Presenting the final five years of Peter David’s original run on the Hulk. There are big changes in Rick Jones’ life, secrets of the Pantheon are revealed, the Hulk goes through another change and meets a future version of himself. And a climactic battle with Onslaught literally sends the Green Goliath in more than one direction, one of which is a much darker one than we’d ever seen him go down before. That’s right, George Perez teams up with Peter David for the ‘Future Imperfect’ storyline that introduces the Maestro – the evil future Hulk of Earth-9200 – and it sends shockwaves through his life moving forward. Peter is also joined by a whole host of artistic talent – Gary Frank (#403-425), Mike Deodato (#447-453) and Adam Kubert (#454-467) who help bring his decade-long run to a suitably emotional conclusion.
SCROLL DOWN to the bottom for the KEY COLLECTED EDITIONS for this event!
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔ are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the core reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns – just the stories:
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #401
- Mys-Tech Wars #1-4
- ✔ Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #50
- Fantastic Four #374
- Shadow Riders #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #402-406
- Battletide II #1-4
- Sensational She-Hulk #56-57
- Infinity Crusade #1-2
- Warlock and the Infinity Watch #18
- Web of Spider-Man #104 [1/2]
- Infinity Crusade #3
- Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #56
- Warlock Chronicles #2
- Warlock and the Infinity Watch #19
- Darkhawk #30
- Web of Spider-Man #105 [1/2]
- Warlock and the Infinity Watch #20
- Infinity Crusade #4
- Web of Spider-Man #106 [1/2]
- Infinity Crusade #5
- Warlock and the Infinity Watch #21
- Alpha Flight #127 [1/2]
- Infinity Crusade #6
- ✔ Fantastic Four Unlimited #4
- ✔ Amazing Spider-Man #381-382
- Wonder Man (1991) #26-27
- Secret Defenders #11
- ✔ Incredible Hulk Annual #19
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #407-412
- Marvel Holiday Special 1993 [6/6]
- Incredible Hulk vs Venom #1
- ✔ Iron Man #304
- ✔ Iron Man #305 [1/2]
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #413-416
- ✔ Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2
- Hulk: Broken Worlds #1 [4/4]
- ✔ Ghost Rider (1990) #49
- Incredible Hulk Annual #20 [1/4]
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #417-419
- ✔ Incredible Hulk Annual #20 [4/4]
- Incredible Hulk Annual #20 [3/4
- Silver Surfer #95-96
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #420-423
- Night Thrasher #15
- ✔ Tales to Astonish (1994)
- Tales of the Marvels: The Wonder Years #2
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #424-430
- Thor #488-489
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #431-432
- Prime vs Hulk #0
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #433
- Shadows & Light #1 [2/4]
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #434
- DC Versus Marvel #1
- Marvel Versus DC #2-3
- Doctor StrangeFate #1
- Lobo the Duck #1
- DC Versus Marvel #4
- ✔ Savage Hulk (1996) #1
- Over The Edge #3
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #435
- Doc Samson #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #436
- ✔ Cutting Edge #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #437-442
- Abominations #1-3
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #443
- ✔ Cable (1993) #34
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #444-445
- ✔ Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #446-448
- ✔ Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed #1
- Incredible Hulk ’97 Annual [1/2]
- ✔ Incredible Hulk ’97 Annual [2/2]
- Iron Man (1996) #1-2, 4-5
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #449
- Avengers (1996) #4-5
- Fantastic Four (1996) #6 [2/2]
- Avengers (1996) #6
- Iron Man (1996) #6
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #450
- Marvel Fanfare (1996) #2
- ✔ Silver Surfer #125
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #451
- ✔ Sensational Spider-Man #14-15
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #452
- ✔ Deadpool (1997) #4
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #453
- ✔ Heroes For Hire (1997) #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #454
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #-1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #455-457
- Spider-Man Team-Up #6 [1/2]
- Iron Man (1996) #8, 10-11
- Avengers (1996) #12
- Iron Man (1996) #12
- Captain America (1996) #12
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #458-459
- ✔ Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #460-464
- Avengers #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #465-467
- Incredible Hulk & Sub-Mariner Annual
- X-Man & the Incredible Hulk Annual
- Shadows & Light #3 [1/4]
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Chronology: Every appearance of Hulk from this period is included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #401 (1993) The U-Foes attack the Hulk, but are completely unprepared for his rage following the final battle with the Leader; Delphi has a premonition of an evil Hulk; Agamemnon reveals his true form; Omnibus shows signs of a darker side. | |
| Mys-Tech Wars (1993) The Hulk is among the heroes gathered to stop Mys-Tech from taking control Earth by merging it with their Un-Earth. | MYS-TECH WARS | |
| ✔ | Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #50 (1993) After losing access to many of his magical abilities for refusing to take part in the War of the Seven Spheres, Doctor Strange forms a select team of ‘Secret’ Defenders – consisting of himself, Hulk, Ghost Rider and the Silver Surfer – in order to combat Dormammu. 1st appearance: Secret Defenders | WAR OF THE SEVEN SPHERES |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #374 (1993) Doctor Strange summons Ghost Rider, Hulk, Spider-Man and Wolverine (gathering previously as the ‘New Fantastic Four’) as to work as his second line-up of Secret Defenders to apprehend the Human Torch. | RISE OF DOOM! |
| Shadow Riders #1 (1993) Hulk cameo; Death’s Head tries to kill Rick Jones, mistaking him for his target Mick Jones; the Hulk intercepts Deaths Head and saves Rick. 1st appearance: Shadow Riders | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #402-406 (1993) Incredible Hulk #407 [1/2] (pp.1-6) (1993) Agamemnon leaves the Hulk in charge of the Pantheon; his first mission as leader pits him against the Red Skull‘s New World Order; Hulk has a rematch with the Juggernaut and is turned against the Avengers; Ajax discovers the secret Atlanta‘s been keeping from him; Captain America sides with Marlo Chandler‘s family against Rick Jones and the Hulk when they try to take Marlo from his care; Hulk begins to show signs of regressing. 1st appearance: Piecemeal | |
| Battletide II #1-4 (1994) The Battletide returns after having gained awareness; Death’s Head II and Killpower are recruited by the Temploids to oppose the Battletide which employs Termagaira and possesses the Hulk to fight back against them. | PUMPING IRON | |
| Sensational She-Hulk #56-57 (1993) The Hulk arrives in time to stop She-Hulk from committing murder on the set of ‘Heartbreak Hospital’. |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| Infinity Crusade #1-2(pp.1-5) (1993) Infinity Crusade #2(pp.5-9) / Warlock and the Infinity Watch #18 (1993) Infinity Crusade #2(pp.9-16) / Web of Spider-Man #104[1/2] (1993) Infinity Crusade #2(pp.17-40) / Warlock and the Infinity Watch #19(pp.1-6) (1993) Infinity Crusade #3(pp.1-6) / Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #56 (1993) Warlock Chronicles #2 (1993) Warlock and the Infinity Watch #19(pp.6-22) (1993) Infinity Crusade #3(pp.9-26) / Darkhawk #30 (1993) Infinity Crusade #3(pp.27-40) / Web of Spider-Man #105[1/2] (1993) Warlock and the Infinity Watch #20 (1993) Infinity Crusade #4(pp.1-40) / Web of Spider-Man #106[1/2] (1993) Infinity Crusade #5 / Warlock and the Infinity Watch #21 (1993) Alpha Flight #127[1/2] (1993) Infinity Crusade #6 (1993) Hulk is among the heroes who side with Thanos to oppose the Goddess – the ‘good’ side of Adam Warlock given form – who pits them against heroes she’s manipulated into doing her bidding. 1st appearance: Paradise Omega | THE INFINITY CRUSADE | |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four Unlimited #4 (1993) The Fantastic Four visit the Pantheon’s headquarters; the Thing spars with the Hulk in a simulated environment; the Fantastic Four and the Pantheon join forces against the Mole Man when he tries to use energy from the Hulk and Thing’s fight to undo his beloved Kala‘s rapid ageing. | |
| ✔ | Amazing Spider-Man #381-382 (1993) Spider-Man fights for his life when both the Hulk and Doc Samson are infected with a Gamma Virus that induces uncontrollable rage. Note: Peter David later dismisses this story as a dream in the Hulk’s own series. | |
| Wonder Man #26-27 (1993) Wonder Man and the Hulk team up against Plan Master and Furor. | ||
| Secret Defenders #11 (1994) Doctor Strange summons the Hulk, Northstar and Nova as his Secret Defenders to protect Earth from one of the Starblasters‘ robots. | STARBLAST | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk Annual #19 (1993) The Hulk battles new foe Lazarus when he attacks Hunter Technologies; Hulk helps rehabilitate Lazarus; a town takes on the Hulk as their mascot only to become a target for the Abomination, Gargantua & Titania. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #407 [2/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #408 [2/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #409 [2/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #410 [2/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #411 [2/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #412 [2/2] (1993) No Hulk appearance; set before the first appearance of the Pantheon, the origin of Ulysses is revealed. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #407[1/2] (pp.7-18) Incredible Hulk #408 [1/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #409 [1/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #410 [1/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #411 [1/2] (1993) Incredible Hulk #412 [1/2] (1993) The Hulk investigates monster attacks in Scotland and encounters the New World Order’s living weapon, Piecemeal; the Hulk takes a break in London and ends up clashing with the Madman again, though Motormouth & Killpower lend a hand in defeating him; Marlo Chandler accepts Rick Jones’ marriage proposal; Hulk goes up against Nick Fury and SHIELD when he and the Pantheon rescue Bruce Banner‘s college girlfriend from a secret CIA holding facility; Hulk and She-Hulk team up against Bi-Beast. 1st appearance: Perseus/Scott Shannon; | |
| Marvel Holiday Special 1993 [6/6] (1994) Hulk helps a suicidal member of the Pantheon. | ||
| Incredible Hulk vs Venom #1 (1994) The Hulk and Venom fight, then team-up against Doctor Bad Vibes. |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Iron Man #304 (1995) Iron Man #305 [1/2] (1994) Tony Stark learns Obadiah Stane used a Stark International plant to work on Gamma Bombs for the Pentagon; Tony dons his new Hulkbuster armor upon hearing the information has been leaked to the Hulk and suspects an attack. 1st appearance: Hulkbuster Armour | CRASH & BURN |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #413-416 (1994) Trauma returns with his father’s Troyjan army to kidnap Atlanta and force her to marry him; the Hulk, the Pantheon, the Starjammers and the Silver Surfer oppose Armageddon until a tragedy convinces him to leave Atlanta and Earth alone; Rick Jones is approached by two strange visitors. 1st appearance: Armageddon/Arm’Cheddon and Cassiopeia; | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2(pp.1-47) (1992-1993) The Hulk is summoned to an alternate future by Rick Jones‘ granddaughter to free the population of Dystopia from the Maestro, the Hulk’s evil counterpart. 1st appearance: Earth-9200 (including Dakord, the Dogs of War, Janis Jones, Rick Jones, Pizfiz, Maestro/Bruce Banner & Minister/Thomas Raymond); | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #2(p.48) (1993) / Hulk: Broken Worlds #1 [4/4] (2009) The Hulk says farewell to a fallen friend. | |
| ✔ | Ghost Rider #49 (1994) While filling in for the deceased Ghost Rider, Vengeance mistakes the Hulk for Anton Hellgate, leading to the inevitable clash of titans. | |
| Incredible Hulk Annual #20 [1/4] (1994) No Hulk appearance; the Abomination saves a woman from a gang of thugs in Central Park and takes her to his underground sanctuary, a place in the Manhattan sewers where he’s formed a community with other outsiders; the Abomination tells a fairytale version of his dealings with the Hulk and Nadia Dornova. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #417-419 (1994) Incredible Hulk Annual #20 [4/4] (1994) Having met his future self, the Hulk confides in Doc Samson that he believes he’s destined to become a villain; the Hulk and other heroes attend Rick Jones’ bachelor party; Rick and Marlo get married; the Hulk takes the opportunity to prove to Betty Banner that he’s changed when trouble starts at the wedding reception. 1st appearance: Talos the Tamed | WE ARE GATHERED HERE |
| Incredible Hulk Annual #20 [3/4] (1994) Hulk cameo; the Hulk sends Ajax and Achilles back to Trans-Sabal to team up with the Arabian Knight. | ||
| Silver Surfer #95-96 (1994) The Silver Surfer returns to Earth and is aided by the Fantastic Four and the Hulk in his search for Nova. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #420 (1994) The Hulk is reunited with his friend Jim Wilson for the final time. |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #421-423 (1994) To escape Jason the Renegade, Agamemnon teleports the Hulk and a Pantheon team to Asgard; Jason pursues them, but they find an unlikely ally in another Thor; clues about the true origins of the Pantheon are given. 1st appearance: Jason the Renegade | MYTH CONCEPTIONS |
| Night Thrasher #15 (1994) Night Thrasher and Rage fight the Hulk over the rights to a scientific research building. | ||
| ✔ | Tales to Astonish (1994) The Hulk, Hank Pym and the Wasp take on the Mad Viking – a man who believes himself to be a descendent of Loki. | |
| Tales of the Marvels: The Wonder Years #2 (1995) Hulk cameo; the Hulk attends Wonder Man’s funeral. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #424-430 (1994-1995) Agamemnon stands trial for his crimes against the Pantheon as more secrets are revealed; the Hulk becomes so enraged in the fight against Agamemnon’s Endless Knights that it triggers a new transformation in him, unleashing savage Bruce Banner; the Hulk fights his way through agents of SHIELD while the Pantheon gain a new leader; the Hulk and Better Banner try to keep a low profile in Florida; the Hulk encounters a serial killer, the Man-Thing and Speedfreek. 1st appearance: James Largo New identity: Hulk/Bruce Banner as ‘Bob Danner’ | |
| Thor #488-489 (1995) The Hulk relocates to New York and accepts a mission to rescue Thor from Hela‘s realm. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #431-432 (1995) The NYPD become aware of the Abomination’s underground sanctuary to lure him out of sewers and gun down some of his friends to draw him out; the Abomination challenges the Hulk in the hope of luring him in as an ally; when more of the Abomination’s people are shot, he becomes so enraged that the Hulk has to bring him down. | |
| Prime vs Hulk #0 (1995) The Hulk defends renowned scientist Dr Eugene Wildeman from Prime of Earth-93060 until he realises Wildeman has been mutating kidnapped teenagers. | MUTANTS VS ULTRAS: FIRST ENCOUNTERS SPIDER-PRIME | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #433 (1995) The Hulk’s investigation into the attack on the Abomination’s sanctuary leads him to Wulf Christopher who also becomes a target for the Punisher; the Hulk defends the Punisher from SHIELD intervention, not realising he’s been driven insane. | OVER THE EDGE |
| Shadows & Light #1 [2/4] (1998) The Hulk becomes trapped in another man’s dreams. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #434 (1995) The Hulk attends Nick Fury’s funeral. | OVER THE EDGE |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | DC Versus Marvel #1 (1996) Marvel Versus DC #2-3 (1996) When Earth-616 and the DC Universe begin to merge; the Hulk battles Superman; the two realities are merged, creating the Amalgam Universe. 1st appearance: Amalgam Universe/Earth-9602 | MARVEL VERSUS DC |
| Doctor StrangeFate #1 (1996) No Hulk appearance; the Hulk is revealed to have merged with Solomon Grundy in the new Amalgam Universe becoming Skulk. | THE AMALGAM AGE OF COMICS | |
| Lobo the Duck #1 (1997) No Hulk appearance; Skulk is among those killed in the Earth’s war with Thanoseid. | RETURN TO THE AMALGAM AGE OF COMICS | |
| DC Versus Marvel #4 (1996) Hulk and Superman roust the Mole Man from the Batcave; the two realities are restored to normal. | MARVEL VERSUS DC | |
| ✔ | Savage Hulk #1 (1996) The Hulk stands trial for all of the destruction he’s caused over the years and is forced to relive all of his rage-fueled moments. | |
| Over The Edge #3 (1996) Hulk clashes with the Toad Men when they seek out human allies. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #435 (1995) In his ‘Bob Danner’ guise, the Hulk joins a New Jersey baseball team; an opposing team hires the Rhino to complete with his pitching skills. | |
| Doc Samson #1 (1996) The Hulk convinces Doc Samson to track down the gamma-powered serial killer Patchwork. 1st appearance: Delilah ‘Dee Dee’ Dearborn | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #436 (1995) Cutting Edge #1 (1995) Incredible Hulk #437-440 (1996) The Hulk is apprehended by Glenn Talbot‘s nephew; Omnibus leads the Alliance on a global terror campaign; despite getting assistance against the Alliance against the gamma-powered Headshop, the Hulk is forced to play the villain which results in an all-out throwdown with Thor. 1st appearance: Major Matt Talbot | GHOSTS OF THE FUTURE |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #441-442 (1996) No Hulk appearance; after the apparent loss of the Hulk, Betty Banner starts writing a book about their relationship; She-Hulk and Doc Samson’s search for the Hulk leads to a run-in with the Molecule Man. | |
| Abominations #1-3 (1996-1997) No Hulk appearance; Janis Jones of Earth-9200 flees her timeline’s version of the Abomination and escapes to present day Earth-616; the Abomination sends Quarry into the past to kill Janis. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #443 (1996) Janis Jones locates the Hulk who assists her against Quarry; Hulk reluctantly allows Janis to accompany him. | |
| ✔ | Cable #34 (1996) Incredible Hulk #444-445 (1996) Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 (1996) The Hulk becomes a pawn of Onslaught and is pitted against Cable & Storm; Hulk joins the fight against Onslaught, despite his allies not trusting him; in the final battle, Bruce Banner is separated from the Hulk and appears to be among those who sacrifice themselves to end the threat of Onslaught. | ONSLAUGHT |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #446-448 (1996) The military attempt to contain the Hulk as he mutates in the middle of Central Park, eventually forming a new persona and allying with Janis Jones again; the Pantheon make an attempt to recruit this meaner Green Goliath; the Wild Man becomes obsessed with killing the Hulk. 1st appearance: Colonel Cary St Lawrence, Wild Man/Alex Wildman | ONSLAUGHT AFTERMATH |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed #1 (1996) Hercules confronts the Hulk over his apparent involvement in the deaths of his fellow Avengers. | |
| Incredible Hulk ’97 Annual [1/2] (1997) The Hulk, Janis Jones and Doc Samson go up against the Pantheon and the Shi’ar Imperial Guard in defense of a young boy, believing him to be Bruce Banner’s son. | ||
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk ’97 Annual [2/2] (1997) Franklin Richards enters the Hulk’s dreams to confront him over the death of the Fantastic Four. | |
| ✔ | Iron Man #1-2, 4-5 (1996-1997) On the new Counter-Earth, Bruce Banner is caught in a Gamma Bomb explosion detonated by Hydra; Banner is transformed into the Hulk and clashes with Iron Man who tries to contain him. 1st appearance: Conner ‘Rebel’ O’Reilly and the Prometheum Armor/Iron Man Armor Model CE1 | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #449 (1997) A new team of heroes calling themselves the Thunderbolts try to take down the rogue Hulk who recognises Meteorite‘s voice. 1st appearance: Thunderbolts | JUSTICE LIKE LIGHTNING |
| Avengers #4-5 (1997) Fantastic Four #6 [2/2] (1996) Avengers #6 (1997) Iron Man #6 (1997) On Counter-Earth, a fight between Thor and the Hulk cracks the Gamma Core that powers Avengers Island; the Avengers are assisted by Iron Man and the Fantastic Four, bringing the heroes together for the first time in order to defeat the Hulk and save the core. | INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #450 [1/2] (1997) Hulk and Janis Jones fend off the Wild Man; Janis meets the Hulk of Earth-9722. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #450 [2/2] (1997) Doctor Strange is transported to Counter-Earth where the Avengers and Fantastic Four battle that world’s Hulk; Strange realises the Hulk could be the key to finding the lost heroes. | INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION |
| Marvel Fanfare #2 (1996) Hulk and Wolverine clash with a Wendigo. | ||
| ✔ | Silver Surfer #125 (1997) The Silver Surfer attempts to console the Hulk and intervene when he comes under attack from the US Military; the Surfer is repeatedly met by the Banner-less Hulk’s rage. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #451 (1997) The Hulk is drawn to the the site of his origin in New Mexico and wonders why he’s always pulled back to it; Colonel St Lawrence sets a trap for the Hulk at the defunct Los Diablos Missile Base; Hulk claims Duck Key of the Florida Keys as his new home, cutting it off from the rest of the world. | |
| ✔ | Sensational Spider-Man #14-15 (1997) The Hulk fends off creatures from Monster Island when they invade Duck Key; Hulk battles the chicken-like Chtylok; Hulk helps Spider-Man, Ka-Zar and Stegron put a stop the Roxxon‘s plans for the Savage Land. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #452 (pp.1-19) (1997) Hulk helps protect Duck Key from a hurricane. | |
| ✔ | Deadpool #4 (1997) Deadpool has to steal a sample of the Hulk’s blood to restart his ailing healing factor | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #452 (pp.20-21) (1997) Incredible Hulk #453 (pp.1-21) (1997) The future Hulk of Earth-9722 killed another version of the Maestro when he confronted him, but went on to become more and more like him and, with Janis Jones’ help, tries to convince the present day Hulk to change the path he’s on or he’ll become a villain; Col. St Lawrence’s arrival prompts the Hulk to search for solitude elsewhere. | |
| ✔ | Heroes For Hire #1 (1997) The U-Foes subvert the Hulk with a control disc; Iron Fist, White Tiger and Hercules free the Hulk who helps this new Heroes For Hire line-up defeat the U-Foes before departing. 1st appearance: White Tiger |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #453 (p.22) (1997) Incredible Hulk #454 (1997) The Hulk finds some semblance of peace when he’s worshipped by a Savage Land tribe until the leader of a rival tribe encourages Wolverine and Ka-Zar to oust him. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #-1 (1997) The unconscious Hulk experiences suppressed memories of Bruce Banner’s final confrontation with his father. | FLASHBACK |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #455-457 (1997) Wolverine takes the unconscious Hulk back to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning; the Hulk wakes, lashing out over the revelation about Banner’s father and rampages through the estate; he’s teleported away by Apocalypse who transforms him into his new War to serve as one of the new Horsemen of Apocalypse and pits him against the New World Order’s agent, the Juggernaut; the Hulk seriously injures Rick Jones which smaps him out of his ‘War’ persona; General Thunderbolt Ross returns. New identity: Hulk as War | |
| Spider-Man Team-Up #6 [1/2] (1997) Spider-Man and the Aquarian interrupt the Hulk as he tears through Avengers Mansion in search of information that could help keep him alive since losing his Bruce Banner side; the Hulk teams up with the heroes when a Doombot also breaks into the mansion to steal files. | ||
| Iron Man #8, 10-11 (1997) Bruce Banner cameo; on Counter-Earth, Bruce Banner continues to avoid the authorities. | ||
| Avengers #12 (1997) Iron Man #12 (1997) Captain America #12 (1997) On Counter-Earth, the Hulk joins the Hulkbusters alongside She-Hulk and Doc Samson who assist the Avengers and Fantastic Four against the world-devourer Galactus. | HEROES REUNITED | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #458-459 (1997) Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4 (1997) Incredible Hulk #460-461 (1998) Hulk battles Mister Hyde and the Abomination while being haunted by the ‘ghost’ of Brian Banner; Colonel St Lawrence, Doc Samson, Spider-Man, the Heroes For Hire and Thunderbolts all try to contain him due to the energy he’s pumping out; he’s transported to Counter-Earth where he faces that world’s version of the Hulk; he joins the Avengers and Fantastic Four on their journey back to the real Earth, merging with Bruce Banner along the way; what remains of the Maestro is revealed to be the reason the Hulk is always drawn to the site of his birth (which is also the site of Maestro’s death); Hulk battles the Maestro when he inhabits the armour of the Destroyer. | HEROES REBORN: THE RETURN |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #462-464 (1998) Bruce Banner surrenders to Thunderbolt Ross and seeks out a way for Rick Jones to overcome his paralysis; the Troyjans return with a plan to use the Hulk’s lifeforce to restore Trauma; the Silver Surfer aids the Hulk and Thunderbolt Ross against the Troyjans. | |
| Avengers #1 (1998) Hulk cameo; the Hulk refuses to help the Avengers . | HEROES RETURN | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #465-467 (1998) Bruce Banner and Mister Fantastic look for a way to help Rick Jones; the Hulk gets an offer from the President; Betty Banner succumbs to Gamma poisoning; the older Rick Jones of Earth-9828 reflects on Bruce Banner and the Hulk’s struggle to deal with the loss of Betty Banner. | |
| Incredible Hulk & Sub-Mariner Annual (1998) Before Betty Banner’s funeral, Bruce Banner prepares to commit suicide but instead he reluctantly helps the Namor the Sub-Mariner defeat Attuma. | ||
| X-Man & the Incredible Hulk Annual (1998) Thanos (later revealed to be a Thanosi clone) tries to manipulate both the Hulk and Nate Grey into helping him escape a pocket dimension. | ||
| Shadows & Light #3 [1/4] (1998) Bruce Banner becomes trapped in the chamber which he used to use to contain the Hulk. |
| Universe | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis | Event / Crossover |
| Earth-295 | X-Universe #1-2 (1995) Hulk: Broken Worlds #2 [2/2] (2009) Age of Apocalypse #3-4 (2012) Able to transform into the monstrous, grey-skinned Thing, Bruce Banner joins the Human High Council‘s squad to carry out a last-ditch attempt to end the rule of Apocalypse; surviving the final fight, the Thing assumes a green form; the Thing dies fighting Weapon Omega. | THE AGE OF APOCALYPSE THE X-TERMINATED |
| Earth-928 | 2099 Unlimited #1 [2/2] (1993) 2099 Unlimited #2 [1/3] (1993) 2099 Unlimited #3 [1/3] (1994) 2099 Unlimited #4 [1/3] (1994) Hulk: Broken Worlds #1 [3/4] (2009) 2099 Unlimited #5 [1/3] (1994) 2099 Unlimited #6 [1/3] (1994) Spider-Man 2099 #25 [2/3] (1994) Ravage 2099 #25 [2/3] (1994) Hulk 2099 #1-6 (1994-1995) 2099 AD #1 (1995) Hulk 2099 #7-10 (1995) 2099AD Apocalypse #1 (1995) In the year 2099, John Eisenhart is transformed into a monstrous Hulk; the Hulk becomes the defender of Hollywood; Hulk misunderstands Doom‘s efforts to restore balance to America and is among the superhumans wiped out by John Herod. | NO EXIT ONE NATION UNDER DOOM |
| Universe | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis | Event / Crossover |
| Earth-9200 | Maestro #1-5 (2020-2021) Maestro: War and Pax #1-5 (2021) Maestro: World War M #1-5 (2022) Exiles #79-80 (2006) Captain Marvel #29-30 (2002) Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2 (1992-1993) 100 years into the future, the Maestro (Bruce Banner) rules with an iron fist. | |
| Earth-9511 | The Last Avengers Story #1 (1995) After the Great Cataclysm that results in the fall of most of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Hulk is summoned by the last of the Avengers to oppose Ultron-59; the Hulk betrays the Avengers, siding with Ultron and Kang. | |
| Earth-9512 | What If #80 (1995) The Hulk cures himself of his multiple personalities, only to transform himself into the Maestro. | |
| Earth-9591 | Ruins #1 (1995) Bruce Banner is transformed into a mass of irradiated tumors rather than a Hulk. | |
| Earth-95126 | Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe #1 (1995) The Punisher finds a way to kill each and every superhuman, including the Hulk. |
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Notable collected editions featuring the Hulk from this era…
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus vol.3 | Incredible Hulk #401-435 Incredible Hulk Annual #19-20 Incredible Hulk Ashcan Edition #1 Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2 Incredible Hulk vs Venom #1 Marvel Holiday Special (1993) #3 [part] Tales to Astonish #1 |
| Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus vol.4 | Cable #34 Cutting Edge #1 Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4 Incredible Hulk #-1, 436-467 Incredible Hulk ’97 Annual Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed #1 Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 Savage Hulk #1 |
| Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus vol.5 | Breaking Into Comics The Marvel Way #1 [part] Giant-Size Hulk (2006) #1 [part] Hulk: Destruction #1-4 Hulk: The End Hulk vs Fin Fang Foom #1 [part] Incredible Hulk (2000) #77-87 Incredible Hulk: Last Call #1 Marvel Adventures: Hulk #13-16 Monster-Size Hulk #1 [part] New Fantastic Four #1-5 Symbiote Spider-Man: Crossroads #1-5 What If… General Ross Had Become The Hulk? #1 World War Hulk Prologue: World Breaker #1 |
| Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Ghost of the Past (vol.19) | Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual #2 [part] Incredible Hulk #397-406 Incredible Hulk Annual #18-19 Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual #2 [part] Silver Surfer Annual #5 [part] |
| Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Future Imperfect (vol.20) | Incredible Hulk #407-419 Incredible Hulk Annual #20 Incredible Hulk Ashcan Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2 Marvel Holiday Special (1993) #3 [part] |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Fall of the Pantheon (vol.21) | Incredible Hulk #420-435 Incredible Hulk vs Venom #1 Tales to Astonish #1 |
| Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Ghosts of the Future (vol.22) | Cable #34 Cutting Edge #1 Incredible Hulk #436-448 Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 Savage Hulk (1994) #1 |
| Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: The Lone and Level Sands (vol.24) | Hulk/Sub-Mariner Annual Incredible Hulk #460-474 X-Man & the Incredible Hulk Annual |
| Hulk: Future Imperfect | Hulk: The End Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2 |
| Hulk: Maestro Omnibus | Abominations #1-3 Captain Marvel (1999) #27-30 Exiles #79-80 Future Imperfect #1-5 Hulk: Broken Worlds #1 [part] Incredible Hulk #460-461 Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2 Maestro #1-5 Maestro: War And Pax #1-5 Maestro: World War M #1-5 Secret Wars: Battleworld #4 [part] Spider-Man 2099 (2014) #9-10 |
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023
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