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This is actually the most comic book accurate Hulk.

posted 9 years ago by mh-newressistance
14 replies | jump to latest

Oddly enough, but from a comic book point of view, the best Hulk was Ang Lee's Hulk. Basically, the key elements of the movie were inspired by the various different comics. Mainly, the movie was based on the story arc from the 80’s called “Crossroads”. All of this conceptual confusion associated with abstract symbolism from original Hulk movie, where Hulk was an emotional response to psychological problems of Bruce Banner, was originated in Bill Mantlo's comic series (the creator of Rocket Raccoon). Ang Lee's Hulk was very faithful to that story. Banner in the comics was a victim of his sadistic father who abused him and his mother. Father of Bruce accidentally killed his mother, leaving Bruce permanently traumatized. Bill Mantlo made it clear that the Hulk was not created during the explosion of gamma bomb. Hulk was a subconscious response to Bruce's fears and hatred. Hulk has always lived inside Banner's conscious. Gamma bomb just turned Hulk from a psychical entity into physical entity. The long-eared doll that Bruce had as a kid in the movie was also in that comic.

[–] Nobody_Gives_A_Damn 9 years ago

So basically what you are saying is that this is the most comic book accurate Hulk, when taken from the rebooted and completely rewritten original story of the origin of the Kirby/Lee character that they created in 1962!

The stupid have one thing in common. They alter the facts to fit their views not the other way!

[–] lottbarry-942-362163 9 years ago

DDDAAAMMNN.......I have to agree

[–] mh-newressistance 9 years ago

It's not a reboot of the original origin. It is a more deep and expended version of the classic origin of the Hulk. Same thing is with Batman, who until the late 80's had no definitive origin. Batman Begins doesn't become less faithful to the comics only because it decided to follow more detailed origin of the character instead of the most simplest one. Also, there were dozens of homages to Lee/Kirby era Hulk. First scene with Hulk in the movie is completely dark and you can't see Hulk, similar to his first actual appearance. When he jumps around in canyon and fights army, that is definitely a classic Hulk.

[–] Nobody_Gives_A_Damn 9 years ago

No Rick Jones, No origin! Key character missing.
But I will agree that the desert fight sequence definitely got it right. The rest was just Bollox!

The stupid have one thing in common. They alter the facts to fit their views not the other way!

[–] mh-newressistance 9 years ago

I didn't said that I thought 2003 Hulk was the best Hulk movie, or that I think it was a good movie. I just think it was more faithful to the comics than the Incredible Hulk, which was inspired by Ultimate version of Hulk (you know, horny, cannibalistic Hulk). As for Rick Jones, I'm also pissed that his character was never used in any of the movies. But I think the closest thing that we got of Rick Jones was in this movie. I thought that the scene when Bruce saves that science guy from a gamma exposure was movie's take on the original origin with gamma bomb test. I think it would've been better if that science guy was actually called Rick Jones and if he was a student of Banner or something. He was irresponsible and unfocused, so he would make some mistake with a gamma machine (or whatever that thing is called) and Bruce had to save him.

Wouldn't made the movie better but it would be cool to see.

[–] Nobody_Gives_A_Damn 9 years ago

The Incredible Hulk was also way off the mark with its origin imo, it relied to heavily on the awful television series. However as part of the wider MCU I can forgive it, because much of the MCU is not strictly true to the original comic book lore, and to be fair they have publicly come out and acknowledged this to make their movie world work better. Hulk 2003 however is an awful abomination of a movie and a bastardisation of numerous other sources and influences. If Lee had set out to make a period piece of Jekyll and Hyde it would make this an excellent movie, but he didn't, he threw the Hulk in there instead and made a hotch potch of both, hence alienating his core comic book fanbase imo. Nice pick up on the Rick Jones nod albeit a bit of a stretch in credibility, I certainly didn't pick up on it.

The stupid have one thing in common. They alter the facts to fit their views not the other way!

[–] Danny-Sichmeller 9 years ago

The tv series was far from awful.

[–] Danny-Sichmeller 9 years ago

Actually yea. It was very accurate . The stories of his father and the origin but with new things thrown in. Ross motivation (even tho William hurt is a better Ross) it needed Rick jones tho. The absorbing man killed it tho.

[–] glynis23-282-577521 8 years ago

It's updated but the same basic idea of him saving somebody so he gets zapped by gamma rays. In the comics it's implied you have to have a gamma gene to survive gamma exposure and become a gamma mutant, kinda how it was in 2003 Hulk but man made not a biological variant like the X gene.

[–] glynis23-282-577521 8 years ago

It updated it from the cold war era, a bomb test would've vaporized Bruce Banner, in modern retellings it's genetic mutation like a mutant gene or super soldier serum.

[–] MickyMac (3207) 7 years ago

I think the Hulk being inside Banner would've been better as something like the X gene not something man made by his father. If you wanted a comic accurate origin in a modern context have it be a reactor explosion like the 96 cartoon.

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 6 years ago

but if you look at the movie they clearly went real old school. Comic strips throughout. It obviously wasn't a reference to the toons.
Not knowing much about this movie, nor bana. I really came out a huge fan. You can tell they put extreme effort into it and it payed off. It was a huge blast watching this movie in the theaters and it's the type of movie I expect from an action theater type.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7798) 6 years ago

I am sorry but I don't care for the story you speak of. I am more a fan of Stan Lee era Hulk. Also that story was done when Hulk turned Grey and less angry. And when they went back to him turning into the Hulk at night. I have read it mainly cause I was interested in Grey Hulk but I don't like the abusive father angle or the Hulk being an alternate personality of Bruce being mad at the world for what his father did to him. Also his father wasn't a character in the actual stories like in the movie.

[–] MickyMac (3207) 6 years ago

Unlike the comics everyone is fully aware that Banner is The Hulk right from the start.