Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2019

[GreenScar1990]

-Professor Hulk-

-Dale Keown-

[GreenScar1990]

- Green Scar -

- Paul Pelletier -

[GreenScar1990]

Can I just say that I freaking love these covers for THE IMMORTAL HULK #20-21!!! Betty in her Blood Harpy form is fierce and terrifying! And look at those homages to past Hulk covers and interiors on #21! We're getting great stuff out of Al Ewing, Joe Bennett and Alex Ross! I hope they'll be with us for a very LONG time!

Who needs the lackluster MCU and their Hulk when we've got tons of great comics and our true Green Goliath having one of the best comic book series ever!

[nj06]

Because the vast majority of Hulk fans loathed/hated Totally Awesome Hulk almost as much as they despised Jason Aaron's garbage run on the Green Goliath. And, to be quite honest, his presence is not wanted nor needed.

I thought TAH was decent. It wasn't anything that will stand out but it was fun while it lasted. I'm glad to have Bruce back and front and center though. I also like the current Hulk persona.

Cho as "Brawn" however has me constantly confusing him with Beast Boy.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #244
Cover Date: February 1980
Sale Date: November 20th, 1979
Writer: Steven Grant
Artist: Carmine Infantino
Inker:
Letterer:
Colorist:
Editor:

“It Lives!”

Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Bob O’Bryan, Diane Cummings, Charles Delazny, Felix Simon, Aloysius Vault
Villain: It, the Living Colossus
Synopsis: While hiding out in California, Bruce Banner runs afoul with some individuals connected to It, the Living Colossus. The end result is the Hulk destroying the rock monster….

Commentary: Filler issue to give Mantlo and Buscema a chance to get ahead of schedule. Infantino on pencils…ugh. Not my cup of tea. I do have fond memories of reading this death in the OHOTMU Deluxe Edition Book of the Dead #18, with the Hulk clapping the dust away.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #245
Cover Date: March 1980
Sale Date: December 18th, 1979
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artist: Sal Buscema
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: George Roussos
Editor: Al Milgrom

“When the Hulk Comes Raging!”

Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Rick Jones, Fred Sloan, Trish Starr, Captain Marvel, Elysius, Mike Douglas
Antagonist: Col. Glenn Talbot
Synopsis: The Hulk has returned to New Mexico and landed on the tarmac of Gamma Base, demanding the body of his beloved Jarella. An intense battle between the brute and the Gamma Base military climaxes in Col. Glenn Talbot donning a Super-Mandroid battle suit and attacking the Hulk one-on-one. Cut to Denver, Colorado, where we see Fred Sloan and Rick Jones on the Mike Douglas Show, defending the Hulk’s recent actions. Post-show, Rick runs into Captain Marvel and a news bulletin about the Hulk’s battle has the Kree hero dashing off to Gamma Base. Meanwhile, the Hulk and Talbot are still at it, with the tides shifting back and forth. The Hulk’s rage overpowers the Mandroid armor and before he can literally break Talbot in two, is stopped by the arrival of Captain Marvel.





Commentary: Bill Mantlo takes over and starts with a bang. There’s more action and destruction by the Hulk alone in this issue than in the majority of Stern’s run. Good to see Rick again, as the majority of the Hulk’s co-stars have been written out over the years. (And while we won’t see Kropotkin again, poor Jim Wilson will only make one brief appearance and then disappears until 1991!) We finally see Talbot pushed to the edge, and this makes some interesting drama for him.

[Superfan90]

Hulk was simply emasculated in Endgame. It was Banner in a green suit honestly.

[Immortal Hulk]

Immortal Hulk nominated for an Eisner as best continuing series!

https://www.newsarama.com/44949-2019...-nominees.html

Nuff said.

[Winterboy]

What
A
Great
Cover

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #246
Cover Date: April 1980
Sale Date: January 15th, 1980
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artist: Sal Buscema
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Ben Sean
Editor: Al Milgrom

“The Hero and the Hulk!”

Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Captain Marvel, Doc Samson, General Ross
Villain: Col. Talbot
Synopsis: Captain Marvel has arrived at Gamma Base in time to prevent the Hulk from snapping Col. Glenn Talbot in half. The two go at it, with a collapsing roof on Talbot and Mar-Vell giving the Hulk enough time to resume his search for Jarella. Talbot pretends to have sympathy for the Hulk’s anguish, but Mar-Vell isn’t falling for it. Meanwhile, the Hulk has made his way to the cryogenics morgue and found the body of his beloved Jarella. He tearfully remembers the good and bad times with the warrior-queen and his grieving is interrupted by Mar-Vell, who pays for it with a vicious back-hand. The Hulk attacks, but a quick flash of cosmic awareness calms the brute and the duo head towards another laboratory. Col. Talbot, however, has other plans. Seconds after Mar-Vell has sent the Hulk into the microverse on his journey to Jarella’s world, Talbot has the micro-cannon destroyed.






Commentary: Talbot goes from antagonist to villain here. This has been building since his capture way, way back in issue #166 and rescue in #188. Shot, left for dead and held prisoner, rescued at the cost of his mind, owing his life to his rival, and the dissolution of his marriage…you want to feel sorry for him, but he’s written as a very dislikeable character.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #247
Cover Date: May 1980
Sale Date: February 19th, 1980
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artist: Sal Buscema
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Ben Sean
Editor: Al Milgrom

“Jarella’s World”

Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Captain Marvel, Elysius, Rick Jones, Fred Sloan, Betty Ross, Doc Samson, General Ross, Holi, Moli, Torla
Antagonists: Col. Talbot, Gardener
Synopsis: The Hulk has arrived on the microscopic world of Jarella. Unlike his last trip, the landscape is now cold, dead and barren. No trees, animals or signs of life. His soliloquy is interrupted by the sounds of people screaming in fear from a bat-dragon creature. The Hulk leaps down to rescue them and quickly dispatches the monster, and then holds the body of Jarella for all to see. Holi, Moli, and Torla step out of the cave and cast a spell, allowing the Hulk to understand the language. They fill the Hulk in on what happened after he and Jarella were pulled from the microverse and the after-effects it had on K’ai when the Hulk’s tantrum shattered the slide containing it. Cut to Earth and we get a three-panel peek at Doc Samson and General Ross. Cut again to New Mexico and Col. Talbot and Captain Marvel, who are interrupted by the arrival of Rick Jones, Fred Sloan, Elysius and Betty Ross for some dialogue. Back on K’ai, the Hulk has started his trek to give Jarella a proper burial. As he digs her grave, he’s attacked by animals, trees and rocks – which are under the control of the cosmic being called the Gardener.


Commentary: Costanza’s lettering has changed a lot in five years, doesn’t have the snappy/flare that it used to. I’m still conducting “research”, but I always thought the name “K’ai” was the name of the capital city, not the planet itself.

[Immortal Hulk]

Immortal Hulk #15 at 17th, surpassing Daredevil, Avengers, whatever Super lame (Superman, ac); Cate's GotG, Morrison' GL, Thor, etc. It's impressive how the word of mouth, critical success etc are amping the demand for this tittle. Glad it's being so well!
http
s://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/04/28/top-100-most-ordered-comics-graphic-novels-march-2019/

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #248
Cover Date: June 1980
Sale Date: March 18th, 1980
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artist: Sal Buscema
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Ben Sean
Editor: Al Milgrom

“How Green My Garden Grows!”

Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Captain Marvel, Elysius, Rick Jones, Fred Sloan, Betty Ross, Doc Samson, General Ross, Holi, Moli, Torla
Villain: Gardener
Synopsis: The Hulk is tangled in vines controlled by the cosmic Gardener. Realizing his attempt to reason with the Hulk isn’t working, his pulls the mind of Bruce Banner forth and explains his actions. Banner’s grief and sorrow causes the transformation, but he’s refusing to give up and gives chase. Back on Earth, Betty and company are saying their goodbyes to Captain Marvel and Elysius. Talbot wishes to speak to her but she cold-heartedly denies his request and they leave the ruined base. Off in the Colorado Rockies, Doc Samson and General Ross encounter a strange creature, with Ross believing it was the Hulk. Back on K’ai, Banner’s attempt at rescuing Jarella himself has come to a halt after transforming into the Hulk. He takes the fight to the Gardener himself, and manages to take the Soul Gem and use it to restore life to the entire planet. The Hulk then gathers Jarella, and carries her into the forest. He digs at the ground without incident, cradles her lifeless body and tearfully kisses her cold cheek before placing her in the grave. After covering her up, a great green flower sprouts from her grave, which the Hulk takes as a sign that Jarella has said goodbye one last time. A remorseful Gardener then approaches and sends the Hulk home…




Commentary: Mantlo closes the book on the Jarella saga and Sal’s panels of the Hulk digging Jarella’s grave are really touching. Former Hulk-scribe Len Wein, in later years, had stated he planned on resurrecting her, but he never had a chance to go forward with the story. Would have been interesting to hear about it, I have a feeling she’d turn into some sort of cosmic goddess and probably used or cameoed in a lot of the Infinity (insert name here) minis.

[PlatinumThorns]

https://www.comichron.com/monthlycom...9/2019-03.html

I don't usually care about sales numbers, but IH #15 sold 53,120 books! That's the highest since issue #1!

[nj06]

Hulk was simply emasculated in Endgame. It was Banner in a green suit honestly.

I saw the movie and spoilers:

while I didn't mind this new Hulk, I did feel he was kinda underwhelming in terms of feats. It was cool seeing him lift the building/debris to save Rocket and Rhodey, but I wanted a nice combat scene and it never came. I wanted him to be involved in the fight against Thanos along with Cap, Iron Mant, Thor, and Captain Marvel. I would have loved for him to pull out his armor and weaponry from Ragnorak during the final battle. I hope this isn't the end of the Hulk in the MCU. I also wonder if he is permanently injured.

end of spoilers