Hulk (and Puny Banner) Turn 60

In 1962, Marvel’s creative dream team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created a character that is both heroic and monstrous. The Incredible Hulk is a man torn between being mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner and his other gamma-powered, violent persona, the Hulk. Steeped in gothic literary tradition, Hulk is similar to the misunderstood Frankenstein’s Monster who is tormented by his own rage and the way people react to him, and the warring dual personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The Hulk was introduced 60 years ago during Marvel’s fruitful Silver Age in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962). Bruce was a shy introvert as a kid with an abusive father and an aptitude for science. Based on his work in nuclear physics, he was recruited by the US Army to adapt his theories to use in weaponry. Bruce took a job at a federal nuclear research facility in New Mexico where he quickly became friends with Betty Ross, while her father General Thaddeus Ross immediately disliked the shy scientist.

His life changed completely at the base. Bruce was working on developing a bomb that used gamma radiation, not realizing that he was being shadowed by an undercover foreign agent. He was about to test the bomb when he saw teenage Rick Jones was on the testing field. Rushing out to warn the young man to leave, Bruce didn’t know that the foreign agent continued the test with Bruce in its path. When the bomb detonated, Bruce was blanketed in radiation, miraculously survived, and later that night he transformed into the Hulk (who was originally gray).

Rick saw the transformation and ushered him to a safe place away from soldiers where he changed back into Bruce. Understanding the shocking change in his body’s chemistry, Bruce became focused on trying to find a cure.

Bruce soon learned that his high intelligence is beyond his reach when he turns into the Hulk, and that his big green counterpart is fueled by his pent-up anger. He discovered that his transformation into Hulk is trigged by adrenaline when he is angry, nervous, or anxious. As the Hulk, his strength is measured at the top level of superhumans of Earth, his skin is strong enough to deflect extreme harm, and he can leap huge distances.

For the good and the bad, Bruce maintained some of the relationships he had formed at the New Mexico base. When Betty found out about Bruce’s new dual identity she remained his friend, and eventually they got married, but their happiness was short-lived. Rick became his friend and even found a way to calm Hulk so that he’d return to his human form. Predictably, Thunderbolt Ross hated the Hulk and became deeply invested in hunting and destroying the Hulk.

While evading General Ross, Hulk was manipulated by Loki, who manipulated the big green guy into a fight with Thor, Iron Man, the Wasp, and Ant-Man. Instead of creating disaster, Loki’s plan inspired the heroes to form the Avengers. Hulk didn’t stick around for long, however, instead building an alliance with Namor the Sub-Mariner, but it didn’t last either. He would then join Dr. Strange and Namor to stop an otherworldly threat, becoming the Defenders.

Following a trip to another plain of existence, Bruce did a blood transfusion to help his injured cousin Jennifer Walters, turning her into She-Hulk. He gained the ability to retain his intelligence as Bruce in the Hulk’s body, but it did not last. Later he was split into two wholly separate beings as Bruce and the Hulk. Bruce returned to Betty and the two got married, but the union was wrecked when Hulk and Bruce reformed as one entity.

Hulk started working with Doc Samson, another person infused with gamma, who found a way for Hulk to become more intelligent. Now known as Professor, he joined the Pantheon and fought his future self, called the Maestro. Bruce suffered an injury with shrapnel nearly damaging his brain, resulting in the Hulk reverting back to his former self.

A gamma bomb caused him to turn back into the grey Hulk, prompting the Illuminati to shoot the Hulk into space. Rescued by a spacefaring vessel, Hulk was taken to Sakaar where he became a beloved warrior and then the world’s ruler. His happy life on Sakaar suffered when his spaceship exploded, destroying a portion of the planet and killing his queen.

Hulk returned to Earth to take revenge on the Illuminati, but Iron Man figured out how to turn him back into Bruce and sequester him. Regaining some control and becoming intelligent once again he became Doc Green. Having witnessed other Hulk beings – including Thunderbolt Ross as Red Hulk, Rick Jones as A-Bomb, and his son Skaar from Sakaar – he becomes determined to end all gamma-mutates. His new young friend Amadeus Cho absorbed gamma powers and became the new Hulk.

Guilty over what Doc Green had tried to do, Bruce decided to retreat from society. But, it wasn’t to last, and Hulk was pulled into another Civil War over an Inhuman who could see visions of the future. One such vision was that Hulk was going to kill a bunch of heroes, prompting Iron Man and others to confront him. As they tried to take him into custody Hawkeye shot and killed Bruce with an arrow through his brain.

His body was stolen by the Hand, he was resurrected, and Arnim Zola temporarily used him when Hydra was making a bid to take over the US. Hulk was pulled into a contest between the Black Order and Lethal Legion, fighting the likes of Cannonball and Living Lightning. Since then he has sought to live a quieter life but the Hulk is regularly called back to, well, smash.