The Incredible Hulk #102
The Incredible Hulk #102 is the opening chapter of what became one of Marvel's longest-running series — the second and definitive solo title for Bruce Banner's jade alter ego, which ran uninterrupted from 1968 until 1999. Rather than launching fresh numbering, Marvel carried the digits straight over from Tales to Astonish, a deliberate editorial signal that the Hulk's story was a continuous saga rather than a reboot, a structural choice that would define the title's identity for decades. The issue also introduces Oldar the Oracle, an Asgardian seer whose single appearance anchors the book's most striking narrative device: a poetic, in-universe retelling of the Hulk's entire origin, delivered in rhyme — a playful Silver Age technique that simultaneously onboarded new readers and stitched the new series firmly to its 1962 roots. Taken together, the title relaunch, the cross-mythological setting that mashes the Hulk into the Asgardian pantheon, and the origin recap make this a genuine structural hinge in Hulk publishing history.
In "This World Not His Own!", the Hulk is pulled from a bottomless pit and brought to Asgard, where the Warriors Three seek answers from Oldar the Oracle about the jade giant’s origins. Written by Gary Friedrich and illustrated with dynamic flair by Marie Severin—whose inks and colors bring the mythic clash to life—this 1968 Marvel classic sees the Hulk join forces with Odin’s warriors to repel an army of trolls, only to earn the All-Father’s ire and be sent back to Earth. The cover by Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia captures the moment of arrival with bold, otherworldly energy.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
When Stan Lee declared 1968 the beginning of the 'Second Age of Marvel Comics,' he dismantled the anthology split-books that had housed multiple heroes under one cover; Tales to Astonish #101 was the last issue under that banner before it became The Incredible Hulk with #102, retaining the numbering sequence intact. Writer Gary Friedrich — the first major new scripting talent at Marvel after Roy Thomas — drew the inaugural assignment, with Marie Severin, who had already been steering the Hulk's art through the final stretch of Tales to Astonish, handling both cover and interior pencils; George Tuska and Syd Shores shared inking duties, and Stan Lee edited. The issue also debuted the new letters page 'Greenskin's Grab Bag,' replacing the old 'Mails to Astonish' column, marking a clean break in the book's editorial personality even as the story content ran directly from the prior issue's cliffhanger.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Series restart: The Incredible Hulk #102 (April 1968, on-sale January 9, 1968) is the first issue of The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2, picking up the numbering directly from Tales to Astonish #101 rather than resetting to #1.
- Creative team: Written by Gary Friedrich, penciled by Marie Severin (who also drew the cover, inked by Frank Giacoia), interior inks by George Tuska and Syd Shores, lettered by Artie Simek, edited by Stan Lee.
- First appearance: Oldar the Oracle — an ancient Asgardian seer dwelling in the Forbidden Forest — makes her one and only Marvel Universe appearance in this issue, created by Stan Lee, Gary Friedrich, and Marie Severin.
- Origin retold in verse: Oldar recounts Bruce Banner's gamma-bomb origin (originally depicted in Incredible Hulk #1, 1962) entirely in rhyme, while also referencing the Hulk's past clashes with Thor, the Executioner, the Silver Surfer, and the Sub-Mariner.
- Story title and plot: '--This World Not His Own!' continues directly from a Tales to Astonish cliffhanger in which Loki transported the Hulk to Asgard; the Enchantress and Executioner scheme to use him in a troll invasion of Asgard, while Odin ultimately resurrects the Hulk after the Enchantress kills him — and then exiles him back to space for ingratitude.
- Continuity note: The origin recap recolors the Hulk green throughout, even though in Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) he was originally depicted as gray — a historically significant inconsistency that Marvel would not formally address until the gray Hulk's reintroduction in Incredible Hulk #324.
- New letters page: This issue debuts 'Greenskin's Grab Bag,' replacing the 'Mails to Astonish' letters column from the Tales to Astonish era, marking the title's clean editorial identity as a standalone series.
- Reprint history: The story has been collected in Essential Hulk Vol. 2 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 3 (2006, 2013), The Incredible Hulk Omnibus Vol. 1 (2008), Warriors Three: Dog Day Afternoon (2011), the Incredible Hulk Epic Collection Vol. 3 (2018), and Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 4 (2024).
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Reprints
Reprinted in Fantastic! #81 (1968), Fantastic! #82 (1968), Fantastic! #83 (1968), La Increible Mole #1 (1969), Hit Comics #99 (1969), The Mighty World of Marvel #45 (1973), Hulk #1/1974 (1974), Etranges Aventures #42 (1975), The Incredible Hulk #8 (1975), Marvel Super-Heroes #56 (1976), Hulk Pocket [Hulk Superseriepocket] #2 (1980), Der unglaubliche Hulk #2 (1980), Hulk #3 (1983), O Poderoso Thor #4 (1983), Essential Hulk #2 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk #3 (2006), The Incredible Hulk Omnibus #1 (2008), Warriors Three: Dog Day Afternoon #[nn] (2011), Warriors Three: Dog Day Afternoon #[nn] (2011), Essential Hulk #2 [Second Edition] (2012), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk #3 (2013), Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk #3 (56) (2013), Thor: The Warriors Three: The Complete Collection #[nn] (2013), Die offizielle Marvel-Comic-Sammlung #11 (2015) + 6 more
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