The Incredible Hulk is a Marvel Comics superhero and comic book title. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962, the comic focused on Dr. Bruce Banner who becomes a musclebound behemoth from a gamma radiation accident. The transformation was originally triggered by sundown, but later was directly tied to Banner's emotions, especially anger.

The character's popularity led to several TV series, including a successful live action TV series in 1978, starring Bill Bixby as Banner (renamed David) and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. The franchise continued in theatrical movies with Hulk (2003), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and The Avengers (2012).

References

• In the 1989 Muppet Babies episode "Comic Capers," the Incredible Hulk appears, in stock footage from Marvel Productions' 1985 animated series, in the song "The Sunday Funnies." He later makes a stock footage cameo when Baby Rowlf (as Peter Barker) opens an elevator door (with the growls supplied by Frank Welker.)

• A "Global Grover" segment on Sesame Street about Angola includes a shot of a child wearing an Incredible Hulk sweatshirt.

• In a web video for Entertainment Weekly, Kermit tells the publishers that they wouldn't like Miss Piggy when she's angry. Walter chuckles and points out the Hulk reference.^[1]

• In Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: Clash of the Class Clowns, Danvers reveals to the reader, "In case you haven't heard, I have to share bunk beds with my sister, which is only slightly less embarrassing than having your mom walk in on you when you're covered in green Magic Marker and reciting lines out loud from The Incredible Hulk (don't ask me how I know this)."

• In Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: The Good, the Bad, and the Fuzzy, Danvers mentions to the reader that his arch-nemesis Beebus Spracklin had been known as the Incredible Hulk of their elementary school.

Muppet Mentions

• "Captive Night", a 1979 episode of The Incredible Hulk features background appearances by Sesame Street plush toys. The episode is set in a department store, and during a lengthy sequence, the Hulk roams around the toy department, curiously gazing at the strange faces on the various toys and dolls. Several shots feature a stuffed Herry Monster atop a mushroom, the longest being a tracking shot. A Mr. Snuffleupagus is also briefly glimpsed near a large stuffed dog.

• In The Incredible Hulk issue #474 (1999), a journey into Bruce Banner's mind includes a symbol of anger from his childhood: "Edgar the Grump", who lives in a dumpster on "Sassafras Street". The character is a parody of Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street.

• The 2008 feature film The Incredible Hulk begins with Bruce Banner living in Brazil while hiding from the military. To learn the local language, he reads a translation dictionary and watches Sesame Street. Footage of Grover performing "Over, Under, Around and Through" is used, and Joe Raposo receives acknowledgement for the song in the film's credits.

Connections

• Loni Anderson played Sheila Cantrell in The Incredible Hulk episode "Of Guilt, Models and Murder" (1978).
• Bill Capizzi played Ben in The Incredible Hulk episode "My Favorite Magician" (1979).
• Jennifer Connelly played Betty Ross in Hulk (2003 film).
• Jesse Corti played a colonel in Hulk (2003 film).
• Robert Downey, Jr. played Tony Stark in The Incredible Hulk (2008 movie).
• Matt Frewer played the Leader on The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997) and The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk (1997-1998).
• H. B. Haggerty played Gregor in The Incredible Hulk episode "Half Nelson" (1981).
• Mark Hamill played Gargoyle on The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997) and The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk (1997-1998).
• Mariette Hartley played Dr. Caroline Fields in The Incredible Hulk episode "Married" (1978).
• Sherman Hemsley played Robert in The Incredible Hulk episode "No Escape" (1979).
• William Hurt played General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in The Incredible Hulk (2008 film).
• Kathy Ireland played Ogress on The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997).
• Stan Lee co-created the character and made cameos in several Hulk-related projects.
• Richard Moll played the Abomination and a homeless man on The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997).
• Pat Morita played Fred in The Incredible Hulk episode "Stop the Presses" (1979).
• John Stephenson supplied additional voices on the 1985 animated series.
• Cree Summer played Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk in The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk (1997-1998).
• John Vernon played Major Glenn Talbot on The Marvel Superheroes (1966), General "Thunderbolt" Ross on The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997), and The Incredible Hulk and She-Hulk (1997-1998).

Sources

1. ↑ "Kermit, Walter, and Miss Piggy play hardball" by Jeff Labrecque, Mar 20 2012, Entertainment Weekly