First appearance

The Hulk's first appearance: The Incredible Hulk #1

The Hulk first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, cover dated May 1962, published by Marvel and created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Why it matters

Bruce Banner's debut and gamma-bomb origin. The Hulk was gray in this first issue and turned green from the second. The series was cancelled after six issues, which helps make #1 scarce.

Related key issues

• The Incredible Hulk #2 (July 1962), the first green Hulk.
• The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974), the first full appearance of Wolverine.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Reprints and facsimile editions exist. An original has a 12-cent cover price.
• Restored copies are common. Graded copies note restoration on the label.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• Wolverine: The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974)
• Doctor Doom: The Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962)
• Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
• Venom: The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988)
• Deadpool: The New Mutants #98 (February 1991)

Questions