Customer Reviews

Incredible Hulk Visionaries - John Byrne

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It's the incredible Hulk, Man of Steel-style! In '85 & '86, right before his excellent re-envisioning of DC's Superman, John Byrne did a nearly similar thing with everyone's favorite jade giant. His 6+1 issues on the title stand today as one of the best-ever introductions to the Hulk as a character. And now this 1st printing '08 paperback features bright, newly reconstructed colors.

Highlights here for me...
*Issue 314- Doc Samson & classic enemies! Features Juggernaut, Modok, Rhino, Abomination, and the Leader.
*Issue 315- Hulk & Banner separated. And SHIELD takes a new interest.
*Issue 316- Best single issue ever! Features She-Hulk & the Bi-Coastal Avengers: Iron Man, Wonder Man, Hercules & Sub-Mariner. I absolutely love the over-the-top, in-your-face, hero-speak of these characters as they try to bring in the Hulk. An entire New Mexico town is destroyed while news stations cover it, and Bruce Banner fights for life!
*Issue 317- The new Hulkbusters. Doc Samson vs. Hulk. And Bruce proposes to Betty. Issues 316 & 317 are some of my favorite comics of all time.
*Issue 318- Baptism of Fire! Doc Samson & Hulkbusters clash as they try to rein in the Hulk.
*Issue 319- The wedding of Bruce & Betty. I've never seen a wedding quite like this.
*Marvel Fanfare 29- Hulk, Hammer & Anvil, and Scourge. The only issue here with original colors completely intact; no reconstruction necessary.

There are at least 3 reasons I recommend people get this: it's one of the best introductions to the character ever created; it has historical significance with the wedding of Betty & Bruce; and it's an easy way to get Byrne's entire '80s Hulk run in one shot. I usually call this Byrne's 6+1 issue run because Incredible Hulk 320 was supposed to be what we now call Marvel Fanfare 29. As I understand it, Byrne did issue 320 in all splash pages and someone amongst the "powers-that-be" decided they didn't appreciate that approach, so Byrne quit the book and Marvel released this issue in Marvel Fanfare with beautiful, pristine colors by Andy Yanchus. Byrne also wrote a Hulk annual, illustrated by Sal Buscema, with Byrne's contribution to its art being limited to that cover. In my opinion this might be a better, more consistent looking paperback stylistically without Hulk annual 14, but it's logically included for the sake of completion. And I have mixed feelings about the bright, new colors in this paperback- they may be a bit too intense. I definitely recommend people get the original issues 314 to 319, so it'll be perfectly clear just how dramatically the colors have been played with. Also included here: the first & last Hulk Conference! It's a great, albeit poorly reproduced here, single page, photo comic from issue 316. All in all, this trade paperback is highly recommended!

**As for Byrne's Bi-Coastal Avengers, see also Avengers West Coast Visionaries - John Byrne, Vol. 1: Vision Quest (Prelude to Avengers Disassembled), and Avengers West Coast Visionaries - John Byrne, Vol. 2: Darker than Scarlet (Prelude to House of M), both among my favorites.

P.S. And check out The Art of John Byrne (Marvel Masters), an interesting career collection. It's also available here on Amazon.

Marvel seems to on a John Byrne reproduction kick, as his ever-infamous Hulk stint has made it to TPB form. This volume collects HULK #314-319, ANNUAL #14 and MARVEL FANFARE #29. Personally, I own all these issues, but to see them in such glorified color is a treat. Finally, issue #316 is shown with a GREEN Hulk/She-Hulk rather than its over-done yellow coloring in the original issue. And they even filled in the Hulk's hair with the dark green in #317 that was missing in a couple of panels.
All nit-picking aside, the highlight of this book for me is seeing Sal Buscema's pencils in the "Visionaries" format.

Byrne did what we all think impossible: made the Hulk a MUST HAVE and opened the way to the Peter David phase. Badly it was a short run, but surely one of the best periods in the Green Goliath Life

Quite simply get anything John Byrne did for marvel: xmen, fantastic four, hulk- Byrne is simply one of those greats who rose to great heights- this is an entirely enjoyable Hulk run from one of the masters.

Please Marvel, put out all of Byrne's work in omnibus oversize gorgeous hardcover format, especially his Alpha Flight and FF runs!

Out of all the artists on the Hulk, this is my favorite run. The separation of Banner/Hulk was an idea that only worked under Byrne's run on the title. Next to Herb Trimpe, he's the best thing to happen to the title in it's entire history. The Hammer and Anvil story in Marvel Fanfare is included in this collection. Oringnally then editor Jim Shooter would not allow Byrne to use the story for the "Incredible Hulk" title. After Shooter's dismissal from the company in 1986 it finally saw the light of day. The final tale in this book has a splash page on each page to tell the story. This book is a must have for any fan of the Hulk or Marvel comics. You won't be sorry you bought this!

I originally picked upthe back issues of Incredible Hulk #314-320 back when I was a teenager (87) I cherished these books immensely and read them over and over. John Byrne's art is impeccable, truly beautiful art work and he is also quite the writer. His runs on Uncanny X-men, Fantastic Four and his Man of Steel mini series are must reads for any self respecting comic book fan. This story picks up after the crossroads storyline in which the Hulk has just returned from the crossroads dimension where he was imprisoned by Dr. Strange. Doc Samson has found a way to separate man from monster but unbeknownst to him...one cant live without the other. Hulk is separated from banner and all hell breaks loose in New Mexico as the Avengers are brought in to stop the Hulk.

Seems as you get into the story, the story ends. I really wish John Byrne's run on Hulk would have lasted longer, though its a really good read especially if your either a John Byrne fan or a Hulk fan.

The John Byrne storyline was short. But it delivered!!! It basically was
the story that set up the return of "THE GRAY HULK", which would be in the next trade volume following this one. John Byrne is one of the greatest Artist/Writers of the 80's era!!! He revolutionized the Fantastic Four in the early 80's and Superman in the mid to late 80's
and worked on The Hulk for almost a year. This story is a very classic
one about the inner relationship between Bruce Banner & The Hulk. It
also shows that even if they were separated physically from one another
(through an experiment conducted by Doc Samson & Betty Ross), that
neither one can exist without the other. This book also introduces the
Hulkbusters which Bruce Banner helps to create. And of course has the long awaited wedding of Bruce Banner & Betty Ross. There is a nice homage
to some of the Hulk's greatest foes in the first issue, even though the green goliath is hallucinating thanks to some mental interference from
Bruce himself. If you are a Hulk fan like I am be sure to add this one to your collection of Hulk trades.

I will never get tired of a good, old-fashioned John Byrne story. He is always able to take and insignificant book/character and give it cosmic importance. Where many writers and/or artists have failed to craft an interesting story--John Byrne consistently SUCCEEDS! When you read a John Byrne story, you never want it to end. Thank you, Mr. Byrne for all the years you put into the industry elevating your craft.