - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #21-33

    Bruce Jones
    The Incredible Hulk: Return of the monster - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #34-39
    The Incredible Hulk: Boiling point - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #40-43
    The Incredible Hulk: Transfer of power - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #44-49
    The Incredible Hulk: Abominable - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #50-54
    The Incredible Hulk: Hide in Plain Sight - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #55-59
    The Incredible Hulk: Split Decisions - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #60-65
    The Incredible Hulk: Dead Like Me - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #66-69
    The Incredible Hulk: Big Things - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #70-76

    The Incredible Hulk HC vol.1 - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #34-43 + Startling Stories: Banner #1-4
    The Incredible Hulk HC vol.2 - The Incredible Hulk vol.3 #44-54

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