The Hulk has been smashing through Marvel Comics since 1962. Ever since Dr. Bruce Banner was exposed to gamma radiation, he’s been burdened with the curse of transforming into the rampaging Hulk whenever he gets angry. A captivating Jekyll-and-Hyde story, the Hulk is one of the strongest and most iconic superheroes of all time. Part of the Hulk’s popularity is based on the masterful artwork of his comic covers. They have been illustrated by some of the best artists in comic book history. These Hulk covers convey, through visual storytelling, the Hulk’s psychological duality and feats of physical strength that make him both an incredible hero and a tragic monster.
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A lot of fantastic talent and skill went into these impactful Hulk covers. These are the comic covers that not only left a mark on the Hulk’s comics but also on comic book history at large.
10) The Immortal Hulk #1
The Immortal Hulk series has been the most successful and groundbreaking of Marvel’s “Immortal” books because it transforms the Hulk into a character drenched in cosmic horror. The cover for The Immortal Hulk #1, illustrated by the talented Alex Ross, perfectly encapsulates the horror aesthetic of the new series. The Hulk’s pose is reminiscent of the cover of The Incredible Hulk #105 but puts a haunted spin on it. In the cover of The Immortal Hulk #1, the Jolly Green Giant is rising out of his own grave like a zombie, while behind him, there’s a tombstone with the words “here lies Bruce Banner” etched into it. This beautiful cover masterfully conveys the themes of death, resurrection, and identity that made the Immortal Hulk series such a hit.
9) Hulk: Future Imperfect #2
As part of one of the most influential Hulk stories ever told, the cover of Hulk: Future Imperfect #2 by Peter David and George Perez reveals one of the Jolly Green Giant’s greatest enemies: himself! Leaping right at the readers, the cover introduces the Maestro, a cruel and cunning Hulk from a distant post-apocalyptic future ravaged by nuclear war. Not only is the image of an old Hulk very striking, but the background also does an amazing job at conveying how the modern day is transforming into this grim future. The cover’s background is split down the middle, with the grim dystopian future on the left, the modern cityscape on the right, and a giant mushroom cloud looming over both.
8) The Incredible Hulk #377
Illustrated by Dale Keown, The Incredible Hulk #377 offers a visually striking image that emphasizes the change in Hulk’s status quo that occurs in this issue. In a story where the psyches of Bruce, green Hulk, and grey Hulk are trying to reconcile, an all-new Hulk is introduced. The comic offers a purposefully vague yet exciting cover. It features the Hulk, purposefully obscured by shadows to maintain the suspense of the new transformation, which is enhanced by the neon green background. It’s a striking image that became so popular that it warranted two more printings with different colored backgrounds.
7) Marvel Feature #1
The Avengers isn’t the only superhero team in which the Hulk is a founding member. The Defenders are an informal alliance of heroes who, despite preferring to work alone, begrudgingly put their differences aside to fight a common enemy. Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Ross Andru, Marvel Feature #1 debuts the Defenders, whose roster consists of Namor, Doctor Strange, and the Hulk. The cover depicts the Hulk front and center, leading the charge with the Defender’s other two members in the background. It’s a dynamic cover that introduces one of Marvel’s most underrated teams and highlights the Hulk as one of its most prominent members.
6) Secret Wars #4
The Hulk is the strongest there is, and the epic cover of Secret Wars #4 created by Bob Layton shows the raw power that the Jolly Green Giant wields. With the lives of every other major Marvel hero at risk, the Hulk demonstrates his incredible strength by holding up 150 billion tons of rock to prevent it from crushing his allies. The cover does a great job of emphasizing the suffocating weight the Hulk is carrying on his shoulders by having the mountain overwhelm almost the entire image. In a crossover event where almost every significant Marvel hero is present, the cover of Secret Wars #4 ensures that the Hulk is afforded his time in the spotlight.
5) The Incredible Hulk #102
For a long time, the Hulk’s adventures were covered in the anthology series Tales to Astonish, where he had to share space with other superheroes like Ant-Man and Namor. However, Marvel eventually decided that the Hulk deserved to have the comic series all to himself. Tales to Astonish was rebranded as The Incredible Hulk in #102 that shifted from an anthology to a solo series. The cover, illustrated by Marie Severin, has a different spin on the Banner and Hulk transformations. Instead of Banner turning into the Hulk, the cover shows a larger-than-life Hulk reverting to his scrawny, exhausted human form. It’s not surprising, as taking over an entire comic line probably took a lot out of the Hulk.
4) Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1
In one of the most creative immersions of the art and text coming together in a comic book cover is Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1, “Hulk Battles the Inhumans.” It has the titular Jolly Green Giant desperately struggling against being crushed under the weight of his own title. The cover was a collaborative effort between artists Jim Steranko and Marie Severin, who did a brilliant job at expressing the strain in the Hulk’s body. The immense weight of the title that the Hulk bears is further demonstrated by cracks in its huge block lettering, which is also shown in the bottom text. This fun fourth-wall-breaking (literally) cover is so eye-catching that many other comics from The Incredible Hercules to Cable have paid tribute to it.
3) The Incredible Hulk #340
The Hulk and Wolverine have the worst tempers of any characters in comics, so it’s unsurprising that they have butt heads numerous times over the years. In one of the most memorable covers in Marvel Comics history, The Incredible Hulk #340 by Peter David and Todd McFarlane features Wolverine with the grey Hulk’s enraged face reflected in Wolverine’s extended claws. This cover creatively encapsulates the animosity between the two cranky anti-heroes as they prepare for a bloody duel. Furthermore, the cover has been referenced dozens of times by various other artists across different companies. Even the Deadpool and Wolverine movie sneaks in a nod to this amazing artwork.
2) The Incredible Hulk #181
The feud between Wolverine and the Hulk goes all the way back to The Incredible Hulk #181, where the greatest X-Man makes his debut. Written by Len Wein and illustrated by Herb Trimpe, the cover captures the savagery of Wolverine as he rips through chains with his adamantium claws while simultaneously leaping at the Hulk. The image also features the villainous Wendigo, who ends up being set upon by both the Hulk and Wolverine. The depiction of Wolverine is noticeably different than his later designs, with prominent whisker markings on his mask. Still, while Wolverine was originally meant to be a one-shot villain, this cover reveals exactly why he deserved to make more appearances and become such an iconic superhero.
1) The Incredible Hulk #1
No cover involving the Hulk had more of an impact on comic book history than the one that introduced Marvel’s strongest hero to the world. The Incredible Hulk #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby perfectly encapsulates the core conflict of the character, by portraying it more as a horror story than a tale about superhero antics. The mild-mannered Bruce Banner is dwarfed by the giant grey humanoid monster looming behind him, while bystanders look on in terror. The comics tagline, “Is he a man or monster or…is he both?” also captures the tension and is the question Bruce and the Hulk have been tackling for decades. Everything about the cover conveys the Hulk’s dual nature and what makes him such an unpredictable yet captivating character.
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