Bruce Banner - The Hulk Appreciation 2021

[FrazettaHulk]

80 pages is probably 50-60 in actuality with the ads and such taken into account, which is basically 2-3 issues

No, they are doing 80 pages of story and Joe Bennett is doing them all to answer the question of another poster. He confirmed that on his IG page. $9.99 is the minimum this beast will prolly cost.

[Vordan]

No, they are doing 80 pages of story and Joe Bennett is doing them all to answer the question of another poster. He confirmed that on his IG page. $9.99 is the minimum this beast will prolly cost.

Would be a surprise if the finale issue wasn’t oversized. Maybe drawing all of it is why the book has gone monthly, to give Bennett time to draw all of it.

Also guys what are your hopes for Hulk’s future? I’m still hoping to see Bruce & Betty reconcile and get together again.

[Intothevoid]

80 pages long finale. Jesus Christ. I wonder if there are going to be any guest artists like Pitarra or somebody else, i don't think Bennett is going to draw all the pages.

On instagram he says its all his playground, so no guest artist.

[HeavenlyDemonic]

I think Betty and Bruce will at least have an understanding going forward since they’re both going to be on the defenders book that Al is writing. But in terms of Romance, I think it would more interesting to See Betty and Joe together as a couple, especially if he’s still going be in Bruce’s body( He’s making more headway with Betty than Bruce is, especially considering the argument that they had when she left). Just think of all the drama that would create.

[I'm a Fish]

I think Betty and Bruce will at least have an understanding going forward since they’re both going to be on the defenders book that Al is writing. But in terms of Romance, I think it would more interesting to See Betty and Joe together as a couple, especially if he’s still going be in Bruce’s body( He’s making more headway with Betty than Bruce is, especially considering the argument that they had when she left). Just think of all the drama that would create.

I'm glad Betty as Red-Harpy isn't going anywhere. She stands much better on her own as that character.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #319
“Member of the Wedding”

Cover Date: May 1986
Sale Date: February 11th, 1986
Writer: John Byrne
Artist: John Byrne
Inker: Keith Williams (backgrounds only)
Letterer: Rick Parker
Colorist: Andy Yanchus
Editor: Denny O’ Neil
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Ross, Rick Jones, Hideko
Antagonist: The Hulkbusters and General Ross
Synopsis: The Hulkbusters and Doc Samson begrudgingly team up to attack the Hulk, while Rick Jones makes a surprise return to attend Bruce and Betty’s wedding. Shockingly, a down-and-out-Thunderbolt Ross makes a return as well, and it doesn’t bode well for Rick, as he’s shot for trying to stop Ross from breaking up the wedding. Betty has had enough and verbally tears apart her father’s actions – past and present. The wedding continues on and we are officially presented with Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Banner.
Commentary: This split story was fun (much like in FF #277) and I initially thought the wedding was taking place in the same church you could see during the Hulk/Samson fight. At this point, I don’t know who is supposed to be the bigger jackass, Samson or LaRoquette. And showing concern for someone who he despises and blames for Carolyn’s death…a big reason I couldn’t get into this character – and post-Byrne writers couldn’t make him more interesting either.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

On instagram he says its all his playground, so no guest artist.

Couldn't be more happy, I am such a sucker for his artwork. 80 pages of Bennett with or without ads- instant pre-order.

Also guys what are your hopes for Hulk’s future? I’m still hoping to see Bruce & Betty reconcile and get together again.

I would like for them to end up together again, but I don't think it's a possibility anymore. Looks like Betty moved on from their relationship + issue 49 cover teases Joe/Betty romance. The whole situation kinda reminds me of Moon Knight story, where one of Marc Spector's personalities, unbeknown to him, was dating and sleeping with his ex-wife. They even had a child together. (Issue # 190)

[I'm a Fish]

Would be a surprise if the finale issue wasn’t oversized. Maybe drawing all of it is why the book has gone monthly, to give Bennett time to draw all of it.

Also guys what are your hopes for Hulk’s future? I’m still hoping to see Bruce & Betty reconcile and get together again.

I don't think Bruce and Betty are right for each other anymore (honestly I never did) , but hopefully they can work out a friendship of some short, especially if Joe and Betty are going to be a thing.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

I don't think Bruce and Betty are right for each other anymore (honestly I never did) , but hopefully they can work out a friendship of some short, especially if Joe and Betty are going to be a thing.

I feel so sorry for Bruce, he's broken in so many different ways. He really needs someone to support and care for him. I mean, except his other personalities. Samson, Jackie, Rick, McGowan- okay, but only someone like Betty could really try and heal him.
On the other hand, I really doubt comic book writers will let him "heal", Hulk and Bruce will be suffering till the end of the days, just like Batman and other superheroes.

[I'm a Fish]

I feel so sorry for Bruce, he's broken in so many different ways. He really needs someone to support and care for him. I mean, except his other personalities. Samson, Jackie, Rick, McGowan- okay, but only someone like Betty could really try and heal him.
On the other hand, I really doubt comic book writers will let him "heal", Hulk and Bruce will be suffering till the end of the days, just like Batman and other superheroes.

It's not really Betty's job to heal Bruce. Bruce needs to learn how to help himself in a healthy way, and it's not something he needs to do alone, but Betty isn't the right person to help him. She has enough issues that she's dealing with and Bruce won't even accept her as Red-Harpy. He wants to keep her in an idyllic bubble, and refuses to accept all of her. If the get back together before either one of them processes their trauma in a heathy way, it's just going to end badly.

But, like you said, it's comics. It feels like these characters are never allowed to heal. I hope with Immortal Hulk that changes, I don't want writers to think their character have to be broken to be interesting, and Immortal Hulk feels like it's making progress with Bruce as a character.

[HeavenlyDemonic]

It's not really Betty's job to heal Bruce. Bruce needs to learn how to help himself in a healthy way, and it's not something he needs to do alone, but Betty isn't the right person to help him. She has enough issues that she's dealing with and Bruce won't even accept her as Red-Harpy. He wants to keep her in an idyllic bubble, and refuses to accept all of her. If the get back together before either one of them processes their trauma in a heathy way, it's just going to end badly.

But, like you said, it's comics. It feels like these characters are never allowed to heal. I hope with Immortal Hulk that changes, I don't want writers to think their character have to be broken to be interesting, and Immortal Hulk feels like it's making progress with Bruce as a character.

Exactly. The whole point of the series after the hulk in hell arc is that Bruce has start pulling his own weight in terms of emotionally healing himself. It’s Like Joe told him in the absolute Carnage issue,”You’re too needy”. He can’t always rely on Betty and the hulks to pick him back up. He has to stop being “Puny” and acting like a total Victim.

That’s why I hope the run ends with Bruce and the Hulks finally, truly moving beyond Brian’s abuse. I’m not saying that they have to forget it; the pain of their mom’s murder will always be there, but it doesn’t have to define them anymore. That’s the kind of Healing that Bruce needs more than anything else.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

It's not really Betty's job to heal Bruce

I never said she should do the job for him.

Bruce won't even accept her as Red-Harpy

Can't blame the man for it. She sees herself as a monster. It's not Ben Grimm's situation, where poor guy can't even transform back to human form and has to struggle with human interactions and everyday life. She CHOOSES to stay this way instead of confronting her feelings. I don't think Bruce is that delusional and sees her as some sort of ideal pixie dream girl. I think better of him. "Our problems and traumas don't define who we are", the same way Hulk and his childhood trauma doesn't define who Bruce Banner is.

And as you said yourself

help himself in a healthy way, it's not something he needs to do alone

I just don't see any other characters who could help Bruce. Samson tried to help with his "therapy" for years to almost no avail (remember he has hidden the fact that Bruce had even more personalities and even created one himself). Also I don't think it's very healthy to have a psychiatrist who himself have split personality and can kick your ass if he has a bad day. Samson is unstable.
Rick Jones? Maybe. But looks like they gonna split ways once again (Hulk is going to be in Defenders, Rick- in Gamma Flight), but he was a good friend to Hulk, probably, I haven't read that many comics starring Rick (only when he was A-Bomb).

Introduce a new character like Caiera? Okay. I am down for this. It's just Hulk's girlfriends have a very short life span.

Call me old-fashioned, but I like classic couples. Spider-Man/MJ, Hulk/Betty Ross, Superman/Lois Lane. It's just me. I am no comic book writer.

[I'm a Fish]

Can't blame the man for it. She sees herself as a monster. It's not Ben Grimm's situation, where poor guy can't even transform back to human form and has to struggle with human interactions and everyday life. She CHOOSES to stay this way instead of confronting her feelings. I don't think Bruce is that delusional and sees her as some sort of ideal pixie dream girl. I think better of him. "Our problems and traumas don't define who we are", the same way Hulk and his childhood trauma doesn't define who Bruce Banner is.

(Bruce also sees himself as a monster.)

Notice how she only stay's Red-Harpy around Bruce, it's clear she's doing it to keep him at arms length. If she's that uncomfortable around Bruce, that's a sign.

Edit: I don't think Bruce is thinks of Betty as a pixie dream girl, I think he's just in complete denial about what's going on with her and would rather avoid the conversation than confront it and try to understand what happened to her. He thinks of Red-Harpy and Betty as two separate people, but they're not. She's Betty when she's Harpy and she's Harpy when she's Betty, he just can't look beyond appearances.

And it's not Bruce's job to heal Betty either, she knows she can't get healthy if she stays with Bruce that's why she left. She needs to process what happened to her and figure herself out more before she comes back, which is what it looks like she's doing.

And a lot of Betty's trauma comes from Bruce...like, a lot...

I just don't see any other characters who could help Bruce. Samson tried to help with his "therapy" for years to almost no avail (remember he has hidden the fact that Bruce had even more personalities and even created one himself). Also I don't think it's very healthy to have a psychiatrist who himself have split personality and can kick your ass if he has a bad day. Samson is unstable.
Rick Jones? Maybe. But looks like they gonna split ways once again (Hulk is going to be in Defenders, Rick- in Gamma Flight), but he was a good friend to Hulk, probably, I haven't read that many comics starring Rick (only when he was A-Bomb).

Introduce a new character like Caiera? Okay. I am down for this. It's just Hulk's girlfriends have a very short life span.

Call me old-fashioned, but I like classic couples. Spider-Man/MJ, Hulk/Betty Ross, Superman/Lois Lane. It's just me. I am no comic book writer.

Lol yeah, Samson's a bad therapist. Bruce needs a new one. But Betty isn't any healthier for Bruce to be around, she's not stable either.

Edit: Also I'm not knocking your desired ships, but I want to see them do a lot more development apart if they are to end up together.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

I wonder why she came back though? She made herself clear she wanted to stay away from Bruce, but according to the new issue' preview, she will show up and (probably) will be back in his team (fight with the Avengers). She probably releases there's something fishy is going on.

And I agree, they both should grow up and deal with some personal stuff. Being a comic book character is never easy.

[HeavenlyDemonic]

I wonder why she came back though? She made herself clear she wanted to stay away from Bruce, but according to the new issue' preview, she will show up and (probably) will be back in his team (fight with the Avengers). She probably releases there's something fishy is going on.

And I agree, they both should grow up and deal with some personal stuff. Being a comic book character is never easy.

The same reason that Bruce went to see her after getting out of hell the first time. Despite their issues, Betty and Bruce still love each other. It’s both why they work and they don’t as a couple. Too much co-dependence.