You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry: A Hulk Companion

by Patrick A. Jankiewicz

"Doctor David Banner, physician, scientist, searching for a way to tap into the hidden strength that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of Gamma Radiation alters his body chemistry. And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs..." You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry: A Hulk Companion is the incredible true story behind The Incredible Hulk TV series in one Hulk sized book! For 5 seasons, Banner traveled the backroads of America (which resemble the Universal Studios backlot) on his quest to cure himself. You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry: A Hulk Companion tells the tragic story of star Bill Bixby, whose real-life misfortunes left him resembling his tormented alter ego, David Banner. With Marvel heroes now Hollywood's biggest stars, The Incredible Hulk was their first live action success!The book introduces you to: -Hulk creators Stan Lee & Jack Kirby and how the comic-book character was cancelled after only six issues! . -Lou Ferrigno, The Hulk himself and how the upbeat, deaf bodybuilder became TV's unlikeliest star. -Meet the men who played Thor, Demi-Hulk & Evil Hulk on the show.-Guests like Xander Berkeley, Loni Anderson, Rick Springfield & Edie McClurg! With over 500 pages of Gamma-powered goodness, the book includes: exclusive interviews, rare photos & a moving foreword by Lou Ferrigno.-A complete episode guide, including all 5 TV movies & 2 feature films. ---The unfinished SHE-HULK pilot Bill Bixby appeared in and reveals what sports star played her. -What color were Hulk & She-Hulk going to be on TV? (Hint: NOT Green!) -Which Bond villain was cast as Hulk before Ferrigno?-What California governor almost landed the role...but wasn't tall enough? Journalist PATRICK A. JANKIEWICZ, writer for Wizard & Fangoria, takes an incredible look at the incredible cult TV series!

528 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2011

Reviews

[Михаил · Rating 5 out of 5]

В жизни я плакал всего дважды, читая книги. В первый раз от кульминации «Зелёной мили» (при этом смотрев до этого фильм раз так десять), а второй раз от этой книги в главе с биографией Билла Биксби.

Ранее я никогда не сталкивался с книгами-компаньонами, но эта меня необычайно порадовала как содержимым, так и подходом: автор связался, кажется, вообще со всеми, с кем мог, порой даже с актёрами, которые суммарно светились в сериале меньше минуты (буквально). Не все подобные комментарии информативны и интересны, но сам факт вызывает огромное уважение.

Иногда автор выражает непопулярное у большинства мнение (например, он каждый раз, когда это уместно, ругает влияние The Dukes of Hazzard на сериал или усердно "топит" вторую полнометражку"), но я могу его понять, пусть и не согласен.

Бонусом автор бегло описывает последовавшие экранизации комиксов про Халка, и это, пожалуй, сама неинтересная (лично для меня) часть книги, но даже там автор проявил себя в лучшей форме.

Стоит ли это читать тем, кто не смотрел сериал? Нет, эта книга чисто для "своих". Если вам захочется узнать как снимали сериал и чем запомнился людям, то проще почитать или посмотреть обзоры, эта книга скорее для тех, кому сериала и фильмов показалось мало.

[Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shares the beginnings of the Hulk, spin-offs, and backgrounds of Bixby (sad) and Ferrigno. Insightful. Each episode is briefly recapped with character lists and interviews about the plots. B/W pix.

Additionally, the two feature films are mentioned as well as unmade She Hulk and other material.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You Wouldn’t Like Me When I’m Angry: A Hulk Companion” by Patrick A. Jankiewicz (BearManor Press, 2011).

Finished reading this one last week. Although, in reality, I read at least half of the book back in 2017-2018, the half that’s not the episode guide section of the book. I then started an off-and-on watch through of the television series, reading through the episodes section of the book as I went. After a long break, I finally got around to finishing watching seasons four and five of the series (plus the three 1980s reunion made-for-tv movies), and finished reading the book.

I liked the book, but I have to say that i enjoyed the author’s recent “Greatest American Hero Companion” book more. For one thing, since with this reading I was watching the episodes as I was reading the reviews, I was able to spot several errors in the book as to things happening in the episodes, and also was surprised when the author didn’t even mention things that seemed to be of interest.

Still, a very good classic tv series behind-the-scenes retrospective book. Jankiewicz excels at acquiring lots of very good interview material with the series creators, actors, directors, crew, etc.

I gave this book four out of five stars on GoodReads.

[Mhorg · Rating 2 out of 5]

flawed. while this was obviously written by someone with a great love for the show, it needed some fact checking. also the capsules are left hanging. it should have had complete capsules of episodes. not like that would spoil anything.

[Andy Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Passionate nerd who doesn’t understand what the word ironic means pens 500 mistake riddled pages to one of the best TV shows ever.

[Dawn Mead]

Awesome!