What Hulk Stories should I read?

[Orbis De Ignis]

To be honest, I've read barely anything of the Hulk.

What really great stories should I read before reading Planet Hulk and WWH? Something that'll really psyche me up for the character.

Also, which Hulk figure should I get; Planet Hulk or the Leader 2-Pack Hulk? Planet Hulk is kinda small but has a more interesting sculpt and comes with a cool shield and helmet.

[rZi]

Anything with PAD writing, and mike deodato jr's artwork, BLING

[Orbis De Ignis]

Can you give me some examples? It's much easier to find stuff by name rather than author :D

[rZi]

Deodato
Incredible Hulk #50-54 Vol. 2.
Incredible Hulk #60-65 Vol. 2.
Incredible Hulk #70-76 Vol. 2.

PAD
Incredible Hulk #331-339 Vol. 1.
Incredible Hulk #340-348 Vol. 1.
Incredible Hulk #349-354 Vol. 1.

[Brad Barton]

I would say for required Hulk reading, you'd have to pick up the following Issues/Trades:

"Ground Zero": (Vol. 1, #340-346) PAD and a young, fledgling Todd McFarlanes stellar run. Really the Gray Hulks coming out as the dominant Hulk. Not to mention the first ish is the infamous Gray Hulk/Wolverine fight, perhaps you remember seeing the cover?http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-340-s.jpg

The Entire "Mr. Fixit" run: (Vol. 1, #347-359) The Gray Hulks reign as a Las Vegas leg breaker, broke new ground for the character, and established the Fixit Hulk as the coolest, baddest MFer in Marvel at the time.


The Entire PAD/Keown run: (Vol.1, #366-398) This creative team presided over one of the most popular and best selling eras of Hulks title. I don't think theres a bad, or poorly drawn story in the entire 32 issues of this run. If you only check out one era of the Hulks history, IMO, check this one.
http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-379-s.jpg

"The Troyjan War": (Vol 1. #413-416) PAD and Gary Franks epic space adventure, involving an awesome, huge supporting cast including The Pantheon, The Starjammers and Silver Surfer, this is among the best of the Pantheon stories, and has a rather brutal ending, especially for Hulk.
http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-415-s.jpg

"Myth Conceptions": (Vol. 1 #421-423) I don't wanna give too much away, but lets just say this story involves Asgard, Thor, The Hulk dying and singlehandedly fighting off the hordes of hell, frost giants, Fenris the Wolf God, ....oh yeah, and the Boston Red Sox. This is truly one of my favorite comic stories of any title, ever.
http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-422-s.jpg

Those are just a few great Hulk stories from past years. If you wanna really catch up, I hope you got a few bucks on you, cause there are literally hundreds of great issues.

...but hey, Is that enough info for you?

[Orbis De Ignis]

Thanks for those suggestions. I'm reading Hulk: Grey at the moment as it's the only story I have. After I'm done I'll look for those.

[Mike Smash!]

Plenty of great Hulk stories out there...

The Peter David run is excellent and the first part of it is collected in THE INCREDIBLE HULK VISIONARIES: PETER DAVID vol. 1-3..

THE INCREDIBLE HULK: FUTURE IMPERFECT

HULK: THE END

PLANET HULK (hardcover out in June)

Just off the top of my head. I'll edit in more when I think of them.

[Brad Barton]

Plenty of great Hulk stories out there...

The Peter David run is excellent and the first part of it is collected in THE INCREDIBLE HULK VISIONARIES: PETER DAVID vol. 1-3..

THE INCREDIBLE HULK: FUTURE IMPERFECT

HULK: THE END

PLANET HULK (hardcover out in June)

Just off the top of my head. I'll edit in more when I think of them.

Right, I was working my way around to those. :D

[Kefky]

Anything with PAD's name on it. That's all you need.

[Gamma Burst]

I would say for required Hulk reading, you'd have to pick up the following Issues/Trades:

"Ground Zero": (Vol. 1, #340-346) PAD and a young, fledgling Todd McFarlanes stellar run. Really the Gray Hulks coming out as the dominant Hulk. Not to mention the first ish is the infamous Gray Hulk/Wolverine fight, perhaps you remember seeing the cover?http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-340-s.jpg

The Entire "Mr. Fixit" run: (Vol. 1, #347-359) The Gray Hulks reign as a Las Vegas leg breaker, broke new ground for the character, and established the Fixit Hulk as the coolest, baddest MFer in Marvel at the time.


The Entire PAD/Keown run: (Vol.1, #366-398) This creative team presided over one of the most popular and best selling eras of Hulks title. I don't think theres a bad, or poorly drawn story in the entire 32 issues of this run. If you only check out one era of the Hulks history, IMO, check this one.
http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-379-s.jpg

"The Troyjan War": (Vol 1. #413-416) PAD and Gary Franks epic space adventure, involving an awesome, huge supporting cast including The Pantheon, The Starjammers and Silver Surfer, this is among the best of the Pantheon stories, and has a rather brutal ending, especially for Hulk.
http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-415-s.jpg

"Myth Conceptions": (Vol. 1 #421-423) I don't wanna give too much away, but lets just say this story involves Asgard, Thor, The Hulk dying and singlehandedly fighting off the hordes of hell, frost giants, Fenris the Wolf God, ....oh yeah, and the Boston Red Sox. This is truly one of my favorite comic stories of any title, ever.
http://www.hulklibrary.com/hulk/images/covers/tih2/tih2-422-s.jpg

Those are just a few great Hulk stories from past years. If you wanna really catch up, I hope you got a few bucks on you, cause there are literally hundreds of great issues.

...but hey, Is that enough info for you?

That's an awesome list.

[Maestro]

How are the early Hulk stories in the Essentials collection?

[Mike Smash!]

How are the early Hulk stories in the Essentials collection?They can get repetitious at times, but are still alot of fun. Especially by the third volume. I love 'em.

Also great for Hulkity goodness, check out the first two volumes of the ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS, for plenty of great classic Hulk moments.

[Ult. Fireboy]

Definately Planet Hulk:D

[Dusty.]

John Byrne's Hulk in the 80's was the best Hulk ever. He left, unfortunately, just 6 issues into what was his best work ever. That's when he went over to DC to revamp Superman.

It's supposed to be collected sometime this year.

The Peter David and Todd McFarlane issues are awesome. You can collect them all in Peter David Hulk Visonaries vol 1 and the Ground Zero trade paperbacks.

I wasn't a fan of the Mr. Fixit stuff because the artist stunk.

When Dale Keown came aboard, it picked right back up, so I'd recommend any Hulk with Keown or Gary Frank, who followed him, as the artist.

Those are the only Peter David's that I'd actually recommend. It slipped after Gary Frank left.

Dogs of War by Paul Jenkins and Ron Garney is pretty good. Sal Buscema did the inks.

I'd definitely recommend the upcoming Planet Hulk collection, and I'd suggest follwing the World War Hulk stuff, at least the regular series and the mini series of the same name.

[Brad Barton]

John Byrne's Hulk in the 80's was the best Hulk ever. He left, unfortunately, just 6 issues into what was his best work ever. That's when he went over to DC to revamp Superman.
Funny you should say that, a lot of people thought Byrne completely screwed up the character, but as always I suppose it's a matter of opinion...

Those are the only Peter David's that I'd actually recommend. It slipped after Gary Frank left.
Unfortunately, I'd have to agree with you on this. After Frank left the title got really scattered and lost focus, not to mention they couldn't keep an artist for more than 6 or 7 issues...

Dogs of War by Paul Jenkins and Ron Garney is pretty good. Sal Buscema did the inks.
Ugh.

[Dusty.]

Funny you should say that, a lot of people thought Byrne completely screwed up the character, but as always I suppose it's a matter of opinion...

No, that was the babble about his second run on the book in the late 90's with Ron Garney as artist. I'm referring to his mid 80's run which was praised like everything Byrne did at the time.

[Brad Barton]

No, that was the babble about his second run on the book in the late 90's with Ron Garney as artist. I'm referring to his mid 80's run which was praised like everything Byrne did at the time.

I remember Byrne doing a Hulk annual in the late 90's that was absolutely atrocious. I think it was either annual '97 or '99, he retold the Hulks origin, and yeah, it was pretty horrible...

[Dusty.]

John Byrne's Hulk in the 80's was the best Hulk ever. He left, unfortunately, just 6 issues into what was his best work ever. That's when he went over to DC to revamp Superman.

It's supposed to be collected sometime this year.

The Peter David and Todd McFarlane issues are awesome. You can collect them all in Peter David Hulk Visonaries vol 1 and the Ground Zero trade paperbacks.

I wasn't a fan of the Mr. Fixit stuff because the artist stunk.

When Dale Keown came aboard, it picked right back up, so I'd recommend any Hulk with Keown or Gary Frank, who followed him, as the artist.

Those are the only Peter David's that I'd actually recommend. It slipped after Gary Frank left.

Dogs of War by Paul Jenkins and Ron Garney is pretty good. Sal Buscema did the inks.

I'd definitely recommend the upcoming Planet Hulk collection, and I'd suggest follwing the World War Hulk stuff, at least the regular series and the mini series of the same name.

I can't believe I failed to mention Future Imperfect, which is one of the best stories in the history of comics. Must have been really tired when I posted this.

This actually brings up something that has baffled me for awhile now. Why doesn't the Hulk, one of Marvel's most iconic figures, have more available in collections of the best works on the series. Why isn't a Future Imperfect/Hulk: The End available? Why hasn't a John Byrne Hulk:Visionaries, Dale Keown Hulk: Visionaries, Gary Frank Hulk: Visionaries been available for YEARS already? It's all generally regarded as "great" and the artist names attached would sell, so why have things like Hulk Transformations been published while his best adventures ever have never had their own collections?

[Brad Barton]

This actually brings up something that has baffled me for awhile now. Why doesn't the Hulk, one of Marvel's most iconic figures, have more available in collections of the best works on the series. Why isn't a Future Imperfect/Hulk: The End available? Why hasn't a John Byrne Hulk:Visionaries, Dale Keown Hulk: Visionaries, Gary Frank Hulk: Visionaries been available for YEARS already? It's all generally regarded as "great" and the artist names attached would sell, so why have things like Hulk Transformations been published while his best adventures ever have never had their own collections?

Well, I definitely think Hulk is getting his due right now. Marvels entire Summer basically revolves around him, not to mention the movie coming out next year....

But I agree that they should be reprinting more Hulk stories. Fortunately though, none of those old Hulk back issues are worth much, maybe a few of them with bigger name artists, but for the most part they probably wouldn't set you back but about 2-4$ an issue. So screw the visionary collections, go get the originals!