Welcome to World War Hulk
There are several time-tested absolute certainties, but almost all of them have holes. You don’t tug on Superman’s cape. Or what? He’ll smile at you and teach you a life lesson you’ll never forget? You don’t spit into the wind? This one’s pretty good actually, but what if you’re trying to hit someone behind you? Could be a fairly clever sneak attack. You don’t mess around with Jim? Who the heck is Jim?
One certainty that holds up through all things, though?
You don’t make the Hulk angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.
In World War Hulk Marvel Universe’s finest heroes (or are they?) put this to the test as Big, Mean, and MAD Bruce Banner returns from space and the events of Planet Hulk
. Hulk has a very personal vendetta against the Illuminati
(Iron Man, Black Bolt, Namor, and Reed Richards to be specific) and all of New York City is going to pay.
Below you’ll find my preferred reading order for the collected trades of World War Hulk, followed by an issue-by-issue reading order. You can also check out the full Hulk reading order, for even more green smashing. As with any portion of this guide, I’d recommend going back to the start to make sure you’re caught up; in this case I would VERY strongly urge you to read Planet Hulk before you rush into WWH. Otherwise, if you have any questions/comments, let me hear about it. Enjoy!
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Previously: Civil War & Tie-Ins
World War Hulk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)World War Hulk Trade Reading Timeline
- World War Hulk
- The Incredible Hercules (World War Hulk)
- This one gets minorly confusing, mostly because it’s a trade titled Incredible Hercules and actually collects Incredible Hulk #106-111. The series transitions over to Herc after the events of WWH.
- World War Hulk: Marvel Universe
- Collects Avengers: The Initiative (4-5), Irredeemable Ant-Man #10, Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D (19-20), Ghost Rider (12-13), WWH: X-Men (1-3). This is a pretty good value for all of the various tie-ins included. Fairly easy to use the issue-by-issue guide below to read each issue in its right place as well.
- World War Hulk: Frontline
- Paul Jenkin’s take on the real people affected by the craziness of the Marvel U isn’t quite as inspired as his Civil War: Frontline, but I wouldn’t let the negative Amazon feedback get you too down on this one – it’s a good tie-in for the series.
- World War Hulk: Heroes For Hire
- World War Hulk: Gamma Corps
- World War Hulk: Warbound
- Fills in the details of Hulk’s Warbound clan after the events of WWH
- World War Hulk: Damage Control
- Incredible Hercules: Against the World
- Immediately follows the aftermath of WWH and Herc’s involvement with the Hulk.
The Official Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited Reading Order
- Incredible Hulk #106
- World War Hulk Prologue: World Breaker #1
- World War Hulk #1
- Ghost Rider #12
- Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #19
- Incredible Hulk #107
- World War Hulk: Front Line #1
- World War Hulk: X-Men #1
- Irredeemable Ant-Man #10
- World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #1
- World War Hulk #2
- World War Hulk: Front Line #2
- Avengers: The Initiative #4
- Ghost Rider #13
- World War Hulk: X-Men #2
- Heroes for Hire #11
- Heroes for Hire #12
- Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #20
- Incredible Hulk #108
- World War Hulk #3
- World War Hulk: Front Line #3
- Incredible Hulk #109
- World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #2
- World War Hulk: X-Men #3
- Avengers: The Initiative #5
- Incredible Hulk #110
- Heroes for Hire #13
- World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #3
- World War Hulk #4
- World War Hulk: Front Line #4
- World War Hulk: Front Line #5
- Punisher War Journal #12
- Heroes for Hire #14
- Heroes for Hire #15
- World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #4
- Incredible Hulk #111
- World War Hulk #5
- World War Hulk: Front Line #6
- World War Hulk: Aftersmash #1
Next: Hulk: Aftersmash or Secret Invasion & Tie-Ins
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Anyone who’s interested in She-Hulk should read issues #15 – #18 to find out what happened to her between Civil War and WWH, nuff said
The Marvel Unlimited reading order seems like it jumps around too much. each issue seems to jump back and forth on the timeline.
Yeah, I think the Unlimited reading order is just based on when the issues were published and not on the story’s chronological order.
Wondering what immediately follows ww hulk. Should I just continue reading incredible hulk issues to find out what happens to banner and how strange and the gang deal with the aftermath?
The aftersmash guide should get you started!
Ayy thanks for all the gr8 guides! 2 minor qualms: Hulk 111 takes place between World War Hulk 4 and 5, and you gotta include Heroes for Hire 15, probably immediately after issue 14, since it’s the conclusion of both that story arc and that series itself!
Good calls, update made!
Hulk 111 might take place between WWH 4 and 5, but it spoils 5.
Hi I have a question for you. First of all, thank you for these guides, they have been a great help. My question is, in this guide you have iron man #19 before avengers initiative #4 but in your guide part 8 (https://www.comicbookherald.com/the-complete-marvel-reading-order-guide/guide-part-8-the-initiative/) you have iron man #17-18 between avengers initiative#4 & 5. Would you recommend reading through the whole initiative guide before moving onto planet hulk/world war hulk?
Not necessarily. You can actually pretty cleanly go through WWH without all of the Initiative. You’ll want the Iron Man: Director of SHIELD and Avengers: The Initiative issues under your belt, and you’re pretty much good to go into Hulk from there.
how do the hulk tie in on the infinity and secret wars
I recommend the Secret Wars reading order to see the Hulk’s involvement!
I really enjoyed World War Hulk and I really can’t see how Planet Hulk (which I’ve yet to read) could have made it any more so. However, I’m a bit confused as to why neither WWH Aftersmash: Damage Control nor WWH Aftersmash: Warbound weren’t included. I did check the Secret Invasion & Tie-Ins and didn’t find it there either.
‘
This is probably because I forgot to link to Aftersmash next. Whoops! Enjoy the comics!