Member Since April 2008
451 Artworks | Watched by 180

What If #31p.1 - Hulk #181 1st App. Wolverine Tie-In !

Location: COVERS & SPLASH PAGES
Artists: Bob Budiansky (Penciller) , Mike Esposito (Inker)

Location: COVERS & SPLASH PAGES
Title: What If #31p.1 - Hulk #181 1st App. Wolverine Tie-In !*
Artist: Bob Budiansky (Penciller) , Mike Esposito (Inker)
Media Type: Pen and Ink
Art Type: Splash Page
For Sale Status: NFS
Views: 5779
Likes on CAF: 29
Favorited on CAF: 6
Comments: 40
Added to Site: 8/11/2010

This is a killer splash page featuring a retelling of the 1st page title splash from The Incredible Hulk #181, featuring the first full story appearance of Wolverine!

This also now happens to be the earliest, true splash page featuring the classic, fan favourite Hulk vs Wolverine match up, in existence. The Hulk #182 splash is technically a 3/4 vertical splash panel with 3 other panels on the page, so not a true splash, while the Hulk #181 splash was sadly burned to ashes along with the rest of the story art for that classic issue, in a fire at Len Wein's home in April of 2009.

Man, it's so hard to believe that Hulk #181 had gone on sale only 7 years and 2 months before What If? #31 first hit the comic shop racks. But then again, What If? #31 itself is now over 40 years old! Where does the time go?!?

Scroll up to see the additional image of the published version of this page, as well as a scan of the page from Hulk #181 that this splash is an homage of!

About The Owner

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Member Since: April 2008
Last Login: July 2026
Website: http://www.ComicBookArtGallery.com
Country: UNITED STATES
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Comments on this Artwork

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Keith Veronese Member Since 2005

Posted On 8/11/2010

I was so intrigued by this issue when I was a little kid - Great splash page!

Matt S Member Since 2006

Posted On 8/11/2010

i remember it too!.... this is a terrific find.

Earl Hamilton Member Since 2009

Posted On 8/11/2010

HISTORIC! ICONIC! VINTAGE!! GRAIL!! CONGRATS!!!

Mike W Member Since 2007

Posted On 8/11/2010

I agree with Earl on all counts!! Congratulations!!!!

George H Member Since 2009

Posted On 8/11/2010

Fantastic splash!

Greg C. Member Since 2008

Posted On 8/11/2010

Beautiful title spash, congrats!

larry clay Member Since 2006

Posted On 5/10/2011

The only image more iconic would be the cover to this issue! Both images have been burned into my brain since this came out. Incredible page Ruben.

Dave W Member Since 2006

Posted On 11/14/2011

Fantastic page! Iconic! Grail! ... just a few words to describe this gem. Congratulations!

Marc Pecorella Member Since 2007

Posted On 4/14/2012

Fantastic splash. I remember buying this off the newsstand! I agree with your evaluation. This page is so significant in my book.

daveofapocalypse (daveofapocalypse) Member Since 2004

Posted On 4/26/2012

Nice!!!

Dimitrios Z Member Since 2011

Posted On 12/3/2012

That's an amazing piece. Well done!

j sly Member Since 2011

Posted On 12/9/2012

Epic! Always love pages featuring the Watcher! Congrats!

Adam Ianbarry Member Since 2010

Posted On 11/30/2015

Pure Awesomeness!!!

Vincent Zurzolo Member Since 2005

Posted On 10/14/2016

Love this splash. We have the cover in our gallery at Metropolis. It is one of my fav comics from my childhood.

J L Member Since 2005

Posted On 12/22/2016

This is great!!!! Congrats Rueben.

Xavier . Member Since 2010

Posted On 6/1/2017

I grew up with the What If? Comic series and it doesn't get any better than this splash! Congrats!

Andy Wurst Member Since 2004

Posted On 6/12/2017

Wow, awesome and iconic splash ! Very cool.

Fred's CAF Gallery Member Since 2003

Posted On 10/23/2017

The Watcher definitely has his "head in the clouds" on this page! :-)

Paul P Spiderversity Member Since 2011

Posted On 4/19/2018

Totally killer splash!!

Bill J Member Since 2009

Posted On 2/5/2019

Very cool splash! Congrats!

George Patouhas Member Since 2017

Posted On 5/27/2019

Love it

T Shen Member Since 2009

Posted On 6/29/2019

Beautiful splash, but as ridiculous of a "What If" plot there ever was... :)

Mike (aka Off White) White Member Since 2008

Posted On 3/23/2020

Awesome piece

Sick lil Monkey Member Since 2017

Posted On 5/17/2020

Awesome Page!!! Loved this when it came out.

Mario Rhodanos Member Since 2004

Posted On 6/2/2020

woooooooooooooooooow

Thomas Vanderstappen Member Since 2005

Posted On 11/2/2020

Stunning page!

Rick W Member Since 2017

Posted On 11/13/2020

Sensational splash page!

West Stephan Member Since 2007

Posted On 11/13/2020

Such a great splash page!

Johnny M Member Since 2014
Forum Moderator

Posted On 4/1/2021

Wow! This truly is a grail piece.

JN 80 Member Since 2016

Posted On 4/19/2021

This is fantastic Ruben!!!!

Jeff Singh Member Since 2004

Posted On 4/27/2021

I like how brown and old this piece looks! I think there is a word for that but it is appropriated from bronze so to be accurate we should stick with brown and old:)

Ruben DaCollector Member Since 2008

Posted On 4/27/2021

Jeff Singh wrote:

" I like how brown and old this piece looks! I think there is a word for that but it is appropriated from bronze so to be accurate we should stick with brown and old:)
"

No, my good man. You are clearly a new and uneducated collector, so please allow me to drop some knowledge on you. Paper that ages can be described as tanning or browning if the color is brownish, or simply as yellowing when the color is more on the yellow side. This discoloration is produced by either the natural acid within the paper or else happens during the mechanical pulping process or even by the absorption of pollutants.

The word you are thinking of, "patina", refers to a chemical change that occurs on metals such as brass and copper, and is NOT related to paper. You're welcome. 😁

Brian Norton Member Since 2006

Posted On 7/17/2021

great splash, love the way the Wendigo is alst twice the size of the hulk. he looks terrifying. The one thing I always didn't like about the 181 cover was that the Wendigo looked like a overstuffed teddy bear.

James Dornoff Member Since 2019

Posted On 9/5/2021

Such an amazing WHAT IF page, really love this series and definitely a monumental page here to represent this great issue.

J Ledger Member Since 2009

Posted On 2/1/2022

Wow this is badass! One of the best What If pages anyone could possibly own! Thanks for sharing

Steven Dilworth Member Since 2012

Posted On 12/24/2023

This page is way more dynamic and exciting than the original first appearance. I tend to forget about Bob Budiansky, and that is a shame, because his artwork was excellent. Congratulations on owning such a wonderful piece of art.

Jon B Member Since 2011
Forum Moderator

Posted On 9/14/2024

Beautiful Splash! Congrats!

Joe Murray Member Since 2006

Posted On 3/11/2025

Wow, so memorable, so iconic & so cool, such a great callback opener, congrats!!

JN 80 Member Since 2016

Posted On 6/6/2025

Paying my every few year visit to this stunning page

Matt Kennedy Member Since 2014

Posted On 3/14/2026

An aesthetically better title page than Hulk 181

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What If #31p.1 - Hulk #181 1st App. Wolverine Tie-In !

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