“How do I know I won’t keep changing?” an anguished Dr. Bruce Banner asked himself in one issue of the Incredible Hulk comics. “Into that brutal, bestial mockery of a human – that creature which fears nothing – which soon despises reason and worships power! Soon, the sun will set again~ And here I sit helplessly, fearing I may again become the Hulk!”

Poor Dr. Banner’s anguish began when he was performing bomb tests. Seeing teenager Rick Jones driving towards the test site, Banner rushed to stop him and in the process was affected by gamma rays. While Rick Jones was unaffected, Banner began to transform into the Hulk.

Originally, Banner’s transformations were triggered by the rise and fall of the sun. Later, his transformation would be triggered by emotions, most notably anger.

Sometimes grey, sometimes green, the Hulk debuted in 1962, but soon faced cancellation. The character did not enjoy a successful solo run until the 1970s. During his solo series, Banner gave his cousin, Jennifer Walters, a transfusion, leading her to become the She-Hulk. This in turn added even more guilt to the Hulk’s already burdened conscience.

In the 1980s and 1990s, a major arc was introduced that explored the possibility that Dr. Banner had been mentally ill before getting hit with the gamma rays. In an effort to explain his Hulk persona (the one who offered such fun phrases as “Puny humans! Hulk smash!”) writers introduced the theory that Banner had been abused as a child. As a result, Banner had suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder, his mind’s way to try to deal with the abuse.

The gamma rays merely magnified those problems. During this time, Banner underwent hypnosis as a way to combine the Hulk parts of his personality with the calmer Banner part. The result was a Hulk that was more cunning, powerful, and intelligent than before.

In the 2006 story, “Planet Hulk,” the Illuminati, a group of covert superhero leaders, decided that the Hulk was a potential risk to Earth that needed to be eliminated. Thus, they sent him into space to live on a planet uninhabited by other sentient life. The ship malfunctioned, however, and landed on the planet Sakaar.

Sakaar was a violent planet, which seemed to fit Hulk’s personality. After being captured, Hulk became a leader of the rebels and eventually rose to emperor status. But his happiness was short lived, as his rocket exploded, killing his pregnant lover, Caiera and destroying the planet.

A vengeful Hulk returned to Earth, determined to make the Illuminati pay for what they had done. Tragically, however, Hulk found out that it was one of his own allies that destroyed his ship and he was taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Essential storylines:

~ Planet Hulk
~ World War Hulk
~ Illuminati
~ Future Imperfect
~ Crossroads of Eternity

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The Incredible Hulk is sure to be the next feather in the Marvel Comics Movie Empire as early reviews from theater goers are overwhelmingly in favor of the new Incredible Hulk movie. I, like many other kids in the 80s, grew up with the Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Iron Man and the rest of the cast of Marvel characters. I always preferred Marvel to DC for some reason but that’s not relevant.

I went to see the Incredible Hulk today and I have to admit that I expected the worst. The previous incarnations of the Incredible Hulk movies really left something to be desired and wasn’t that great. I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised that it was an awesome movie. The animation for this version of the Hulk was amazing and the movie even was able to work in a cameo from both Lou Ferrigno (the TV Incredible Hulk) and Stan Lee who is the originator of the Marvel Comics Empire. Pretty cool stuff.

The Hulk movie had no shortage of action, drama, romance, humor and all of the other things you like to see in a movie like this, something for everyone kind of thing but I have to say that it definitely left me wanting more at the end of the movie. I won’t make this a spoiler article other than to say that they tried so hard to set up the sequel that they really didn’t finish off this movie in my opinion. My wife disagrees and loved it but what does she know.

I was much more impressed with the Iron Man movie and the best part is that the Hulk movie set up an Avengers movie, just like Iron Man did. Tony Stark shows up at the very end of the movie and leaves the audience with the impression that we would see the Hulk and the Iron Man on the same screen before too long.

If you’re a Marvel Comics fan then these movies are simply awesome no matter what, so make sure you make some time to go see the Incredible Hulk.

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The Hulk popularly known as The Incredible Hulk is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk in May 1962. In 2008, the hobbyist magazine Wizard named the Hulk the seventh-greatest Marvel Comics character. Empire Magazine named him the fourteenth greatest comic book character overall, and the fifth highest ranked in the Marvel stable.

The Hulk is cast as the emotional and impulsive alter ego of the withdrawn and reserved physicist Dr. Bruce Banner. The Hulk appears shortly after Banner is accidentally exposed to the blast of a test detonation of a gamma bomb he invented. Subsequently, Banner will involuntarily transform into the Hulk, depicted as a giant, raging, humanoid monster, leading to extreme complications in Banner’s life.

 Lee said the Hulk’s creation was inspired by a combination of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein.
Although the Hulk’s coloration has varied throughout the character’s publication history, the most consistent shade is green. As the Hulk, Banner is capable of significant feats of strength, which increases in direct proportion to the character’s anger.

 Strong emotions such as anger, terror and grief are also triggers for forcing Banner’s transformation into the Hulk. A common storyline is the pursuit of both Banner and the Hulk by the police or the armed forces, due to the destruction he causes.

The character has since been depicted in various other media, most notably by Lou Ferrigno in a live action television series, six television movies, and an animated series; through the use of CGI in Hulk 2003 and The Incredible Hulk 2008, as well as in three animated series and various video games.