Bruce Banner, The Incredible Hulk Appreciation 2023

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

I want to see this now. evolve the TV hulk.

Or do a series ending finale that the TV show wasn't allowed to do.
Ignore the "Return", "Trial" and "Death" specials, do a "final season" in the comics.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #431
“Down Under”
Cover Date: July 1995
Sale Date: May 16th, 1995
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Liam Sharp
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Banner, Howard Ferris, numerous homeless individuals.
Villain: Abomination
Synopsis: A news reporter shadowing a SWAT team in the Manhattan sewers have stumbled across the Abomination’s hideout. He roughs up the police and tells them to stay away and “leave them alone”…as to who “they” are, we don’t know just yet. Later, we see the Hulk and Betty discussing the situation and Banner saying it’s kind of his obligation to help out because it’s his long-time foe. Betty offers up an answer to the disguise part and puts a green colored bowl with a fin on his head. Says it’ll fool everyone. He isn’t buying it and leaps way. In NYC, we see police commissioner Howard Ferris nervously get into a fancy limo and yuck it up with some slime ball politician or drug lord named Mr. Christopher. He’s up to no good and wants the commish to take a harder approach to the homeless people hiding out in the sewers. Down below, the Abomination is having a conversation with a pretty blonde named Sandy and he’s warning her and the others that it isn’t safe and that the attacks are probably going to be stepped up and soon. Up above, the Hulk arrives and offers help to the SWAT team, but even Banner is getting suspicious when he overhears talks about this Christopher fellow. The Abomination appears and the two old foes go at it once again. Elsewhere in the tunnels, the more corrupt and less moral of the SWAT members violently shoot all the homeless people that the Abomination was protecting. A grief-stricken Abomination takes his frustration out on the SWAT guy named Emery by slamming him into the sewer wall, killing him instantly. The Hulk’s anger is triggered as the Abomination vows revenge.
Commentary: Sharp is getting better and better. That Abomination on page 3 is damn sweet. No low-key dig at Erik Larsen and the Savage Dragon on page 7, as that was kind of the gag at the time. Even gets a rib later on in the issue. I remember hearing a rabid PAD fan at one of my local comic shops just ripping into the Dragon character at the time. “Dude, he’s just the Hulk with a fin on his head!” Blah, blah, blah. And I countered with “You probably didn’t even read the first mini to know how far off-base you are.” I miss that store…had a cool routine at that one for many years. Skimming over the letter column, there’s one by Olav Beemer, who was a well-known letter hack back then. I think he had a pretty long streak of letters published in Savage Dragon too…looks like he’s still around, via Instagram.

[Triniking1234]

Incredible Hulk #430
“Sliced and Diced”
Cover Date: June 1995
Sale Date: April 18th, 1995
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Liam Sharp
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Banner, Larry, Chief Largo
Villain: Speedfreek
Synopsis: We open to a young teenager hiding in the bathroom uncontrollably shaking with a gun pointed at his head. His father is encouraging him to hurry up and a gunshot is heard. He breaks in and is horrified at what he sees…
Elsewhere, the Hulk is chatting it up with Mr. Shappe, aka Speedfreek, about the offer made to him about killing his daughter’s killer. At the same time, Betty is talking to Chief Largo at the police station about his encounter the other day. She knows more than he’s willing to offer, as far as information as to who or what he is, but he’s pulled away with information concerning Kate’s murder. Later on, we see Banner, Betty and Speedfreek talking to a bandaged Larry. His suicide attempt was a mishap, and we find out that he had no intention of killing anyone, just wanting to scare the abortion doctor. Speedfreek loses his cool and reveals himself. He and the Hulk do battle for the rest of the issue. It ends when the Hulk tosses a car battery at him, which splatters all over Speedfreek and burns away all the exposed skin on his body, and he flees in agony. The epilogue has the Hulk hauling Larry off to jail, his father praying for guidance at his son’s situation, Betty praying in sorrow and the Hulk laying flowers at Kate’s grave.
Commentary: The gore is amped up from previous battles with the likes of Wolverine, Speedfreek’s first appearance and Vector shearing off the Hulk’s skin as his healing factor actually heals his hand inside his abdomen. Doesn’t seem like much but whenever I think about it, I get a little twinge in my side as I can feel the fingers tearing out and hearing the “SPULTCH!” sound.

Kinda feel sorry for Speedfreek.

How close are we to Onslaught?

Also, I can't support Dragon being a "Hulk with a fin on his head". Maybe the other guy said that since Savage Dragon came out during this specific era of Hulk where he's intelligent and a hero rather than the Jekyll/Hyde stuff from previously.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Kinda feel sorry for Speedfreek.

How close are we to Onslaught?

Also, I can't support Dragon being a "Hulk with a fin on his head". Maybe the other guy said that since Savage Dragon came out during this specific era of Hulk where he's intelligent and a hero rather than the Jekyll/Hyde stuff from previously.

About a year. Issues #444-446 deal with Onslaught and its effects.
I dunno about that other guy, never saw him again, didn't bother to ask.
It was the absolute snide and condescending tone in his voice that I remember the most. And the look on his face after I said it....

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #432

“Shades of Green”
Cover Date: August 1995
Sale Date: June 27th, 1996
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Liam Sharp
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Banner, Howard Ferris, numerous homeless individuals.
Villain: Abomination
Synopsis: There isn’t a whole lot to put in this synopsis – the Hulk and Abomination spend most of the issue fighting each other, with Betty watching it on the television. The cop involved in the more shadier aspects of Mr. Christopher’s business joins the homeless and the Abomination seemingly dies in a helicopter explosion and crash…to which Banner isn’t buying any of it.
Commentary: Just as I was getting into Sharp, he’s off the book. His style was almost a blend of Jae Lee and Bill Sienkiewicz by this time and it was finally fitting this new tone of the book. However, the reason he left was a bit different; in a Facebook posting about Liam’s time on the Hulk, Peter David said he had him removed after claiming that Sharp called Bobbie Chase to remove PAD as writer and let him take over as writer/artist.

[ComicNoobie]

Incredible Hulk #432

“Shades of Green”
Cover Date: August 1995
Sale Date: June 27th, 1996
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Liam Sharp
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Banner, Howard Ferris, numerous homeless individuals.
Villain: Abomination
Synopsis: There isn’t a whole lot to put in this synopsis – the Hulk and Abomination spend most of the issue fighting each other, with Betty watching it on the television. The cop involved in the more shadier aspects of Mr. Christopher’s business joins the homeless and the Abomination seemingly dies in a helicopter explosion and crash…to which Banner isn’t buying any of it.
Commentary: Just as I was getting into Sharp, he’s off the book. His style was almost a blend of Jae Lee and Bill Sienkiewicz by this time and it was finally fitting this new tone of the book. However, the reason he left was a bit different; in a Facebook posting about Liam’s time on the Hulk, Peter David said he had him removed after claiming that Sharp called Bobbie Chase to remove PAD as writer and let him take over as writer/artist.

LOL those eyes! I love the bugging out eyes drawn here hahaha! Gotta love the 90s where all heroes are super bulky with muscles upon muscles. For characters like Hulk and Abomination I think they pull that look off pretty well though. This is still Professor Hulk right? I'm gonna call him Prof. bug-eyed Hulk now!

[Vordan]

I'm shocked that Marvel hasn't done a "Hulk `77" series in the same vein as Batman `66, Superman `78 or Batman `89.
Done right, it could be a kick to read.

I’d be all over it but I understand licensing the likeness rights is a pain, which is why it took so long for DC to do those series.

[ComicNoobie]

Incredible Hulk #431
“Down Under”
Cover Date: July 1995
Sale Date: May 16th, 1995
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Liam Sharp
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Banner, Howard Ferris, numerous homeless individuals.
Villain: Abomination
Synopsis: A news reporter shadowing a SWAT team in the Manhattan sewers have stumbled across the Abomination’s hideout. He roughs up the police and tells them to stay away and “leave them alone”…as to who “they” are, we don’t know just yet. Later, we see the Hulk and Betty discussing the situation and Banner saying it’s kind of his obligation to help out because it’s his long-time foe. Betty offers up an answer to the disguise part and puts a green colored bowl with a fin on his head. Says it’ll fool everyone. He isn’t buying it and leaps way. In NYC, we see police commissioner Howard Ferris nervously get into a fancy limo and yuck it up with some slime ball politician or drug lord named Mr. Christopher. He’s up to no good and wants the commish to take a harder approach to the homeless people hiding out in the sewers. Down below, the Abomination is having a conversation with a pretty blonde named Sandy and he’s warning her and the others that it isn’t safe and that the attacks are probably going to be stepped up and soon. Up above, the Hulk arrives and offers help to the SWAT team, but even Banner is getting suspicious when he overhears talks about this Christopher fellow. The Abomination appears and the two old foes go at it once again. Elsewhere in the tunnels, the more corrupt and less moral of the SWAT members violently shoot all the homeless people that the Abomination was protecting. A grief-stricken Abomination takes his frustration out on the SWAT guy named Emery by slamming him into the sewer wall, killing him instantly. The Hulk’s anger is triggered as the Abomination vows revenge.
Commentary: Sharp is getting better and better. That Abomination on page 3 is damn sweet. No low-key dig at Erik Larsen and the Savage Dragon on page 7, as that was kind of the gag at the time. Even gets a rib later on in the issue. I remember hearing a rabid PAD fan at one of my local comic shops just ripping into the Dragon character at the time. “Dude, he’s just the Hulk with a fin on his head!” Blah, blah, blah. And I countered with “You probably didn’t even read the first mini to know how far off-base you are.” I miss that store…had a cool routine at that one for many years. Skimming over the letter column, there’s one by Olav Beemer, who was a well-known letter hack back then. I think he had a pretty long streak of letters published in Savage Dragon too…looks like he’s still around, via Instagram.

The Savage Dragon reference is cool. I remember watching the show when I was little. But I don't know if this was intentional or not but how funny is that lower panel of Hulk 'flying" in the sky like a rocket? It's well drawn but so funny! Something tells me I need to read these 90s Hulk runs because they look fabulous and unintentionally hilarious. Hulk rockets into the clouds while deep in thought!

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #433
“Punishment Fit the Crime”
Cover Date: September 1995
Sale Date: July 27th, 1995
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Terry Dodson
Inker: Gary Martin
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase

Synopsis: The next string of issues are a chore to get through and I honestly cannot give a decent synopsis. I’d rather read issue #230 with the alien and corn than this.
Here’s a better one: https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Incre...Hulk_Vol_1_433

Commentary: Ugh, was not a fan of the next trio of issues, this was the summer of suck. Talk about floundering. And that panel of the Hulk bursting in with a collared shirt, purple khakis and flip-flops. I may have read it twice since it came out.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #434
“Funeral Story”
Cover Date: October 1995
Sale Date: August 24th, 1995
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Justiniano
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase

Synopsis: It’s the funeral of Nick Fury, and the Hulk is feeling guilty over it and the Howling Commandos aren’t buying it.
Again, not a fan. Here’s a better synopsis: https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Incre...Hulk_Vol_1_434

Commentary: Follow-up to the Punisher’s “Over the Edge” storyline. Nick Fury’s funeral. I’m not understanding how the Hulk relates to anything Fury-related. This should have been in a Captain America special or something.

[Triniking1234]

So they dragged Hulk and other some other B-list characters in some Marvel Edge line and had them do some Punisher event?

One issue is fine but why did Peter David feel the need to do the funeral issue?

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

So they dragged Hulk and other some other B-list characters in some Marvel Edge line and had them do some Punisher event?

One issue is fine but why did Peter David feel the need to do the funeral issue?

That's the million dollar question.
More than likely, editorial mandate.
The Marvel Edge line consisted of Dardevil, Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, Punisher and the Hulk. I want to say Bobbie Chase was the EIC of this line.
Marvel was not in a good place during this time, so I'm sure while some ideas looked good on paper, the execution was less than desirable, and these separate lines only lasted a year before going back to the one EIC.

[The Cool Thatguy]

So they dragged Hulk and other some other B-list characters in some Marvel Edge line and had them do some Punisher event?

One issue is fine but why did Peter David feel the need to do the funeral issue?

I rather liked it, if only because it had Hulk reflecting on what his own funeral might be like.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #435
“The Unnatural”
Cover Date: November 1995
Sale Date: September 21st, 1995
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Chris Renaud
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Glynis Oliver/Electric Crayon
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Max, Betty Banner, Niles Jacoby.
Villain: The Rhino
Synopsis: The Hulk paints himself over (literally) to become a baseball player until he’s up against the Rhino.
Here’s a better synopsis…and the last I will toss over to for a while:
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Incre...Hulk_Vol_1_435

Commentary: A little more lighthearted but still not my cup of tea. Baseball bores the living **** out of me, reading about the Hulk trying to pass off as a baseball player and tease me with a Gary Frank cover doesn’t help either. There’s been no direction since the end of the Pantheon saga and these aimless crossovers and random filler made it difficult for me to stick with the book. Let’s see, fall of `95…I was back in my hometown and going to school to make up for the classes I couldn’t afford to finish in Twin Falls. I was actually more interested in the X-Men and Savage Dragon than the Hulk. Next issue, however…

[Vordan]

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comi...nkId=200461672

Readers will get a chance to witness the Hulk’s fury from a horrifying new perspective in a fascinating new HULK ANNUAL this May!
Written by David Pepose (SAVAGE AVENGERS) and drawn by Caio Majado (EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE), the over-sized issue will present “The Viridian Project,” a terrifying tale stitched together from found footage. Set in the town that birthed the Hulk, the story will introduce a ragtag group of young filmmakers who set out to uncover the truth behind the green goliath’s origin, but end up getting a firsthand look at his deadly rage! The terrifying tale will keep readers on the edge of their seat with thrills as well as thought-provoking insights into Hulk’s effect on the world around him.
A documentary crew is on the hunt for a monster at the heart of a gamma radiation leak, but they get much more than they bargained for when they’re caught in the middle of a brawl between two unstoppable giants, as Hulk battles an unleashed Giganto!
"When my editor Wil Moss first reached out to me about writing this HULK ANNUAL, it took me a beat to wrap my head around the enormity of it all,” Pepose said. “The Hulk is such a massive character, just this larger-than-life figure who is equal parts man, monster, and unstoppable force of nature. And it's that feeling of unfathomable scale that we're looking to explore in 'The Viridian Project,' our found-footage story about a team of filmmakers shooting a documentary on the legacy of Bruce Banner... and the horrors they discover when they actually find him. It's been incredibly exciting to dive into the Hulk's adventures through this truly human lens, and I can't wait for readers to witness first-hand what it's like to ride out an encounter with The Strongest One There Is!"
In addition, HULK ANNUAL #1 will include an exclusive preview of the Hulk’s next era that a new creative team will be kicking off this summer! Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the full announcement!

Pepose taking over Hulk maybe? Haven’t read anything from him so I don’t know if he would be a good fit.