The Hulk is known for his green skin and incredible strength when enraged. But have you ever wondered where the character came from or what it is like to be the Hulk?
This superhero is unlike your handsome Captain America or the wealthy Iron Man.
Here are ten impressive facts about the Hulk that will leave you hunting for more.
The Hulk was originally gray, not green.
The first concepts and drawings for the Hulk were created by artist Jack Kirby, alongside writer Stan Lee.
Lee wanted the Hulk to be gray so that there were no color associations with any ethnic group or culture.
The colorist, Stan Goldberg, had problems creating the right look with gray, so he used different shades to emphasize the Hulk’s features. As a result, some of the gray colors had a hint of green.
Eventually, when the first comic involving the Hulk went to print, the printers had problems re-creating the gray, and the Hulk ended up coming out green.
However, he wasn’t initially the vibrant green we know today, which was emphasized more over the years.
The Hulk made his debut in 1962.
The Hulk first appeared in his debut comic called “The Incredible Hulk,” released in May 1962.
The Hulk was a new kind of superhero, and sadly his first series of comics were canceled after issue number six.
This was because the comic wasn’t as successful as others in the Marvel Comic range. However, the Hulk did go on to feature in The Avengers.
Shortly after, Kirby received a letter expressing his love for the Hulk.
Kirby realized the audience for the Hulk was college kids, and a new lease of life for the Hulk was born.
In October 1964, a new comic was scripted to suit its target audience, and the Hulk featured for the first time in almost two years.
The Hulk was created due to exposure to gamma radiation.
The character of the Hulk was developed through an accident. Dr. Bruce Banner was in the process of experimenting with the detonation of a gamma bomb when the incident happened.
A teen named Rick Jones entered the testing zone, putting him at risk. So Banner entered to save Jones as a bomb was detonating. Banner pushed Jones to safety and consequently was caught in the blast.
As a result, Banner absorbed a large amount of gamma radiation.
Banner appeared unhurt until the next day when he transformed into a strong gray creature, which one of the guards deemed as a “Hulk.”
Thunderbolt Ross is the Red Hulk.
The Red Hulk was introduced in 2008 to the Hulk #1 series. Also known as the “Rulk” or “The IncREDible Hulk,” he was introduced to be the adversary to the original Hulk.
A key difference with the Red Hulk is that his human identity is kept a secret from other characters in the storyline.
It was later discovered that the Red Hulk is, in fact, Thunderbolt Ross, who appeared in Hulk #1 in 1962 as a military officer working alongside Banner.
A blood transfusion from the Hulk led to the creation of a She-Hulk.
Many superheroes have female counterparts, and they all have unique stories of how they came about.
The She-Hulk was created entirely by accident. Jennifer Walters was a top lawyer and was shot by a mobster. The injury led to her need for a blood transfusion, and Bruce Banner happened to be the donor.
His gamma-infused blood meant that Walter’s blood was altered, and she too was able to turn into a Hulk.
Her first appearance was in “The Savage She-Hulk,” which was published in 1980.
The Hulk has had over five love interests over the years.
His most significant romance was with Black Widow. Their love for each other was so strong that she was able to calm the Hulk down when he was enraged.
This unique and rare gift suggests that she was very close to him and that he felt connected to her romantically.
It was thought that the Hulk only appeared at night.
When Banner was getting used to his new transformation into the Hulk, it was unclear on the cause.
Initially, it was believed that he only transformed when the sun went down. He then turned back to normal when the sun rose.
However, after Rick Jones witnessed an experiment, this all changed.
Thunderbolt Ross attempted to shoot Banner into space against his will. This happened during the daytime, yet Banner still transformed into the Hulk.
From this, the conclusion was drawn that Banner would turn into the Hulk when he was enraged.
The Hulk was a founding member of The Avengers.
Alongside Thor, Ant-Man, and Iron Man, the Hulk was one of the founding members of The Avengers.
The first issue of The Avengers was released in September 1963. However, The Hulk left the Avengers in just the second issue, released in November 1963.
This was because he knew he was unstoppable, and he realized the other members feared his uncontrollable personality.
The Hulk eventually returned to help The Avengers fight in later issues.
Inspiration for the Hulk came from Frankenstein’s monster.
The inspiration for the character of the Hulk came from two iconic characters in the fiction world.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was a significant influence in creating the Hulk with his larger than human size and incredible strength.
There was also inspiration from the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the doctor who has two personalities, good and evil.
The combination helped to create the character of the Hulk both for his looks and his characteristics.
The Hulk is one of few Marvel superheroes to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
Many actors who have played Marvel characters have featured on Rolling Stone, but rarely have the cartoon characters taken the spotlight.
Rolling Stone magazine first featured the Hulk on the front cover for issue number 91, released on September 16, 1971, and again on May 15, 2015.
One of the main reasons for the Hulk featuring was his personality and attitude, as Rolling Stone promotes this alongside music and musical influence.
The Hulk is an iconic character in the Marvel Universe, and he found his place after many years of experimentation.
Although he wasn’t popular at first, interest in the character grew over the years, and he is now considered an essential character in the Marvel world.
Unlike other superheroes, his incredible strength and power are initiated through anger, and his stories show his challenges with controlling this.
As a founding member of The Avengers, the Hulk’s story continues to live on as he helps to save the earth.
