tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post8203465951577633453..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: Hulk Smash Puny Avengers: A Look at the Hulk’s Brief Avengers CareerDoughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-44996010640741614592011-07-02T01:37:44.705-05:002011-07-02T01:37:44.705-05:00I wonder if Lee & Kirby really intended for th...I wonder if Lee & Kirby really intended for the Hulk to be a lasting member of the Avengers or if they planned out those first 4 issues wherein the Hulk would be used as a pawn to inadvertantly bring the group together, then quit in a huff, join up with Subby to fight his former teammates and then be replaced by Captain America. If they were really just making it up as they sped along churning out all their mags, at least it made for an interesting loosely connected story-arc. On second thought, perhaps Lee intended for the Hulk to be fodder for tension within the group, just as the Thing was in the FF, and maybe he even initially intended to use the Beast that way in the X-Men. Fortunately, that tactic was soon jettisoned as the Hulk proved too volatile to remain in the Avengers while Hank McCoy was restructured as the most-intellectually inclined member of his group.Fred W. Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07602124919964053532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-16779861354996715842011-07-01T23:09:56.785-05:002011-07-01T23:09:56.785-05:00The Hulk was actually an Avenger for 3 issues (not...The Hulk was actually an Avenger for 3 issues (not 2), if you count the fairly recent "Avengers 1.5" comic by the great Roger Stern and Bruce Timm. It's one of my Top 10 favorite Avengers stories and one of my favorite comics overall. (I've always been a HUGE fan of Stern's writing and Timm's art). It is a super fun story and a must read. If you haven't read it, you owe it to yourself to do so.<br /><br />I also believe it is considered to be an "official" issue that fits in between Avengers #1 and 2. In fact, on the "40 years of the Avengers" Comic Collection DVD, I was surprised and delighted to find "Avengers 1.5" on the disc right where it should be, between issues 1 and 2. So, at least as far as I'm concerned, the Hulk was an Avenger for 3 issues, not just 2.<br /><br />BTW, Avengers 1.5 really illustrates how the Hulk could have actually worked for a while as a functioning member of the team. He was probably my favorite part of the issue, as he provides some truly great (and humorous) moments in the story.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988016825582035390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-17373061168302579402011-07-01T15:12:25.020-05:002011-07-01T15:12:25.020-05:00Yes, I'd agree with all of you.., the Hulk def...Yes, I'd agree with all of you.., the Hulk definitely worked better in the Defenders, being a much looser group, no ID cards, etc..<br /><br />I loved when Englehart would write some snide comments for ol' Greenjeans. 'Dumb Magician's' one of 'em, but he typically gave Hulk more of a drier wit than I ever read in his own book, which seemed to fit the book well especially when Gerber took over.<br /><br />I agree with Inkstained about the Avengers membership limitation, in that the Hulk always gave the Avengers that one 'shortcoming' or fault that could be conveniently used when you needed another storyline, providing further depth and distinction from the JLA.<br /><br />Incidently, it would have been funny if Snapper Carr would have been the one with a large behemoth friend instead of Rick Jones.david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-18434293381692686212011-07-01T13:41:23.675-05:002011-07-01T13:41:23.675-05:00It's funny, you'd think now, in the era wh...It's funny, you'd think now, in the era when nearly everyone is an Avenger, the Hulk would get another chance. I always felt sorry for him and how he's treated in the Space Phantom story. <br /><br />I loved him in the Defenders though(of course I love the Defenders with or without Hulk). I still crack up over Hulk calling Dr. Strange "dumb magician"!J.A. Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15800901321134394272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-34210617257585415762011-07-01T12:57:47.492-05:002011-07-01T12:57:47.492-05:00The idea of Hulk in a normal superhero team is rat...The idea of Hulk in a normal superhero team is rather in(s)ane - as Karen's history of his Avengers career, such as it was, shows. But he worked really well in the Defenders - much better, in fact, than Namor or Silver Surfer, as reflected in the fact that he appeared regularly in most of its first 100 or so issues.Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-62326918006019993472011-07-01T10:37:25.356-05:002011-07-01T10:37:25.356-05:00I have to agree with Inkstained Wretch. The idea ...I have to agree with Inkstained Wretch. The idea of the Hulk on a superhero team is sheer insanity, but I'm sure Stan & Jack knew that.<br /><br />Anyway, this was a nice look through old Jade Jaws' history with the Avengers.dbutler16https://www.blogger.com/profile/00046066729353639991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-84462257640876371072011-07-01T09:03:38.553-05:002011-07-01T09:03:38.553-05:00I always presumed that the Hulk was in the Avenger...I always presumed that the Hulk was in the Avengers at the outset for the simple reason that Stan and Jack just didn’t have that many other characters to work with in 1963. <br /><br />I mean who else had they created at that point that they could put on the team? They couldn’t break up the Fantastic Four or the X-Men and they had already made a point of saying Spiderman was a loner. Iron Man, Thor, Antman, Wasp and the Hulk were all that was left.<br /><br />They obviously realized early on that the Hulk didn’t fit and started shuffling him out as soon as they could. The Hulk was a much different character at the time: Not nearly as dumb as his later portrayals and also a lot meaner and more thuggish. He was basically a villain.<br /><br />Ironically though, his brief Avengers career still probably saved him as a character. Remember, his own comic book had been cancelled months before. While he didn’t fit in with the Avengers his appearances there showed he was still a good catalyst for storylines like the FF two-parter Karen mentions. These appearances lead to him guesting with Giant-man on Tales to Astonish and eventually taking over the magazine altogether, which is when the Hulk as we known him today emerged.Inkstained Wretchnoreply@blogger.com