Bruce Banner, The Incredible Hulk Appreciation 2022

[Dinosaur Hulk]

"Pulp and Art" talks about IH and Donny Cates' run in a new video.
I highly recommend his channel, I really enjoyed his videos about Hulk and some others.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk Annual #17
“Old as the Hills”
Cover Date: 1991
Sale Date: July 16th, 1991
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Ron Wagner
Inker: Mike Witherby and Al Milgrom
Letterer: Michael Heisler
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Rick Jones, Betty Banner, Marlo Chandler
Villain: Tyrannus, Mole Man
Synopsis: Tyrannus is having an emotional meltdown about the effects of his youth elixir fading and taking his frustrations out on his “ally” the Mole Man. Meanwhile in Reno, Marlo and Betty chatting it up after an exercise class. Elsewhere, the Hulk is playing with an action figure lot, claiming that this is aggression therapy after Rick ribs him about it. The running gag in this sequence is Banner exclaiming “I got a rock” as Rick describes each figures action ability. Later on, as Rick goes to meet Betty and Marlo, the Mole Man burst from underground and orders Rick to be captured. A car chase across the city results in Betty and Rick being captured, and Marlo left behind to let Banner know of what happened. A cut scene to another subterranean villain named Brutus then shifts to Tyrannus, Mole Man, Rick and Betty. Tyrannus reveals his fears about aging and dying, then for dramatic effect, his face. To which Rick and Betty see absolutely nothing wrong with. Tyrannus counters with a gray hair and Crow’s Feet as the effects of the elixir wearing off. All this is going on as the Hulk has gone underground and followed some Captain Obvious signs to lead him to his lair and fighting monsters along the way. The Mole Man informs him of what he must do in order to get Rick and Betty freed from Tyrannus’ clutches. However, Betty has come up with the idea to use some makeup to cover up the minute aging Tyrannus is stressing over. The Hulk arrives, and informs him that the last of the fountain water is inside the canteen he’s holding. A kind gesture of thanks from Tyrannus to Betty sets off a jealous reaction and he pours it on the ground instead. Tyrannus rushes over to lap it up, as the Hulk laughs heartily and Betty shoots him a dirty look. She chastises him for his actions on the way back to the surface, as the last page of the story reveals that the water was poisoned.
Commentary: Part 2 of the Subterranean Wars crossover going on in the annuals at the time. (Honestly don’t remember what happens after this.) The first story is a nice little POV recollection on the soldier who named the Hulk from issue #1. There’s also solo stories featuring Rick Jones and the Pantheon that I have little recollections about. Banner is still smarting from Betty’s rejection after the merger and his jealous reaction, at least to me, was somewhat justified. As a reader, we know why Tyrannus thanked Betty. As the Hulk, we don’t, but it doesn’t change the fact that this guy has been harassing the Hulk and Banner in different ways since issue #5. And considering his last interaction in annual #15, yeah…I’d have dumped it on the ground too. The action figure gag was funny, as I had almost all of these `91 Toy Biz figures. Thor was elusive but the opportunity to buy him came up and the turn-off was the lack of a cape. I was disappointed with the scale of the Hulk figure, though. He should be larger than all of them, but I think Spidey towers over him. So I did what every geek does...pluck the moss from his Moss-Man Masters of the Universe figure and swap out his gangly arms with Man-At-Arms...voila!

[PlatinumThorns]

Man, Marvel's going all out with this Titan reveal for issue #6. There's like 20+ covers that have Titan on it.

[CitizenXXX]

And preview
https://www.gamesradar.com/hulk-6-preview-titan-Marvel/

[Cth]

RE: The preview

spoilers:

Level 9 is the combined might of the Kree, Shiar, Inhumans, Silver Surfer, Universal Constants (Living Tribunal, Thanos, Adam Warlock, the Phoenix Force and a Hulkified Galactus) Battle boards would be in fits if it wasn't the mental plane Cates has a high impression of the Hulk. They'd probably say this was what it's like in the mind of a Hulk fan Level 10 is "theoretical" but I'm pretty sure it'll be himself.

end of spoilers

And more cover variants:
s-l500.jpg

s-l500.jpg

[GreenScar1990]

RE: The preview

spoilers:

Level 9 is the combined might of the Kree, Shiar, Inhumans, Silver Surfer, Universal Constants (Living Tribunal, Thanos, Adam Warlock, the Phoenix Force and a Hulkified Galactus) Battle boards would be in fits if it wasn't the mental plane Cates has a high impression of the Hulk. They'd probably say this was what it's like in the mind of a Hulk fan Level 10 is "theoretical" but I'm pretty sure it'll be himself.

end of spoilers

And more cover variants:
s-l500.jpg

s-l500.jpg

Where did you find the Geoff Shaw variant, may I ask?

[Cth]

Where did you find the Geoff Shaw variant, may I ask?

Ebay likely.

[Vordan]

Man, Marvel's going all out with this Titan reveal for issue #6. There's like 20+ covers that have Titan on it.

Marvel never misses a chance to cash in on variants lol

[xcoijoi]

And preview
https://www.gamesradar.com/hulk-6-preview-titan-Marvel/

Fever Pitch. Haha. More like a Fever Yawn.

[CitizenXXX]

https://www.gamesradar.com/monolith-hulk-planet/

WCiuHtYbZPn5aRJ4TkSWNj.jpg

'Hulk Planet' is, not coincidentally, the name of the next arc of writer Donny Cates and artist Ryan Ottley's Hulk run, kicking off in July's Hulk #9. And true to the title, the story takes Bruce Banner and "Starship Hulk" to an entire planet of Hulks orbiting a Gamma-emitting star.
Banner finds the still unnamed 'Hulk Planet' while on a quest for total isolation, instead meeting Monolith, the planet's queen, who offers him a place among other Gamma beings where Hulk can exist in peace - but there seems to be more to Monolith's agenda than meets the eye.

[Intothevoid]

Holly crap i could not be less interested lol. From being the 3413rd writer to try and cash in on the Planet Hulk hype, to designing one of the most lackluster villains i have seen to just literally going from one planet of gamma creatures that we just had with alternate Ross and alternate Banner to another planet with gamma creatures... Like is Cates just completely running at fumes at this point?

[Cth]

Ugh. The only thing that would redeem the arc at this point would be if the planet was actually gamma, ala Ego the Living Planet. Besides, a planet orbiting a gamma star would be constantly bombarded with gamma -- how would it affect the planet's inhabitants?

--

Anyways, so, based on the solicit I'm guessing Thor wins (in time for the movie, say it ain't so? :roll Presumably, Odin sees Bruce is fighting two battles inside and out but Thor doesn't care. Eventually Titan is released and threatens to destroy everyone and Bruce freaks out and "powers down the ship" and Thor gets in a punch "to win". Bruce is convinced that the danger he warned he would become is here (as referenced in issue 1) and that isolation is the only solution. So he leaves Tony and Thor and is drawn to the gamma star ("To refuel the engine" after the fight/Titan). Eventually Monolith is going to pull an Umar and want to use Hulk to procreate and take over the galaxy with their offspring.



I'd rather see Hiro Kala being revealed to be at the core of the planet, his mind healed by the nearby gamma star bombardment. He and Bruce go on to explore the galaxy together and Monolith is retroactively changed to Lady Hellbender who set out to conquer the Hulk Planet but instead decided to lead them. The planet is alive and sentient calling itself Gah Ma. Gah Ma vs Galaxy Master and Klaatu. Gah Ma shoots gamma energy in the form of gamma volcano's looking something like the Death Star. The volcanoes being a nod to Titan of course Eventually Gah Ma vs Galactus, etc

Oh and the next arc where Gah Ma vs Ego, Galactus, etc would be Hulk Worlds War. :P

[Vordan]

https://www.gamesradar.com/monolith-hulk-planet/

WCiuHtYbZPn5aRJ4TkSWNj.jpg

Kinda feels like Cates is just rehashing all the most popular Hulk stories.

[Dinosaur Hulk]

Hmmmm chained gamma monster, I think I've seen that one before... can't put my mind to it.
WCiuHtYbZPn5aRJ4TkSWNj.jpgclean.jpg

Yeah, it's just a silly joke, I know cover artists just reuse the same 50 ideas.

I am actually surprised no one brought back Caiera yet.

[Intothevoid]

All of that hype for nothing lol. Titan was a massive letdown, he appeared did basically nothing and then f-ed off lol.