Someone’s been manipulating the Hulk and Bruce Banner for some time, now. The emergence of the Red Hulk (during GREEN HULK/RED HULK) began a mystery that Banner has been trying to solve ever since. He’s also had to deal with the revelation of the existence of his son, Skaar, who recently arrived on Earth from Sakaar (during PLANET SKAAR). While trying to discern the identity of the Red Hulk, he discovered the red-skinned behemoth was attached to a greater conspiracy that led to the loss of his gamma-powers (during HULK NO MORE!), also resulting in She-Hulk’s capture.
Since then, Banner has been training Skaar to become a more capable warrior (during SON OF BANNER), unaware that his daughter Lyra has also arrived from an alternate future (during AGENT OF A.R.M.O.R.).
But who are the Intelligencia? Has Doc Samson really turned traitor? And will we finally learn the identity of the Red Hulk?
All of this leads into the grand finale… WORLD WAR HULKS! And if it sounds a little confusing, don’t fret! A guide to this whole era is on the way…
Crossover: With a primary mini-series and numerous related tie-ins, Infinity Gauntlet is considered to be one of the biggest events in the history of the Marvel Universe.
Must-Reads: Issues marked with a ✔are essential to the story.
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.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- GREEN HULK/RED HULK – Red Hulk makes his debut
- HULK NO MORE! – Banner loses the Hulk
- SON OF BANNER – Banner trains Skaar
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- ✔ Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1
- Incredible Hulk #606 [2/2]
- Incredible Hulk #607 [2/2]
- Incredible Hulk #608 [2/2]
- ✔ Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1
- ✔ Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1
- ✔ Hulk #19-20
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #606 [1/2]
- ✔ Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #2
- Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #3-4
- Fall of the Hulks: The Savage She-Hulks #1
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #607 [1/2]
- ✔ Incredible Hulk #608 [1/2]
- ✔ Hulk #21
- Fall of the Hulks: The Savage She-Hulks #2-3
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1 Years ago, the Leader formed an alliance with Doctor Doom, Egghead, the Mad Thinker, Red Ghost & the Wizard as the Intelligencia and broke into the Eternals’ Library of Alexandria to steal ultimate knowledge. MODOK was recruited after the death of the Egghead. The group then invaded Wakanda to steal the knowledge to funnel cosmic energies. Years later, they retrieved the body of Betty Ross-Banner. While the Hulk was trapped on Sakaar (during PLANET HULK), the Intelligencia obtain the last of Alexandria’s knowledge from Atlantis. With that, Doom turned against the Intelligencia. The Leader then departed. Eventually, MODOK found the Leader, asking for his help in using the knowledge they gained to create a Red Hulk. A Hulk that will work for them… 1st appearance: Intelligencia (identified as a group) |
| Incredible Hulk #606 [2/2] The Leader and MODOK observe Red She-Hulk when the original She-Hulk tries to escape the Intelligencia’s secret headquarters. Doc Samson’s suggested therapy techniques aren’t enough to stop her from killing She-Hulk… | |
| Incredible Hulk #607 [2/2] Red She-Hulk attacks the sinister Samson for setting her up to kill the She-Hulk. The Leader and MODOK interrupt and send her on new mission. A flashback reveals Red She-Hulk’s attempt to apprehend Elektra and Domino during the fight between Code: Red and X-Force… | |
| Incredible Hulk #608 [2/2] The Leader and MODOK review Red She-Hulk’s earlier efforts to capture Domino. The recordings show how Red She-Hulk’s costume was get shredded and how she retaliated by forcibly stripping Domino. Elektra stabbed Red She-Hulk in the spine, then took Domino to Silver Sable. Samson ordered Red She-Hulk to lead the blinded Red Hulk back to him. Despite being a loose cannon, Leader and MODOK need Red She-Hulk as a deterrent for Bruce Banner and Red Hulk… | |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1 (pp.1-8) Recently, Lyra sought revenge on her mother, Thundra, but was soundly defeated by her. Later, Red She-Hulk aggressively helped convince Lyra to join the Frightful Four. | |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #606 [1/2] (pp.1-7) Uatu the Watcher interrupts the parade in New York held for Skaar, to stare down Bruce Benner, but Bruce is distracted by the brief sight of Betty Banner in the crowds. |
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 (pp.1-7) General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross is killed when he tries to assassinate the Red Hulk. |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1 (pp.9-19) Red She-Hulk and aggressively convinces Lyra to join the Frightful Four. She destroys Boudicca to maintain her cover… | |
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 (pp.8-29) Red She-Hulk watches the funeral on a monitor and comes to blows with the new She-Hulk, Lyra. Having gotten past the Avengers, Bruce Banner emerges at the funeral to talk about Ross. A-Bomb helps Banner get away before he can be apprehended. Later, Betty Ross and Glenn Talbot visit Thunderbolt Ross’s grave. The Intelligencia prepare for war with the Red Hulk. To deal with their mutual foes, the Red Hulk turns to Bruce Banner to form an alliance… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1 Red Hulk and A-Bomb break into a key Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM) facility. The pair discover MODOK’s disturbing cloning farm and the robot ‘Cosmic Hulk’. Red Hulk’s proximity charges Cosmic Hulk, powering it up. It smashes A-Bomb and Red Hulk then departs. The Leader and MODOK thank Red Hulk via video and destroy the base. The duo escape and meet Bruce Banner who learns the robot’s programming originally comes from Galactus. Red Hulk suggests they recruit Lyra, the new She-Hulk… who’s also Bruce Banner’s daughter! |
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #2 (pp.1-15) Red Hulk explains Lyra’s origins to Bruce Banner, but doesn’t tell Bruce that Thundra is his own secret ally. Or how he saved Thundra from the Frightful Four’s recruitment efforts. |
| ✔ | Hulk #19 Thanks to the Intelligencia, the upgraded Frightful Four successfully break into the Baxter Building, defeat the Fantastic Four, open the portal to the Negative Zone and kidnap Mister Fantastic. Red Hulk arrives and saves the Thing from being sucked in and – after a brief fight – helps him close the portal. Despite the Red Hulk opposing the Frightful Four’s efforts, he plans to help the Intelligencia succeed… |
| ✔ | Hulk #20 The X-Men arrive in Wakanda to celebrate Storm’s birthday, only to fall prey to the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. The Red Hulk arrives and in time to block the Red Ghost’s escape with the captive Black Panther, but the X-Men treat Red Hulk as the aggressor. Red Hulk Ghost gets away with the Black Panther and Beast… |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #606 [1/2] (pp.8-27) Banner teleports to New Mexico to confront Red Hulk over Betty, only to show signs of the Hulk’s potential return. In Latveria, Doctor Doom was attacked by the Cosmic Hulk and Skaar, only to defeat both. As Banner confronts Doom, Cosmic Hulk reactivates and takes Doom away. Meanwhile, the Avengers are assaulted by Red She-Hulk… |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #607 [1/2] (pp.1-18) The Wasp (Hank Pym) makes a failed attempt to attack the Leader and MODOK directly, only to discover their Red She-Hulk is wiping the floor with his fellow Avengers (both ‘New’ and ‘Mighty’). Red She-Hulk switches her focus to Skaar when Banner brings him into the Infinite Mansion. Wasp rejects Banners help when he registers Red Hulk’s radiation on him. The other Avengers arrive but target Skaar first, giving Red She-Hulk the chance to take Wasp. Banner berates the Avengers for not trusting him. |
| ✔ | Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #2 (pp.16-23) Red Hulk and Thundra head to Doctor Doom’s castle and steal his Time Platform and return Thundra to her own time. The camouflaged A-Bomb watches Red Hulk… |
| Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #3 Red Hulk reveals Samson programmed A-Bomb to kill Bruce Banner on command. Banner risks his life to break Samson’s programming, freeing A-Bomb and not having to worry about it happening on the Leader’s terms. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #4 The Intelligencia steal the Time Platform hidden by Thundra and use it to tap into visions of their most-likely future. Happy their plan is successful, they return the Time Platform. However, the ‘future’ they saw was one programmed by Bruce Banner. | |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1 (pp.20-22) Lyra recalls the capture of Mister Fantastic, prepares for the arrival of her secret ally aboard the Hellcarrier (a SHIELD Helicarrier appropriated by the Intelligencia) and locates the original She-Hulk in a tank aboard the ship… 1st appearance: Hellcarrier | |
| ✔ | Hulk #21 (pp.1-7) Two weeks ago, Red Hulk formed an alliance with Banner, sealing his trust by giving him his secret identity and telling him Better Ross is alive. Now Red Hulk sneaks aboard the Intelligencia’s Hellcarrier with a zip-up bag… |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #607 [1/2] (pp.19-23) Bruce Banner knows the Black Panther has been captured and Betty Banner is alive. He selects A-Bomb, Skaar, Amadeus Cho, Korg, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Spider-Man and Wolverine to rescue Betty and their friends… |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #608 [1/2] (pp.1-5) Aboard the Hellcarrier, Amadeus Cho’s rescue attempt is rejected by Betty Ross, while Bruce Banner and his squad go straight for the Intelligencia and the Frightful Four. |
| ✔ | Hulk #21 (pp.8-16) Red Hulk defeats the Gammadroid and takes MODOK head-on, but is floored by the Cosmic Hulk robot. Deadpool emerges from Red Hulk’s bag as his secret weapon. Avengers, Fantastic Four and X-Men board the Hellcarrier, but are trapped… |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #608 [1/2] (pp.6-17) Lyra has secretly been working for Bruce Banner and leads him to the kidnapped heroes. Glenn Talbot locks Betty in a bomb shelter. Amadeus discovers the Intelligencia’s plan to make more Hulks. Skaar learns Banner’s been lying to everyone. Red She-Hulk arrives and stabs Skaar. |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #2 (pp.1-13) While the battle rages, Lyra frees She-Hulk from the tank that sedated her and kept the Cathexis Ray regulated. She-Hulk sets Lyra straight about Thundra… | |
| ✔ | Hulk #21 (pp.17-18) / Incredible Hulk #608 [1/2] (pp.17-19) Having failed his task, Red Hulk is used by Samson to power the Cathexis Ray that transforms the soldiers into an army of Hulks – the Intelligencia’s AIMarines – and Hulking-out the Avengers, Fantastic Four and the X-Men… 1st appearance: AIMarines |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #608 [1/2] (pp.20-22) Bruce Banner is almost killed in an explosion that blasts Skaar straight out of the Hellcarrier. Bruce is surrounded by Hulked-out versions of the heroes… |
| ✔ | Hulk #21 (pp.19-24) Deadpool attacks Doc Samson and frees Red Hulk, but is transformed by Cathexis goop into Hulkpool. Red Hulk is surrounded by Hulked-out heroes. The Intelligencia have won… New identity: Deadpool/Wade Wilson as Hulkpool |
| ✔ | Incredible Hulk #608 [1/2] (pp.23-24) Banner is a prisoner of the Intelligencia… |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #2 (pp.14-22) Red She-Hulk bursts in on the two She-Hulks. They to turn Red She-Hulk against the Leader and MODOK, but she hurls them out of the Hellcarrier… | |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #3 She-Hulk and Lyra land in Washington, surrounded by 200 AIMarines. The two She-Hulks make them angry and trick them into fighting each other, but they’re soon faced with the Hulked-Out heroes. Red She-Hulk shows up as an unexpected ally. 300 years in the future, Thundra receives a message from Lyra from our present that makes her proud. |
See how this event fits into the wider Marvel Universe with these reading orders:
- DOCTOR DOOM, 1982-1991: The Doom/Kristoff War
- HULK FAMILY, 2005-2007: Warbound
- HULK FAMILY, 2008-2010: Green Hulks vs Red Hulks
- MODOK, 1967-Present: George Tarleton
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Invincible Iron Man #21-24 (2010) Tony Stark has already regained his mental faculties. | DARK REIGN |
| ✔ | Hulk #23 (2010) Red Hulk is revealed to be General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross; Red She-Hulk is revealed to be Betty Ross-Banner. Incredible Hulk #610 (2010) Bruce Banner’s gamma powers are restored, allowing the original Hulk to return; the fate of Doc Samson, the Intelligencia and the AIMarines is revealed. Hulk #24 (2010) Hulk and Red Hulk have their last major fight when Banner learns Red Hulk and Red She-Hulk’s identities. | WORLD WAR HULKS |
| Fearless Defenders #5-6 (2013) Thundra briefly returns to the present to fight alongside the all-female Defenders. | ||
| Hulk #11 (2015) The ‘Doc Green’ version of the Hulk banishes Lyra to another dimension. | THE OMEGA HULK | |
| Ant-Man Annual #1 (2015) Egghead returns from the grave thanks to the Rejuvatech Serum. | ||
| ✔ | Squadron Supreme #15 (2017) Lyra is reunited with Thundra and they both travels to Weirdworld to live out the life of adventurers. | |
| Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Infinity Comic #4-5 (2022) Mikhlo is resurrected through unknown means to become a member of Ziggy Pig’s Masters of Animal Evil. |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks | Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1-3 Incredible Hulk #600-605 [back-ups] |
| Hulk: World War Hulks HC | Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 Hulk #19-24 |
| Hulk vol.5: Fall of the Hulks | Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 Hulk #19-21 |
| Hulk: Fall of the Hulks | Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1-4 Incredible Hulk #606-608 [back-ups] |
| Incredible Hulks: Fall of the Hulks HC | Dark Reign: MODOK #1-4 Dark Reign – The List: Hulk #1 Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1 Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1-4 Incredible Hulk #600 [part] Incredible Hulk #601-608 |
| Incredible Hulks: World War Hulks HC | Fall of the Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1-3 Incredible Hulk #312 Incredible Hulk #609-611 World War Hulks #1 World War Hulks: Captain America vs Wolverine #1-2 World War Hulks: Hulked-Out Heroes #1-2 World War Hulks: Spider-Man vs Thor #1-2 |
| Incredible Hulk vol.2: Fall of the Hulks | Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1 Incredible Hulk #606-608 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Hulk by Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuinness Omnibus | Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 Hulk #19-21 |
| Hulk by Jeph Loeb – The Complete Collection vol.2 | Hulk #19-21 |
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2024
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