When exactly did the Hulk gain intelligence?

[Threevok]

Was there a specific issue of Hulk when Hulk changed from having the 'Hulk will smash!" low intelligence to having Bruce Banners intellect? It's as if the classic 'What If" issue that imagined Hulk with Bruce Banner's intellect was made canon. How did Hulk gain intelligence- and when did it happen?

[Gamma Irradiated Being]

Was there a specific issue of Hulk when Hulk changed from having the 'Hulk will smash!" low intelligence to having Bruce Banners intellect? It's as if the classic 'What If" issue that imagined Hulk with Bruce Banner's intellect was made canon. How did Hulk gain intelligence- and when did it happen?

The very first first appearance of the Hulk in 1962 he had at least normal intelligence.

Hulk has had different levels of intelligence throughout his history, depending on the incarnation. They range from animal-like to smarter than Bruce Banner.

The current Hulk is said to be smarter than Banner, but he is not a scientist like Banner.

[Panic]

The Hulk's intelligence level and personality has always varied, but the first time I remember a comic specifically saying that Bruce Banner's mind was, for the first time, controlling the body of the Hulk was vol.1 #272, where Hulk/Banner fights Wendigo with the aid of Sasquatch.

[ed2962]

I don't know the exact issue, but the first time goes back to the 80's. After that, Hulk's intellect goes up and down depending on the writer. I wanna say since Peter David went back to "grey Hulk" in the 90's, he's had close to normal intelligence if not always Banner's personality.

There's grey Hulk, green Hulk, merged Hulk, and Banner Hulk...I guess...


I have not read the new Hulk comic yet.

[gurkle]

Yes, it was Incredible Hulk #272 (June 1982) that canonically introduced the idea of the Hulk having Bruce Banner's mind and being able to talk normal for the first time since his early appearances.

Since then, he's gone back and forth and often reverted to the dumb Hulk-speaking version, but Peter David, who wrote the longest Hulk run, disliked that version and would not write him that way except as a joke. His first issue on the comic brought back the early grey Hulk and his speech patterns.

It's funny though that while comics can go for years without ever writing "dumb Hulk," and the TV series didn't have him speaking at all, everyone thinks of the Hulk as talking in "Hulk speak." When he talked that way in Thor: Ragnarok it was a sign that no matter how hard comic writers try, popular culture will always see Hulk as the angry man-child who can't use pronouns.

[Frontier]

Since then, he's gone back and forth and often reverted to the dumb Hulk-speaking version, but Peter David, who wrote the longest Hulk run, disliked that version and would not write him that way except as a joke. His first issue on the comic brought back the early grey Hulk and his speech patterns.

Although there was that iconic moment in that one issue when Green Hulk broke free from the walls holding him in Banner's subconscious and Bruce transformed into Savage Hulk again.

It's funny though that while comics can go for years without ever writing "dumb Hulk," and the TV series didn't have him speaking at all, everyone thinks of the Hulk as talking in "Hulk speak." When he talked that way in Thor: Ragnarok it was a sign that no matter how hard comic writers try, popular culture will always see Hulk as the angry man-child who can't use pronouns.

I think it probably has something to do with Savage Hulk being the most commong version adapted into media, particularly in the 90's Hulk cartoon where Lou Ferrigno did the voice for Hulk.

It is generally a pretty efficient way of contrasting Banner with the Hulk personality.

Although funnily enough most cartoons these days (and a few animated movies) showcase Hulk with a moderate intelligence and who can talk in complete sentences. Which is probably good for Fred Tatasciore so he's not screaming "Hulk Smash" all the time .

[Gamma Irradiated Being]

I don't know the exact issue, but the first time goes back to the 80's. After that, Hulk's intellect goes up and down depending on the writer. I wanna say since Peter David went back to "grey Hulk" in the 90's, he's had close to normal intelligence if not always Banner's personality.

There's grey Hulk, green Hulk, merged Hulk, and Banner Hulk...I guess...


I have not read the new Hulk comic yet.

The first writer to reintroduce the Gray Hulk was Bill Mantlo in TIH #302 in a flasback panel. It was actually Al Milgrom that first started writing him in TIH #324.

[Gamma Burst]

The very first first appearance of the Hulk in 1962 he had at least normal intelligence.

Hulk has had different levels of intelligence throughout his history, depending on the incarnation. They range from animal-like to smarter than Bruce Banner.

The current Hulk is said to be smarter than Banner, but he is not a scientist like Banner.

That's it!

[DrNewGod]

The very first first appearance of the Hulk in 1962 he had at least normal intelligence.

Hulk has had different levels of intelligence throughout his history, depending on the incarnation. They range from animal-like to smarter than Bruce Banner.

The current Hulk is said to be smarter than Banner, but he is not a scientist like Banner.

I really like that original characterization of Hulk the best. Not dumb, but so seething with emotion he doesn't think as clearly as Banner, which doesn't prevent him from being highly cunning.

If you look at Hulk's guest-antagonist gigs in FF and the Avengers, he was smart enough to plan traps and to improvise multiple innovative uses of his powers on the fly.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Was there a specific issue of Hulk when Hulk changed from having the 'Hulk will smash!" low intelligence to having Bruce Banners intellect? It's as if the classic 'What If" issue that imagined Hulk with Bruce Banner's intellect was made canon. How did Hulk gain intelligence- and when did it happen?

Depends on the situation.

In issue #4 of his original series, Banner gained control of the Hulk's body after Rick adjusted the gamma ray equipment. By issue's end, it kind of wore off -- and his intelligence and demeanor was like the Thing's.

A few years later, in Tales to Astonish #69/70, the Hulk had a bullet lodged in his head after getting hit while reverting back to Banner. He was pronounced dead, but Rick took him back to the underground cave and revived him with gamma rays. Banner again had control over the Hulk's body and this lasted several issues, until it gradually wore off by issue #77 or so.

A few years after that, in Hulk #123, Banner was again in control with the help of Reed Richards. Lasted about an issue, when the Leader ruined his and Betty's first attempt at getting married in #124.

If you don't count his appearances in Jarella's world, the next time he gains intelligence was in HULK #272.

[Gamma Irradiated Being]

I really like that original characterization of Hulk the best. Not dumb, but so seething with emotion he doesn't think as clearly as Banner, which doesn't prevent him from being highly cunning.

If you look at Hulk's guest-antagonist gigs in FF and the Avengers, he was smart enough to plan traps and to improvise multiple innovative uses of his powers on the fly.

I like my Hulk intelligent and crafty as well. In the FF issue, you've mentioned, Hulk can be seen reading a newspaper. But he was so unstable in his early appearances, that one could tell that Stan didn't know what to do with him. By the time Hulk appeared in Tales to Astonish, his thoughts were cloudy and it was hard for him to think.