John Byrne was at the height of his powers when he took over the script and art on the Incredible Hulk for a short action packed run before departing Marvel to relaunch Superman at DC.
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Incredible Hulk #314 (December 1985)
Art by John Byrne |
In Byrne's first issue, #314 (December 1985) we see the Hulk return from his banishment at the Crossroads. The Hulk had been banished to this dimension of infinite time and space by Dr Strange as he was becoming too much of a menace to society (Incredible Hulk #300, October 1984, Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema). Doc Samson tricks the Hulk and ends up rendering him unconscious.
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Incredible Hulk #315 (January 1986)
Art by John Byrne |
Sensationally in #315 Doc Samson succeeds in splitting Bruce Banner from his alter ego the Hulk! The Hulk initially appears to be very docile but eventually goes on the rampage and Doc Samson decides to track the Hulk down and destroy him once and for all.
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Incredible Hulk #316 (February 1986)
Art by John Byrne |
The Avengers arrive to put a stop to the Hulk's rampage in #316 but Doc Samson convinces them to let him take care of the Hulk. Meanwhile She-Hulk visits her cousin Bruce in hospital and witnesses the medical staff administer special treatment that removes Bruce from the coma he has been in since the separation.
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Incredible Hulk #317 (March 1986)
Art by John Byrne |
In #317 the newly revived Bruce forms a team of Hulkbusters to track down and deal with the Hulk and still finds time to ask Betty Ross to marry him.
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Incredible Hulk #318 (April 1986)
Art by John Byrne |
In #318 Betty agrees to marry Bruce and the Hulkbusters go after the Hulk. Unfortunately Doc Samson gets in the way and there is a skirmish between the Hulkbusters and the Doc.
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Incredible Hulk #319 (May 1986)
Art by John Byrne |
The melodrama is heightened in #319 as Thuderbolt Ross unsuccessfully interrupts the wedding of Betty and Bruce but shoots and wounds Rick Jones in the confusion. Meanwhile Doc Samson and the Hulkbusters are fighting the Hulk. Byrne's six issue stint comes to a close and what a breathless run it was!
I've always wondered if John Byrne always intended to do only 6 issues, hoping that they would be regarded in the same way as the original Lee/Kirby 6 issues back in the '60s. Although I enjoy John's work, I don't think he had enough time to really establish anything monumental in this run.
ReplyDeleteWhat really astounds me is that it's nearly 30 years since I bought these issues (which I still have). Surely they only came out about 5 or 6 years ago at the very most?
Whaddya mean, don't call you Shirley?
There was a story prepared for #320 by John Byrne which eventually saw the light of day in an issue of Marvel Fanfare so I think your theory of Byrne wanting to emulate the original Lee/Kirby run is a non-starter. It is a great thought though!
ReplyDeleteIt is very scary that these books are almost thirty years old!
Terrific stuff for sure..
ReplyDeleteI have to agree, they are wonderful comics!
DeleteThis was one of my favorite runs next to Herb Trimpe's 8 year run on the title. I remember he was at odds with Editor and Chief Jim Shooter over a story that told in splash pages. Shooter rejected it and he left to re-boot Superman at DC. It eventually ran in the pages of Marvel Fanfare. It was about two super powered ex-cons who were joined together by some cosmic cord that could damage the Hulk. I forgot the names...Cain and Abel??...I forgot it was almost 30 years ago. However I did love Byrne's art and was so sad to see him leave the title. I think it would have gotten the usual block buster status with X-Men and Fantastic Four like popularity.....had he been allowed to stay on the title.
ReplyDeleteTo give you an idea how much I liked these issues, I've read them over at least ten times over the past decade. I love the way the Hulk was illustrated and followed Byrne's work on his Man of Steel re-boot for Superman. This could have been a historic revitalization of the Hulk title. Byrne was in top form and should have been given total creative control and no interference from the editor in chief. He had the talent to carry this flagship title and didn't deserve to have that splash page story vetoed.
ReplyDeleteI think the opportunity to re-boot Superman was too good to miss and even without interference from Shooter Byrne would still have gone over to DC.
DeleteByrne actually did a seventh Hulk issue. For whatever reason(s), it was rejected by the "powers that be" and saw print in an issue of Marvel Fanfare. Its story is presently entirely in full-page panels.
ReplyDeleteYes he did, although I haven't read it yet.
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