The Ages of the Incredible Hulk - by Joseph J Darowski (Paperback)

About the Book

The Incredible Hulk is one of the earliest Marvel Comics superheroes. Through the decades, the character and his narrative elements--the causes of Bruce Banner's transformations, the Hulk's strength, intelligence and skin color, the stories' tone, theme and sources of conflict--have been continually reinvented to remain relevant.
This collection of new essays explores Marvel's more than five decades of Hulk comics. The contributors analyze the Hulk and his supporting cast in their shifting historical contexts, offering insights into both our popular entertainment and our cultural history. Topics include the Cold War's influence on early Incredible Hulk issues, a feminist reading of She-Hulk and writer Peter David's focus on the AIDS crisis.

Book Synopsis

The Incredible Hulk is one of the earliest Marvel Comics superheroes. Through the decades, the character and his narrative elements--the causes of Bruce Banner's transformations, the Hulk's strength, intelligence and skin color, the stories' tone, theme and sources of conflict--have been continually reinvented to remain relevant.

This collection of new essays explores Marvel's more than five decades of Hulk comics. The contributors analyze the Hulk and his supporting cast in their shifting historical contexts, offering insights into both our popular entertainment and our cultural history. Topics include the Cold War's influence on early Incredible Hulk issues, a feminist reading of She-Hulk and writer Peter David's focus on the AIDS crisis.

Review Quotes

"the first academic book devoted to such an intriguing character now over a half century old...grab a copy"-The Journal of American Culture; "goes into extensive detail about the individual characters starting from their origins and their transition and evolution through the decades...makes for fascinating reading"-Collectors' Corner.

"the first academic book devoted to such an intriguing character now over a half century old...grab a copy"--The Journal of American Culture; "goes into extensive detail about the individual characters starting from their origins and their transition and evolution through the decades...makes for fascinating reading"--Collectors' Corner.

About the Author

Joseph J. Darowski teaches English at Brigham Young University and has published on comic book superheroes such as the X-Men, Wonder Woman, and Superman as well as on television series such as Chuck and Frasier.