Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

From the gross to the… well different kind of gross.  There is a fine line between brilliance and madness.  Of course, there are people who go WAY over that line and cross into nutball city without a plan for a return trip.  That person happens to be the woman named Jackie.  A woman whose latest obsession has landed on Rick Jones.

Rick was introduced to us as a boy, with an aversion to people thinking him chicken, with no family as his own.  This made him the perfect ally and, to an extent, sidekick to the Incredible Hulk!  Years of hanging out with super-heroes landed Rick a gig as the host of his very own talk show – and from there he met Jackie.  A normal looking woman who, by all accounts, seemed to be on the up and up, and claimed to be Rick’s mother.  Of course, that wasn’t true… and the truth was even more horrifying.

Rick was drugged, then dragged to a basement and chained to the wall… next to the rotting corpses of Jackie’s other “sons”.  Marlo and Betty tried to help – but that got Marlo stabbed to death and Betty choked out (thankfully Betty persevered and knocked that bitch out with a fireplace poker).  Beautifully illustrated by Dale Keown it was at one of the Jade Giant’s height of popularity when the stories had a twist on almost every page!

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

There was a time when we could write off the Hulk’s rage as an innocent child-like tantrum.  It was oddly reassuring to think that the Hulk destroyed a town, not in a malicious manner, but instead, because he didn’t know any better to stop.  All of that was put to the wayside in the first few pages of the short lived Byrne run on The Incredible Hulk.  With the Incredible Hulk #314 we see the Engine of Destruction land in a forest, startling a buck.

With one vicious panel we see the innocence of the Hulk erased.  In one swift move the buck’s neck is broken, it’s life is lost and the Hulk stands without emotion.  We truly see the Hulk without a conscience, without morals, and as he truly is without humanity: a monster.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

What would you do to your worst enemy?  What if your worst enemy was already dead?  Would you wish another sworn enemy to take his deceased body, reanimate it and turn it into a mindless killing machine?  Because we find out that’s what happened to General Thunderbolt Ross.

In The Incredible Hulk #400 with Rick Jones searching for a cure (for death) for Marlo… who died.  From being stabbed.  To death.  He finds the Leader willing to help him – and as proof that he has done this type of thing before he has his Redeemer assassin lift his helmet to reveal a catatonic (and certainly not dead) Ross.  I shocking and depressing revelation to one of the oldest Hulk foes.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses or a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

The Hulk has some really fantastic villains – one of the better super groups that the Hulk faces off against is the quartet called the U-Foes.  This scene is contained in the pages of The Incredible Hulk #398 where the Hulk, straight from a visit to Vegas and a team up with the Punisher, has to battle the group… along with the Leader and a couple of his self made baddies.

Iron Clad may be the biggest but the Hulk can tackle the biggest of them no problem – it’s Vector that provides our gory scene this week.  He seers the Hulk’s skin off with his matter repelling power and leaves the Hulk a charred husk.  A husk that still bats Vector away like a flea and then uses his healing factor to regrow his skin in mere minutes.  Of course, that also leaves him having to handle his next moves with his big, green dong hanging out.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

There have been lots of horrendous things that happen to the people that surround the Hulk.  Sometimes you wonder why people would keep company with the Green Goliath.  Yet, the Hulk always seems to find the company to keep.  Such is the case of Kate Waynseboro – a SHIELD agent who found herself falling for the Hulk.  As I mentioned though, keeping the Hulk’s company is going to catch up with you.

Kate’s history keeping the company of the Hulk was hugely rocky and in one instance she found herself abducted by the Abomination for AIM and then turned into… wait for it… a freakin’ female MODOK!  Could you imagine anything worse than being mutated into just a giant, blob of a head?  Thankfully, it is short-lived – but still jarring when Ms. MODOK was revealed!

What better way than with the Hulk?

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

We all knew from the Hulk’s first encounter with the Wendigo that the creature had a real taste for raw meat.  Of course, we didn’t see the effects of Wendigo’s appetite until issue #272.  Bruce Banner, naked and freezing after being sent home from space (and introducing Rocket Raccoon to the MU) stumbles across an open cabin.  Walking inside he finds the cabin empty… or so he thinks until:

He sees the carcasses of a few of the Wendigo’s victims.  Hearing the Wendigo is a cursed cannibal is one thing – but to see the after effects is another!  It’s very reminiscent of the premiere encounter with Leather Face from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre – another famous cannibal – where dead bodies adorn the house.  I can’t decide which is sicker though – making furniture out of the remains, as Leather Face did, or posing the skeletons in a drunken pose – and the very trendy his/her inversion exercise.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

Peter David is easily the most remembered and revered Hulk writers of all time – of course he wasn’t even bullet proof.  There was a time, after the Pantheon fell, that the Hulk needed to hide from the public.  He was a wanted man – and to combat his unique physical attributes the Hulk decided to go with the inconspicuous disguise of wrapping himself in bandages.  With a brain as brilliant as Dr. Banner’s apparently his best choice to hide from the prying eyes of the every man was to look like a patient that survived the towering inferno.

Come on Bruce… you didn’t really think this was going to fool anyone, did you?

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

This time we’re taking a peek back at the sudden and violent return of the green Hulk!  After years of the grey Hulk dominating the pages of the comics we have the abrupt reappearance of the classic emerald figure that fans begged to see once again!

The pencils, handled by the revered Dale Keown, is the icing on the cake or this beautifully brutal piece of art.  The remnants of Banner strewn around with a puddle of blood at the raging monster’s feet is so jarring you can’t quite let your eyes settle enough to really enjoy it.  While people absolutely applauded the jade giant once again gracing the pages of the beloved title the scene will never escape the subconscious of the people reading it off the racks.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

I know it’s just a typo – but I just love that Rick talks about how much he misses his girl and uses the wrong name.  Most likely this is a coincidence – but how perfect was this awkward moment?  Just perfect.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

What is it with exploding Hulk villains?  In week 9 we saw Hubert St. Johns get injected with Hulk blood and grow to an enormous size.  Well, years and years later another man known as Agent Pratt suffered a similar end.  A bit more drawn out and written in a low point of Hulk history by Bruce Jones, Agent Pratt was infatuated with getting Hulk’s blood for Section H.  His cockiness was his ultimate downfall as he thought he could control the force of nature the Hulk is.  In a showdown on the side of cliff he was injected with the stolen Hulk blood and immediately began to mutate, distort and eventually blow up.

Or so it would seem… in fact Agent Pratt did reemerge and held a even worse fate then St. Johns.  In another show down with the Hulk Agent Pratt tried to take on the Hulk and is pummeled to death… and then ripped apart.  Yeah – the Hulk actually ripped apart a human being.  A mutated, evil human being – but a human being none the less.  Remember, this is at a time when the Hulk was not just a raging engine of destruction.  He had a more rational train of thought.  And yet, Jones still decided to write that the Hulk ripped apart a person rather than beat him and contain him.

Jones run was full of odd choices and odder Hulk behavior – mainly because the Bruce Jones never understood the character fully.  Pratt’s death perfectly encapsulates why this run was needed to be axed out of continuity – and thank you to Mr. David for doing so!  

My son is a spunky little bugger – wild and crazy in every way.  He’s a handful but an absolute joy to have around. He’s going to be a little heart-breaker – you can tell already –  but until then I have work to do in trying to get him to listen.  As much trouble as he gives me and my wife, I love this little guy so much.

I was also psyched to find Halloween costumes at clearance prices – 70% off – right after the 31st at TRU.  He has this one and another Hulk for when he grows.  I love finding deals like this – and this boy can rock a jade giant look like no one else!

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

McFarlan’e first issue was pretty memorable for a few reasons – least likely because of Gen Ross’ death.  That’s probably because Ross got better… and then worse… and then red.  There was also a creepy little mass jumping from head to head, taking over individual’s bodies.  Usually seen as a dark shadow – until we finally see the grotesque, pink, slimy little bastard like a poor man’s Kraang from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Well, a cross between Kraang and an evil old man with tentacles and tiny hairs sticking out of it’s body.  Holy hell, this thing is nasty…

Usually Wednesday is suited for Hulk news but with it being a dry season in Hulk lore I present a few things I’ve found around the inter webs:

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

I can’t even describe what I was feeling when it happened.  One of the best written issues of Hulk history that still burns when read.  The final arc of Peter David’s 12 year writing career for the Hulk had the Hulk face down one of the biggest nightmares.  His wife… the woman he loved from the day he first laid eyes on her… was dying.

Dying from gamma radiation poisoning.  Not even the strength of the Hulk could not save her.  Banner’s brilliant mind could not stop the inevitable.  Betty was going to die.  In an issue that simultaneously infuriated and saddened you, you watched the love of Bruce Banner’s life collapse and never get back up – and for months we were under the impression that it was the constant exposure to gamma radiation from the Hulk.  It was hard to read – and truly one of the most ‘incredible’ Hulk comics written.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

When the heroes were “reborn” the Hulk was the only hero split into both universes.  A testament to the Hulk’s popularity?  Well, no – but I like to think so anyways.  The Hulk was both here and there – but there (being the new “reborn” universe) had a Hulk-less Bruce Banner.  That is until… well, another accident.  When the Hulk arrived on the scene it was up to Iron Man to stop this new Emerald Beast.

I’m not sure if they were just going for realism or they just felt the Marvel Universe did not have enough man meat showcased on the pages of their comics, either way, the Hulk first appeared on the scene ripped completely out of his clothes.  Even worse, he then fought Stark… still nude… for pages!  I have never had to fight a naked man – but I can only imagine how uncomfortable it would be asking him to tuck it away while we wrestle.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

Brian Banner was the true monster.  He might not have shown it on the outside, like a certain Green Giant, but he was the man with the real destructive quality.  An evil man who made young Bruce and his mother live in fear.  When she had the courage to leave her he did the unthinkable.  The horrific.  He took a boy’s mother away and young Bruce cemented the technique that would spawn a gamma-exposed nightmare for 50 years and running.  He buried those emotions deep.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

Just for a moment, try to think about the top five least desirable things to do.  Is going to the dentist up there?  How many of you have it as #1?  Well, in Incredible Hulk #288, with Bruce Banner in control of the Hulk’s transformations he agrees to let a dentist take take a sample of his tooth while the government is studying the Hulk.  Still, having the Hulk’s introduction in this issue be a gratuitous shot of the Hulk at the dentist only brings up nasty memories of the hygienist scraping away…

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

Back in the early 2000’s there is a wealth of cringe-worthy Hulk moments… and they are plentiful due to the new enemy General Ryker.  This psycho wanted the power of the Hulk and was willing to go through more crazy crap than anyone was ever willing to do.  He even went as far as exposing Private Benjamin Tibbits to the power of gamma and turning him into the completely unstable Flux.

The dude was so unstable he couldn’t even keep his physical form under control.  His body must have looked like a pregnant woman’s belly in the third trimester.  His body was constantly changing – but his body wasn’t the only unstable thing.  Turns out his mind was equally rocky because when he was pushed too far he snapped like a twig.

Let’s have a little fun and discuss some of the more graphic, violent, sad, or just plain awkward moments that have plastered the Hulk history.  Be it a passing meeting between spouses of a gruesome scene that nobody saw coming – this year I’ll have you squirming in your seat!

When the Grey Hulk took over we saw a different kind of Hulk – one that was both ruthless and nasty.  He no longer whined about wanting to be left alone instead he spent his time verbally abusing his closest friends and uncaring towards situations he was directly responsible for.

He wasn’t directly responsible for the wife shooting her abusive, sheriff husband but he certainly didn’t help the situation when she stood above her dead husband trying to explain away her actions.  Without missing a beat the Hulk responded the only way he could think to… he called her a liar and laughed in her face!