Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk #1

In "The Coming of the Hulk," Dr. Bruce Banner and Rick Jones find themselves captured by the Gargoyle and spirited behind the Iron Curtain, where the monstrous figure harbors a desperate wish to be human. As the Hulk’s rage threatens to consume them all, Banner makes a bold offer: to cure the Gargoyle of his affliction, if only he’ll help them escape. The story unfolds with quiet intensity, exploring the fragile line between monster and man, and the fragile hope of redemption.

In "The Terror of the Toad Men," a mysterious alien force hunts Earth's greatest minds from above, while on the ground, Rick and Bruce venture into a hidden cave, hoping to contain the Hulk’s nightly transformations. The story blends suspense and sci-fi dread as humanity faces threats both terrestrial and extraterrestrial.

In "Banished to Outer Space," Dr. Bruce Banner finds himself trapped in a rocket launched into space by General Ross, who claims it's for national security. Once in orbit, Banner realizes he's been betrayed—Ross never intended to bring him back, and now the Hulk is stranded, transformed by solar radiation and bound to Rick's will as long as Rick stays awake.

In "The Ringmaster," Rick takes a rare break from his Hulk-sitting duties and stumbles into a traveling circus—only to find himself under the spell of a hypnotic criminal who turns the crowd into docile spectators. When the Hulk arrives to rescue his friend, he’s captured and forced into the act, his strength now part of the Ringmaster’s sinister show. With Rick still under the spell, the Hulk must find a way to break free and bring the circus to an end.

In "The Monster and the Machine!", Bruce Banner, desperate to reclaim control, uses his own experimental machinery to transform the Hulk back into his human form—only to find himself dangerously weakened. Taking a bold risk, he reverses the process, merging his mind with the Hulk’s monstrous body, unlocking a new kind of duality. Now, with the power to switch between identities at will, Bruce faces the challenges of his dual nature like never before.

In "The Gladiator from Outer Space!", a mysterious alien arrives on Earth demanding a champion to battle him—claiming his people will conquer the planet unless he is defeated. When the Hulk answers the challenge, he soon realizes the alien's true purpose may be far more sinister than a simple fight, as the Russians appear to have a hidden agenda tied to his very existence.

In "Beauty and the Beast!", the Hulk finds himself trapped in Tyrannus’s underground kingdom, where the villain holds Betty hostage and forces the jade giant to serve him. With Betty’s safety at stake, the Hulk must endure Tyrannus’s cruel demands until a chance for freedom arises.

In "The Hordes of General Fang!", the Hulk faces off against the warlord General Fang, who seeks to seize control of the Himalayan province of Llhasa. As the battle unfolds, the Hulk must don the guise of the Abominable Snowman to outwit his foe, while Rick Jones grows increasingly concerned over the Hulk’s rising aggression and his unwillingness to return to Bruce Banner.

In "The Incredible Hulk vs the Metal Master!", the Hulk—still wrestling with the instability of his transformations—faces an alien threat unlike any he's encountered. When his gamma-powered form fails to manifest under pressure, he's captured by General Ross, but not before Rick forms the Teen Brigade. With his mind sharp and his body vulnerable, the Hulk must find a way to fight back against a foe whose power threatens to overwhelm even the mightiest of heroes.