Langsta
Well-Known Member
Since his debut in 1962, the Hulk has been interpreted many different ways by many different writers. This is basically a survey....to find your "ultimate" Hulk.
1) Origin. In The Incredible Hulk #1, nuclear physicist Bruce Banner saves a dumbass teenager from the harmful radiation of a discharged "Gamma Bomb." Banner is bathed in the waves of energy emitted by the nuclear explosion. In the 1978-1982 TV series, The Incredible Hulk, David Banner is a physician who specializes in nuclear medicine. Haunted by his inability to save his wife after a car accident, he searches for a way to tap into the hidden reserves of strength that all humans possess. While investigating episodes of people who have displayed such strength during stressful events, he notices that each one coincided with a solar flare spike of gamma radiation. To test this discovery, he bombards himself with gamma radiation. Unknown to Banner, his equipment has been upgraded, causing him to administer a far higher dose than he intended. The Hulk films re-tooled the origin to fit the new millennium, with the 2003's Hulk incorporating nanotechnology and congenital mutation into the story, and 2008's The Incredible Hulk incorporating the Super-Soldier program that gave birth to Captain America. In the Ultimate comics, Bruce Banner's failed attempt to re-create the Super-Soldier formula for SHIELD results in his transformation into the Hulk, and the injection of Captain America's blood causes him to turn into an even more powerful monster. So which origin is your favorite, which one works best for you?
2) Color. Should the Hulk be grey or green?
3) Size. Currently, the 616 version of the Hulk stands at seven feet tall and weighs in at 1040 lbs. However, the original "grey" Hulk was much smaller. The TV Hulk was around the same height, but only weighed about 320 lbs. The Hulk from the 2003 movie looked like ****ing Godzilla, and the Hulk from the 2008 movie was around the same size as the current 616 comics version. Ultimate Hulk is around 8'1" and 1200 lbs. How big should the Hulk be?
4) Strength. Some versions of the Hulk can stand toe-to-toe with Norse gods. The TV version wasn't even bulletproof (though he was able to heal at an accelerated rate). So how strong should the Hulk be?
5) Speaking ability. The Hulk has very limited speaking capability in most interpretations. The TV version was only able to communicate with growls and roars. Should the Hulk only be smart enough to growl, or should he be able to say stuff like "Hulk SMASH!"?
6) Theme. In the TV show, he is a lonely man trying to avoid the press and search for a cure for his condition. In other versions, he is a fugitive trying to avoid the military. So, should the theme be him running from the press or the military? Or should the theme be something else?
7) Supporting cast. In most cases, Hulk's supporting cast consists of Betty Ross, Thunderbolt Ross, Rick Jones, etc. In the TV series, the only recurring character besides Banner/Hulk is tabloid reporter Jack McGee, with the supporting cast changing after each episode. The main characters involved with the TV Hulk's origin are Jack McGee and Elaina Marks, David Banner's research partner. In just about every other version, the main characters involved in the origin are Betty Ross, Thunderbolt Ross, and Rick Jones. Should the Hulk's adversaries be the military, supervillains like Abomination and Leader, the press, or all of these things? Should his supporting cast include Betty and Thunderbolt Ross?
8) Personalities. Do they "work" in the Hulk universe? Do you think the different personalities - Savage, Joe Fixit, Professor, Devil, etc. - are a good idea, or should there just be one Hulk personality (if so, which personality?)?
9) Now, just for fun: Bill Bixby or Edward Norton?
10) Based on this information, what is your favorite interpretation of the Hulk overall? What elements from each interpretation would you like to see in your "ultimate" version of the Hulk?
1) Origin. In The Incredible Hulk #1, nuclear physicist Bruce Banner saves a dumbass teenager from the harmful radiation of a discharged "Gamma Bomb." Banner is bathed in the waves of energy emitted by the nuclear explosion. In the 1978-1982 TV series, The Incredible Hulk, David Banner is a physician who specializes in nuclear medicine. Haunted by his inability to save his wife after a car accident, he searches for a way to tap into the hidden reserves of strength that all humans possess. While investigating episodes of people who have displayed such strength during stressful events, he notices that each one coincided with a solar flare spike of gamma radiation. To test this discovery, he bombards himself with gamma radiation. Unknown to Banner, his equipment has been upgraded, causing him to administer a far higher dose than he intended. The Hulk films re-tooled the origin to fit the new millennium, with the 2003's Hulk incorporating nanotechnology and congenital mutation into the story, and 2008's The Incredible Hulk incorporating the Super-Soldier program that gave birth to Captain America. In the Ultimate comics, Bruce Banner's failed attempt to re-create the Super-Soldier formula for SHIELD results in his transformation into the Hulk, and the injection of Captain America's blood causes him to turn into an even more powerful monster. So which origin is your favorite, which one works best for you?
2) Color. Should the Hulk be grey or green?
3) Size. Currently, the 616 version of the Hulk stands at seven feet tall and weighs in at 1040 lbs. However, the original "grey" Hulk was much smaller. The TV Hulk was around the same height, but only weighed about 320 lbs. The Hulk from the 2003 movie looked like ****ing Godzilla, and the Hulk from the 2008 movie was around the same size as the current 616 comics version. Ultimate Hulk is around 8'1" and 1200 lbs. How big should the Hulk be?
4) Strength. Some versions of the Hulk can stand toe-to-toe with Norse gods. The TV version wasn't even bulletproof (though he was able to heal at an accelerated rate). So how strong should the Hulk be?
5) Speaking ability. The Hulk has very limited speaking capability in most interpretations. The TV version was only able to communicate with growls and roars. Should the Hulk only be smart enough to growl, or should he be able to say stuff like "Hulk SMASH!"?
6) Theme. In the TV show, he is a lonely man trying to avoid the press and search for a cure for his condition. In other versions, he is a fugitive trying to avoid the military. So, should the theme be him running from the press or the military? Or should the theme be something else?
7) Supporting cast. In most cases, Hulk's supporting cast consists of Betty Ross, Thunderbolt Ross, Rick Jones, etc. In the TV series, the only recurring character besides Banner/Hulk is tabloid reporter Jack McGee, with the supporting cast changing after each episode. The main characters involved with the TV Hulk's origin are Jack McGee and Elaina Marks, David Banner's research partner. In just about every other version, the main characters involved in the origin are Betty Ross, Thunderbolt Ross, and Rick Jones. Should the Hulk's adversaries be the military, supervillains like Abomination and Leader, the press, or all of these things? Should his supporting cast include Betty and Thunderbolt Ross?
8) Personalities. Do they "work" in the Hulk universe? Do you think the different personalities - Savage, Joe Fixit, Professor, Devil, etc. - are a good idea, or should there just be one Hulk personality (if so, which personality?)?
9) Now, just for fun: Bill Bixby or Edward Norton?
10) Based on this information, what is your favorite interpretation of the Hulk overall? What elements from each interpretation would you like to see in your "ultimate" version of the Hulk?