Bruce Banner - The Hulk Appreciation 2021

[I'm a Fish]

You might want to read issue 45, that's for sure)

Even without spoiling anything, I am 99 % sure Devil will come back for the final showdown. He wasn't "alive" to begin with, he's a personality inside Bruce Banner's head, so I think he can be "ressurected" or "recreated" under certain conditions.

I like Child Hulk, I like Joe, but this book was about Devil personality at the first place, I don't see how he can stay dead and not come back for a big party at the end.

We can only hope.

[Immortal Hulk]

Yeah, Devil will come back. He's one of the most important alters We've seen so far.

I wonder what the dynamic of the alters will be once Ewing is done with the 80pg #50 issue!

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #322
“Must the Hulk Die?”

Cover Date: August 1986
Sale Date: May 6th, 1986
Writer: Al Milgrom
Artist: Al Milgrom
Inker: Del Barras
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Max Scheele
Editor: Bob Harras
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Rick Jones, Betty Banner, Dr. Fisher, Dianne Bellamy, Doc Samson
Antagonists: The East and West Coast Avengers rosters, along with the She-Hulk
Synopsis: The Hulk and the combined team of Avengers duke it out as Banner lays in the hospital dying. Eventually, the mindless brute begins to succumb to the same malady as Banner and the Avengers overpower the beast. Before delivering the killing blow, Betty Banner interrupts them and pleads for his life and Captain America is able to sway their decision. Back at the hospital, a hysterical Bruce Banner cries out in dismay that the Hulk is still alive.
Commentary: Since Grandma didn’t have that extra 75 cents on her, this issue avoided me for YEARS. Even after my parents took me to the local comic store, I never bought it. Dunno why. I knew the Hulk got taken down, so maybe it didn’t matter. Something just occurred to me as well, it’s not really clear in the art and I never made the distinction, but I always assumed that Banner could sense that the Hulk’s life had been spared, but duh – Diane Bellamy has been there the whole freaking time reporting it for TV.

[Immortal Hulk]

Joe Bennett confirmed the personality in control ( at least in the fight(s?) with the Avengers is Joe Fixit.

[Kingkalamari]

Joe Bennett confirmed the personality in control ( at least in the fight(s?) with the Avengers is Joe Fixit.

That makes sense, I would imagine #50 ends with OBA's plan thwarted for the time being. Were at a better place with Joe there then the multifaced OBA-possessed Hulk we saw in the Flash forward.


I wouldn't be upset if Joe ends up being the central personality in Defenders and stuff, but assume itd be weird for Immortal Hulk to wrap with Banner not in control

[Immortal Hulk]

That makes sense, I would imagine #50 ends with OBA's plan thwarted for the time being. Were at a better place with Joe there then the multifaced OBA-possessed Hulk we saw in the Flash forward.


I wouldn't be upset if Joe ends up being the central personality in Defenders and stuff, but assume itd be weird for Immortal Hulk to wrap with Banner not in control

Actually, that glimpse we've seen is not a TOBA possessed Hulk. It's simply a "what that insane Banner could achieve if He had full control of Hulk's body"m according to Ewing himself". From Ewing's twitter:

It shows what the Hulk's body can become with a totally evil Banner in full control of it.

... it took evil Banner to think of it

[I'm a Fish]

It's possible Devil Hulk might not come back because in D.I.D, "personality death" if you will, is a real thing. Alters in a D.I.D patient can die or merge with other alters.

Of course it's a comic book, but what I'm getting at is Devil Hulk might not return under Ewing's penmanship if you take into account his efforts to include elements of real-world phycology.

But we shall seeeeeeeeee. I wouldn't be surprised either way.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

Btw have you noticed we get a spotlight for every personality one after another?

First issues (from # 1 to # 13, I guess) dedicated to Devil. Then a little bit of Joe.
Issues 26-33- Bruce and his "war" against humanity and Roxxon + his relationships with people (Rick, Samson, Betty) (issues 14-20).
Issues 35-39- Child Hulk, issue 39 being a culmination for both him, Devil and Bruce.
Issues 40-49 (speculations)- Joe. Plus, of course, a little bit of Child Hulk.

(Obviously I am not saying these issues dedicated ONLY to them, we get another personalities switching here and there, but this is an interesting pattern imo).

[Cth]

Btw have you noticed we get a spotlight for every personality one after another?

First issues (from # 1 to # 13, I guess) dedicated to Devil. Then a little bit of Joe.
Issues 26-33- Bruce and his "war" against humanity and Roxxon + his relationships with people (Rick, Samson, Betty) (issues 14-20).
Issues 35-39- Child Hulk, issue 39 being a culmination for both him, Devil and Bruce.
Issues 40-49 (speculations)- Joe. Plus, of course, a little bit of Child Hulk.

(Obviously I am not saying these issues dedicated ONLY to them, we get another personalities switching here and there, but this is an interesting pattern imo).

Even more interesting, Ewing's run has served as a greatest hits of the title..

Mantlo
Having Hulk revist a town he destroyed and rebuild it.
Hulk getting recognition for saving everyone only to have things go drastically wrong.
Sasquatch being there at the start of the new status quo of Hulk and Banner working together.
312, obviously.

PAD
Middletown nuked.
Rick/Leader connection.

You have to think we're in the 294-300 arc of things in which case the equivalent of 300 is going to be unreal.

Also..

We're going to have a "new" incarnation go to the bar to celebrate ala 377.
Avengers rematch in New York ala 300.

[Vordan]

God I hope Aaron doesn’t try to drag Hulk into the Avengers bull

Even more interesting, Ewing's run has served as a greatest hits of the title..



Also..

We're going to have a "new" incarnation go to the bar to celebrate ala 377.
Avengers rematch in New York ala 300.

Immortal honestly feels like the perfect “intro” Hulk story despite all the continuity deep pulls. Does a good job of referencing Hulk lore and getting you curious to know more without overwhelming you. With other titles I sometimes get lost or apathetic, but not here, because Hulk is one of the few Marvel characters where I recognize all the deep cuts Ewing is drawing on.

[Hulkbanner12]

Nah he's not down for good. Additionally none of them can really "die" in a sense since they're all fragments of Bruce's personality. As long as Bruce is still kicking, I would assume any of them could respawn in his mindscape. They can for sure be defeated/incapacitated though.

I feel like its professor Hulk talking to Banner in that issue. Professor hulk was teased way back in early issue of immortal hulk. I may be wrong though.

[Intothevoid]

Actually, that glimpse we've seen is not a TOBA possessed Hulk. It's simply a "what that insane Banner could achieve if He had full control of Hulk's body"m according to Ewing himself". From Ewing's twitter:

It shows what the Hulk's body can become with a totally evil Banner in full control of it.

... it took evil Banner to think of it

Yep, Ewing was asked before what would Banner/Hulk be like if they acted on their own but without any limit, no holding back, working together and fully angry and this was his response



We saw what that was with that giant multi-headed Hulk, but that was what EVIL Banner would come up with, so Ewing was asked what if Banner was good instead of evil, would he achieve the similar result and he responded



Which always made me believe based on his answer here that he was planning to put that in the comic one day, probably with the final confrontation with TOBA, i guess we will find out when issue 50 comes.

[Cth]

Yep, Ewing was asked before what would Banner/Hulk be like if they acted on their own but without any limit, no holding back, working together and fully angry and this was his response



We saw what that was with that giant multi-headed Hulk, but that was what EVIL Banner would come up with, so Ewing was asked what if Banner was good instead of evil, would he achieve the similar result and he responded



Which always made me believe based on his answer here that he was planning to put that in the comic one day, probably with the final confrontation with TOBA, i guess we will find out when issue 50 comes.

Which we sort of see, when Joe escapes from Gyrich's restraints by shifting his body transformation. Joe's the key to everything as the "weaker Hulk" he's always had to think creatively (like the fight with the Pineapple Thing). When he was hunted by Bushwacker he also showed his craftiness. It's awesome to see Hulk's metamorph abilities being showcased and that they're aware of the ability to do so. It's like when PAD had Professor reshape his features to resemble the Maestro (as well as the failsafe Banner form).

It's like I said, if Samson and Xavier worked with Bruce to really get everything in order, he'd be unstoppable. Here's hoping they continue this route while not getting ridiculous. Meaning it'd be cool to see incarnations evolving or being hinted at (ala Green Scar arm spikes) versus Mr Fantastic/Martian Manhunter shapeshifting. Subconscious rather than overt change (although that would be fun, it should be rare and difficult for him to achieve).

[ChrisIII]

Kind of funny that Joe physically manifested the whole sideburns/long hair/mustache as well. It's actually a bit clever as Bruce-most of the time-has a sort of clean cut appearance-while the hair makes Joe distinct enough. I think Banner's used a beard as a disguise as well-right before Planet Hulk I think.

[Intothevoid]

Oh and btw Jason Aaron is doing a World War She-Hulk arc in the Avengers, it's likely to be trash... Hopefully he doesnt retcon or damage anything regarding Hulk mythos. In fact i know he is gonna screw it up with Jen but at least i hope he keeps Banner out of it.