The Incredible Hulk: The Hulk Rules! is a book based on The Incredible Hulk.
Synopsis[]
The Hulk Rules: Dr. Bruce Banner is no ordinary scientist. Hiding out from the U.S. Military in Brazil, Banner has been on a constant search for a cure for his condition one which causes him, at the slightest increase in heart rate, to morph into a massive, green monster known as the Hulk. It seems as though Bruce may have finally found a lead, but when a new monster known as the Abomination shows up and threatens to destroy the city, there's only one green fiend stong enough to put a stop to him. Based on the upcoming movie, The Incredible Hulk, this superhero-themed, 24-page 8 x 8 is perfect for readers between the ages of 5 and 8, and contains full-color illustrations throughout.
Plot[]
Five years into hiding while searching for a cure for himself, Bruce Banner goes for a morning run through Porto Verde, Brazil. Bruce later attempts to create a new cure and fails. Thinking about how he nearly killed Betty Ross, Banner contacts fellow scientist "Mr. Blue," who asks for a blood sample. Mr. Blue is successful in figuring out a cure, but needs Banner to tell him more about the initial incident that created Hulk.
Meanwhile, the United States military discovers a woman in Milwaukee who received gama sickness from a soda bottled in Porto Verde. Kathleen Sparr tells Thaddeus Ross about the incident, and Ross orders people to look for him at the bottling plant. Several days later, Ross and Sparr go to Brazil along with Emil Blonsky, briefing the soldiers on Banner. Blonsky's team break into Banner's apartment and find it empty. Banner runs into the Pingo Doce Bottling Plant, where he loses control of his heart rate and transforms into Hulk, who successfully escapes. Blonsky tells Ross about the appearance of Hulk, leading Ross to tell Blonsky the truth about them being the same person. At Blonsky's request, Ross gives Blonsky an attempted Super Soldier Serum.
Meanwhile, Hulk transforms back into Banner, who rushes toward Culver University. He tries to find that data from the original experiment that transformed him, but is unable to. He runs into Betty Ross and tells her about Mr. Blue, leading Ross to realize he means Samuel Sterns. Ross surprises Banner with a USB drive containing the original data. They go to a bus station, but get attacked by the military. Banner transforms into Hulk, who fights the Blonsky and the other soldiers and escapes with Ross. They find shelter and Hulk transforms back into Banner, determined to find Sterns while he mails Sterns the USB drive. Blonsky recovers from the fight at the bus station, demanding something stronger. The military gives him a second dose of the Super Soldier Serum.
Banner and Ross find Sterns in his laboratory, and Sterns says that Banner will have to transform in order to be cured. Banner transforms himself, and Sterns injects him with the cure, bringing Banner back. However, Blonsky and his team appear and tranquilize Banner. While Banner is arrested, Blonsky demands that Sterns inject him with a sample of Banner's blood. Sterns does so out of fear, turning Blonsky into a monster called Abomination. Abomination starts to rampage and makes the news, which Ross sees on the television. Banner realizes that only Hulk can defeat Abomination, so he brings Hulk back. Hulk confronts Abomination and the two fight, but Hulk manages to defeat Abomination.
Appearances[]
Characters[]
- Bruce Banner/Hulk
- Betty Ross
- Samuel Sterns/Mr. Blue
- Kathleen Sparr
- Thaddeus Ross
- Emil Blonsky/Abomination
Locations[]
Events[]
Items[]
Organizations[]
- United States Army
- Project Gamma Pulse (mentioned)
- S&SN
Behind the Scenes[]
Continuity[]
This book contains several contradictions with the film it adapts. In the movie, Bruce Banner's blood gives gamma sickness to the Watcher Informant, although in the book it is a woman. Furthermore, Emil Blonsky is referred to as a "Purple Heart soldier" in the book, suggesting that he is American and not English. Unlike in the film, Betty Ross knows and recognizes Samuel Sterns before reaching his university, which in the book is Empire State University and not Grayburn College. Banner and Ross are also not attacked at Culver University, but rather at a nearby bus station. While curing himself, Banner is able to trigger his own transformation into Hulk and does not need to be strapped down while doing so. After being cured, Banner is brought all the way back to a military base before Thaddeus Ross learns about Abomination. Abomination's attack does not occur in Harlem in the book like it does in the movie, but rather is near the Chrysler Building. Due to these significant and irreconcilable differences, this book has been deemed non-canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.