Hulk (Didn't) Smash

 

By the turn of the century, you and I had seen and likely enjoyed any number of stories featuring clashes between the Thing and the Hulk--two classic characters who, despite having long since settled the question of who was the more powerful, still managed to convey the possibility of an upset with each clash or, at the very least, give us our money's worth more often than not with some new twist on the circumstances which brought them into conflict once more. But in late 2004, a four-issue limited series appeared on the racks with a story which some of us might have considered unorthodox, even for this pair.

Right away, you've likely already discerned artist Jae Lee's hand here, whose work you may remember from The Sentry from 2000 as well as 1998's The Inhumans, and who here brings his unconventional style to two men who look distinctly different from the characters who put their stamp on the comics of the '60s, '70s and '80s. In this series, Lee handles full pencils and inks (as he did on the prior works), while this time joining with writer Bruce Jones to craft a tale that frankly takes some patience to get through. That's not to say there's not something here for Hulk/Thing fans--but when you find yourself in full agreement with the Hulk who's all but demanding that the Thing get to the point, already after covering roughly half the series with little progress on that front, you'll either be more determined to see where it's all going, or reach for your back issue of Fantastic Four #112 and better days.

If nothing else, the approach that Jones and Lee take to open "Hard Knocks" is an attention grabber, considering the characters involved aren't exactly known for their congeniality. Or, to paraphrase an old joke, "Stop me if you've heard this one. Two man-monsters end up at a hole in the wall..."

Heh, the "Hard Rocks Cafe"--drawing us in with a double pun. Nicely played, Mr. Lee.

The Mid-1970s Hulk, Redux

 

Nestled in between the second volume of Incredible Hulk and its 1999 successor, Hulk (renamed in 2000 after eleven issues to Incredible Hulk), was the six-issue series Rampaging Hulk published during 1998-99, recycling the title of the late '70s magazine and promising a depiction of the Hulk "as you've never seen him before!"

Yet, as this first issue's introductory info has alluded to, this Hulk in fact will ring very familiar to those readers of his prior series who well remember the "Hulk smash!" behemoth who leaped around the New Mexico desert and clashed with the military forces stationed at Gamma Base. Nor does that base's C.O., Gen. Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, seem all that different to us as he and his second-in-command, Maj. Glenn Talbot, prep what we presume to be a number of new base recruits on their installation's mission, so like that of the original Project Greenskin.

Though with his antipathy toward Bruce Banner, Talbot clearly isn't interested in following the General's lead and highlighting the Hulk as an opportunity for scientific advancement but, rather, a dangerous creature and threat to the human race that must be dealt with.

We learn on the splash page(s) that what we're seeing occurred almost six years prior, which would have been in the early '90s (our time) when Peter David was writing the book. But given that the issue establishes a marker of sorts that indicates the recent marriage of Talbot and the General's daughter, Betty, that would normally put us circa 1973--except for the fact that the General is referring to his military installation as Gamma Base, which wasn't officially commissioned as such until 1976.

And since the General's mission statement at that time about the base's purpose mirrors his words from his briefing, we're left to assume that this series takes place sometime after Talbot's comatose mind (courtesy of the Gremlin) was returned to consciousness in issue #200 in mid-'76--a prelude, unfortunately, to sadder days, since Talbot and Betty were headed for divorce three years later.

As for Betty, it's difficult to say here whether Talbot's fears about his wife's true feelings are justified. Regardless, we're perhaps seeing signs of the man that Colonel Talbot will eventually become when he would later take control of Gamma Base and go after the Hulk in earnest, in part due to regarding his past with Betty as "a life of loneliness and wasted memories" thanks to Bruce Banner.

And what of Banner? Taking a janitorial position at the Brand Corporation (you sure can pick 'em, Doc), he once again works toward a possible cure for himself, even as it's clear he fumes at Talbot in much the same way as the Major does toward himself, though with the difference that Betty is now Talbot's wife. But all of that takes a back seat when the procedure he conducts on himself takes a turn for the worse. (And boy, we can say that about Bruce Banner a lot. There's a post in there somewhere.)

The scene carries disturbing undertones of a 1985 story by Bill Mantlo and Mike Mignola which detailed Banner's pent-up anger as a child due to his treatment by his father--here, seeming to make clear that their relationship, and Banner's helplessness throughout, remains the reason that the Hulk "hates Banner."

Here and now, though, Banner realizes that he has the chance to make a stand of a different sort--a chance to finally seize control, assuming his physical body can stand the strain of such an inner battle. To those on the outside, such a struggle is touch and go, by all appearances--while for Banner, who seemed so optimistic, it becomes clear that the rage of the Hulk, as in the waking world, cannot be denied, or contained.

With the Hulk's ascendance, Ross remains defiant in the face of his captive's rage, telling the monster in no uncertain terms that this time there will be no escape for him from the state-of-the-art containment cell he's imprisoned in--another example of Ross's steadfast belief in the military's superior might over that of the Hulk, an obsessive state of mind which is part of what makes Ross such a flawed yet compelling character, even though in hindsight we know it will lead to him committing treason down the road.

Once again, however, the Hulk's jailers reckon without his prodigious strength in relation to his growing anger. In response, Ross's reaction is sadly predictable--but for the Hulk, and especially for the trapped Bruce Banner, writer Glenn Greenberg ends the issue more poignantly.

With this being before the time when Marvel would think nothing of limiting a new series to a set number of issues before pulling the plug and beginning another such run with only a tweak to the masthead, it was reasonable to believe that Rampaging Hulk would have some measure of success on the comics stands, even constricted to being "stuck in the past" as the saying goes--yet in its sixth issue, only a cover caption and an unceremonious blurb in the issue's letters page marked the fact that the series had ended. The release of the new Hulk series three months after Rampaging's cancellation, however, made it clear that this man-monster, even in print, was indeed unstoppable.

The Cure, Or The Cost?

 
On the heels of a procedure conducted by Leonard "Doc" Samson which made use of a nutrient bath vat to physically separate Bruce Banner from the Hulk, which led to the re-emergence of the gray Hulk, writer Danny Fingeroth and artist Sal Buscema joined their talents to bring us the 1986 Hulk Annual which served as a coda to the whole affair, as Banner returns to the abandoned (and locked down by S.H.I.E.L.D.) Gamma Base to reconsider and perhaps salvage the hope he briefly realized for a time as a separate being from his raging alter-ego. But, judging by Banner's hesitancy and doubts, the procedure seems no less fraught with risk and uncertainty, even with his own expertise at the helm this time.

Joining Banner in this endeavor are the two people closest to him--his wife, the former Betty Ross, and Rick Jones, who shares responsibility in the tragic event which created the Hulk. Betty and Rick are of two minds as to whether Banner should go forward with what he plans. But there is another who will play a part in this drama, whose arrival coincides with what is at first believed to be a meteorite impacting in the New Mexico desert; however, upon learning that the object is emitting gamma radiation, SHIELD approaches the area fearing the worst. For Clay Quartermain and his forces, what emerges from the impact crater will surpass that assessment by far.

Mongu, Redux!

 

It's November of 1962, and the first Incredible Hulk series is just two issues away from cancellation in March of 1963.* Following the format of the previous issue, writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby have the story pulling double duty--the first half making a concerted effort to engage the reader more with the Hulk, Bruce Banner, and the book's limited cast of characters (Rick Jones, Gen. "Thunderbolt" Ross, and his daughter and Banner's love interest, Betty), leaving the second half to introduce the book's threat to the title character.

*Though the beleaguered Hulk would receive an encore, as the date coincides with his first appearance in the pages of Fantastic Four.

By all indications, we're in for another alien menace, the book's second thus far; yet we'll also be witness to yet another change in the makeup of the Hulk, who at this point still remains under the mental control of Rick following an attempt to exile the Hulk in space and his subsequent exposure to unexpected radiation. And as if Bruce Banner and Rick Jones didn't have enough to worry about, there is one person under everyone's radar who is beginning to put the pieces together on the mystery of the Hulk, someone who unfortunately has the ear of the general who commands the New Mexico military base which has turned its resources toward finding and destroying him.

And now, the arrival of a figure who descends from the stars, whose challenge will decide the fate of the entire planet!

Whew, that's a relief--just about any industrial complex on Earth can "weld" a two-ton ax for this alien in no time! We're saved!

I don't suppose Mongu is the type to be amused at being tripped up by having misspoken.

Thunder Across The Worlds!

 

Thanks to the nature of the incredible Hulk, whose hair-trigger rage often causes him to present a danger to populated areas, the handful of battles that have arisen between himself and the mighty Thor over the decades haven't necessarily involved a great deal of forethought on the part of the comics writer (though it's appreciated when it's present). The Hulk appears, destroying property and endangering lives... Thor gets wind of it and makes a beeline for the scene... and voilà. A textbook example would take place in 2001, courtesy of artist/writer Erik Larsen, whose first penciling work for Marvel in 1987 produced such a battle with writer Stan Lee and, fourteen years later to the month, exchanges his pencils for a typewriter to join with artist Jorge Lucas to give us that year's Incredible Hulk Annual, where two of Marvel's most powerful characters once again clash in destructive fury.

Cover art by J.H. Williams III

As for that lack of forethought, we see that as early as page one when the provocation for the Hulk's rampage turns out to be Fialan, an assassin we met decades earlier when he was sent from the micro-world of the Hulk's betrothed, Jarella, only to subsequently meet a fiery death at the Hulk's hands. (Or so we thought at the time.)

Granted, Fialan's incineration in the inferno he was hurled into--complete with agonizing scream--happened off-panel, but come on. Regardless, it's allowed Larsen to slip in the presumption that Fialan has "inexplicably returned" and leave it at that, though he further confuses the facts by claiming that the assassin has returned to "complete his mission" of slaying Jarella and the Hulk. Jarella, however, met her death during the Crypto-Man's assault twenty-five years prior to this point (not even Marvel time can evaporate years to that extent and imply Fialan has resurfaced only recently)--while the Hulk's death was never part of Fialan's mission, but simply taken on when the Hulk appeared in Jarella's defense.

In other words, Fialan, dead or inexplicably alive, has no purpose here. Nevertheless, he cheats death a second time when the Mandroids show up to settle the Hulk's hash (or try to).

As for Thor, he's crosstown rounding up an armed gang of criminals when he gets word of the Hulk's activities, and his duty is clear.

Which is nearly a panel-by-panel replay of the scene that Larsen laid out previously in the 1987 story:

But you didn't start reading this review to hear me quibble about recycling material, did you? In any event, Larsen's story here has one important difference, in that this time Thor doesn't regard this as a perfect opportunity to satisfy his battle lust and a triumph to savor, but a responsibility to end the Hulk's menace for good. And when the two finally square off, he puts that resolve into words for his opponent--for all the good it does him, against a foe who has also had it up to here... in this case, with being a constant target for those who want to destroy him.

The John Byrne Might-Have-Been Incredible Hulk, 1985-86

 

Aside from his other work with the character, artist/writer John Byrne would make two stabs within a thirteen-year timeframe at putting his imprint on titles featuring the incredible Hulk--the first taking place during the mid-1980s in the Vol. 2 series of the same name, and the second during the launch of, simply, Hulk in 1999. If you have difficulty recalling either, you could probably chalk it up to having "blinked and missed" them, as the saying goes when describing something of such brief duration as to be easily overlooked, given that those instances only amounted to six or seven issues, respectively.

Each effort showed promise, with Byrne handling story and art in the first, and teaming with artist Ron Garney in the second--but reportedly, there were intra-office factors in play which prompted Byrne's early exit in both cases. In a segment from a 2000 interview with Byrne conducted by Comic Book Resources' Michael David Thomas, the details regarding each are as sparse as the issues in question:

MDT: One of the shortest runs on a character that you plotted and sub-plotted for in those five [sic] issues [#s 314-319]. What happened?

JB: "Betrayal" would be an excessively strong word for what happened. I took on the Hulk after a discussion with [Editor-In-Chief Jim] Shooter, in which I mentioned some of the things I would like to do with that character, given the chance. He told me to do whatever was necessary to get on the book, he liked my ideas so much. I did, and once installed he immediately changed his mind - "You can't do this!" Six issues was as much as I could take.

MDT: You returned to write the new series [in 1999] and then within the space of 7 issues were cut from the book. Can you talk a little about what happened in that situation?

JB: No.

Having previously touched on the Byrne/Garney collaboration in 1999 as part of a broader look at Byrne's other late-'90s projects, we'll focus here on his earlier Incredible Hulk contribution for the benefit of those of you who may have missed those issues (as well as those who care to revisit them) and feature highlights that showed the direction Byrne was heading in as he assembled and implemented the building blocks of the plots as well as the various characters, fresh or familiar, who would meet and deal with both Bruce Banner and his raging other self.  That storyline stems from a chemical procedure performed by Leonard "Doc" Samson which succeeded in separating Banner from the Hulk (following Samson's capture of the brute), which introduced the possibility of the subsequent blank slate of the Hulk's mind being conditioned for the purpose of the Hulk becoming a benefit to humanity--a hope dashed by S.H.I.E.L.D., which swooped in to take custody of the Hulk as a prelude to destroying him, which prompts Samson, in turn, to raid his transport detail and free him. In the process, however, Samson discovers that the Hulk is now a creature of undiluted, mindless rage, and, holding himself responsible for the destruction and devastation which the Hulk goes on to visit on those innocents in his path, decides to hunt down and recapture him.

Following Byrne's exit, we're provided with a brief flashback of how things spun out of control from there:

A series of developments we'll now examine more closely--along with what Bruce Banner (remember him?) is doing with his new lease on life.

(With a tip of the hat to artist Joe Jusko for his homage framing art above.)
You hit it out of the park, guy!

Todd McFarlane's Marvel Comics Work, 1988-91

 

From the sources I've seen on the subject, there appear to be mixed opinions among readers, and among those in the comics industry, on the work which Canadian artist/writer Todd McFarlane produced in his time at Marvel Comics during a nearly four-year period. Having been a reader throughout those years, I remember my interest waning not long after his new Spider-Man series was launched in the fall of 1990, a book he would produce as both artist and nascent writer. (Though it bears mentioning that the early 1990s presented me with a number of books which had me questioning the quality and direction of Marvel's offerings.) In the beginning, however, when McFarlane joined writer Peter David on Incredible Hulk, I found his approach to be fresh and bold, a unique style for the Hulk that was just as surprising and interesting as that of artist Jeff Purves in the character's subsequent Joe Fixit phase.

McFarlane's time on the title ended after just seven issues, though by that time he had been brought on board Amazing Spider-Man during the run of writer David Michelinie, a gifted scripter and storyteller.  (Michelinie would also later compliment McFarlane as a talented storyteller he was pleased to be partnered with.)  Like many before him, Michelinie gave Peter Parker his share of ups and downs--a certain Christmas Eve being one of the latter instances, surely.

Reportedly feeling dissatisfied at the lack of control over his work and wishing to have more of a say in the direction of stories, McFarlane was appeased with his own Spider-Man title where he would have creative control--coming into the project as a profitable talent for Marvel and taking a turn toward a future for himself that was his to chart. Yet it was a run that would last just a little over a year, which saw McFarlane eventually develop more dissatisfaction in regard to his differences with editors on story and character direction as well as artistic choices for heroic characters that would have done the Marauders proud. By this time, his variant covers were also contributing to the growth of the speculator market which preceded the near-collapse of the industry--while there was also a curious recycling of previous cover styles to coincide with costume changes.

Whether you consider McFarlane's writing at this point in time to be compelling and entertaining is a valid debate to have, with McFarlane himself weighing in on the fact that he was just beginning to dip his toes into the field. In his later work for Spawn, published by Image Comics, he eventually (i.e., after an early rough patch) came into his own in that regard; but though riding a wave of popularity at the time of Marvel's release of a new Spider-Man book, and showing promise in his first issue, it became apparent over the course of the run that the strength of his artwork wasn't supported by equally robust storytelling for a character we were growing increasingly unfamiliar with.

Following his exit from the book, McFarlane would go on to join Rob Liefeld, Erik Larsen, Marc Silvestri, Whilce Portacio, Jim Lee, and Jim Valentino to found Image Comics, a company not without its own problems but which would turn out to be a stepping stone for McFarlane to even greater exposure and profitability, steadily establishing a media empire for himself which exists as a testament to his persistence and drive as well as his obvious affection for comics. You might find informative a 2000 documentary on the man produced by Kenton Vaughan, with appearances by McFarlane as well as industry peers; in addition, there's a column by David Wallace which covers most if not all of McFarlane's growth in the comics field. The opinion that McFarlane's best overall Marvel work can be found in his partnership with Michelinie in ASM is one that I agree with--but I found myself pleased to see how he built on his beginnings to excel in his chosen field, and remarkably so.

"The Day The Earth New York Turned Green!"

 

The 1982 Incredible Hulk Annual is essentially an exercise in pure adventure, one that sees the mighty Avengers struggle to uncover a scheme which threatens to destroy or enslave the population of the entire world. And as we can assume from the book's masthead, there's one Avenger in particular who appears to be the key to the crisis--though it's his alter ego, Bruce Banner, whom we find is taking the first, desperate steps toward stopping a plan which has already been put in motion.

Producing this story is writer Bill Mantlo (who also scripted the monthly Hulk series) and artists Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott, with letterer Jim Novak and colorist Bob Sharen (whom we gather is going to have one particular color on hand, to be sure)--an ideal grouping of talent for a 32-page Hulk story which ends up featuring not only Earth's mightiest heroes but also guest appearances by other mainstream Marvel characters.

As we've learned from Page One, Mantlo is just about to initiate the period in the regular book where Bruce Banner finally succeeds in suppressing the Hulk's brutish mind and placing himself in control of not only his transformations but also the Hulk himself--a development which, among other things, will see him once more fighting alongside the Avengers (which Mantlo milks for all it's worth).  But it's the savage, uncontrollable Hulk who appears here and in one way or another ties together the various scenes playing out before us. As for the nature of the danger, the news media have the 411 for us, though it looks like they're in the same boat as the rest of New York City.

Which brings us to this tale's villain--none other than the Leader, who plans to make sure that this "green flu" epidemic that Mr. "Ratner" reports on will soon enough spread throughout the world. But even now, Bruce Banner, the Leader's prisoner, seeks to fight his foe with the only weapon he has available to him--none other than the Hulk, whom Banner hopes to subliminally influence with thoughts and images which his green-skinned raging persona can interpret and act on.

Yet Banner's presence is actually a crucial step in the Leader's plan--which brings us to Dr. Rikky Keegan, an unwitting accomplice who had only wished to cure Banner of his affliction but falls victim to the duplicity of her host and gives the Leader precisely what he needs in order to infect others to either do his bidding, or die in the process.

Yet when Banner's dreaded transformation takes place, the Hulk must first battle for his freedom against the forces under the control of one of his oldest enemies--even as Banner's plan for the Hulk begins to kick in, if only it isn't too late.

Target: ROSSSS!

 

In just about any comic that featured the incredible Hulk described as going "berserk," that would be no great stretch of the imagination for any Hulk reader, given the character's fits of rage. In addition, since that rage brings about an increase in the Hulk's strength, it doesn't come as a surprise when the level of destruction of a given area (or the punishment of a foe) becomes a scene of carnage and devastation as a result. But when a book such as What If makes such a claim, a series where the worst case scenario often becomes reality (that is, alternate reality), you can almost depend on the likelihood that even for a creature of rage such as the Hulk, things are going to get as bad as bad can get, as the Watcher will attest to in this mid-1984 issue.

Compliments to artist Bill Sienkiewicz (and his letterer) for the story's stunning cover.

Written by Peter Gillis with art by Ron Wilson, this would be the last issue of What If that the Hulk would appear in as its main character, having been featured as such in four prior issues throughout the first volume of the series. Given the Watcher's introduction, it's apparent that whatever change in the Hulk that affects his behavior to such a degree will occur at the point when Bruce Banner first transforms into the man-brute--ergo, it's fair to assume that something about the gamma bomb explosion that irradiates him is different than we remember. And that indeed turns out to be the case, as we join the doctors investigating the level of radiation exposure in not just one patient this time, but two.

In this reality, Banner failed to reach the protective trench with his young charge, Rick Jones, which leads to both of them being exposed to the detonation of the gamma bomb test. And so when Banner experiences his initial transformation that will change his life for the worse, in this reality Rick has an empathic reaction to the changes in Banner's mind as the creature who would become known as the Hulk breaks out of the facility.

All too quickly, just as it happened in our reality, the men under the command of General Ross witness the capabilities of the monster that will be named the Hulk--while our doctors discover a figurative lid being clamped down on the entire developing situation, which will unfortunately prevent their input from reaching those who are most in need of understanding just who and what the Hulk is.

Gillis has brought in Maj. Glenn Talbot--a character who for us didn't join the fold until the Hulk's second act in Tales To Astonish--somewhat earlier than his original appearance, though just as committed to his duty and to Ross.

And so we see the battle lines being drawn by these officers who are now dealing with the threat potential of a powerful, unknown intruder. But with Rick also now having a telepathic connection with the Hulk even from his sickbed, the circumstances here will change dramatically for all concerned--particularly for Ross, who is now on the path to making an enemy obsessed with his destruction, an enemy the likes of which he and the men under his command have never known.