Posted on 6/20/2024

Omg, you can't possibly know how nice and fun it is to FINALLY see one fo these non-Hulk pages from this issue appear, Ted! This is literally the first one I've seen since I acquired my few over 20 years ago. All these decades since I first read the issue upon its release, I also had never heard anyone talk about it with the same reverence that I have for this story. That you mention you feel this story is the highlight of Bill Mantlo's long tenure as the Hulk's writer, is such a relief. To this day, I cannot understand how this issue was not beloved and talked about by any and ALL Hulk fans, especially given that it was the first time that a ton of backstory was added to the mythology, and brilliantly tied in to how and why Banner turns into a giant MONSTER. Because it was with this story that fans could now surmise that it wasn't likely just the gamma rays that did it, but rather that the gamma rays somehow "activated" all the childhood trauma that Banner had endured, whenever he got scared. Thanks for sharing this page, Ted, it's great to finally have one other person who feels about this story as I always have. Thanks for the shout out as well!

1 - Posted on 6/20/2024

Thanks Ruben.  Yeah, that story had a huge impact on me.  Those last Mantlo issues were so different than his previous work on the Hulk and this issue in particular was really a revelation for the character.  It definitely laid the groundwork for the Peter David era and probably some of the subsequent runs too. This page and several others from the book were part of a recent Mignola art auction by Bruneau & Co.

Posted on 6/21/2024

Yup, it definitely laid the groundwork for all those subsequent runs you allude to! So, someone consigned a bunch of pages from this issue to a local auction house wherever they live that noboy has ever heard of? Please tell me that you won all of the pages from this issue?

1 - Posted on 6/21/2024

Ha sadly no, this was the only page I got, although they were all pretty inexpensive.  You can see the Auction details here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/332342_june-15th-comics-sports-tcg-and-toy-auction/?page=3

1 - Posted on 6/21/2024

Mignola and Talaoc draw the second panel like Dr. Frankenstein's lab to gave birth to this monster! 

1 - Posted on 6/21/2024

While Gerry's inks are quite overpowering here, they are none the less beautiful.  That middle panel is magnificent.

1 - Posted on 6/23/2024

that is a great page, Mignola did some great artwork on his short run!  congrats!