Best Hulk Comics

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While the Hulk’s appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe haven’t always highlighted his full potential, his comic book stories are fantastic. Many Hulk comics explore the classic struggle between Bruce Banner and his powerful, green alter ego, similar to the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story. Plus, being one of Marvel’s strongest heroes, the Hulk consistently battles some truly massive villains.

Best Hulk comics as of 2025

Future Imperfect/Maestro

Future Imperfect, created by Peter David and illustrated with breathtaking art by George Pérez, presents a flawed future world. This acclaimed two-part comic series, originally published in 1992-1993, is considered a must-read for Hulk fans. The story takes place in a devastated, post-apocalyptic future where nuclear war has decimated the planet and most of its heroes. A cruel new villain, the Maestro, has risen to power – a dark and twisted version of the Hulk. This alternate future reveals that the Maestro is actually Bruce Banner, years after succumbing to madness fueled by power and loss.

The only way to defeat him is for him to face his own inner demons. This comic features a group of future rebels who travel back in time to enlist the help of the present-day Hulk, and it’s truly excellent. It also prompts some interesting self-reflection – what advice would your ideal self give to your worst self? And what remains of our compassion when humanity is at its breaking point? I appreciate how comics can explore these large, philosophical ideas, and this one does so beautifully.

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Hulk: Gray

Hulk: Gray, a six-issue comic series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, was published between December 2003 and April 2004. It’s part of a series of Marvel comics – including Spider-Man: Blue, Daredevil: Yellow, and Captain America: White – that focus on the personal lives and inner thoughts of their heroes. Like those other titles, Hulk: Gray offers a more emotional and in-depth look at the character, exploring his backstory and psychology.

The title ‘Gray’ is fitting because the story explores moral complexities and shades of meaning. Interestingly, the Hulk was initially intended to be gray, but a printing problem led to the now-iconic green color. This accidental change resulted in two distinct interpretations of the character. ‘Hulk: Gray’ revisits the original gray Hulk, offering a fresh take on his beginnings by Loeb and Sale.

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Planet Hulk and World War Hulk

Let’s cover two big storylines at once: Planet Hulk (issues #92-105 of Incredible Hulk) and World War Hulk (a five-issue series). Both were written by Greg Pak and are huge crossover events in the Marvel universe. The story begins when Earth’s Illuminati – Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Reed Richards, and Black Bolt – decide to send the Hulk into space after he causes another round of destruction. It was a difficult decision, not made out of spite, and the heroes debated it extensively. They didn’t just randomly launch him into the unknown; they aimed to send him to a peaceful planet where he could rest and recover.

A mistake during space travel sends Hulk to Sakaar, a planet ruled by conflict and where he’s forced to fight as a gladiator – you may recall this from the movie *Thor: Ragnarok*. As we know, Hulk is already incredibly powerful, and he becomes even stronger on Sakaar. He also unexpectedly finds love, sparks a revolution against the cruel Red King, and rises to become a leader. Unfortunately, this peace is short-lived. Sakaar is ultimately destroyed, and Hulk returns to Earth seeking retribution against those he blames for its downfall.

The Planet Hulk and World War Hulk storylines are among the most famous Hulk comics from the 2000s. They explore what happens when the Hulk stops fighting his rage and embraces it completely. Although Hulk is sometimes portrayed as the villain in World War Hulk, many readers feel Earth brought the conflict on itself.

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Immortal Hulk

Immortal Hulk is a fun and accessible comic, even if you’re new to the story. It works well on its own, with most of the necessary background information provided within the issues themselves. What makes this Hulk series stand out is its unique blend of genres – it’s a mix of horror, psychological thriller, science fiction, and even body horror, which is why it’s considered one of the best Hulk comics ever made.

The story starts with Bruce Banner having successfully removed the Hulk from his system. However, he soon begins experimenting on himself again, and a disturbing vision reveals that another transformation into the Hulk will result in many deaths. Faced with this terrible possibility, Bruce’s friends make the difficult decision to kill him. Surprisingly, though, he doesn’t stay dead. (If you enjoy stories about undead heroes, you might also like the comic book character Swarm.)

Written by Al Ewing and primarily illustrated by Joe Bennett, *The Immortal Hulk* explores the struggle of accepting yourself, even when you feel deeply damaged. It’s a unique take within the Marvel Universe, and many consider it one of the greatest Hulk – or even Marvel – comics ever made.

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Incredible Hulk: Days of Rage

The Incredible Hulk #300 was a landmark issue, and it’s part of a three-issue story arc starting with #298. Like many times before in the Hulk’s adventures, he flies into a rage and begins attacking people, unable to distinguish between friends and enemies.

Days of Rage offers a compelling look into a crisis when Nightmare takes over the Hulk’s mind, causing him to rampage through New York City. It’s up to the Avengers to stop him. This issue, published in December 1984, was created by writer Bill Mantlo, artist Sal Buscema, inker Terry Talaoc, and colorist Bob Sharen.

How we chose the best Hulk comics

Choosing the best Hulk comics is tough because there are so many good ones! It really depends on what people like, but we’ve focused on stories that fans consistently love and that are important for understanding the character. We also made sure to include comics that are easy to get into, even if you’re new to the Hulk.

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2025-09-18 04:48