Where should I start with The Hulk?

[Rocketman]

Any suggestions? I'd rather not start with the B&W Marvel Essentials collections, simply because I want more modern / 90's-2000's comics. Where should I start without being confused?

Thanks!

 

[Mace Dolex]

Wish I could help you friend but I'm lost too on all this Planet Hulk, Red Hulk, Skaar, Illuminatti, Incredible Hercules that I haven't the faintest clue what's going on with Hulk.

And it's a shame too since it appears that Marvel wanted to do this big epic Hulk event but got over shadowed with the Civil War, Secret Invasion nonsense.

 

[Rocketman]

Wish I could help you friend but I'm lost too on all this Planet Hulk, Red Hulk, Skaar, Illuminatti, Incredible Hercules that I haven't the faintest clue what's going on with Hulk.

And it's a shame too since it appears that Marvel wanted to do this big epic Hulk event but got over shadowed with the Civil War, Secret Invasion nonsense.

I know!
I went to my local comic book store with the mindset that "Today is the day that I get into the Hulk." Then I look at the shelf and it's a bunch of incomprehensible nonsense like Red Hulk, World War Hulk, She-Hulk, and something labeled Vol. 5... It all made me want to pull my hair out.

Isn't there something simple that starts at the beginning?

 

[Roose Bolton]

I know!
I went to my local comic book store with the mindset that "Today is the day that I get into the Hulk." Then I look at the shelf and it's a bunch of incomprehensible nonsense like Red Hulk, World War Hulk, She-Hulk, and something labeled Vol. 5... It all made me want to pull my hair out.

Isn't there something simple that starts at the beginning?

well that depends, if you want a modern take on the Hulks origin, I'd recommend "Hulk:Gray" by jeph loeb and tim sale, it's pretty much the original story told in a modern perspective and features some of the best art you'll find in a comic, so i'd start there.

 

[Mace Dolex]

or read up on Hulk on Wikipedia.

 

[Themanofbat]

I'd suggest starting with Planet Hulk... best thing to happen to the Hulk since Peter David...

From there, if you look it up, things will be easier to pick up in a chronological order...

 

[Mace Dolex]

Is Bruce Jones' run on the title any good?

 

[Roose Bolton]

Is Bruce Jones' run on the title any good?

Meh, it started out pretty good, but eventually it went downhill, to the point where it was laughable.

 

[Mace Dolex]

Yeah I seem to recall he was trying to write it as the 70's TV show with Bruce Banner on the run which is fine at first but probably lessens for stories with Hulk action.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Here's a good start for you. I don't know if you're reading in issues or TPB but I'd recommend, in this order:

Planet Hulk
World War Hulk
World War Hulk: Warbound
Hulk (vol. 1): Red
Hulk (vol. 2): Red & Green
The Savage She-Hulk
Skaar: Son of Hulk
Incredilbe Hulk: Planet Skaar
Hulk (vol. 3): Hulk No More
Hulk (vol. 4): Hulk vs. X-Force
Hulk: Son of Hulk: Dark Son Rising
Realm of Kings (this has a lot of stuff you dont need but you need the Son of Hulk mini that's in here)
Incredible Hulk (vol. 1): Son of Banner
Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) Fall of the Hulks
Hulk (vol. 5) Fall of the Hulks
Incredible Hulk (vol. 3) World War Hulks
Hulk (vol. 6) World War Hulks
Red Hulk: Scorched Earth
Incredible Hulks (vol. 4): Dark Son
Chaos War: Incredible Hulks

The bolded place simoulatneously (both FotH's, and then both WWHs) so you can read them in either order you want and things will likely be ruined either way. I recommend getting both Fall of Hulks first and rotate issue by issue as if you were reading the comics. Then doing the same with World War Hulks. There's also a "World War Hulks: Savage She-Hulks," "Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk," and "World War Hulks: Hulked Out Heroes." I didn't read these so I don't know how they tie-in. I'd read the main Hulk and Incredible issues first, then if you want the tie-in trades, read them.


And that wraps up all the Hulk related storylines starting with Planet Hulk as one big epic in chronological order Trade Paperback list... up to date.

 

[Obi-Ron]

You could also pick up the Planet Hulk animated movie...it cuts out a LOT of the comic story (most noticibly the ending , where [BLACKOUT]the planet is destroyed [/BLACKOUT] and Hulk returns to Earth to work out his feelings in a constructive manner ) but it's not a bad place to start.

 

[Gamma Ra]

Any suggestions? I'd rather not start with the B&W Marvel Essentials collections, simply because I want more modern / 90's-2000's comics. Where should I start without being confused?

Thanks!

Depends what you're looking for.

Getting caught up to date I'd start with Peace in Our Time trade which lead to Planet Hulk then go from there, you'll understand why Hulk reacts the way he does if you were to pick up the latest comic.

If you're looking for an understanding of Banner psychology, pick up all Peter David visionaries.

If you want to know the early years of Hulk, I'd suggest getting the Omnibus. Stan Lee's stories weren't the greatest, but you will see where Peter David and Greg Pak get their additions of both the psychological and Banner explorations from.

or read up on Hulk on Wikipedia.

This could do.

Is Bruce Jones' run on the title any good?

No. Good idea....HORRIBLE execution, and even a worse ending.

Here's a good start for you. I don't know if you're reading in issues or TPB but I'd recommend, in this order:

Planet Hulk
World War Hulk
World War Hulk: Warbound
Hulk (vol. 1): Red
Hulk (vol. 2): Red & Green
The Savage She-Hulk
Skaar: Son of Hulk
Incredilbe Hulk: Planet Skaar
Hulk (vol. 3): Hulk No More
Hulk (vol. 4): Hulk vs. X-Force
Hulk: Son of Hulk: Dark Son Rising
Realm of Kings (this has a lot of stuff you dont need but you need the Son of Hulk mini that's in here)
Incredible Hulk (vol. 1): Son of Banner
Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) Fall of the Hulks
Hulk (vol. 5) Fall of the Hulks
Incredible Hulk (vol. 3) World War Hulks
Hulk (vol. 6) World War Hulks
Red Hulk: Scorched Earth
Incredible Hulks (vol. 4): Dark Son
Chaos War: Incredible Hulks

The bolded place simoulatneously (both FotH's, and then both WWHs) so you can read them in either order you want and things will likely be ruined either way. I recommend getting both Fall of Hulks first and rotate issue by issue as if you were reading the comics. Then doing the same with World War Hulks. There's also a "World War Hulks: Savage She-Hulks," "Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk," and "World War Hulks: Hulked Out Heroes." I didn't read these so I don't know how they tie-in. I'd read the main Hulk and Incredible issues first, then if you want the tie-in trades, read them.


And that wraps up all the Hulk related storylines starting with Planet Hulk as one big epic in chronological order Trade Paperback list... up to date.

Good list.

 

[Temple Fugate]

Are they cancelling the Incredible Hulk(s) title?

 

[Obi-Ron]

I believe they are going to cancel the letter at the end of the title

 

[Temple Fugate]

incredible!

 

[hippie_hunter]

I believe they are going to cancel the letter at the end of the title

Honestly, I really wouldn't be surprised to see Marvel cancel Incredible Hulks and relaunch with a new Incredible Hulk #1.

 

[Obi-Ron]

When have they ever done such a ?

 

[hippie_hunter]

When have they ever done such a ?

Oh....you mean like every freaking time! By this point the only major books that hasn't been cancelled and replaced with a brand new #1 are Uncanny X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk(s). Wouldn't at all be surprised to see all of them get cancelled soon and replaced by new #1s with the same writers (though not in the Hulks case).

 

[Obi-Ron]

Actually The Incredible Hulk rebooted in 2000. But I get your point.

 

[Manwithoutpeer]

I'd start with the prelude to Planet Hulk up and to present. Then go back and read Peter David's run. I really enjoyed Jeph Loeb's recent run on Hulk/Rulk... but I know some that didn't.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Oh....you mean like every freaking time! By this point the only major books that hasn't been cancelled and replaced with a brand new #1 are Uncanny X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk(s). Wouldn't at all be surprised to see all of them get cancelled soon and replaced by new #1s with the same writers (though not in the Hulks case).

Incredible Hulk and Amazing Spider-Man have both been rebooted to new #1's in the early 2000's I believe (or late 90's, don't recall witch) and then brought back to numbering like the Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, etc.

Uncanny X-Men is the lone survivor unaltered.