Bruce Banner - The Hulk Appreciation 2021

[Master Planner]

Yea he looks "great", can't wait for a guy that was beating the crap out of Hulk in his first movie to get fodderized in a 2 min scene by a human.

Seriously they took a dump on Hulk in the MCU but that isn't enough so they have to ruin everything else associated with the character. I can't wait to see how damaging the She-Hulk series will be for Hulks character and the rest of the lore.

I genuinely wish they killed him off in Infinity/Endgame...

Hulk is in the unfortunate situation were his movie rights are in Universal, so he can be used only in team movies and while you can do things in such a premise(the first Avengers did a decent work with Banner) Hulk as a character, works better in solo movies and we won't get that very soon. Plus, Disney made Banner a comic relief, so i wouldn't expect something great, post Avenger 1.

[Hulkbanner12]

MCU is gonna jobb Abomination in shang chi. The same Abomination that was beating the crap out of incredible hulk, At this point MCU is a mess in power level

[Vordan]

Do the movie rights not revert to Marvel at some point if Universal doesn’t make a movie like Fox with X-Men & F4? Or does Hulk showing up in team movies and other peoples stuff meet that req?

[nj06]

I liked seeing Abomination in the Shang Chi trailer and like others I also hope he doesn't get jobbed out. I thought he was a decent villain and want him to be portrayed as a serious threat. I do like that he seems to have a new look that is more comic accurate.

[PlatinumThorns]

Do the movie rights not revert to Marvel at some point if Universal doesn’t make a movie like Fox with X-Men & F4? Or does Hulk showing up in team movies and other peoples stuff meet that req?

Distribution rights don't work the same as owning the film rights to a character. Disney'll have to pay Universal to sign over distribution of Hulk films since they won't expire if a stand-alone Hulk never gets made again.

[Kingkalamari]

Rick happily saying "Thank You!" and genuinely smiling for the first time since his ressurection in Gamma Flight was pretty heartwarming. The idea of Gamma Flight just becoming like the 616 therapy/treatment team for the numerous people in the world experimented on against their will would be cool to see long term, really hope they stick around.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #342
“No Human Fears”

Cover Date: April 1988
Sale Date: December 15th, 1987
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Todd McFarlane
Letterer: Rick Parker
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Rick Jones, Clay and Alan Quartermain, the Leader, Saunders, and LaRoquette
Villain: Half-Life
Synopsis: Open to Half-Life wandering an unnamed city casually killing women who he believes is his long-lost wife. Intentional or delusional, they all succumb to his gamma life absorbing powers and he wanders to his next victim. Cut again to the Leader in his hidden lair, recording a “whys and wherefores” for the Hulk in the future. We get a small recap of what went on a few hours prior, with Half-Life begging for another chance to destroy the Hulk. The Leader attaches a camera to his chest to witness this new Hulk in action and sends him on. We then are treated to the Leader’s new abilities, one which involves mind control via personal touch (as witnessed over the last few issues) and a psychic link between Sterns and Rick Jones. Back in Kansas, Alan Quartermain has managed to hack into some government files and discover that 5k gamma bombs are being stored at a military base in Yuma, Arizona. Half-Life then makes his presence known by attacking Alan’s wife and the Hulk comes to the rescue. This time, snapping the living corpse’s limbs apart isn’t going to work with the new titanium armor he’s wearing, coupled with the energy he’s already drained. Cut back to the Leader, who brings us up to speed about Saunders and LaRoquette, now FORMER agents of SHIELD. We then cut back to the Hulk, whose gotten his second wind, and another cut scene reveals that the Leader had found and kidnapped Betty Banner. One final look back in Kansas shows an emaciated Hulk and a human-like Half-Life concluding their battle. With the Hulk so scrawny and weak, he uses some reverse psychology on him and is able to trick Half-Life into releasing all the gamma energy back into him. This time, it looks like Half-Life is gone for good, as he’s nothing but an armored pile of bones. Morning comes and Banner, Clay and Rick exchange pleasantries with Alan and head out again. The Leader concludes his recording and it’s revealed that Betty, Saunders and LaRoquette are being held in suspended animation….with an unexpected 4th life reading on the monitors.
Commentary: Hulk/Half-Life II. Surprised he hasn’t ever made a comeback. Here we learn of the Leader’s escape from the volcano back in #284 in an off-hand comment. Although if memory serves, he fell in the lava, right? Wasn’t much detail, but there it is. McFarlane is hitting his stride in this era. His panels were still within the traditional style, but he was beginning to flex his muscles in terms of creative panel structures. All the Leader soliloquies were very nicely done, and that traditional McFarlane grin I equate more with the Leader than I do with Venom. Issues #340-343, and ASM #300-311 were my favorite eras of McFarlane art. As his popularity grew and style continued to evolve, I saw a change from the more rounded layout to the angled he’s more known for in the solo Spider-Man and Spawn renderings. Still a fan but I missed the earlier stuff. Betty is revealed to be pregnant and while I was skeptical at first, my biggest question was it Bruce’s or Ramon’s?

[Username taken]

Marvel's power levels are starting to not make sense.

See the Loki tv series, he's been competely nerfed.

The guys could take a good smashing from the Hulk and not even get knocked unconscious. But he seems to be slightly above normal human level in his series.

Abomination was taking on the Hulk, he shouldn't be in a cage fight with Wong or anyone not named Thor or Captain Marvel.

[ChrisIII]

Incredible Hulk #342
“No Human Fears”

Cover Date: April 1988
Sale Date: December 15th, 1987
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Todd McFarlane
Letterer: Rick Parker
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Editor: Bob Harras
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Rick Jones, Clay and Alan Quartermain, the Leader, Saunders, and LaRoquette
Villain: Half-Life
Synopsis: Open to Half-Life wandering an unnamed city casually killing women who he believes is his long-lost wife. Intentional or delusional, they all succumb to his gamma life absorbing powers and he wanders to his next victim. Cut again to the Leader in his hidden lair, recording a “whys and wherefores” for the Hulk in the future. We get a small recap of what went on a few hours prior, with Half-Life begging for another chance to destroy the Hulk. The Leader attaches a camera to his chest to witness this new Hulk in action and sends him on. We then are treated to the Leader’s new abilities, one which involves mind control via personal touch (as witnessed over the last few issues) and a psychic link between Sterns and Rick Jones. Back in Kansas, Alan Quartermain has managed to hack into some government files and discover that 5k gamma bombs are being stored at a military base in Yuma, Arizona. Half-Life then makes his presence known by attacking Alan’s wife and the Hulk comes to the rescue. This time, snapping the living corpse’s limbs apart isn’t going to work with the new titanium armor he’s wearing, coupled with the energy he’s already drained. Cut back to the Leader, who brings us up to speed about Saunders and LaRoquette, now FORMER agents of SHIELD. We then cut back to the Hulk, whose gotten his second wind, and another cut scene reveals that the Leader had found and kidnapped Betty Banner. One final look back in Kansas shows an emaciated Hulk and a human-like Half-Life concluding their battle. With the Hulk so scrawny and weak, he uses some reverse psychology on him and is able to trick Half-Life into releasing all the gamma energy back into him. This time, it looks like Half-Life is gone for good, as he’s nothing but an armored pile of bones. Morning comes and Banner, Clay and Rick exchange pleasantries with Alan and head out again. The Leader concludes his recording and it’s revealed that Betty, Saunders and LaRoquette are being held in suspended animation….with an unexpected 4th life reading on the monitors.
Commentary: Hulk/Half-Life II. Surprised he hasn’t ever made a comeback. Here we learn of the Leader’s escape from the volcano back in #284 in an off-hand comment. Although if memory serves, he fell in the lava, right? Wasn’t much detail, but there it is. McFarlane is hitting his stride in this era. His panels were still within the traditional style, but he was beginning to flex his muscles in terms of creative panel structures. All the Leader soliloquies were very nicely done, and that traditional McFarlane grin I equate more with the Leader than I do with Venom. Issues #340-343, and ASM #300-311 were my favorite eras of McFarlane art. As his popularity grew and style continued to evolve, I saw a change from the more rounded layout to the angled he’s more known for in the solo Spider-Man and Spawn renderings. Still a fan but I missed the earlier stuff. Betty is revealed to be pregnant and while I was skeptical at first, my biggest question was it Bruce’s or Ramon’s?

Kind of interesting that at times Joe got "shrunk" like this (Also in the Countdown saga and the Devil Hulk messing with Banner's dreams storyline from Jenkin's run). Ewing did something similar to Savage recently and one could say "Sunshine Joe" (until recently) is also "puny". And of course, the psychic link between Rick and the Leader came into play again....

[Hypestyle]

I wonder whether the Hulk/Joe Fixit would be interested in crashing the X-Men's Hellfire Gala. Even if it's just for all the free food.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I wonder whether the Hulk/Joe Fixit would be interested in crashing the X-Men's Hellfire Gala. Even if it's just for all the free food.

He'll probably try to get laid too.

[PlatinumThorns]

Marvel's power levels are starting to not make sense.

See the Loki tv series, he's been competely nerfed.

The guys could take a good smashing from the Hulk and not even get knocked unconscious. But he seems to be slightly above normal human level in his series.

Abomination was taking on the Hulk, he shouldn't be in a cage fight with Wong or anyone not named Thor or Captain Marvel.

I'm sure powerlevels are right up there with what an actor decides to drink from the vending machine, of what a movie studio cares about.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Marvel's power levels are starting to not make sense.

See the Loki tv series, he's been competely nerfed.

The guys could take a good smashing from the Hulk and not even get knocked unconscious. But he seems to be slightly above normal human level in his series.

Abomination was taking on the Hulk, he shouldn't be in a cage fight with Wong or anyone not named Thor or Captain Marvel.

In the TVA, his powers and abilities are automatically countered. Hence why they use Infinity Stones as paper weights

[Kingkalamari]

I wonder whether the Hulk/Joe Fixit would be interested in crashing the X-Men's Hellfire Gala. Even if it's just for all the free food.

I'd love a Joe Fixit Red-Grey Hulk mini of him sneaking into the Gala in his old Horsemen of War outfit.

[ChrisIII]

Too bad there hasn't been much X-men interaction in IH apart from the "Hulkverine" mini. Curious to see how Ewing would write Wolverine + Hulk, considering that's his main connection to the X-men.