Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2020

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Maybe you already knows this, but I'll detail anyway. During Peter David's run, Banner was physically separated from the Hulk and, some time later, they had to be merged again because both were dying. To do so, the Gamma Base developed a nutrient bath where both Banner and Hulk would be submerged. An accident happened (General Ross tried to sabotage the process) and Rick Jones fell into the bath too.

As a result, Banner turned into the original Grey Hulk and Rick became a green, much weaker, Hulk.

These events didn't happen in PAD's run. Banner and the Hulk were separated via the Nutrient Bath in IH #315, which was done by John Byrne. His run was IH #314 - 319. He left and Al Milgrom took over with #320 and stayed until #330 (not counting the PAD fill-in with issue #328).
Milgrom remerged the two in #323, the color change from green to gray in #324 and the Rick Jones Hulk in #325.
When PAD took over, he spent his initial issues tying up loose ends from the Byrne/Milgrom issues (writing off the Hulkbusters, curing Rick, etc.) and going into his own, like the Ground Zero storyline.

[Immortal Hulk]

These events didn't happen in PAD's run. Banner and the Hulk were separated via the Nutrient Bath in IH #315, which was done by John Byrne. His run was IH #314 - 319. He left and Al Milgrom took over with #320 and stayed until #330 (not counting the PAD fill-in with issue #328).
Milgrom remerged the two in #323, the color change from green to gray in #324 and the Rick Jones Hulk in #325.
When PAD took over, he spent his initial issues tying up loose ends from the Byrne/Milgrom issues (writing off the Hulkbusters, curing Rick, etc.) and going into his own, like the Ground Zero storyline.

Thanks for the correction. I thought I had mentioned Migrom's run. My msistake.

[Immortal Hulk]

Really cool Hulk/TOBA art.




https://twitter.com/theCRGLN/status/...160642568?s=20

[Hulkbanner12]

And they say DC comics is more darker. Lmao.

[Celgress]

We'll see if it can stick the landing.

Indeed we shall, here is hoping. *crosses fingers*

[Vordan]

And they say DC comics is more darker. Lmao.

It’s been incredibly weird seeing how the movies have affected the way the two companies are viewed. I remember when DC was viewed as the family friendly one and Marvel was the darky, edgy, “realistic” one. The power of Batman usurping Supes as the most well known DC hero really changed things, along with the MCU being the way most casuals think of the MU now.

That said it’s amazing what Immortal Hulk has gotten away with in terms of gore and violence. Reminds me more of a Vertigo book than a mainstream cape comic.

[Hypestyle]

Has Ewing mentioned that there will be any reference toward Bruce Jones' run on the comics from years ago? Has he offered any opinion on them?

[ChrisIII]

Maybe Green Scar and Leader are working together somehow? After all, sometimes the personalities have no idea (or only vague recollections) of what the other is doing. Joe, for instance, has put Bruce in some awkward situations when Bruce "wakes up", even recently. I haven't read the issues yet but that's what I've gathered from some of the panels and discussion I've seen.

Perhaps GS is doing it with good intentions, as he perhaps thinks that Devil is the one who causes the future scenario from #25 the Leader is also aware of. But you know what they say about the road to Hell...

[Hulkbanner12]

It’s been incredibly weird seeing how the movies have affected the way the two companies are viewed. I remember when DC was viewed as the family friendly one and Marvel was the darky, edgy, “realistic” one. The power of Batman usurping Supes as the most well known DC hero really changed things, along with the MCU being the way most casuals think of the MU now.

That said it’s amazing what Immortal Hulk has gotten away with in terms of gore and violence. Reminds me more of a Vertigo book than a mainstream cape comic.

Not only immortal Hulk. The revenge of the ghost rider, The current Avengers comic featuring Blade is even dark, especially Dracula story arc, Morbius, ghost rider, and many more. Marvel has gone darker than DC a little bit now

[PlatinumThorns]

What're your thoughts about the potential of all the events of Immortal Hulk being the direct and total influence of the One Below All?

[Ptrvc]

What're your thoughts about the potential of the all the events of Immortal Hulk being the direct and total influence of the One Below All?

I don't think it's that simple.

I think TOBA influences basically everything he can negatively, or perhaps every act of hatred reflects TOBA, or brings him into the world.

I don't think he's a direct mastermind but definitely a corrupted and tempter attempting to slowly but inexorably drag creation into his maw.

When asked about TOBA vs TOAA and an attempt at power ranking Ewing stated instead that that conflict might be the story of every comic.

I think that's it. They wrestle, with TOAA trying to keep creation flourishing, while TOBA trying to corrupt and destroy.

At the same time they wrestle in the soul of every being, but Banner/The Hulk is unique in that if TOBA gains control over him, that's a win condition.

[H-E-D]

I don’t think TOBA is behind the Devil Hulk’s motivations.

[Jody Garland]

What're your thoughts about the potential of all the events of Immortal Hulk being the direct and total influence of the One Below All?

"Everything is more than one thing" are arch words for this entire series. As is what the One Below All says when he is first encountered: "I howl through many mouths. I break with many hands. They are themselves, but they are also me. I have all the power you give me and my weapon is hate", itself echoing what the One Above All said in Ewing's Ultimates.

The important part is "They are themselves but they are also me". The One Below All doesn't mastermind and doesn't seem to even influence in a way we could understand. It *is* those negative feelings, emotions, acts. On one level the bad guys are serving their own interests and plots, on another they are serving the One Below All. It's not a traditional "Mephisto sits behind the scenes and tempts the bad guys" plot, or at least, it shouldn't be.

I hope that makes sense.

[Lvenger]

I imagine this has already been said but I pity the writer that has to follow Ewing's Immortal Hulk run. They're going to have a hard time living up to the incredibly high expectations from one of the most critically acclaimed runs in modern comics. I wonder if the next creative team will continue what Ewing was doing or go back to a more traditional Hulk comic.

[Intothevoid]

I imagine this has already been said but I pity the writer that has to follow Ewing's Immortal Hulk run. They're going to have a hard time living up to the incredibly high expectations from one of the most critically acclaimed runs in modern comics. I wonder if the next creative team will continue what Ewing was doing or go back to a more traditional Hulk comic.

Yea this has been mentioned before and i think about it from time to time, mostly how we should enjoy the run as much as we can cause after this there is a 99.99% chance that any run that follows wont be anywhere near as good let alone surpassing Ewings run. And one thing i remember Ewing said in one of the interviews he did is that he hopes whoever continues after him that they don't dive into the same exact stuff he did or undo some of the things he did but rather do their own thing and especially not simplify Banners relation with Hulk with it being just Banner and 1 Hulk, but exploding the more complex relationship with Banner having many alters inside him.