Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 4

Background. The fourth volume captures the moment when Peter David brings the run to its thematic climax: after years of psychological exploration, Bruce Banner manages to merge his three personalities (Banner, Savage Hulk, Grey Hulk) into a single coherent entity: the Professor Hulk. A Hulk with the body of the original, Banner’s intelligence and the Grey’s cunning. For years, this was the character’s most popular incarnation.

What’s inside. The key story arcs of the Professor Hulk era, showdowns with villains such as the Master, and the events of Onslaught from the Hulk’s perspective. Main art by Dale Keown with additional contributors. Includes the issues in which the Hulk joins the Avengers, relevant crossovers and supplementary material from the era.

Why it’s worth reading. Professor Hulk is considered by many readers to be the best Hulk ever written: intelligent, dangerous, emotionally stable, with his strength intact. Here, Peter David takes his thesis to its logical conclusion and demonstrates that the Hulk can be more than just a monster. It is the version that Marvel Studios adopted for Avengers: Endgame and the one that many readers still consider the character’s high point.

Publication details. 1,248 pages. Fourth volume of the run. US edition published by Marvel Comics. ISBN 9781302932916.