Originally Posted by
JudicatorPrime
You make a good point. The reason why Bruce was testing a gamma bomb in the first place has to do with the arms race of the era.
It's also worth noting that in the real world a nuclear test ban treaty was signed by the US, the then Soviet Union, and Great Britain in August 1963 that prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons above ground/in the atmosphere, underwater or in space. That would include a gamma bomb, if such a thing existed. Hulk got his start a year prior, so it makes sense that Stan and Jack didn't think anything of having a character get his powers via an above ground gamma bomb test.
If they're sticking with no heroes emerging until the 2000s, they'll need to tweak the Hulk's origin a tiny bit. It's as simple as making the fateful gamma test one that occurred below ground. Whether or not they still want to run with the recent twist that the One Below All played a part in Hulk's gamma origin, so be it. I'm not a fan of it, but whatever works.