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After the Fantastic Four ushered in the Marvel age of comics, Stan Lee felt pressure to come up with another idea that could rival their success. And in a moment of inspiration, Lee combined aspects from Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein to, along with artist Jack Kirby, create a monster for the nuclear age: The Incredible Hulk.
In the series’ first issue, released in 1962, Dr. Bruce Banner was irrevocably changed forever when he was belted with gamma rays while saving a teenager from a bomb that he helped create. Since then, the character has starred in hundreds of comics, had his own memorable TV show, and appeared in two movies, not including his role in the soon-to-be-released epic The Avengers.
But it hasn’t been an easy journey for Banner and his supporting cast. Throughout the years, he has experienced tragedy, drastic changes in personality and color, and, more recently, he has had to deal with some new gamma-fueled competition: the Red Hulk.
For the past four years, the Red Hulk, a.k.a. General “Thunderbolt” Ross, has been the star of his own book, simply titled Hulk. He has become an integral part of the gargantuan Marvel hero's legacy, and today marks the release of the milestone Hulk #50. To celebrate this landmark issue, we’re taking a look back at the journey of the Green Hulk, Grey Hulk, Red Hulk, and every other memorable moment in The Evolution Of The Hulk In Comics.
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Writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby debut The Hulk in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962).
The Hulk changes from grey to green in The Incredible Hulk #2 (July 1962).
The Incredible Hulk ends with issue #6, and the character begins to appear in Tales To Astonish (March 1963).
The Hulk joins the Avengers in Avengers #1 (July 1963).
Tales To Astonish is re-titled The Incredible Hulk starting with issue #102 (April 1968).
Artist Sal Buscema begins his 10-year tenure on The Incredible Hulk with issue #194 (December 1975).
Writer Bill Mantlo recounts Bruce Banner’s struggle with child abuse in The Incredible Hulk #312 (October 1985).
Writer John Byrne’s short run saves The Incredible Hulk from cancellation starting with issue #314 (December 1985).
John Byrne’s run ends with the marriage of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk #319 (May 1986).
The Hulk turns grey again in The Incredible Hulk #324 (October 1986).
Writer Peter David begins his 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk with issue #328 (February 1987).
The Grey Hulk becomes a Las Vegas mob enforcer named Mr. Fixit in The Incredible Hulk #347 (September 1988).
Peter David and artist Dale Keown make a super-intelligent Hulk, a.k.a. "The Professor," in The Incredible Hulk #377 (January 1991).
Peter David debuts the Maestro, an evil Hulk from an alternate future, in Future Imperfect #1 (December 1992).
Better Banner dies due to gamma radiation poisoning in The Incredible Hulk #466 (July 1998).
Peter David's run ends with The Incredible Hulk #467 (August 1998).
The Incredible Hulk comes to an end in issue#474 (March 1999).
Marvel relaunches The Incredible Hulk with writer John Byrne and artist Ron Garney (April 1999).
Paul Jenkins begins his Incredible Hulk run by bringing back "The Professor" and Mr. Fixit (March 2000).
Writer Bruce Jones brings The Hulk back to his fugitive roots during his four-year run on the character (January 2002).
Peter David returns to the future to tell the last Hulk story ever in Hulk: The End (August 2002).
Greg Pak turns The Hulk into an intergalactic gladiator during the 14-issue "Planet Hulk" storyline (April 2006 - June 2007).
The Hulk returns to Earth and takes revenge on the Marvel universe during World War Hulk (July 2007 - January 2008).
The Incredible Hulk ends, yet a new incarnation of the character begins with the debut of the Red Hulk (March 2008).
The Incredible Hulk returns and puts its focus on the Green Hulk in issue #600 (July 2009).
The Red Hulk is revealed to be Bruce Banner's longtime nemesis, General "Thunderbolt" Ross, in Hulk #22 (May 2010).
The Incredible Hulk ends yet again with issue #635 (August 2011).
The Incredible Hulk gets relaunched for a third time by writer Jason Aaron and artist Marc Silvestri (October 2011).
Hulk reaches its milestone 50th issue, and begins a brand-new story by writer Jeff Parker and artist Carlos Pagulayan (April 2012).
