TITLE: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2, Issue 291
YEAR: January 1983
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
Written by Bill Mantlo
Artists: Sal Buscema & Gerry Talaoc
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorists: Bob Sharen
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Back in the early ’80s, Marvel Comics would feature their own staff in their comic books as part of “Editor’s Month” or “Assistant Editor’s Month”. Growing up, this was quite fun to read because it showed a humorous, lighthearted tone to the comic books and it gave the staff to have some fun.
But with issue 291 of “The Incredible Hulk”, I have to say that this issue was much deeper than expected.
Featured was Editor Ann Nocenti who is visited by Bruce Banner/The Hulk who discusses his problems and how he feels that the Marvel staff know more about him than knows about himself. For Nocenti, some may remember her in possibly one of the first Marvel Comics cosplay featured on the front cover of an issue for “Spider-Woman” issue #50 (which she wrote and regrettably killed the character off, who would reappear years later). Also, appearing in “The Avengers” issue #215 and “The Thing” issue #7.
For those not familiar with Ann Nocenti, she was a big name for Marvel Comics in the ’80s. Editor for “The Uncanny X-Men” and “The New Mutants”, she was also a writer for “Daredevil” and co-created cjaracters sicj as Longshot, Mojo, Spiral, Blackheart and Typhoid Mary. If anything, she had a big presence with Marvel and would eventually move on to DC Comics Vertigo in as the writer for “Kid Eternity”. And is now involved with film and teaching.
But while this issue features Ann Nocenti meeting Bruce Banner, issue #291 was pretty much the origin of General Thadeus Ross.
Ross will always be one of the Hulk’s antagonist for decades, as the General looks at his duty to protect people from the Hulk. But unfortunately, it has made him obsessed with wanting to destroy the Hulk because of the impact it had on his life, but also the life of his daughter Betty.
Of course, in today’s modern comic books, Marvel found a way to make both General Ross and Betty more cooler to today’s generation by making him the Red Hulk and her the Red She-Hulk.
Personally, I can understand why the characters changed for today’s audiences but back then, General Ross was a man who deeply cared for his country and his daughter (a flawed man who put his country before his family), but goes to great costs of doing what it takes to destroy the Hulk, even if it means working with some evil villains.
The front cover of General Ross with a gun to his head is something you probably will never see in a comic book ever again. Personally, I’m surprised it passed the restrictive Comics Code Authority back then.
But nevertheless, “The Incredible Hulk” issue 191 is fantastic and I do recommend it!