House of M: The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible Hulk (1999) (Collected Editions) #13

by Peter David, Jorge Lucas (Illustrator), John Dell (Illustrator)

In the Australian outback, Bruce Banner has found a peace he's never known among a tribe of Aborigines. But when their safety is threatened by a battle between a sect of AIM and the ruling totalitarian mutant government, the Hulk is forced to intervene in a big way. A House of M tie-in as the aforementioned "House" discovers that there is one mortal in the entire world that can stand against it, and he's drawing an incredible line in the sand, setting a stage for an unprecedented showdown. The Hulk like you've never seen him before! Collects Incredible Hulk #83-87.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

96 pages, Paperback

First published February 8, 2006

About the author

aka David Peters

Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't care what anyone says, between reading Spidey and the Hulk, I feel like I've come home. So right after I make a Peter/Banner hybrid out of myself and say things like "With great power comes great smash," then I feel like I'll be complete. At last.

And then we get House of Magnus with Bruce doing a walkabout and turning Australia into a refuge against the mutant overlords, and Bruce becomes a LEADER.

HULK SMASH PUNY PAPERWORK will soon become my personal motto. Who's with me?

[James DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some cool visuals and funny moments can't save this terrible plotted story and nonsensical ending. Overall wasn't a huge fan of House of M event, and this side story is pretty awful and doesn't add anything.

[Hrishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as part of an overall Marvel 616 read, and in that context as part of a read-through of all House of M titles, and I have to say this is one of the more fun tie-ins to that event that I've read (although the Spiderman tie-in is my favorite this far).

This "what if" version of the Hulk starts out with Bruce Banner living in peace with an Aborigine tribe in Australia. Of course, that utopic version of Hulk doesn't last and soon sees him cast down the Mutant Governor of Australia and become its - King?

This is where the story lost me to be honest, because from that point on it all turned into secret government conspiracy while Hulk tries to achieve noble goals nonsense. It was still a fun read, but I didn't bother reading the fifth issue (#87) because frankly I didn't care how the central crisis (Hulk, Scorpion, and AIM/ Scorpion's mom all being at odds) resolved itself.

It still deserves those 4 stars for the first couple of issues though

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite things about The Incredible Hulk is how damn funny he is! A lot of that is reduced down to brutish nonsense in the movies and series that Marvel has put out, but the comics never cease to get me guffawing at our big green guy!

This set of comics overlaps the House of M timeline where Wanda Maximoff has had a serious mental break that has altered all of reality, placing humans as the minority and mutants in power worldwide. Bruce Banner has sequestered himself to the Australian Outback, attempting to find peace with Aboriginal tribes there. Unfortunately, he becomes involved with outside forces when they encroach upon the sacred lands of the Aboriginal people and Hulk, of course, eventually comes out.

This is NOT a continual storyline of House of M, but rather a side-by-side sequence of the comics that zooms in on what Banner/Hulk is up to while the world spirals into a series of unrealities that Wanda paints with her astounding powers. It IS recommended to read The House of M comic installments first to get a groundwork as to why stuff seems so skewed in these comics.

A great, funny, but also always heavy story as Bruce continually battles with his alter ego. It'll go quick, and you'll want more but that's always Marvel's way, isn't it?

[Derek Moreland · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a most unsurprising turn of events, Peter David manages to do something interesting and within character for our protagonist during the HOUSE OF M event. He succeeds, largely, by reenforcing the idea that this reality isn’t EXACTLY reality, and that the place the Hulk (or at least, Bruce Banner) would be happiest might coincidentally be a place where that fragmentation of reality could be discovered.

It helps, I think, that the larger events of the House of M aren’t really touched on here: the focus is on the Hulk and who he is in this AU, the mutant villains mostly a stand-in for any generic threat the Hulk could smash. What elevates it is David’s usual smooth dialogue and smart plotting. A fun read on the periphery of a...problematic is to strong a word, maybe “roller coaster”?...of a line-wide event.

[Malum · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the reasons that I like reading Hulk comics is that they are usually pretty fast reads. Hulk gets mad, Hulk smashes, fun is had by all, the end.
This, however, was very wordy and was full of terrible attempts at humor ( Hulk actually stops in the middle of a battle to say "Hulk hates personal pronouns". Yeah...).
Finally-and I don't know if reading other House of M stories would have made this any better-but it was just full of people I didn't care about doing things that I didn't care about (and didn't seem to amount to anything by the end).
If you just have to read anything with the Hulk in it or you want to read all of the House of M stories then give this one a shot. Otherwise I recommend you steer clear of this volume.

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ще один тайін до «Династії М» відбувався у онґоїнґу «Неймовірний Галк» #83-86 (2006), який в той час писав Пітер Девід.

У цих випусках розповідається про те, як Галк приєднався до корінного австралійського племені, якому загрожує війна між AIM і мутантами. Ця арка повністю від’єднана від основної події. І взагалі, про ніякого Галка в основній лімітці й мови немає.

Хоча цей додатковий комікс можна без зайвих думок пропустити, але історія здалася мені у міру веселою й безглуздою водночас. Якщо забути про те, що ця історія якимось чином пов’язана із подією «ДМ», то вона могла б вийти навіть чудовою. Але історія є занадто великою для тих випусків у які її запхали. Тому оповідь була поспішною. Хоча це можуть бути тільки мої відчуття.

Одним словом, якщо розглядати ці випуски, як тайін — то сміливо пропускайте. Якщо ж читаєте онґоїнґ «Неймовірний Галк», частину якого писав Пітер Девід, то на цю арку вартує звернути увагу.

[Kaleigh Norkum-Mathieu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just did not get into this. I always love a duality story between the Hulk and Bruce, and the House of M storyline holds my attention, but this just did not do it for me. Also, it just doesn't feel right that the Aboriginal Peoples are used basically for some foreshadowing and then you only really see the leader again for a bit at the end of the book.

[Kenneth Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tie-in

This is one of the best House of M tie-ins that were published. Read this book, the Spider-man tie-in, and Wolverine. Peter David crafted the Hulk into the character that we all love and (should) fear so much. He knows exactly what a Hulk/Banner wish fulfillment world should be, and why that world would still fail to just leave Hulk alone.

[Shane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably 2.5 stars.

The covers on this run were great, but the interior was kinda lame. I like the idea of Bruce Banner going to a secluded culture to try to find peace and also the idea that in the "land of M" AIM would be the resistance against the mutant overlords. BUT overall this just didn't do much for me.

[Ben Lund · Rating 1 out of 5]

My biggest peeve with this? The Hulk is supposed to be mindless strength to Banner's boundless mind. When the Hulk speaks in more than monosyllabic words it ruins the whole idea of the character. This is not the Hulk for me, the least enjoyable of the House of M series

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, a lot of the House of M crossovers have read pretty much the same. This one was mediocre. The art was pretty decent, but I wasn't very impressed with the story. Maybe it's because I'm not attached to the Hulk? Just a couple more House of M stories to go!

[ana (taylor’s version) ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”They liked what I could be. What I pretended I want to be. Nobody like what I am. Not even me.”

“I’ve never been this happy in my life. I didn’t think it was possible to be this happy.”
“That is how you know… that you walk in the dreamtime.”

[Amory · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.
Every Hulk comic I've ever read has Bruce Banner debating the same like three issues he has with being the Hulk and this continues that tradition.
I did like this more than the last few House of M collected editions though.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great art, weird story.

[TK · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hulk read like trash

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

this didn't rly feel like it had to be a house of m story and i feel like. kinda nothing happened....... but i guess i just don't fuck with hulk enough to rly get into a comic like this so ehhh

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the House of M reality, Bruce Banner had joined the tribe of the Aborigines in Northern Australia, where he can live in peace and just "be left alone". Trouble starts when government troops show up and start hassling human refugees & the Aborigines. Hulk takes care o'biz and eventually makes his way to Sydney, disposes of the mutant governor in charge of the continent, and takes charge of running the country and making it a safe haven for humans from mutant oppression.

I like the way Peter David writes, the situations he puts the characters in and how they eventually resolve issues/problems. And let's not forget the dialogue & the play on words, at which he excels. All the things that I love about his writing techniques from his current X-Factor run (starting with X-Factor Vol. 0: Madrox - Multiple Choice and currently at X-Factor - Volume 19: Short Stories) are here. It should be noted that this Hulk book was written just before the X-Factor re-launch (the first arc dealing with the "No More Mutants!" fallout).

Overall, this is one of the better "House of M" tie-ins, even though it takes place far away from the main storyline (geographically, that is!) and there is no involvement whatsoever from the other Marvel heroes.

[Wesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book Is part of the House of M crossover event and collects Incredible Hulk 83 - 87. It was written by Peter David who has got to be the writer most closely associated with the Hulk after Stan Lee. The main story (the first four chapters) was illustrated by Jorge Lucas who is an Argentinean artist whose work I have not come across before but who has had short runs on a variety of Marvel books.

The story was just OK - given David's reputation I would say that this was probably not one of his best. It didn't have the depth of the Banner book that I read recently or the over the top abandon of World War Hulk. I wanted more of the relationship between Banner, the Hulk and the beliefs of the Australian Aborigines which was touched on in this story but subsumed by the standard superhuman fare. The tension between Banner and the Hulk was quite well explored in the expectations of the human administration who wanted the occasional appearance of the Hulk to appease the populace and Banner who wanted to keep him under check. The art by Lucas was fine without being spectacular.

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sabía que PAD no me iba a decepcionar. Bueno, tampoco es que este "elseworld" sea una obra maestra, pero entretiene sobradamente, tira unas cuantas ideas interesantes, entretenidas y bien desarrolladas, y remata con un final entre impredecible y lógico que cierra con bastante coherencia la historia, aunque principio y nudo transcurran en una realidad distinta al desenlace. Eso sí, el dibujo de Lucas de nuevo parece hecho a las apuradas, sin preocuparse por estar a la altura del guion, y promediando para abajo un laburo que con más énfasis visual habría podido quedar buenísimo. Eso sí, el capítulo final, a cargo del Kubert que no me gusta, está un cachito mejor en cuanto a lo visual y es un lindo cambio, justificado por la historia y todo.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting tie in to House of M, but by no means essential. The narrative is basically a short little story about what the Hulk is up to while the Scarlet Witch is messing with reality. If you read the main mini series or if you are reading it now, than this is a fun little look at the other side of the coin in a mutant dominated world. Otherwise it doesn't appear to have much if any lasting effect on the Hulk. If you haven't read House of M, this will be pretty confusing and it's probably better to skip it.

[Helmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tie-in

This TPB contains 3 Hulk issues taking place in the House of M reality, and one issue after the return to our known reality.

It is a great tie-in to the Marvel House-of-M event. The art is fantastic, and Peter David has some great lines for the hulk as well ("Can't stand opera", ROFL).

If you liked House of M, get this one, too.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hulk and Bruce Banner in Australia during the House of M Mutants rule the world interval. Pretty cool actually. Though I think it too bad they didn't let Bruce hang with the aborigines in the regular continuity. With good enough art - though I can't say I like the way they are drawing the Hulk all that well.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I thought it was an interesting take on The Hulk. In the beginning, I was a little confused about what was going on, but it became more apparent to me the farther I got into the comic.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Hulk is Hulk no matter what alternate reality you live in. In my best Ron Perlman imitation, "Hulk... Hulk never changes..."

[Caoimhin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read The Hulk in years. The character has gone through a lot of changes, and I enjoyed this version better than the red and grey hulks.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hulk's entry in House of M has him in the outback with AIM where he's basically conquered Australia in the midst of a world run by mutants. However, there's always a twist, and there's one here.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was decent, not amazing or anything.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another decent, if forgettable, House of M tie-in. Hulk is fun, enjoys smashing, the end.

Also some stereotypical Native American mysticism 'cuz why not?

[Nati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amo tu caracter y humor, Hulk. Sos lo más.