It’s shaping up to be an Incredible Hulk reunion. We’ve got Harrison Ford making his superhero debut as Thunderbolt Ross, Tim Blake Nelson reprising his role as Dr. Samuel Sterns (and by all indications, The Leader), Tim Roth will likely return as Abomination, and now we can add Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross to the list. All we need is Edward Norton, and we’ll have the main cast back together.
What Marvel has up its sleeve for Cap 4 remains to be seen, but the Hulk reunion is garnering plenty of attention. Ever since Ford was announced as the recast Thunderbolt Ross, it’s caused speculation that he would transition into Red Hulk. By that logic, could we see Tyler’s Betty Ross get a dose of gamma powers herself? That should have you on the lookout for these key issues.
INCREDIBLE HULK #168
The first time Betty was irradiated with gamma rays was in this 1973 issue. It caused her to transform into the villainous Harpy. It allowed her to terrorize the Hulk physically and emotionally, being that she was actually the love of his life underneath her monstrous exterior. That would be a great sight for the big screen, indeed.
The graded 9.8 has been averaging over $2k for the past year, but the 9.4 rings it at closer to $180 for those looking to save money.
HULK #15
After Betty “died” from radiation poisoning in 1998’s Incredible Hulk #466 (the idea was later retconned to reflect that Thunderbolt Ross had kept her in stasis until he could find a cure), she was resurrected as Red She-Hulk in 2009. Here she made her first appearance in a cameo, and we could very well see a version of the character in Cap 4. That makes getting this issue a collecting priority.
For the past year, the graded 9.8 has averaged $130, but the most recent sale was for $115 on March 10.
HULK #16
This could be the bigger issue thanks to Red She-Hulk making her first cover appearance. It doesn’t hurt that Hulk #16 also marked her first full appearance, which is always a bonus. As recently as March 5, a graded 9.8 sold for $150.
IMMORTAL HULK #16
Another option for Betty’s gamma form is the most recent. As part of Al Ewing’s character-redefining Immortal Hulk run, he combined Red She-Hulk with Harpy to create Red Harpy. This would be the better option for Marvel if Kevin Feige and the brain trust want to separate her from the traditional green She-Hulk. At any rate, it would be worth a gamble in case Betty makes the jump. Need a copy? Even at a graded 9.8, you can keep your investment below $60 on average.
INCREDIBLE CAPTAIN HULK?
With so many returning characters from the 2008 film being featured in Captain America: New World Order, it’s seeming more and more like this will be a Hulk film despite Cap’s name in the title. It’s no secret that Marvel Studios/Disney’s deal with Universal Pictures for the Hulk’s film and television rights restricts the Green Goliath from headlining his own project.
This could be why so many Hulk characters will be so prominent in Cap: NWO. Truth be known, we’ll all lose our minds if Norton makes an appearance.
