Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2018

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Nice Jusko piece...

[The Whovian]

Nice Jusko piece...

That is cool

[HulkHP]

So how long do you guys think it will be before we see another Banner/Hulk book again? Been a fan for over 30 years. Hate not having one.

[The Whovian]

So how long do you guys think it will be before we see another Banner/Hulk book again? Been a fan for over 30 years. Hate not having one.

It won't be long. I say 2 years tops

[HulkHP]

I can only hope sooner!

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #168

Cover Date: October 1973
Sale Date: July 3rd, 1973
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Jack Abel
Letterer: Artie Simek
Colorist: S. Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas

“The Hate of the Harpy!”

Storyline: The Hulk, fresh off his battle with MODOK, is intent on bringing the flowers he’d picked for Betty Talbot, whose suffered a nervous breakdown after learning about her husband’s death while trying to rescue General Ross. He enters her room, but the only thing in the room is her night gown. This leads the hospital staff to think the Hulk had done something horrible, when in actuality, Betty had walked to MODOK’s hidden location. The Hulk rushes out of the hospital and ends up running into Jim Wilson. He manages to convince the Hulk to hide in the back of his truck and they manage to make it thru the police checkpoint without any hassle. In Washington D.C., General Ross has been relieved of command. His replacement; Col. Armbruster. Back in New York, Jim and the Hulk arrive at his home, but his girlfriend Talia is having none of the Green Goliath. The two argue, and the Hulk quietly leaves. MODOK begins his experiment, and successfully transforms her into a half-bird-half woman gamma creature called the Harpy. Her warped mind is intent on one purpose; kill the Hulk. She soon finds her prey and they battle until she tricks the brute into thinking they’re friends, only to blast him point-blank with a hellbolt. Clutching at his chest with her clawed foot, the Harpy claims victory over the Hulk…


Key Characters: Before she was Red She-Hulk, Betty Ross Talbot Banner was…the Harpy!


Personal Thoughts: Good follow-up to last issue. The art is smooth, rather than the rough scratch that we’ve dealt with for the last couple of years.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #169

Cover Date: November 1973
Sale Date: July 31st, 1973
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Jack Abel
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: P. Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas

“Calamity in the Clouds!”

Storyline: Betty Talbot, now the Harpy, carries the unconscious Hulk across the New York skyline. Her father, General “Thunderbolt” Ross recognizes her, but is unable to convince her to stay. She streaks across the sky and quickly overtaken by a random tornado into a city in the clouds. Here they are introduced to the Bi-Beast and the now-conscious Hulk takes immediate action against this dual-faced creature. However, this high up in the atmosphere proves to work against the Hulk’s aggression, and the lack of air causes the transformation back into Bruce Banner. Feeling a kinship with Banner because he is a scientist, the Bi-Beast gives his backstory – about how he was created by a race of bird-people as a repository for their wisdom, but due to circumstances in the past and beyond his control, this knowledge was used for more nefarious methods. Banner manages to convince the Bi-Beast into taking the Harpy away, just in time for MODOK to arrive. After hearing about the recent activities, MODOK flies into a rage and orders that Banner must be found. Sure enough, the Bi-Beast finds Bruce inside a lab, intent on curing Betty of her gamma affliction, and manages to push the fateful button before becoming the Hulk again. Just as the Hulk and Bi-Beast begin to really throw down, MODOK interferes cuts both of them down. The Bi-Beast dies and the Hulk reverts back to Banner. Chagrined that his cure didn’t work, he grabs the Harpy and are looking for an escape route when a wall crumbles on top of her. Surprisingly enough, she doesn’t die, but stands revealed as Betty Talbot. Before anything can happen, the sky-city breaks apart…and the two former lovers begin an eight-mile fall back to Earth.

Historical Notes: This is the last we see of the Harpy, although she gets a good mention in about 20 years from this issue.

Personal Thoughts: Naked Betty creates quite a controversy, especially between the last page of this issue and the start of next.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #170

Cover Date: December 1973
Sale Date: August 28th, 1973
Plotter: Steve Englehart
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Jack Abel
Letterer: Artie Simek
Colorist: George Roussos
Editor: Roy Thomas

“Death From On High!”

Storyline: Bruce Banner and Betty Talbot are in free-fall, as the city in the clouds self-destructed, thanks to the Bi-Beast. As they plummet to Earth, Banner does what comes naturally and panics, forcing the transformation into the Hulk. He reaches out and gently cradles Betty in his arms, cushioning the impact of their 8 mile decent. After seeking shelter in a cave, the Hulk goes in search of water, leaving Betty hopeful that she can escape. Unfortunately, she runs smack-dab into another creature, but the Hulk is there to rescue her. He takes her back to the cave, creates a fire, and forages food. Not to mention herbs for a cut on her arm! Betty awakens, panics, and comes to an understanding that the Hulk means no harm, but still seeks a way to get away. The duo run across more giant aliens and the Hulk tackles all three until he see a rescue chopper making its way towards them. He encourages Betty to leave while he hides and sneaks aboard after them…

Historical Notes: This created quite the stir back in the day, with Betty in her birthday suit mere seconds before in the previous issue, to having a towel/dress.

Personal Thoughts: This ain’t your veteran X-Men scribe script! Come to think of it, I couldn’t even find a “Claremontism” in this entire story. His Hulk-speak, however was not up to par…no quarter asked, none given. And the Hulk is quite the survivor and shaman too!

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Underrated book:

[Winterboy]

OMG, Cristiano Ronaldo is the new Hulk!
cho ronaldo.jpg

[krazijoe]

But that is not the Hulk...So why don't we just call the Abomination the Hulk, or maybe the Leader should change his name to Hulk. etc...

[ChrisIII]

Banner reportedly will be in the new Hulk book in some form, whether it's savage, Doc Green or some other persona remains to be seen I guess.

I like Pak but a lot of his later Hulk family stuff wasn't quite as good as Planet Hulk and other arcs he worked on. Still, much better than the Aaron/Waid that came later before Duggan came aboard.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Great find on this blog: Dale Keown's try-out pages on the Hulk.

http://marvel1980s.blogspot.ca/2015/...own-circa.html

[The Whovian]

Great find on this blog: Dale Keown's try-out pages on the Hulk.

http://marvel1980s.blogspot.ca/2015/...own-circa.html

Very cool!

[nj06]

Incredible Hulk #168

Cover Date: October 1973
Sale Date: July 3rd, 1973
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Jack Abel
Letterer: Artie Simek
Colorist: S. Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas

“The Hate of the Harpy!”

Storyline: The Hulk, fresh off his battle with MODOK, is intent on bringing the flowers he’d picked for Betty Talbot, whose suffered a nervous breakdown after learning about her husband’s death while trying to rescue General Ross. He enters her room, but the only thing in the room is her night gown. This leads the hospital staff to think the Hulk had done something horrible, when in actuality, Betty had walked to MODOK’s hidden location. The Hulk rushes out of the hospital and ends up running into Jim Wilson. He manages to convince the Hulk to hide in the back of his truck and they manage to make it thru the police checkpoint without any hassle. In Washington D.C., General Ross has been relieved of command. His replacement; Col. Armbruster. Back in New York, Jim and the Hulk arrive at his home, but his girlfriend Talia is having none of the Green Goliath. The two argue, and the Hulk quietly leaves. MODOK begins his experiment, and successfully transforms her into a half-bird-half woman gamma creature called the Harpy. Her warped mind is intent on one purpose; kill the Hulk. She soon finds her prey and they battle until she tricks the brute into thinking they’re friends, only to blast him point-blank with a hellbolt. Clutching at his chest with her clawed foot, the Harpy claims victory over the Hulk…


Key Characters: Before she was Red She-Hulk, Betty Ross Talbot Banner was…the Harpy!


Personal Thoughts: Good follow-up to last issue. The art is smooth, rather than the rough scratch that we’ve dealt with for the last couple of years.

I actually like the idea of the Harpy and would like to see the concept/design return in some way. I think the Hulk can use more female villains as he doesn't really have too many. I think Betty is better off as Red She-Hulk, and I would rather a new Harpy be introduced.