INCREDIBLE HULK #105-108 (1968)


These issues exemplify the roller coaster ride that was Hulk comics back in the 1960s/70s.  The story is an endless parade of weird nonsense, all of it directed at the titular character.  It starts with him still having Betty in his clutches—from last issue—and then has him change to Bruce Banner and back to Hulk, seemingly at random.  Meanwhile, Reed Richards has invented a weapon to sap Hulk’s gamma powers and force him to become Banner again.  An early example of Marvel’s Illumanti conspiring against poor old Hulk.

Meanwhile, the Russians have a flying saucer and they’re targeting Hulk.  And SHIELD is trying to stop them.

Hulk befriends a random boy who wants to look at a shiny rock in the middle of a battlezone because…Well, why not…and takes the brunt of the Russian saucer’s laser blast.

This really doesn’t do much at all.  Then Mandarin comes charging in and he wants to control Hulk and use him as a weapon.

So Fury tries to stop Mandarin.

And Hulk saves the day but still everyone hates him and he vows to keep breaking stuff and fighting until he dies.

Seriously.  That’s all one, Hulkinued story.

It’s like a six year old narrated it.

And yet, it’s still pretty fun!  Also, Hulk punches a dude right in the face.

But look at all the creators involved: No wonder it lacked narrative cohesion!

Scripts: Bill Everett and Roy Thomas (#105), Archie Goodwin (1st 10 pages of #106), Roy Thomas (last 10 pages of #106), Gary Friedrich (#107), Stan Lee (#108)
Art: Marie Severin (#105), Marie Severin (breakdowns #106), Herb Trimpe (pencils #106-108), George Tuska (inks #105-106), Syd Shores (inks # 107), John Severin (embellishment #108).

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