The Incredible Hulk #193
The Incredible Hulk #193 (November 1975) marks the permanent restoration of Doc Samson's gamma-powered abilities, an event that re-established him as one of the Hulk's most durable supporting cast members and rivals for nearly five decades of storytelling. The issue also serves as the definitive closing chapter of Herb Trimpe's extraordinary, near-unbroken seven-year penciling run on the title — his last issue before Sal Buscema took over with #194 — giving the story a quiet landmark status in Bronze Age Marvel history. The Hulk-versus-Samson brawl across Manhattan's streets is the first fully powered rematch between the two gamma giants, a confrontation the book had been building toward since Samson's original debut in #141 and his subsequent power loss in #147. The issue also weaves in a playful continuity nod to a then-brand-new Marvel character, reinforcing how tightly interconnected the Bronze Age Marvel Universe was becoming.
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Writer Len Wein, who had taken over the Hulk title around 1974 after succeeding Roy Thomas as Marvel's editor-in-chief before stepping back to focus on writing, scripted this issue with pencils by Herb Trimpe and inks by Joe Staton, with colors by Glynis Oliver (Wein's wife). It was released with a cover date of November 1975 and went on sale August 19, 1975. Marvel art director John Romita Sr. made touch-up corrections to several Doc Samson figures in the interior art — specifically on page 9, most of page 15, and page 17 panel 2 — a common editorial practice at the time that was later disclosed in the letters column of issue #197. The issue marks the final chapter of Trimpe's signature Hulk run, which had begun in 1968 with #106 and continued almost without interruption through #193.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Doc Samson's gamma-powered form is fully restored in this issue after he is bombarded by radiation from an exploding Gammatron device at Hulkbuster Base — he had originally gained his powers in Incredible Hulk #141 (1971, created by Roy Thomas and Herb Trimpe) and lost them in #147.
- This is the first full-power clash between the Hulk and the restored Doc Samson; the Hulk defeats Samson, knocking him into a sandlot in Manhattan.
- Writer: Len Wein. Penciler: Herb Trimpe. Inker: Joe Staton. Colorist: Glynis Oliver. Letterer: John Costanza. Editor: Len Wein.
- Issue #193 is the final issue penciled by Herb Trimpe in his roughly seven-year, near-unbroken run on the title (from #106 in 1968 through #193 in 1975); Sal Buscema became the regular artist beginning with #194.
- John Romita Sr., acting as Marvel's art director, redrew several Doc Samson figures in the interior art; the corrections were later acknowledged in the letters section of Incredible Hulk #197.
- A Daily Bugle prop headline reading 'Talking Duck in Cleveland?' is a topical in-universe reference to Howard the Duck, who had just appeared in Giant-Size Man-Thing #4.
- Supporting cast present: General Thunderbolt Ross, Betty Ross Talbot, and Clay Quartermain, all at Hulkbuster Base; the story contextualizes Doc Samson's mission as part of efforts to cure Glenn Talbot's catatonic state (established in #188).
- The story was reprinted internationally, including in the French-Canadian L'Incroyable Hulk (Editions Héritage) #52–53 (1975) and the Spanish La Masa (Planeta DeAgostini) #1 (1983).
Cast · 7 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
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Two young boys revive the Hulk with Hostess Fruit Pies after he has been beaten by the Abomination and the Wendigo.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
