Hulk #1
Hulk #1 (Panini France, 2012 series) — subtitled 'Hulk contre Banner' — marks the launch of the eighth Panini France Hulk anthology series and stands as a deliberate editorial response to the character's renewed mainstream visibility following the release of Marvel's 2012 Avengers film. By packaging Jason Aaron's then-current 'Hulk vs. Banner' arc alongside Jeff Parker's Red Hulk storyline and Rick Remender's Secret Avengers in a single 112-page French-language format, it gave French readers simultaneous, multi-title access to the full Hulk corner of the Marvel Universe — a notably ambitious anthology approach for a regional reprint line. The issue also reflects Panini France's sustained commitment to delivering continuity-rich storytelling to francophone audiences rather than cherry-picking standalone stories.
Hulk #1 (2012) kicks off a bold new chapter with Jeff Parker’s sharp storytelling and Declan Shalvey’s dynamic art, capturing the raw intensity of Bruce Banner’s latest crisis. When Cage and his team track a rogue faction of the Thunderbolts to a forgotten sanctuary tied to Satana, an ancient enchanted river awakens haunting visions in Songbird—revealing fragments of her past she’d rather forget. The cover by Dale Keown sets the tone with a striking, moody portrait of the Hulk, perfectly framing the issue’s dark, psychological edge.
In "null," Hulk and Amanda Von Doom journey to a remote Atlantic island to confront the dangerous legacy of Bruce Banner’s secret lab, where his experiments have birthed a colony of Hulk-like creatures running wild. The island’s isolation has become a sanctuary for something far more volatile than science—something that’s begun to stir.
In "null," General Ross journeys to Qatar after learning of the death of an old army comrade, driven by a need for vengeance. There, a team of Secret Avengers arrives to stop him, setting up a tense confrontation between duty, rage, and the cost of retribution.
In "null," the Hulk’s relentless pursuit of a target in the Middle East puts him at odds with the Secret Avengers, who fear his presence will spark a diplomatic crisis. When he refuses to back down, Commander Rogers turns to Machine Man to accompany him—forcing an uneasy alliance between the rampaging green giant and the synthetic soldier.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The series launched in July 2012 (dépôt légal 07/2012) as Panini France's ongoing anthology vehicle for the Hulk family of titles, combining material from three concurrent US series — Jason Aaron's Incredible Hulk, Jeff Parker's Hulk (Red Hulk), and the interconnected Secret Avengers and Thunderbolts — into one oversized format issue. French translation was handled by Khaled Tadil, with lettering adapted by Christophe Semal and Laurence Hingray; the cover was provided by artist Dale Keown. A variant cover by Ryan Meinerding was produced exclusively for the bookshop (librairie) channel, distinguishing direct-market and book-trade copies from the outset.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published by Panini Comics France; dépôt légal July 2012; ISBN 978-2-8094-2712-7; 112 pages in standard French comics format.
- Subtitled 'Hulk contre Banner' (Tome 1); the first issue of Panini France's eighth Hulk series, which ran for 12 issues through June 2013.
- Primary content: Incredible Hulk (Vol. IV) #4 — 'Hulk vs. Banner! Chapter One: Island of 1000 Hulks' — written by Jason Aaron with art by Whilce Portacio (originally published March 2012).
- Secondary content: Hulk (Vol. II) #42–43 — the 'Hulk of Arabia' Red Hulk storyline by Jeff Parker — and Secret Avengers #21.1 'Red Light Nation' by Rick Remender, plus Thunderbolts #163.1 'End of A Circle'.
- Cover by Dale Keown; a variant cover by Ryan Meinerding was produced for the librairie (bookshop) distribution channel.
- French adaptation credited to translator Khaled Tadil; lettering adaptation by Christophe Semal and Laurence Hingray.
- The series launched in the wake of the 2012 Avengers theatrical release, capitalizing on renewed mainstream French interest in the Hulk character.
- The Aaron 'Hulk vs. Banner' storyline — where a surgically separated Hulk and Bruce Banner become enemies — was the central narrative spine of the entire 12-issue Panini France run, concluding with Tome 12 ('Hulk: United') in June 2013.
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Reprints
↩ Reprints Thunderbolts #163.1 (2011), Hulk #42 (2011), Hulk #43 (2011), Incredible Hulk #1 (2011), Incredible Hulk #2 (2012), Incredible Hulk #4 (2012), Secret Avengers #21.1 (2012)
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