Brian Banner

Brian Banner is Bruce Banner's deeply troubled father, a nuclear scientist whose abusive treatment of his wife and son left psychological scars that would shape Bruce's psyche — and ultimately fuel the rage at the heart of the Hulk.

Few characters in Marvel history cast as long a shadow from so few appearances as Brian Banner. Introduced in 1985 by the formidable creative team of Bill Mantlo and Mike Mignola in The Incredible Hulk #312, this Bronze Age figure emerged as a haunting presence in the life of Bruce Banner — and by extension, the Hulk himself. Over nearly four decades, Brian has surfaced across landmark collections including the Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus, sharing pages with some of Marvel's heaviest hitters: the Hulk, Rick Jones, Spider-Man, and the Leader. With only 14 catalog appearances, he's a rare, concentrated figure whose impact on the mythology of one of Marvel's greatest characters far outweighs his page count — exactly the kind of deep-cut that rewards the serious collector.