INCREDIBLE HULK question for the comic readers

[huedell]

For fans of the Hulk TV series... there was a run of the Hulk in the early 2000's written by Creepy/Eerie writer Bruce Jones, in which he and editor Axel Alonso forged a direction that was heavily influenced by the Hulk TV show. Using the general structure of a fugitive Banner desperately trying to keep the monster at bay, and the Hulk Outs were saved for the most dramatic moments of desperation for a heightened dramatic effect. The Hulk was generally portrayed as inarticulate. There was a great deal of human drama and angst in this run, which was both it's strength and weakness. Mood, an atmosphere of heightened paranoia, and character interactions were emphasized, at the expense of Superheroic Hulk Action. It ultimately was not able to sustain itself as the overarching plot grew thin, overextended and convoluted. Many fans began referring to it as the Hulk title without the Hulk. Attempts to course correct was a bit too little, too late, although there was an interesting take on the Absorbing Man that I'm hoping someone else will pick up on someday. Alonso (currently Marvel's EIC) had been recruited from Vertigo, and brought a different sensibility to the mainline Marvel titles he edited. I think this would have been a good secondary Hulk title in the Marvel Knights line had it been a contained finite series. I don't think mainline Hulk readership at the time was ready for a "Vertigo" style Hulk despite the positive initial reaction.

Almost seems like the perfect title for the time---a Bixby/Bana mix of tone with darkly eye-catching art.

[huedell]

Folks have already mentioned Mantlo's run. While I'm not a huge fan of this run, it overlapped Secret Wars which for me was the best use of a Smart Hulk at the time. Otherwise he'd have been one more crazy wild card in an overarching crowded battle royal plot already filled with wild-cards like Magneto and the X-Men, Doom, Galactus, Molecule Man etc.

I'm a casual comicbook fan who knows a lot about the industry's trajectory. A lot of it I got from the Sean Howe Marvel Bio that talks a lot about Jim Shooter's time as main shot-caller/editor. It's cool to see you guys bring it up in different contexts such as this Secret Wars post. I'll probably always be viewed strangely (if not unkindly) by hardcore fans by claiming to be a Shooter-supporter overall---but, I believe this aspect of Secret Wars is another example of otherwise untapped fruits of the Marvel Universe.

That said: Even with the following taken into account:

With that said, while I'm not that keen on that particular Smart Hulk era, the fallout from it was actually compelling. It created a Flowers for Algernon type tragedy for when he did revert to the Savage Hulk and was banished into the crossroads by his friend Dr Strange. It also led to one of the all time best Hulk stories which others have already cited. Bill Mantlo's swan song on the title, revealing the Hulks origins as in fact stemming from MPD due to abuse he suffered from his father Brian, and witnessing the murder of his mother at his father's hands.

...ultimately, I see the best of "Smart Hulk" being the juxtapositions involved in him turning from a more brutish character and back INTO the traditional brute that he's more familiar as.

[Mr.Marion]

I gotta admit the Hulk is very hard to binge watch. One episode a week is enough for me.

[huedell]

I gotta admit the Hulk is very hard to binge watch. One episode a week is enough for me.

I multi-task during