Hulk
he Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel
Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in
the debut issue of The Incredible Hulk (May 1962). In his comic book appearances, the
character, who has dissociative identity disorder (DID), is primarily represented by the
alter ego Hulk, a green-skinned, hulking, and muscular humanoid possessing a limitless
degree of physical strength, and the alter ego Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a physically
weak, socially withdrawn, and emotionally reserved physicist, both of whom typically
resent each other.
Following his accidental exposure to gamma rays while saving the life of Rick
Jones during the detonation of an experimental bomb, Banner is physically transformed
into the Hulk when subjected to emotional stress, at or against his will. This
transformation often leads to destructive rampages and conflicts that complicate
Banner's civilian life. The Hulk's level of strength is usually conveyed proportionate to
his anger level. Commonly portrayed as a raging savage, the Hulk has been
represented with other alter egos, from a mindless, destructive force (War) to a brilliant
warrior (World-Breaker), a self-hating protector (the Devil/Immortal), a genius scientist
in his own right (Doc Green), and a gangster (Joe Fixit).
Despite Hulk and Banner's desire for solitude, the character has a large supporting cast.
This includes Banner's love interest Betty Ross, his best friend, Rick Jones, his
cousin She-Hulk, and therapist and ally Doc Samson. In addition, the Hulk alter ego has
many key supporting characters, like his co-founders of the superhero team
the Avengers, his queen Caiera, fellow warriors Korg and Miek, and
sons Skaar and Hiro-Kala. However, his uncontrollable power has brought him into
conflict with his fellow heroes and others. Despite this, he tries his best to do what's
right while battling villains such as the Leader, the Abomination, the Absorbing Man,
and more.
Lee stated that the Hulk's creation was inspired by a combination
of Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.[4] Although the Hulk's coloration has varied
throughout the character's publication history, the usual color is green.
One of the most iconic characters in popular culture,[5][6] the character has appeared on a
variety of merchandise, such as clothing and collectable items, inspired real-world
structures (such as theme park attractions), and been referenced in several media.
Banner and the Hulk have been adapted into live-action, animated, and video game
incarnations. The character was first played in live-action by Bill Bixby and Lou
Ferrigno in the 1978 television series The Incredible Hulk and its subsequent television
films The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988), The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989),
and The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990). In the film, the character was played
by Eric Bana in Hulk (2003). In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the
character was first portrayed by Edward Norton in the film The Incredible Hulk (2008)
and then by Mark Ruffalo in later appearances in the franchise.
