• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Why was Hulk cancelled after 6 issues?

Started by 1950's war comics,

62 posts in this topic

jaybuck43

jaybuck43

Posted
Posted
Can someone give a good explanation? that must be one of the most stunning cancellations of a now super famous character ever, obviously it did not sell very well issues 1-6

 

It was not really a stunning cancellation. The book was terribly written and was all over the place. It kept changing its rules and mythos. For example 1) in the first two issues the Hulk operated under "warewolf rules" he could only become the Hulk at night. 2) In the first few issues he had to expose himself to Gamma rays each time he wanted to become the hulk, it wasn't until issue 6 (The issue that was the last issue) that he was able to become the hulk by getting angry.

 

The Hulk was not interesting as a hero. Remember this was 1963. The whole "Anti hero" thing hadn't taken off. So what Lee noted was that Hulk worked but he didn't work alone, he worked as a villain. So after the cancelation he was used time and again as a problem/villain (FF 12, Avengers 1, ASM 14 etc). Remember he was an initial member of the Avengers but left immediately and Issue 3 was him already against the Avengers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted
Can someone give a good explanation? that must be one of the most stunning cancellations of a now super famous character ever, obviously it did not sell very well issues 1-6

 

It was not really a stunning cancellation. The book was terribly written and was all over the place. It kept changing its rules and mythos. For example 1) in the first two issues the Hulk operated under "warewolf rules" he could only become the Hulk at night. 2) In the first few issues he had to expose himself to Gamma rays each time he wanted to become the hulk, it wasn't until issue 6 (The issue that was the last issue) that he was able to become the hulk by getting angry.

 

The Hulk was not interesting as a hero. Remember this was 1963. The whole "Anti hero" thing hadn't taken off. So what Lee noted was that Hulk worked but he didn't work alone, he worked as a villain. So after the cancelation he was used time and again as a problem/villain (FF 12, Avengers 1, ASM 14 etc). Remember he was an initial member of the Avengers but left immediately and Issue 3 was him already against the Avengers.

 

That's a rather nice summation! (thumbs u

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bomber-Bob

Bomber-Bob

Posted
Posted

Just to give a perception from a kid collecting comics at the time.....

- The price of comics had just gone up from 10 cents to 12 cents. A lot for a kid's budget. You had to be selective and buy maybe one less book a week.

- DC was still bigger. In order to buy that Hulk 1 you had to put back one of your DC titles. Giving up a title you regularly read for a 'monster' book was a tough sell.

- Marvel's other titles were coming on strong. The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, and FF were much more appealing. Also, the Hulk didn't have the personality.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rjpb

rjpb

Posted
Posted

It was basically a monster comic, not a superhero comic as first conceived, and the stories are noted for being inferior to most of Marvel's output at the time. On top of that their distribution deal limited the number of titles per month that Marvel could produce at the time, and something had to go to make room for Sgt. Fury.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted
Just to give a perception from a kid collecting comics at the time.....

- The price of comics had just gone up from 10 cents to 12 cents.

 

That's a REALLY good point. hm

 

Not to be contrary but basically all of the comics went up to 12 cents. So it had to be something else that made you stop and ponder what the extra 2 cents went into. I think Jaybuck nailed it here with this very thoughtful post.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=372956&Number=8458751#Post8458751

 

I agree with him. Reading those early hulks I was often thinking WTH is THIS now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rjpb

rjpb

Posted
Posted

Hard to believe that the audience of 1963 preferred more Ant-Man adventures to the Hulk, but I guess that was the case.

 

The title might have lasted longer if they'd taken a page from DC and had storylines where the Hulk gets tuned into a toddler, or Betty gets a giant bald cranium, or the Hulk fights alien monsters that look like rejects from a children's puppet show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted
alien monsters that look like rejects from a children's puppet show.

 

You blaspheme. meh

 

But obviously something was happening. And the way they did Hulk just wasn't it. Basically the first 6 issues just were not so good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
makeminemego

makeminemego

Posted
Posted

In hindsight, yes, the 1-6 is a little bizarre, knowing the Hulk like we all do now, BUT......

 

I don't find the first 6 Incredible Hulks any goofier than some of the other titles Marvel was putting out at the time. And the original Kirby Hulk is awesome to behold. I haven't read them in a bit, but I remember the artwork of the series being (predictably) strong. I always liked the look of the Ditko inks over Kirby pencils in #2.

 

Came down to bad sales, which might be chalked up to the title being a bit of a Hero/Monster hybrid, and the whole distribution mess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thehumantorch

thehumantorch

Posted
Posted
Just to give a perception from a kid collecting comics at the time.....

- The price of comics had just gone up from 10 cents to 12 cents. A lot for a kid's budget. You had to be selective and buy maybe one less book a week.

- DC was still bigger. In order to buy that Hulk 1 you had to put back one of your DC titles. Giving up a title you regularly read for a 'monster' book was a tough sell.

- Marvel's other titles were coming on strong. The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, and FF were much more appealing. Also, the Hulk didn't have the personality.

 

Great points.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steveinthecity

steveinthecity

Posted
Posted

A statement in Sean Howe's "Marvel Comics: The Untold Story" attributed to Don and Maggie Thompson from Comic Art #3 says "It stinks. A comic book length rendition of one of their hack monster stories with a continuing character modeled more or less on The Thing".

 

Maybe just a poor reception contributed to the cancellation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing