Peter David's Incredible Hulk and Puns - Comic Tropes (Episode 47)

[@nohvarr13]

Peter David is the best thing that ever happened to the Hulk. The psychodrama about his abusive childhood, the light heartedness of his run was a welcome change to the depressing story of Bruce with the inability to control a monster within him

[@TotallySearch]

He's abusive childhood came from #312. The light bigheartedness is not really a hulk thing, I don't see the Hulk as a howard the duck type of comic or fantastic four. Plus Bruce already showed that he hated having the hulk curse. So saying Peter David is the best thing to happen to the Hulk is pretty big to say, now that you think about it.

[@vincentfranklin17]

Peter David"s writing made me love Aquaman and Hulk even more than I do already!

[@thoomolong]

Yes. And Spider Man for me.

[@pulsarstargrave256]

I was a big fan of the Bill Mantlo run on The Hulk and didn't think anybody could take his place...Until Peter David and quite nicely, too! I left the book after the Fall of The Pantheon storyline (I was just getting burned out on super heroes) but I returned just in time for David's final issues!

[@XuntosIzor]

That "you must be very proud" line from Vision made me actual laugh out loud

[@Zero8880]

God I miss the 90's. Some people disliked the 90's comics era, but I loved it. Great video!!

[@_Half-A-Beas.T333]

His X-Factor run was freakin awesome!

[@jmen4ever257]

Peter david breathed new life into the hulk book,Just loved what he did.The book quickly declined after he was forced off of it.His return run wasn't as good.

[@chadbarrett7381]

Thanks for bringing this up, I hadn't heard about Peter's tax issues, and at the beginning of the video when you mentioned he was having problems I immediately went to his site because I was afraid it was more health problems following his stroke. Peter's X-Factor Volume 3 is what brought me back into comics, and he's become one of my all time favorite writers. I made a small donation (which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't posted this, so sharing helps!), and hope that he's able to get through all of this.

[@ComicTropes]

I love the comics community. We all tend to watch out for one another. Nice to hear what you did to help, thanks for sharing.

[@ReallyCoolSite]

@@ComicTropes I visited his www.gofundme.com/f/peter-david-needs-your-help page after coming across your video. The good news is it looks like through the help of his fans and some timely advice of Erik Larson (whoda thunk THAT after they feuded in the 90's!), he was able to pay off his debts. Hopefully his health has improved and things are better for him now.

[@HCC788]

I'm glad you looked at Peter David. I read some of his Star Trek novels, and they also had that light, jovial tone. They contrasted against the grim and gritty late 80s and early 90s. I'm also glad you shared his gofundme. His story is really sad. He may not be sharing everything, or he may be softening the edges a bit. But I hate to see someone who has created so many memorable stories struggle to get by.

[@djofortunato5799]

Loved this run. Was epic and so multifaceted ! Loved reading it as they came out too :) Keep up the great work !

[@georgemink1813]

I LOVED Peter David's Captain Marvel run.

[@jeremy6005]

Great video, I loved David’s run on Hulk! I read it in real time so it was tough waiting a month in between issues at times. Oh just so you know, the Invisible Woman started wearing that costume long before Mr. Fantastic “died”.

[@wtk6069]

That era of the Incredible Hulk was excellent. About the only mainstream superhero books I'd put on it's level at the time was the pre-death Superman books. I loved that era in comics.

[@MelMelodyWerner]

Peter definitely is a very funny writer. I think that's part of what makes the emotional moments work, because likable characters are easier to identify with, and thus feel for when things get real. I got into him a few years ago binge-reading his Captain Marvel, the Jemas era one with Genis Vell on Marvel Unlimited (CM alone made that subscription pretty worth it). Also a very funny series with some deep moments. The final issue is simultaneously hilarious meta and pretty sad reflection on the series being cancelled. Glad to see that the debts got paid off, don't think I wasn't aware of this happening last year. I'd say he's one of the best writers in the industry (for conventional comics, he's tied for #1 with some others like Mark Waid, Gail Simone, and Robert Kirkman), so it really sucks to see him having gone through shit. As an aspiring writer myself, David is a pretty huge influence on how I write, among dozens of other inspirations :P For anyone who's looking for a good PAD series, I think his work on Cap Marvel, Spider-Man: Leah, and Spider-Man 2099 (ANAD) aren't as talked about as his Hulk, Aquaman, or Supergirl runs, but are equally as good or around that level.

[@WildBluntHickok]

My favorite part of his Captain Marvel run was Rick shouting "Shazam!" when transforming one day, and then when CM asked him what it meant replying "it's just something that Gomer Pyle used to say on tv".

[@Nightscream72]

10:11: "These were all elements that Peter David added to the character." Nope. Bill Mantlo established this during his five-year run on the title. His "Crossroads of Eternity" stories (#300-313, Oct. 1984 - Nov. 1985) was the first to explore the idea that Banner had suffered child abuse.

[@originalblob]

It seemingly took a high fantasy dimension spanning saga to talk about child abuse.

[@TotallySearch]

This right here, it's crazy how people keep thinking PD did all those things.

[@brentmartin2859]

I always thought Mantlo set up the later PD run...well, after the mess John Byrne left.

[@DIEGhostfish]

Mantlo got the idea for child abuse from editorial, who were talking up a story submitted by someone else Bill ended up incorporating, though he wasn't supposed to be the one to add that element.

[@qavahar]

@@DIEGhostfish Barry Windsor-Smith, who was PISSED at Mantlo ripping him off.

[@theunwantedcritic]

I love your Channel. Did not watch the video yet but Peter David is amazing. Dare I say effing awesome and completely underrated. Peter David was the first guy to think about banners transformation into the Hulk being based on his subconscious. His idea that banners psychology determined which version of The Hulk would manifest it's just brilliant. Of course with corporate Marvel has done is run this into the ground in order to increase their revenue from merchandising I think this was a mistake. David is a hack. In the same way that Stanley was a hack. He was incredibly prolific at one point, producing screenplays, novels, teleplays, comic book Scripts simultaneously. Not everything was his A-game, but he never missed a deadline as far as I know.

[@petemarquez8759]

I just came across this video and I was wondering what happened with Peter David and his tax problems. I looked into it and he was able to pay off his tax debt mostly from donations and the rest from selling original artwork that he owned.

[@vincenth.8793]

Don’t forget it was the savagery of the green hulk, the cunningness of the grey and the intelligence of banner.

[@stashmerkin9576]

I knew you were going to choose Rick Jones bachelor party issue to examine. I've been laughing about 'The Ecdysiast' joke for years!

[@RobotsPajamas]

Re: Invisible Woman's costume. I remember a year or few earlier where she complains about sexy superhero costumes. Then later on she shows up like this.

[@jeenkzk5919]

RobotsPajamas here's hoping someone does a cosplay of that outfit!! VaVaVoom!!

[@stephenmarco2927]

Yeah that actually has story reasons showing sue isn’t herself

[@DrGandW]

Jeenkz K There’s a joke in She Hulk of a superhero themed stripper bar having one of the girls wearing this costume

[@Quiro26]

This was a great video and Thanks! I remember this issue, especially the end. Peter David is one of those writers that for me knows how develope existing characters and made interesting new ones. His Spider Man 2099 and X factors stories are also good but for me his Incredible Hulk run is my favorite. The next thing on my checklist are his Star Trek novels. One think you forgot to mention was his health issues. He suffered a stroke two years ago, i think. But again great video.

[@ComicTropes]

Yes, he did suffer from a stroke a couple years ago but it seems he's largely recovered and is working pretty consistently these days.

[@artemismeow]

This was such a good run of the hulk, i recently revisited the hulks AIDs issue (part of this story arch) and it holds up very well.

[@kevinconnor3187]

Thanks!

[@Changetheling]

I've never read any Hulk comic, but 20:12 made me laugh for real. That was a good one!!

[@Wildjason888]

Peter David and Chris Claremont taught me the importance of the writer, not just the artist. Tod Mcfarlane's Spiderman taught me that a man can draw, but it don't mean he could WRITE!

[@tanglingheadphones]

Thanks for this video, I'm not familiar with his other works so this was interesting and fun to watch. My first intro to Peter David's work is All-New X-Factor, and it was pretty awesome. Really sad it got canceled.

[@ComicTropes]

Good run, though. Madrox and X-Factor were some of his best recent books.

[@qavahar]

I am a few years late to this video, but regarding that George Perez joke: Perez was the artist on Future Imperfect, which this issue references a lot.

[@Werrf1]

I'm not really familiar with Peter David's comic writing, but pretty much all of the tropes you're identifying here are definitely present in his work that I'm most familiar with - two episodes of the incredible TV series Babylon 5. He wrote the episodes Soul Mates, a character-based episode with some wonderfully funny interactions between a main character and his three wives, and There All The Honour Lies, another character episode with a deadly serious plot about the main character being framed for murder...alongside a funny story about a gift shop being set up on the station. Strongly recommend checking that series out.

[@davidgantenbein9362]

Oh those memories. I loved Peter David‘s Hulk.

[@TheFreeBass]

Cap has something in his eye, but you don't know what you'd call that... Obviously a sight gag :D

[@alexdelarco]

This is probably my favorite superhero run of all time... His ten years writing the Hulk were spectacular, in my opinion. Hope he's doing well.

[@samus88]

Peter David's run is brutally amazing.

[@HeroJournalism]

Man, looked like Chris was smashing those plates on a fallen Grey Gargoyle!

[@ShinAkuma204]

Definitely a defining run on a character. Pad's Hulk, Stern's Spider-Man, Byrne's FF and Simonson's Thor all legendary runs.

[@Blakeneyd]

Thank you for the comment on Sues costume. Seriously it’s unreal.

[@foxfireinferno197]

I've seen a fair number of Peter David works where "It's a knack" is used. In one ST:TNG novel, and entire alien race has some minor powers of suggestion that they call The Knack.

[@Maxx-m3p]

Just discovered your channel. Loving your content. This was a fantastic video!

[@JohnBrowder]

Dude I absolutely love your videos. Best comic channel on the tube

[@dominicrigsby8547]

This was one of my favorite writer runs. Gary Frank's art was awesome as well. I loved it all growing up

[@fistofdoom8429]

I remember owning this comic too. It was definitely an interesting read if you were a kid like me in the 90s

[@ghwplx5]

I actually have this issue! XD It was funny as shit.

[@mrzone1111]

Mr. ComicTropes, you are Tropetastic! Love your videos!!! What superhero costume would you wear if you could, A Trope costume perhaps? I love Peter David, I got into the Hulk when he introduced Joe Fixit, the GRAY Hulk., in the 90s, I know that Hulk was originally gray when he started. I love how he made the Green and Gray and Banner into the merged Hulk, later on called the Professor Huk. They could have called him Dr. Hulk ( akin to Dr,.Green). I wish he kept him gray,, with green eyes. PD is perhaps my favorite comic writer, yes he is funny, and yes he writes dramatic and exciting stories, and indeed human stories ( the irony). Great videos as always, loved the commentary. MHGA ( Make Hulk Grey Again)

[@dirtcake2601]

I've just started to watch your channel and I must say I really enjoy your content keep at it man and hopefully this channel will start to grow (I loved Peter David's Aquaman run by the way)

[@cgc76]

Luv this episode! Luv Peter David! Thanks!

[@APIEngineering]

I really like this video, because I prefer the more light hearted comics. If I had not known these characters were gathering for a wedding / bachelor party, I was about to say... they would make for a pretty cool team!

[@Lizard1984]

I think that of the multiple Hulk personalities that were introduced in the comic's wars Joe Fixit. Awesome character.

[@peterdavid384]

How did it take three years for this to show up on my feed?

[@PeterZeeke]

I'm sure you hear it all the time but this run is legendary

[@patale1640]

PAD’s X Factor is also legendary... The 90s run is good, but the 00s run is amazing.

[@HankChinaski27]

David has always worked for me because he such a dry wit that I just love. There are moments in Captain Marvel that I laugh out loud. And his titles have so much overlap with reoccurring characters he uses appearing in a lot of his books.

[@Redzilla54]

God i love this channel.

[@sonnywoods6846]

The Grey Hulk was actually the Original Hulk in the first comic book. At the time, Bruce Banner did transform at night, which is why he would lock himself away inside of a cave. Also, If you read that earlier version of the Hulk, he was not dumb, and he did act more evil than the Savage Hulk. Peter David created multiple Personalities to explain why the Hulk acted differently throughout the years. Before I read Essential Incredible Hulk, I knew the first hulk was Grey, But I always thought he was Dumb. I was waiting for him to say Me, Hulk smash

[@odracircomix7359]

LOVE THE SUE 4 CUT OUT BOOB WINDOW ONE OF THE BEST COSTUMES. AS MUCH AS IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.

[@abcdefgh3670]

Best episode I've seen so far, I like ones where is not drinking

[@Rangersly]

Peter David is one of my favorite comic book writer. I read a few of his novels as well (the Star Trek novels as well as the ones with King Arthur running for mayor of NY city, "Knight Life" and the sequels). If you like his comic book work, you will like his novels as they have the same qualities, good storytelling, humor, etc. His run on the Hulk made him the definitive hulk-writer. How many moden writers can say they invested so much on such a long run on a single title? It was not groundbreaking every issue, but it was ALWAYS a good read. And it wasn't always just for the humor and the usual superhero action, David was also very good at writing dramas. They were so many good long runs at Marvel in the 1980's: Byrne on the FF, Miller on DD, Simonson on Thor, and Peter David on Hulk.

[@corbinshults4466]

I have yet to read this run and now I have to. It looks like so much fun while I’ll having great character arcs.

[@sonnywoods6846]

I find it weird that Marlo's mom believes in Alien and there is a Skrull at the party! But the Comic Tropes didn't mention the fact there is Skrull in the comic

[@Mo11y_Mi11ions]

I actually had a subscription back then! love that issue!

[@lo1bo2]

For some reason, the suitcase gag is funniest to me. Maybe because it makes fun of women who pack too much on a trip.

[@antoniodechavez4200]

Regarding Sue's Costume, this was the time she was possessed by Malice. That's why she dressed this way, and her aggressive attitude.

[@PeterZeeke]

thats awesome

[@NdieCity]

The suitcase gag kind of reminds me of banner pretending to hulk out in Age of Ultron and then acts awkward whenever everyone looks concerned

[@blackphoenix77]

I wish the Hulk would start going to therapy again; I really enjoyed that part of David's run.

[@C0ldIron]

Love the 4th wall break. Those can be overdone sometimes but that was perfect.

[@roymakescomics]

"She's never been one to cheat.." *cough* Namor *cough*

[@captainjakemerica4579]

Gosh I love this comic I want to read it now and read more of Peter David's run on The Incredible Hulk

[@WisdomThumbs]

That Invisible Woman joke (with the pool gamble) reminds me of something my grandma did. My grandma's the model of the white, upholstered Methodist woman, quiet as a mouse, super tame sense of humor, always afraid of breaking cups. Jumps at the slightest noise. Anyway... ...One day she was driving across the train tracks with my younger cousin in her passenger seat. Then she turned and screamed *"TRAIN!"* at him. He was startled, dropped his phone, and nearly jumped out of the car. Grandma's never done anything like that before or since, but she still giggles about it sometimes.

[@Howdoyouchangepf]

still can’t believe it took so long for the maestro hulk to get an origin and a series based around him after his prominence from this arc.

[@eegah11]

What the heck ever happened to Jeff Purves? He came out of nowhere when McFarlane left The Hulk, and disappeared after about 20 issues, never to be seen again.

[@shawnswint1521]

I'll be Honest When I Look at Professor Hulk I'm Reminded of ''The Savage Dragon''.

[@210SAi]

Is that what this version is?

[@KalleVilenius]

Guess I'm going to be buying some Incredible Hulk Epic Collections soon.

[@ChuckAtComicList]

I hope you cleaned that mess up. Great video, BTW.

[@machmen1000]

Man that comic left me hanging. I need to find out what happens next.

[@johnathanclark79]

You got my comic! I looked for it every comic store to find it and it's awesome!

[@Toracube]

This is probably the best channel on youtube.

[@zzodysseuszz]

My favourite of Peter David is wolverine. His Gehenna stone affair had possibly the nest car chase scene I’ve ever seen in a comic.

[@josephmorris3778]

I was about to Google what an ecdysiast was, but thankfully Hulk helped me out.

[@murraylindsay4163]

Just hit 13:25 and your remarks about Bruce Banner not cracking wise. Not so. Whenever Bruce has the Hulk's muscle, he goes all smart-ass. Fall back thru time to "Hulk" #156 in 1972 and you see Hulk Banner rampaging all over Jarella's microscopic world making cute movie references and gags. I can only assume that as "puny Banner", he lacks the confidence to make quips and jokes, but the incredible muscle of the Hulk makes him feel safe enough to let loose.

[@animalmother8037]

Lmao!!! I may have to invest in Peter Davids run great stuff.

[@gorami]

I can see the influence they got for endgame

[@Kitsunekun2]

I met him at a con once. I remember he had written in the Buyers Guide something about how people always ask artist for a sketch, but they never ask writers to write anything, so I jokingly asked him to write a short story in my sketch pad...l he wrote "A Short Story" Unfortunately that pad got stolen

[@oliverl.5834]

The abusive Father Thing was actually introduced by Bill Mantlo in issue 312. Peter David further elaborated on it by adding the fact that Brian Banner beat his wife to death in issue 377.

[@ericw8478]

I don't care what anyone says,I LOVED that Sue costume.

[@thoomolong]

I think Bill Mantlo came up with Banner's abusive father.

[@Bronn92]

In fact, the original idea was from Barry Windsor-Smith for a graphic novel or something like that, but he is a slow penciller and Mantlo, thinking BWS would have finished his Hulk's story to the time he published his issue refered the abuse in TIH. BWS never ended his story.

[@austineaton2646]

Save Wow, I’ve never heard that. Do you have a source for that?

[@michaelbaker8375]

Incredible Hulk 312

[@shoresean1237]

Only one thing to add: Bruce Banner's abusive childhood pre-dates Peter David's run. Some elements of it were intro'd as early as Samson's initial appearances in the 140's of Vol. 2 (Volume 1 was issues 1-6; V2 began with #102, picking up from Tales To Astonish). It was really cemented in Issue 312, written by Bill Mantlo, a gut-wrenching trip into that past. I wish I had money to give him. I'm looking for a better job, hopefully then.

[@ComicTropes]

Same here. Bill Messner-Loebs needs help, too.

[@mclovin6829]

As a fan of corny 4th wall breaks, "Spider-man is amazing, I'm Incredible." Is gold

[@stashmerkin9576]

David also wrote a movie called Oblivion for Full Moon Studios that's chocked full of terrible puns!

[@artofbusiness12]

@CT / “..it was the 90’s! They gave everybody either armor, or bikinis!..” -Soooo true! - And that’s when I LOL..!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣!!! / As to all the misunderstandings, gags, puns, sight gags, unpredictable character dialogue, and serious topics, Yes-Peter David wrote plenty of them, BUT...he did it sooo well. He actually grew these characters, matured them...no small feat. Great Run!!

[@foxfireinferno197]

The invisible scooping of Marlo was probably She-Hulk's idea.

[@rs9003]

"I got a rock." Peanuts/Hulk Toy Biz figure joke from Hulk Annual 17

[@michaelquebec6653]

Love this! "She believes in aliens." Well, considering that The Silver Surfer is there at that party, I think we can grant her, and the tabloids that she reads, a pass.😁

[@paulpizzlewizzle]

Peter David could make some good stories!

[@sonataonmymind]

I loved Peter David's work in Spider-Man 2099

[@AceLM92]

Love Peter David's Spider-man 2099

[@darkhearsttoys5224]

My favorite thing about David's Hulk run, is the personal lives of the heroes. Same reason I liked X-Men.

[@Big_Steve11]

That ecdysiast line could've been in the Marvel movies

[@victorchapa6307]

Lots of these, in fact! XD

[@turtleanton6539]

HULK is such a great charachter but it's hard to write a good story because he is so powerful

[@PeterZeeke]

Peter David seemed to manage it

[@gabrielpetricevic6606]

I read this comic after the video and its a really fun comic and was pretty strange for a Hulk comic to not be so action filled and even for it to be a comedy.Also poor Peter.

[@TheDukeofMadness]

Picks up Incredible Hulk 420...ah, never mind.

[@johncole015]

I've purchased very few Hulk issues from any of the runs since Peter David left the book.

[@petitio_principii]

I believe this costume of Sue Storm was related to an arc of the "Malice" persona sneakily coming back. So it makes sense rather than being just, "let's just have her in a swimsuit instead."

[@jessewilley531]

Peter David's run mixes humor and darkness... sometimes at the same time.

[@kenlieck7756]

Always look for the Peter David banner on Hulk... or was that David Bruce Banner as Hulk? The TV show got me all mixed up...