Hulk: Gray

by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

Book Overview

Bruce Banner's life was torn apart by the explosion of the Gamma Bomb. From that moment on, he unleashed the strongest creature on Earth--The Incredible Hulk. No matter how powerful he became, his heart could still be shattered by Betty Ross. The Eisner Award-winning team of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale continue their insightful look into the early days of Marvel's most popular heroes as they unravel the origin of the Hulk.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0785113460
• ISBN13: 9780785113461
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Marvel
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.8" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Another Awesome Color

Gray, Yellow, Blue - I can't wait for the next color! Really hoping for a Captain America book. The Hulk book is awesome and if I have to compare, my second favorite, Spider-Man: Blue being the absolute best one - hands down! Whereas in the other two books, the main character is talking to a deceased loved one, here, Banner is talking to his psychiatrist friend and reliving his ordeal of how he became hulk, his battle with the army, his battle with Iron Man, that's right IRON MAN! And lastly, his relationship with Betty. A very deep, emotional book with just stunning artwork. The illustrations are so good, I would not even call it a graphic novel, it's just a work of art! Huge fan of this team and pretty much hooked on whatever they churn out.

Loeb and Sale tackle the HULK

If you have read any of the other comic character studies by these guys, you know what you're in for. If not, this is a fine place to start. the art is incredible. it has an old school, art deco feel, bu in a modern way. the story is an interesting exploration on the origin of the incredible hulk. highly recommended!

great read

exciting from beginning to end. gives a better understanding for the hulk and his supporting cast. loeb & sale never fail in bringing comic book gold.

Loeb and Sale did it again!

The Eisner award winning team of writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale (Daredevil: Yellow, Spider-man: Blue, Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman: For All Seasons) did a superb job again, when these two work together, magic happens. Hulk: Grey(Hulk was actually gray in his first issue in the 60s, later he became green.....go figure) is another great "color book" that this team have created, emotional, touching, and beautiful. This story is narrated by Doctor Bruce Banner aka Hulk, as he talks to pychiatrist Doc Sampson, about his first 2 days after the gamma bomb exploded and turned him into the Hulk. This TPB also talks about Hulk's nemesis, General Ross, father of Betty Ross, the love of Bruce Banner's life. Also, the book talks about the teenager Rick, whom Banner saved from the gamma bomb, and his loyalty to Banner because of Banner saving him. And a side of the Hulk most people don't know about, his emotions. Who would've thought a monster like him would have emotions and can love, feel, and care. Also, a guest appearance by the Invincible Iron Man, he is also in his original costume, talk about a trip down memoery lane. Betty Ross din't know that Hulk was actually her love, Bruce Banner, and despised the Hulk, even when the Hulk keeps trying to protect her and save her. A very touching and beautiful story, a great job by Jeph Loeb, a masterpeice in my opinion. The art by Tim Sale is stunning, Sale captures something in Hulk's eyes that let's us know there is a man inside that monster. Sale really captures the emotions, and he draws beautiful Betty Ross very well also. This is a must-have for Hulk fans and is definitely a masterpeice. If you like this book, be sure to check out the other "color books", Daredevil: Yellow and Spider-man: Blue, also by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. Hope you enjoy!

Loeb & Sale's colorful look back at the genesis of the Hulk.

As a long time fan of the nostalgic Marvel Essential series (click on my "See all my reviews" button if you don't believe me), I also made sure to pick up Loeb & Sale's well-regarded "color" books (Spider-Man: Blue, Daredevil: Yellow, and Hulk: Gray). These three series replayed moments in Marvel's past which primarily centered around the heroes' lost loves Gwen Stacy (the Marvel universe's original slain girlfriend), Karen Page and Betty Ross while offering new philosophical or psychological angles about why their loves began and continued under the stress and difficulty of the heroes' secret double lives. In the first two books, the stories were updated or "ret-conned" in order to be relevant for the modern era (Flash Thompson signs on to the Army as opposed to being drafted to fight in `Nam) and some new scenes were added (Mr. Slade, the man who pulled the trigger on Matt Murdock's father, received the death penalty), but generally the proceedings didn't stray too far from the classic tales from which they were based. This is not true for Hulk: Gray, the third book I read. It is more of an original than an adaptation and, despite my craving for nostalgia, it is also my favorite of the three. Hulk: Gray revolves around the always embattled Bruce Banner meeting with long-time friend Leonard "Doc" Samson for a late-night impromptu therapy session to discuss Bruce's grief over the loss of his first love Betty. Bruce goes back to that fateful day when he saved young Rick Jones life, only to be rewarded with a Gamma-radiated curse, and how he then tried to avoid trouble and express his love for Betty in his confused, clumsy, and supremely powerful Hulk persona. In the final chapter, the aptly named "F is for Father," Bruce comes across a hypothesis as to why the frail and timid Betty learned to accept him as an unpredictable monster. I'm not certain if the idea had ever been discussed before, but if true then it is profoundly tragic, even when compared to all the other moments of profound tragedy which the Hulk is famous for. As I mentioned before, Jeph Loeb spins a mostly new tale surrounding the Hulk's origin and I maintain that the book is all the better for it. The Hulk was the first "superhero" series begun after the Fantastic Four and it only lasted a meager six issues mainly because Stan Lee, "the Man" that he is, severely mishandled the character. New powers and traits of the Hulk were introduced and dropped within the blink of an eye; for example, the Hulk could originally fly and Banner transformed at dusk and turned back at dawn. He's not a vampire, Stan! Also, I was happy not to see any of the early super-villians show up, like the deformed Russian Gargoyle or the subterranean tyrant Tyrannus (he's like a handsome Mole Man) or the Toad Men from Outer Space or the Metal Master (he's like Magneto except not intimidating in the least). The Hulk just doesn't need much external conflict to make his stories interesting; his wo