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Planet Hulk Reading Order and Greg Pak Hulk Comics Guide

From April 2006 to the present, writer Greg Pak has helped redefine the possibilities of Hulk stories in Marvel Comics. Pak’s first 15 issues of Incredible Hulk launched the incredibly popular Planet Hulk story arc, which has since been adopted into an animated feature and major source of inspiration for Thor: Ragnarok.

The wild thing about Pak’s Hulk run is Planet Hulk is only the beginning! Few writers in Marvel history have done more for Bruce Banner, and that’s before we even get to new characters like Amadeus Cho, or completely rejuvenated characters like Hercules.

Below you’ll find a complete guide to Hulk universe comics written by Greg Pak, from Planet Hulk to World War Hulk to Totally Awesome Hulk (one of my favorite comics of 2016!).

Enjoy the comics, and try not to smash too many things while you read!

Related Reading Orders:

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Complete Hulk(s) Reading Order

The Avengers

Planet Hulk Reading Order

Hulk: Planet Hulk Omnibus

Collects: Fantastic Four (1998) 533-535, Incredible Hulk (2000) #88 to #95, Giant-Size Hulk (2006) 1, Incredible Hulk #96 to #105, What If? Planet Hulk, Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook, Material From New Avengers: Illuminati (2006), Amazing Fantasy (2004) 15

Due for first release in September 2017, the Planet Hulk omnibus effectively captures the full scope of the Planet Hulk narrative, from the Prelude in Fantastic Four #533 to #535 to the conclusion in Incredible Hulk #105.

Giant-Size Hulk #1 (released in June 2006) contains a 10 page Pak story that occurs between Incredible Hulk #95 and Incredible Hulk #96.

Worth noting that Amazing Fantasy #15 includes the introduction of Amadeus Cho, aka Mastermind Excello, in a Greg Pak written short story that sets the stage for many Hulk issues to come. Makes the most sense chronologically before the events of Planet Hulk, although it’s not directly related.

New Avengers: Illuminati

Issues: New Avengers: Illuminati (2006) One-Shot

This “Road to Civil War” one-shot introduces the Illuminati,  and their conversations that set up the events of Planet Hulk.

Chronologically, this issue is a little tricky, as the Illuminati discuss a plan that hasn’t happened yet, but the panels display events from comics in Prelude to Planet Hulk and Incredible Hulk #92.

If you truly have no idea what’s going to happen in Planet Hulk, I recommend reading this issue after Incredible Hulk #92 as a flashback.

Hulk: Prelude to Planet Hulk

Issues: Fantastic Four #533 to #535, and Incredible Hulk #88 to #91

Incredible Hulk in Planet Hulk

Issues: #92 to #105, Giant-Size Hulk #1 (read after Incredible Hulk #95)

What If? Planet Hulk

Issues: #1

World War Hulk Reading Order

Hulk: World War Hulk Omnibus

Collects: World War Hulk Prologue: World Breaker, World War Hulk 1-5, Incredible Hulk (2000) 106-111, Iron Man (2005) 19-20, Avengers: The Initiative 4-5, Irredeemable Ant-Man 10, World War Hulk: X-Men 1-3, Ghost Rider (2006) 12-13, Heroes For Hire (2006) 11-15, Punisher War Journal (2007) 12, World War Hulk: Gamma Corps 1-4, World War Hulk: Front Line 1-6, World War Hulk: Aftersmash One-Shot, Wwh Aftersmash: Damage Control 1-3, Wwh Aftersmash: Warbound 1-5, Planet Hulk Saga

For me, so much of what made Pak’s Hulk saga so incredible (puns!) was that the series went straight from Planet Hulk to World War Hulk as a single continuous narrative. Pak didn’t even take a flashback issue break!

World War Hulk may just be my favorite 2000’s Marvel event, with the Marvel Illuminati getting their inevitable comeuppance at the hands of the Greenest Rage Monster the Marvel heroes have ever seen.

There are a LOT of tie-ins with World War Hulk, as this officially marked MARVEL EVENT territory.

If you want to read everything, I’d recommend you check out Comic Book Herald’s complete World War Hulk reading order.

For just the Greg Pak issues (which is a totally reasonable way to read World War Hulk), I’d read in the following order:

Incredible Hulk #106

World War Hulk #1

Incredible #107

World War Hulk #2

Incredible Hulk #108

World War Hulk #3

Incredible Hulk #109

Incredible Hulk #110

World War Hulk #4

Incredible Hulk #111

World War Hulk #5

World War Hulk: Aftersmash #1

Incredible Hulk #112

World War Hulk

Issues: #1 to #5

If you just want the core Greg Pak event comics with excellent art by John Romita Jr, this is the collection for you!

The Incredible Hulk tie-ins listed above actually focus primarily on Amadeus Cho, Hercules, and the Renegades (with a side or WWHulk), so if you’re just here for the revenge smashing, this is the series!

World War Hulk: Warbound

Issues: World War Hulk: Warbound #1 to #5

Following the conclusion of World War Hulk, Greg Pak writes what happens to Hulk’s Warbound during Aftersmash.

Enter Amadeus Cho! Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente on Incredible Hercules

Incredible Hercules

Issues: #113 to #115

In the aftersmash of World War Hulk, Incredible Hulk actually retitles to ‘Incredible Hercules.’ Only the first three issues are WWH: Aftersmash tie-ins. After that point, Hercules and Amadeus Cho truly spin out into their own series. It’s a fun run, I’d encourage reading as long as you like, but it stops fitting into the Hulk reading order here.

The two year run on Herc would extend all the way to Incredible Hercules issue #141.

Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide

Issues: #1

The Son of Hulk & World War Hulks

Skaar: Son of Hulk

Issues: #1 to #6, Skaar: Son of Hulk Presents – Savage World of Sakaar #1

Collected as “Son of Hulk” in Marvel Unlimited. The Skaar one-shot can be read after Son of Hulk #3.

Greg Pak returns to the “Savage World of Sakaar” with the surprise son of Hulk. Due to Pak’s commitment to the character of Skaar, the son of hulk would become a mainstay in Marvel Comics from this time period, from about 2008 to 2012.

Skaar: Son of Hulk – Planet Skaar

Issues: Planet Skaar Prolgue, Skaar: Son of Hulk #7 to #12

Son of Hulk launches into his own “Planet Hulk” style storyline.

Incredible Hulk, Vol. 1: Son of Banner

Collects: Incredible Hulk #601 to #605, Dark Reign – The List: Hulk

After a brief, post World War Hulk absence, Greg Pak returns to Incredible Hulk duties. For those interested, it’s worth noting that Jeph Loeb and Ed Mcguiness launched their “Hulk” series in the aftermath of World War Hulk, establishing the Red Hulk.

Incredible Hulk, Vol. 2: Fall of the Hulks

Collects: Fall of the Hulks: Alpha, Incredible Hulk #606 to #608

You can get the full event with Comic Book Herald’s complete Fall of the Hulks reading order.

Incredible Hulk, Vol. 3: World War Hulks

Collects: Incredible Hulk #609 to #611

You can get the full event with Comic Book Herald’s complete World War Hulks reading order.

Incredible Hulks: Dark Son

Issues: #612 to #617

After World War Hulks, Banner Hulk begins working together (of sorts) with a whole Hulk family, including Skaar.

Chaos War: Incredible Hulks

Collects: Incredible Hulks #618 to #621

Greg Pak and co-writer Fred Van Lente write the under the radar Chaos War event. You can find the full event reading order in the Chaos War guide, although it’s more closely connected to Pak and Van Lente’s Incredible Hercules series than anything.

Incredible Hulks: Planet Savage

Collects: Incredible Hulks #623 to #629

Incredible Hulk: Heart of the Monster

Collects: Incredible Hulks #630 to #635

Enter The Totally Awesome Hulk!

The Totally Awesome Hulk Vol. 1: Cho Time

Collects: The Totally Awesome Hulk #1 to #4

Amadeus Cho takes on the mantle of Hulk, and proves himself as a shockingly great lean green machine.

One of my favorite Marvel Comics of 2016.

Civil War 2 Reading Order

Marvel’s 2016 event, Civil War 2, leads to major happenings for both Totally Awesome Hulk and Bruce Banner.

The Pak written issues can be found in Totally Awesome Hulk Vol. 2, but these comics will make a lot more sense if you’re also familiar with Civil War 2. I’m not a big fan of the event as a whole, but Pak does some really nice work with Cho and his crew reacting to the events.

The Totally Awesome Hulk Vol. 3: Big Apple Showdown 

Collects: Totally Awesome Hulk #13 to #18

Dave: Dave is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Comic Book Herald, and also the Boss of assigning himself fancy titles. He's a long-time comic book fan, and can be seen most evenings in Batman pajama pants. Contact Dave @comicbookherald on Twitter or via email at dave@comicbookherald.com.
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