Posted: Tuesday 19th August 2008

Reviewed by Jason Palmer

Dr Bruce Banner is taking part in a controlled detonation of a gamma radiated bomb. When Rick Jones, a teenager, wanders into the danger area Dr Banner springs into action to the boys rescue. He manages to get Rick to safety but is caught up by the blast and given a full dose of gamma rays. At night the mild mannered scientist undergoes a startling transformation that could plunge him and those he loves into danger. He changes into the raging, brutal monster known only as The Hulk and the world had better watch out.

It's always interesting to return to a show and look at it with fresh eyes. This 1966 series was a huge hit at the time and even in the early 1980's when it was repeated and I was first introduced to it on channel 4. It's very dated but that adds to the charm. The episodes are quite short but that's probably for the best as it covers similar ground quite often. The voice actors are recycled throughout the series so The Hulk sounds just like guest starring heroes Thor, Iron Man and the Wasp. It's worth noting however that this series really ushered in some great story arcs such as Hulk's first encounter with The Avengers. With so many heroes from the Marvel Universe popping up it's hard for comic buffs to not appreciate this quirky show. And of course there is the famous theme tune. Equal parts absurd and endearing; it's a real sign of the times. Episodes also didn't always end on a happy note either which is quite true to The Hulk's comic roots.

As a big fan of comic books and the character of The Hulk, its fascinating watching these stories unfold. They are very basic in appearance (still images with minimal animation as opposed to full motion cartoon) but they do have a story to tell with artwork lifted straight off the pages of the Jack Kirby/Stan Lee era of the Green Goliath. It was also a landmark show as it was Marvel's first major comic book to be transferred directly to animation so for collectors its worth snapping up just for that fact alone. Its release is also tied nicely to the latest big screen outing of The Incredible Hulk currently doing the rounds in cinemas starring Edward Norton and Liv Tyler. It's probably best left to die hard fans as today's younger audience won't understand or appreciate the subtleties of this animated series but for those of us old enough to remember such cartoons, it's great to revisit. A worthy addition to any DVD library, The Incredible Hulk - The Complete Season (1966) is a fine collection of adventures and this 2 disc set contains all 39 episodes to relive again and again.