Rating: 
Summary: This is an Encyclopedia?
Review: After finishing the first chapter, I knew I had just thrown away $.... You'd think the Hulk was invented by Axel Alonzo and Bruce Jones. What about the other four decades? Garbage. It never gets better. You've been warned.
Rating:
Summary: This is an Encyclopedia?
Review: After finishing the first chapter, I knew I had just thrown away $.... You'd think the Hulk was invented by Axel Alonzo and Bruce Jones. What about the other four decades? Garbage. It never gets better. You've been warned.
Rating: 
Summary: Cant complain much more than these guys...
Review: As many people said about Vol. 1 of this set, this vol. seems to just be a big advertisment. So far vol. 2 was good although it was missing some stuff, but this was just flat out an attempt to get you to go see the movie. and as for the spiderman volume, guess what comes out around the same time? yep, so that volume probably wont be much better than this one. What the hell Marvel?
Rating:
Summary: A great overview of the Hulk, but NOT an encyclopedia
Review: First of all, this book is probably a great buy for Hulk fans if you want some background on the Hulk in comics, TV, animation, and the new movie. It also includes three comic stories- the first Hulk story, a sample issue of the current series, and the issue of the Ultimates with the Hulk. However, anyone looking for a repeat of the terrific X-Men Encyclopedia, or even the mediocre Marvel Encyclopedia Vol. 1, will be disappointed, as there is VERY little encyclopedic information. (One reason I think it's a bit unfair that it's shrinkwrapped- in stores, you can't tell what you're getting.) The Hulk Incredible Guide by Tom DeFalco is MUCH better for that.
Rating: 
Summary: The Hulk from comics and TV to movies and merchadise
Review: I would not really describe this official Marvel guide to the Incredible Hulk as being an "encyclopedia," although it certainly suffices as an introduction to the comic book creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for those whose only know of ol' green skin from the television series or the less than successful Ang Lee film. The chief value for me was to fill in some parts in the lengthy gap between when I stopped reading the comic book and what is happening on that front today. Obviously the emphasis is towards the more recent versions of the Hulk, as evidenced by the fact that of the three complete Hulk stories included in these pages we have the very first from "The Incredible Hulk" #1 by Lee and Kirby and then jump decades ahead to "The Incredible Hulk" #34 (Volume 2) by Bruce Jones, John Romita Jr. and Tom Palmer, and "The Ultimates" #5 by Mark Millar, Bryan Hitch, and Andrew Currie. That more recent pair offers an interesting contrast between what is clearly a Bruce Banner story and one that puts the emphasis on a new "bad boy" version of the Hulk. The Hulk was a blend of the classic tales of Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, an outcast who just wanted to be left alone and who represented the inner rage bottled up inside everyone who is not a violent psychopath. Consequently, the Hulk was not a traditional superhero but a mean green smashing machine. Over the past forty years the Hulk has been adapted and animated, televised and computerized, and Kit Keifer's survey of his career covers everything from Hulk action figures to the Friday night television show that reduced the essence of the character to the famous line, "You wouldn't like me when I get angry." Beginning with the story of how Lee and Kirby dreamed up the Incredible Hulk, this volume looks at the major villains who have hounded the Hulk, examines the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno television series, and shows us a whole bunch of Hulk merchandise. In terms of the comic books we are introduced to the supporting cast from Betty Ross and Rick Jones to Doc Sampson and the She-Hulk, provided with a list of Top 10 Hulk battles to argue about, and given a look at the Ang Lee film, which is clearly the reason this volume has hit the shelves. Scattered throughout the book is artwork from a couple dozen different artists who have drawn the Hulk over the years (including some nice Kaare Andrews cover homages) along with Keifer's analysis of the significance of their different approaches to drawing the character. There is even a chart that explains the Hulk's height and weight in all his various incarnations. Overall, Keifer does hit most of the high points in the Hulk's career. As long as he mentions the Roy Thomas story where the Hulk finds a land where people respect him and the classic issue written by Harlan Ellison where the Hulk ends up as a noble warrior in the microscopic kingdom of K'ai where he wins the love of the Princess Jarella, then he has my minimal requirements for showing he has a clue as to what he is writing about. I would have liked to have seen more about the comic books I missed and less about the television episodes I rarely watched, but Keifer does cover all things Hulk, up to and including your inflatable Hulk Instant Muscles and the infamous Flying Fist. Of course I would agree with the idea this is an attempt to make money (greenskin greenbacks if you would), but then doesn't "MMM" mean "Marvel Makes Money" now adays?
Rating: 
Summary: The Hulk from comics and TV to movies and merchadise
Review: I would not really describe this official Marvel guide to the Incredible Hulk as being an "encyclopedia," although it certainly suffices as an introduction to the comic book creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for those whose only know of ol' green skin from the television series or the less than successful Ang Lee film. The chief value for me was to fill in some parts in the lengthy gap between when I stopped reading the comic book and what is happening on that front today. Obviously the emphasis is towards the more recent versions of the Hulk, as evidenced by the fact that of the three complete Hulk stories included in these pages we have the very first from "The Incredible Hulk" #1 by Lee and Kirby and then jump decades ahead to "The Incredible Hulk" #34 (Volume 2) by Bruce Jones, John Romita Jr. and Tom Palmer, and "The Ultimates" #5 by Mark Millar, Bryan Hitch, and Andrew Currie. That more recent pair offers an interesting contrast between what is clearly a Bruce Banner story and one that puts the emphasis on a new "bad boy" version of the Hulk.
The Hulk was a blend of the classic tales of Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, an outcast who just wanted to be left alone and who represented the inner rage bottled up inside everyone who is not a violent psychopath. Consequently, the Hulk was not a traditional superhero but a mean green smashing machine. Over the past forty years the Hulk has been adapted and animated, televised and computerized, and Kit Keifer's survey of his career covers everything from Hulk action figures to the Friday night television show that reduced the essence of the character to the famous line, "You wouldn't like me when I get angry." Beginning with the story of how Lee and Kirby dreamed up the Incredible Hulk, this volume looks at the major villains who have hounded the Hulk, examines the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno television series, and shows us a whole bunch of Hulk merchandise.
In terms of the comic books we are introduced to the supporting cast from Betty Ross and Rick Jones to Doc Sampson and the She-Hulk, provided with a list of Top 10 Hulk battles to argue about, and given a look at the Ang Lee film, which is clearly the reason this volume has hit the shelves. Scattered throughout the book is artwork from a couple dozen different artists who have drawn the Hulk over the years (including some nice Kaare Andrews cover homages) along with Keifer's analysis of the significance of their different approaches to drawing the character. There is even a chart that explains the Hulk's height and weight in all his various incarnations.
Overall, Keifer does hit most of the high points in the Hulk's career. As long as he mentions the Roy Thomas story where the Hulk finds a land where people respect him and the classic issue written by Harlan Ellison where the Hulk ends up as a noble warrior in the microscopic kingdom of K'ai where he wins the love of the Princess Jarella, then he has my minimal requirements for showing he has a clue as to what he is writing about. I would have liked to have seen more about the comic books I missed and less about the television episodes I rarely watched, but Keifer does cover all things Hulk, up to and including your inflatable Hulk Instant Muscles and the infamous Flying Fist. Of course I would agree with the idea this is an attempt to make money (greenskin greenbacks if you would), but then doesn't "MMM" mean "Marvel Makes Money" now adays?
Rating:
Summary: Avoid this book at all costs
Review: It's times like this that I wish Amazon allowed people to issue a zero rating. This book is so poorly researched and written that I can't believe that Marvel gave it the go-ahead. It's not only an insult to the readers intelligence, but it's insulting to writers like Peter David who barely rates a mention. David spent many years writing The Incredible Hulk for Marvel and did what many thought was once impossible...he turned the title into a critically acclaimed and commercially successful comic book. David isn't the only creator given the cold shoulder in this revisionist and ultimately useless "encyclopedia" from Marvel, and this leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth of fans and creators alike. If you want a decent factual book about the Hulk, check out Tom Defalco's Hulk:The Incredible Guide, found elsewhere on Amazon. At least Defalco has respect for his fellow creators and the characters he writes about. Avoid this book at all costs. It made me angry...and you wouldn't like me when I'm angry!
Rating:
Summary: DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
Review: Marvel Encyclopedia: The Hulk is one big let down when it comes to the Marvel Encyclopeida series. The author, Kit Kiefer does not take the subject seriously. For every fact he states about either the comic, tv show or movie, he makes a sarcastic comment to go with it. He admits that he is not a fan of the Hulk. Overall this book is a campy nonsense look at the history of the Hulk. I really can't see comic fans or even hardcore Hulk fans enjoying this book. If you are new to the character of the Hulk (because of the new movie) and want to read about his history, you're better off passing on this book.
Rating:
Summary: Just to reiterate what is said below...
Review: Some people just won't listen to good advice unless they hear it from hundreds of different people. I myself am very dubious of online reviews. So here's one more for the pile of negative reviews of this truly awful publication, just in case you weren't already convinced. I wish I could say I can't figure out what Marvel was thinking when they published this... but it doesn't take much of a gue$$. I'm inclined to say that this book is little more than an extended ad for the current runs of the Hulk. But it might be more accurate to say that it is NOTHIING more than an extended ad for the current run of the Hulk. Why would a person be curious about this book? Well, speaking for myself... 1. You enjoy the Hulk already, and would like some "encyclopedic" knowledge at hand. (That would be MY reason.)
2. You don't know much about the Hulk. Maybe you've read recent issues or seen the movie and would like some background history on the character. Both are legitimate reasons to want a Hulk Encyclopedia. This book, however, will help you with neither. The Hulk's history as a character is barely touched on. Long periods such as the gray and merged (or "professor" for Jenkins fans) hulks are barely addressed. Long-standing characters are hardly mentioned, even such characters as Rick Jones, who has been with the book since the beginning! However, this is nothing compared to the history of the Hulk's writers and artists, which is downright insulting. Many of the long-running creative teams are barely if at all mentioned. Peter David, the writer who received acclaims for his original and innovative 10+ year run on the Hulk is mentioned TWICE. And the second time is both indirectly and degardingly (with a comment to the effect of "the Hulk during the nineties is best forgotten"). Unfortunately, Peter David's frequent and public conflicts with Marvel President Bill Jemas show through here. One can only wonder why else only one of his acclaimed stories made the top ten Hulk comics of all time... But even setting PAD aside, nearly every creative inidividual who worked on the book is exceedingly shortchanged. What DOES the book cover? Full issue reprints of Bruce Jones recent (and current) run on the Hulk, along with an issue of "The Ultimates." Please don't get me wrong -- I love Bruce Jones' style. Jones is the only thing that brought me back to the book after Peter David left. But the time spent praising his works is excessive to the point of absurdity. Also, pages upon pages of praise are heaped upon the AWFUL Banner mini-series, which completely misjudged the use of each of it's characters. Also, much time is again spent on "The Ultimates", and a surprising amount of time is spent on the as-yet-unreleased (as of 8/1/03) Hulk: Gray mini-series. At last check, this series is not even on the Marvel Comics release schedule. Is there ANYTHING the book gets right? If you're looking for movie coverage, you certainly will find that here. Also, it has some intriguing information on the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno Hulk series from the 70's/80's. Unfortunately, this is the extent of the book's redeeming qualities (as far as I could see). So, again, if you're looking for a reference to the Hulk, you've come to the wrong place. Instead, look for Tom DeFalco's excellent book, "Hulk: The Incredible Guide". It feels as if the two books have mysteriously switched names, as DeFalco's book is far more encyclopedic, although only Marvel would consider their own book "Incredible", but I digress... but I think you get the point by now anyways. Just in case, here's your final warning: STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK! This has been a public service announcement.
Rating:
Summary: Just to reiterate what is said below...
Review: Some people just won't listen to good advice unless they hear it from hundreds of different people. I myself am very dubious of online reviews. So here's one more for the pile of negative reviews of this truly awful publication, just in case you weren't already convinced. I wish I could say I can't figure out what Marvel was thinking when they published this... but it doesn't take much of a gue$$. I'm inclined to say that this book is little more than an extended ad for the current runs of the Hulk. But it might be more accurate to say that it is NOTHIING more than an extended ad for the current run of the Hulk. Why would a person be curious about this book? Well, speaking for myself... 1. You enjoy the Hulk already, and would like some "encyclopedic" knowledge at hand. (That would be MY reason.)
2. You don't know much about the Hulk. Maybe you've read recent issues or seen the movie and would like some background history on the character. Both are legitimate reasons to want a Hulk Encyclopedia. This book, however, will help you with neither. The Hulk's history as a character is barely touched on. Long periods such as the gray and merged (or "professor" for Jenkins fans) hulks are barely addressed. Long-standing characters are hardly mentioned, even such characters as Rick Jones, who has been with the book since the beginning! However, this is nothing compared to the history of the Hulk's writers and artists, which is downright insulting. Many of the long-running creative teams are barely if at all mentioned. Peter David, the writer who received acclaims for his original and innovative 10+ year run on the Hulk is mentioned TWICE. And the second time is both indirectly and degardingly (with a comment to the effect of "the Hulk during the nineties is best forgotten"). Unfortunately, Peter David's frequent and public conflicts with Marvel President Bill Jemas show through here. One can only wonder why else only one of his acclaimed stories made the top ten Hulk comics of all time... But even setting PAD aside, nearly every creative inidividual who worked on the book is exceedingly shortchanged. What DOES the book cover? Full issue reprints of Bruce Jones recent (and current) run on the Hulk, along with an issue of "The Ultimates." Please don't get me wrong -- I love Bruce Jones' style. Jones is the only thing that brought me back to the book after Peter David left. But the time spent praising his works is excessive to the point of absurdity. Also, pages upon pages of praise are heaped upon the AWFUL Banner mini-series, which completely misjudged the use of each of it's characters. Also, much time is again spent on "The Ultimates", and a surprising amount of time is spent on the as-yet-unreleased (as of 8/1/03) Hulk: Gray mini-series. At last check, this series is not even on the Marvel Comics release schedule. Is there ANYTHING the book gets right? If you're looking for movie coverage, you certainly will find that here. Also, it has some intriguing information on the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno Hulk series from the 70's/80's. Unfortunately, this is the extent of the book's redeeming qualities (as far as I could see). So, again, if you're looking for a reference to the Hulk, you've come to the wrong place. Instead, look for Tom DeFalco's excellent book, "Hulk: The Incredible Guide". It feels as if the two books have mysteriously switched names, as DeFalco's book is far more encyclopedic, although only Marvel would consider their own book "Incredible", but I digress... but I think you get the point by now anyways. Just in case, here's your final warning: STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK! This has been a public service announcement.
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