The Mighty World of Marvel #1
"The Coming of the Hulk" in The Mighty World of Marvel #1 (1972) kicks off with a mysterious surge of strange phenomena in Central City—where an invisible woman, a lumpy-skinned monster, and a blazing human figure appear before a man with elastic limbs. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby with inks by George Klein, the story unfolds as the gathered figures recount how Susan Storm, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, and Reed Richards gained their extraordinary abilities during a failed space mission, their ship's shielding overwhelmed by cosmic rays, returning to Earth transformed. The cover by John Buscema and Frank Giacoia captures the surreal intensity of the moment, setting the tone for a tale of origin and wonder.
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Mysterious events occur in Central City, as an invisible woman alarms the citizens, a lumpy-skinned monster stalks the streets and a blazing human figure flashes across the sky; these three unearthly people have been summoned to the presence of a fourth, a man with elastic limbs. Once they gather, the tale is told as to how Susan Storm, Ben Grimm, Sue's brother Johnny and Reed Richards gained their strange powers: during an attempt to be the first into space, where their ship's shielding proved ineffective against cosmic rays, and they returned to Earth ... more than human.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).