The Incredible Hulk: Issue by Issue
So last month I bought myself a birthday present: the entire collection of The Incredible Hulk on computer disk. It's pretty sweet. I thought it would be fun to give little snapshot reaction-reviews as I go through it, even if just for my own amusement. This journal doesn't get a lot of traffic, but to anyone out there who reads this: enjoy!
The Incredible Hulk #1, May 1962
By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
+ Ah, yes, the first issue has Hulk in gray as opposed to traditional green.
+ Our story opens in New Mexico, where the G-bomb is about to be tested! Hurray for 60s Cold War Paranoia!
+ Bruce Banner manages to pull off a Hot Nerd look as he oversees his experiment.
+ Enter General Ross and his Angry Rant about how long this experiment has taken, accusing Banner of being weak and a milksop (I have no idea what that word is and I'm not sure I want to).
+ Ross looks a lot like Kirby's Magneto, right down to the clenched fists and wild "high on...something" eyes
+ Ross's daughter Betty attempts to smooth things over, to which Ross replies: "You keep out of this, Betty! This is man talk!". I hate him already!
+ Banner's assistant pushes him to reveal the secrets of his G-bomb. We know he's got ulterior motives because his name is Igor.
+ When Banner spots a teenager in the testing field he tells Igor to hold off the countdown while he shoos the kid out of there. Yeah, this will end well...
+ Stan Lee takes his fair share of hits for flowery language, but here, describing the blast as experienced by Bruce, it really is quite impressive: "...Dr Bruce Banner is bathed in the full force of the mysterious gamma rays! The world seems to stand still, trembling on the brink of infinity, as his ear-splitting scream fills the air...!"
+ Cut to Bruce Banner and the teen (who introduces himself as Rick Jones, an orphan) under observation hours later.
+ I love how Rick Jones is so nonchalant and even annoyed about the situation in contrast to Bruce who is totally freaking out. "Bruce: I--I'm beginning to feel strange! My head is throbbing! This must be--the end..." (as Rick casually fiddles with the Geiger Counter).
+ Soon the Geiger Counter goes into overdrive as Bruce transforms into...dun dun dun!...The Hulk!
+ Rick Jones, master of the understatement, observes "Hey! Look at you! You--changed!"
+ Hulk smashes out of the base. His motives aren't really clear, other than wanting to get "out" and "hide." Rick joins him.
+ Hulk returns to Banner's cabin (trailed by Rick) saying "must get formula"...Inside he confronts Igor the spy and whoops his ass.
+ Hulk shudders upon seeing a picture of Bruce Banner: "...It is weak--soft! I hate it!" Self-esteem issues, much?
+ At the break of dawn the Hulk reverts to Banner. This begins the first model of the change from Banner to Hulk to Banner: Bruce by Day, Hulk by Night. It won't last long.
+ Soldiers trailing the Hulk barge in along with General Ross and Betty. Betty lingers, saying she wanted to apologize to Bruce about her Angry Psycho Father's behavior earlier, and offers her help when she notices Bruce is in borderline mental breakdown mode.
+ Rick Jones is secretly disgusted by all this mushiness -- ha! I love this kid.
+ Later, Igor the Spy is cooling his heels in a prison cell.
+ Using -- and I quote -- a "sub-miniature transistor short wave sending set" pasted onto his nail, Igor sends a message over the Iron Curtain to a disfigured comrade, The Gargoyle, about the Hulk. Comrade Gargoyle wants to either capture or kill the Hulk "as a symbol of my might." Ummm, okay. He sneaks into the States on a rocket.
+ At night Betty can't get Bruce out of her mind, feeling that he needs her. I like that Betty isn't just selfishly interested in him for her own sake but seems to genuinely care about helping Bruce.
+ Upon getting fresh air, Betty is approached by the Hulk. She promptly faints. Ah, Silver Age women and their convenient fainting. Betty will do a lot of this.
+ Rick approaches and tries to get the Hulk to leave Betty. Before he has any luck the two are captured by Gargoyle.
+ Upon finding Betty coming to outside Ross vows to destroy the Hulk.
+ Gargoyle learns that Hulk and Banner are the same when Bruce transforms back to normal. He breaks down crying about his own disfigured self.
+ Rather nice to see a Communist Villain who has a heart in the Silver Age. Sadly he won't last.
+ Bruce offers to cure Gargoyle of his disfigurement. After his success, Gargoyle does some fist-wagging at a portrait of Kruschev, declaring that it was his fault Gargoyle was disfigured. Gargoyle allows Rick and Bruce to escape, then blows himself and his comrades up, stating he will die "a man"
+ I confess this Gargoyle story took a rather unexpected turn. Again, l liked this character.
+ I'm impressed by how much story was in this one issue. And without seeming too rushed (except for a little at the end). These days, even simple story arcs can span five or six issues, easily.