Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #1

In "The Coming of the Hulk," scientist Bruce Banner’s life changes forever when he shields a young boy from a catastrophic nuclear explosion—only to be exposed to lethal gamma radiation. Now, by day he’s a brilliant researcher, but as the sun sets, his body shifts into the raging, unstoppable force known as the Hulk.

In "[The Hulk], Part 5: The Hulk Triumphant!", the Hulk and Rick Jones are taken captive by the Gargoyle and spirited behind the Iron Curtain. With the Hulk transformed into Bruce Banner, he offers a desperate cure to the Gargoyle, who longs to be human. As their fates intertwine, a fragile trust forms between man and monster—setting the stage for a perilous escape across a divided world.

In "The Terror of the Toad Men," Part 1: "Enter...the Toad Men," a mysterious alien force descends upon Earth, targeting its greatest minds—while below, Rick and Bruce navigate a hidden cave system, hoping to contain the Hulk’s nightly transformations. The story blends creeping alien dread with the uneasy tension of human desperation, setting the stage for a collision of worlds.

In "Banished to Outer Space," Rick Jones finds himself trapped in a high-stakes experiment when General Ross manipulates him into launching the Hulk into space aboard a prototype rocket. Once the Hulk is stranded beyond Earth's atmosphere, Rick discovers the truth: Ross never intended to test the rocket—he wanted to be rid of the Hulk for good. Now, with the Hulk transformed and permanently bound to Rick's will while he stays awake, the line between prisoner and protector blurs in this tense, spacebound showdown.

In "The Ringmaster," Rick takes a rare break from his Hulk-sitting duties and stumbles into a circus run by a hypnotic criminal who mesmerizes the crowd and empties their pockets. When the Hulk arrives to rescue his friend, he’s captured and forced into the act—trapped in a performance he didn’t sign up for. With Rick under the ringmaster’s spell, it’s up to the Hulk to break free and turn the tables, all while the circus turns into a showdown of strength and cunning.

In "The Monster and the Machine!", Bruce Banner, still reeling from a recent transformation, finds himself trapped in the Hulk’s monstrous form—until he turns to his own experimental machinery to reclaim his humanity. With a risky second dose of gamma energy, he swaps back into the Hulk’s body, now wielding Bruce’s mind and the ability to shift at will. The story explores the fragile balance between man and monster, and the cost of control.

In "The Gladiator from Outer Space!", a mysterious alien arrives on Earth demanding a battle with the planet’s mightiest warrior—only to find the Hulk stepping forward. What begins as a cosmic challenge quickly unravels into a high-stakes deception, as the alien’s mission hides a far more dangerous agenda.

In "Beauty and the Beast!" from the Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #1, the Hulk is trapped beneath the earth by the underground tyrant Tyrannus, who holds Betty hostage to force the jade giant into servitude. With Betty’s safety at stake, the Hulk must find a way to break free before Tyrannus’s reign of terror consumes them both.

In "The Hordes of General Fang!" from the Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #1, the Hulk faces off against the ambitious General Fang, a would-be conqueror seeking to seize control of the remote Asian province of Llhasa. With a mix of brute strength and a clever disguise as the Abominable Snowman, the Hulk stands in the way of a ruthless campaign—though not without a few surprises along the way.

In "Part 2 Mission: Stop the Hulk!" from the Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #1, the Fantastic Four convene at a New Mexico base for a high-stakes briefing, where they meet Bruce Banner and his assistant Karl Kort to strategize against the rampaging Hulk. The tension is palpable as the team grapples with how to contain a force that's as unpredictable as it is powerful.

In "The Incredible Hulk vs 'The Metal Master!'", the Hulk—still wrestling with the instability of his transformations—faces an alien threat unlike any he’s encountered. When his gamma-powered form fails to manifest, he must rely on Banner’s mind and body to confront the overwhelming might of the Metal Master, only to be captured by General Ross. With Rick forming the Teen Brigade, the Hulk escapes captivity and launches a daring counterattack against one of the most formidable foes in his history.

In this pulse-pounding 25-page tale from the *Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #1* (2016), the Avengers grapple with the fallout of the Hulk’s departure, fearing the chaos he might unleash. When they track him down, a fierce clash ignites—only for the Sub-Mariner to intervene, turning the tide as he and the Hulk form an unlikely alliance against their common foes.

In the aftermath of a fractured bond, the Hulk returns to New York, driven by rage after learning Rick Jones has left him for the Avengers. With the Fantastic Four standing in his path, the Thing must face the green giant alone—his only hope to stop the unstoppable.

In "The Grotesque Adventure of the Green Goblin!", the Green Goblin orchestrates a chaotic showdown with the Enforcers, enlisting B.J. Cosmos to document the spectacle as a movie in the desert. As filming begins, the staged battle between Goblin, his henchmen, and Spider-Man takes a terrifying turn when the unexpected arrival of the Hulk shatters the illusion of control.

In a playful clash of fandom, Jo and the rest of the Mighty Thor fan club face off against the Hulk’s loyal supporters over who’s truly the stronger hero. When Thor himself appears to settle the debate, he recounts a legendary battle from Avengers #3—and reveals a never-before-seen moment of their fierce struggle. Though he admits he can’t definitively say who wins, the encounter leaves both sides buzzing. Days later, the Hulk, still stewing over the meeting, vows that next time, Thor won’t walk away unscathed.