Philip
Horsburgh presents
THE INCREDIBLE HULK
"Don't Make Me Angry"
LAST UPDATED, SATURDAY MAY 8th 2010
IN MEMORY OF BILL BIXBY
The Incredible Hulk was created by Marvel Comics forty-six years ago when Stan Lee brought the character into comic books. Dr. Bruce Banner, also known as Robert Bruce Banner was a scientific genius. During a gamma radiation experiment, Rick Jones entered the desert which contained a powerful gamma bomb. During the final countdown, Bruce Banner spotted him and immediately ran outside to save him from the radiation. Suddenly the bomb exploded, Banner was caught into the the full-force of gamma radiation. This was very dangerous and when Banner later woke up, he was told that he was lucky to be alive. The life of the doctor was never the same again, when the night-time came he transformed into the Incredible Hulk and would be Bruce Banner again the next morning. In the later comics the transformation occurred whenever Bruce Banner would become angry or go outrageous.
In 1977, the original television series directed by Kenneth Johnson was aired. This time the Hulk was changed in many different ways, for instance Bruce Banner had his name changed to David Bruce Banner and was known as David Banner throughout the series. Bill Bixby took on the role of Dr. David Banner, who became the Hulk when he was using radiation in his laboratory. But David Banner used to much, and when driving home that night his car broke down in thunder and lightning. The transformation occurred and the Incredible Hulk played by Lou Ferrigno was born. In 1982 the series was cancelled, but three movies later followed in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Bill and Lou's first movie was the Incredible Hulk Returns where The Mighty Thor also made an appearance, played by Eric Kramer and his side kick Donald Blake (Thor's alter-ego in the comics) played by Steve Levitt. In 1989, Dare Devil/Matt Murdock appeared in The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk. Dare Devil was played by Rex Smith and the character was also David Banner's lawyer when he was arrested for an assault he didn't commit. In 1990, Bill and Lou did their last ever movie The Death Of The Incredible Hulk. When rescuing his friend Dr. Pratt (Philip Sterling) and his wife Amy (Barbara Tarbuck), Banner and his partner Jasmine (Elizabeth Gracen) were in danger. When Banner transformed and the Hulk got into the aeroplane with the badguys, there was an explosion. The Hulk fell from the sky to the ground, then he changed back to David Banner and died.
In 2003, Eric Bana took on the role of Dr. Bruce Banner a movie more relating to the comics, but there were some changes. This time instead of Bruce Banner's name being changed to David Banner, his father played by Nick Nolte was called David Banner instead of Brian Banner. The Incredible Hulk was restarted in 2008 and this time with new actors and directed by Louis Letterier. Edward Norton starred as Bruce Banner and once again the Hulk was CGI. Lou Ferrigno appeared as a security guard and did the voice of the Incredible Hulk when fighting the Abomination, Lou also made an apperance in the 2003 movie with Stan Lee. Liv Tyler is Betty Ross and her father General Ross is played by William Hurt. Also starring in the movie is Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/The Abomination and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns who later becomes The Leader. The Incredible Hulk is now available on DVD and you can click here for more information on the 2008 movie.