Featuring: Giant-Man and Wasp
Release: June 2, 1964
Cover: September 1965
12 cents
Rapidly written by: Stan Lee
Dashingly drawn by: Dick Ayers
Instantly inked by: P. Reinman
Lazily lettered by: Art Simek
18 pages
Art Simek’s lettering is referred to as “lazy”. Indeed, he seems to have forgotten Paul Reinman’s name, crediting him as R. Reinman, rather than the usual P. Reinman.
This is Ayers’ first time drawing the Hulk. In fact, it’s the first time anybody but Kirby or Ditko has drawn the Hulk.
It’s clear that prior to this point, Hulk is not yet the character modern readers (or TV viewers or moviegoers) have come to know. Steve Ditko will take over the art/plotting duties on Hulk’s new ongoing series, and often gets the credit for inventing Hulk as we know him. But it seems to me all the groundwork is laid right here by Lee and Ayers. This issue introduces a more recognizable version of Hulk.
For several months, Hulk has been bouncing title to title (Avengers, Fantastic Four, Amazing Spider-Man) ever since his own series got cancelled a year earlier. This guest appearance in Giant-Man’s comic is his final bounce, and a transition into the return of his ongoing solo adventures in this very title. This is why they cancelled Wasp’s solo adventure backups, to make room for Hulk’s return. And this time, Hulk’s series will endure for a long time.
Besides being the lead-in to his new series, this is a significant issue for Hulk. We learn his full name for the first time: Dr. Robert Bruce Banner. This explains why Stan sometimes called him Bruce and sometimes Bob. I had assumed Stan just got careless with details.
We see the status quo of the relationship between Bruce and Betty. They are a couple, which her father does not approve of. But there is a strain on their relationship. What Banner describes as “…a secret I can never reveal to a living soul”. It’s a weird thing to say to Betty, and no way to keep a secret.
The precise relationship between Hulk and Banner has never been clear. They seem to have two different personalities. Banner has at times been in control of Hulk’s body, but lately has not. Tellingly, Banner refers to Hulk as “him”, describing him in the third person.
Most importantly, this issue defines and clarifies a new status quo for when and why Hulk changes.
Let’s review the history of the Incredible Hulk, and how and when his transformations happen.
- Incredible Hulk #1 Bruce Banner turns into Hulk at night. Hulk has an entirely different personality, a sinister and villainous one. Hulk seems to possess Banner’s memories, but only dimly. Banner and Hulk speak of each other as two different people and hate each other. Hulk is grey with 5 toes on each foot. Banner goes by Bruce.
- Incredible Hulk #2 Hulk occasionally rampages, but other times is calculating, basically a super-villain with temper tantrums. Hulk is now green, and the comic acts like he always has been.
- Incredible Hulk #3 Exposure to cosmic rays makes Hulk more powerful, and also persistently Hulk. He never turns back to Banner, even during the day. He is now under the mental control of Rick Jones. Hulk’s mind is only free when Rick Jones sleeps, at which point his personality is similar to before. Sometimes on a mindless rampage, sometimes plotting supervillainy.
- Incredible Hulk #4 There are two distinct personalities, Banner and the Hulk. Banner’s side is occasionally able to influence Hulk, sparking heroism. The Banner side manages to take enough control to subject Hulk to a ray that cures him. He can now turn into Hulk or back into Banner at will using the ray. In Hulk form, Banner’s personality is dominant, but hints of Hulk’s personality seep through.
- Incredible Hulk #6 The machine is faulty. Sometimes the effects are delayed; at one point, the transformation is incomplete, and we get Hulk’s body with Banner’s head. Banner remains mostly in control.
- Avengers #1 Some time has passed and the status quo seems to have shifted, but is not well explained. Hulk’s personality is different. He does not sound like Banner or the Hulk we knew. He has a bad temper but is basically heroic. He wants to be left alone. He has been in the Hulk form for a while now, not wishing to change back to Banner; Banner’s personality is not in control. He has been posing as a robotic circus clown. He has three toes.
- Avengers #3 The ray will still transform Hulk back to Banner, but sometimes the transformation is automatic. We see Banner transform to Hulk once, perhaps because the last gamma dose hadn’t been strong enough. And we see Hulk transform to Bruce without the machine, possibly due to stress. Hulk has 5 toes. Banner goes by Bob.
And that’s where we are. Since then, Hulk has fought the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and Spider-Man. He’s not the scheming villain of his normal issues. He’s a relatable character, occasionally prone to bouts of heroism, but he’s often angry, holds a grudge, throws temper tantrums, and wants to be left alone. There is a ray which transforms him between Banner and Hulk, but the transformations also happen spontaneously in both directions. The trigger is not clear, though stress was mentioned once, as a reason why Hulk transformed back into Banner.
The trigger is clarified by Dr. Banner for the first time in this issue: “I mustn’t get excited! I mustn’t let me blood pressure rise! When it does, I can’t control myself! I– begin to change!” The idea spoken here is the one that will catch on and basically endure.
At least, that’s how he turns from Banner to Hulk. When he changes back, it’s because of the force of an explosion. A little less clear and enduring.
The other fundamental revelation about Hulk’s powers comes from Hulk himself: “The angrier I get, the stronger I get!” This take on the Hulk’s powers will also prove enduring.
Giant-Man mentally makes Jan grow. She notes she has asked him not to do that. It definitely seems like a violation to me, and it’s not clear to me why he won’t share the technology with her.
Also on the list of things not clear to me is why Giant-Man keeps his mask on and disguises himself with a hat and trenchcoat. Why not just remove the costume and put on normal clothes?
Human Top is out on parole. These villains must have very good lawyers. And he’s in this story for reasons I cannot discern. His presence has no noticeable effect on the plot whatsoever. I guess you could argue he convinces Hulk and Giant-Man to fight, but they’d have done that no matter what.
He reminisces on how he had mistaken Giant-Man for being clumsy.
It wasn’t a mistake, Top. Giant-Man is the biggest klutz of the superhero world.
Giant-Man thinks he can convince Hulk to rejoin the Avengers. His effort is unsuccessful, and they fight. An unsurprising outcome.
Rating: ★★★½, 62/100
Significance: ★★★★☆
Last issue I gave the Wasp story 55/100, the highest score I had given any Ant-Man/Giant-Man/Wasp story since Ant-Man’s first appearance, which I gave a 60. This is the new record for the characters.
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man/Giant-Man vol. 2. You can find the story in Ant-Man/Giant-Man Epic Collection vol. 1: The Man in the Ant Hill. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Spider-Man
- Hulk/Dr. Robert Bruce Banner
- Iron Man
- Giant-Man/Ant-Man/Henry “Hank” J. Pym
- Thor
- Captain America
- Wasp/Jan Van Dyne
- Human Top/Davy Cannon
- General “Thunderbolt” Ross
- Betty Ross
Minor characters:
- Joe (Airman)
Story notes:
- Spider-Man appears in newsreel, with footage from Amazing Spider-Man #14.
- Human Top reading headlines about Giant-Man’s battle with Colossus from Tales to Astonish #55.
- We learn Henry Pym’s middle initial is “J”.
- Human Top out on parole.
- Human Top has learned to create an air stream powerful enough to blast a hole in a brick wall.
- Avengers had regular meeting.
- Giant-Man and Wasp fly to New Mexico to talk Hulk into rejoining Avengers; they rent a helicopter to travel to Los Diablos Missile Base, the Air Force base commanded by General “Thunderbolt” Ross.
- General Ross and Giant-Man have met before, in Avengers #5.
- We learn for the first time Banner’s full name: Dr. Robert Bruce Banner.
- Betty doesn’t know how Giant-Man suddenly appeared.
- Town’s residents evacuated to Sandy Point.
- General fires small bore atomic shell — not sure what that is.
- Hulk thinks he can survive an atomic blast.
- Force of the atomic explosion changes Hulk to Bruce.
- Captain America reading newspaper article about Dr. Zemo.
- The Avengers have a regular meeting the next day, which seems to suggest they are meeting daily now.
#225 story in reading order
Next: Tales to Astonish #59, Story B
Previous: Avengers #7
