Stan Lee and Jack Kirby design a sympathetic monster for the atomic age. In the vein of Frankenstein and the Mysterious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Bruce Banner was an emotionally detached nuclear scientist who didn't consider the consequence of his actions until a child wandered into the test site of his new bomb. Sacrificing himself to save the young Rick Jones, Bruce Banner transformed into the incredible Hulk, the human personification of the bomb. By morning, he would transform back into Bruce Banner, seeking a way to control the monster and hiding his curse from his girlfriend and her father, General Thunderbolt Ross, charged with hunting down and neutralizing the Hulk.
Shown as gray in the first issue, the print quality was inconsistent in tone so Hulk was changed to green the following issue. This was later turned into a critical Hulk story element. |
VILLAINS
Thunderbolt Ross Gargoyle Ringmaster SUPPORTING CHARACTERS Rick Jones Betty Ross |
Collected Editions
Marvel Masterworks - The Incredible Hulk - Vol. 1
The Incredible Hulk #1–6 Paperback |
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