Incredible Hulk First Appearance: Hulk #1 (1962) Value

Hulk first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 (cover date May 1962), published by Marvel, by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby. The source puts it this way: "In 1962, Marvel Comics released a groundbreaking comic that introduced readers to the iconic character of the Hulk".

PriceCharting values for The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) by CGC grade, based on recorded sales and updated September 25, 2026:

• CGC 2.0: $10,997
• CGC 3.0: $13,405
• CGC 4.0: $18,912
• CGC 5.0: $27,267
• CGC 6.0: $40,450
• CGC 7.0: $74,814
• CGC 8.0: $94,519
• CGC 9.0: $216,000
• CGC 9.2: $749,667

The spread from CGC 2.0 ($10,997) to CGC 9.2 ($749,667) shows how much condition matters on a key issue. Restored, trimmed or incomplete copies sell far below these figures, and reprints and facsimiles (see below) are worth a small fraction. Grade and restoration are confirmed by a grading service such as CGC or CBCS; prices move with the market and the character's popularity.

• Cover date: the Hulk first appeared in the debut issue of The Incredible Hulk, cover-dated May 1962.
• Interior printing detail (original color): in this first appearance, the Hulk was originally depicted in a shade of gray, not his later iconic green.

• Indicia: the small print on the first page or inside cover gives the issue number, date and publisher; reprints usually say so there.
• Cover price and barcode: a price or barcode format that did not exist in the year printed means a later edition.
• Paper and staples: decades-old newsprint is tan at the edges; bright white pages on an old date are a warning sign.
• Restoration: color touch, trimmed edges and married covers are common on expensive keys; a grading service can detect them.

Shoot the front cover flat, straight on, in even light, then the indicia page and the back cover. Include the top edge and staples in one frame. The app reads the title, issue number and cover and matches it against the checks above; the indicia photo settles most reprint questions.

Stan Lee chose gray because he thought it was a scary color, but colorist Stan Goldberg could not keep it consistent, and the printed issue shows different shades of gray and even green. After publication Lee changed the Hulk to green (Wikipedia). The first series lasted six issues and was cancelled with #6 (March 1963); Jack Kirby pencilled #1-5 and Steve Ditko drew #6. The Hulk returned as a feature in Tales to Astonish #60 (October 1964).

At a ComicLink auction on October 24, 2023, a CGC 8.0 copy realized $112,500 and a CGC 6.5 copy $48,500 (CGC, October 30, 2023). For comparison, PriceCharting's CGC 8.0 value on September 25, 2026 was $94,519. A single auction can land well above or below a guide's average, so compare several recent sales in the same grade.

• The Incredible Hulk TV series (1978-1982): Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno (Wikipedia).
• The Incredible Hulk (2008): released June 13, 2008, directed by Louis Leterrier, with Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. Norton rewrote the script during production but got no screen credit, and he and Leterrier wanted a longer cut than the producers did.
• Why Mark Ruffalo took over: Marvel's Kevin Feige said the decision was not about money but about needing an actor who embodied the creativity and collaborative spirit of the other cast members. Norton called that statement cheap and said in October 2014 that he chose not to return because he wanted more variety. Ruffalo had been Leterrier's original choice (Wikipedia).

After The Incredible Hulk was cancelled with #6 (March 1963), the Hulk kept appearing elsewhere, and several of those issues are collected as keys (Wikipedia):

• Fantastic Four #12 (March 1963): guest appearance against the Fantastic Four.
• The Avengers #1: founding member of the Avengers.
• Tales to Astonish #60 (October 1964): start of his regular feature.
• The Incredible Hulk #102 (April 1968): his own title returns, taking over Tales to Astonish's numbering.
• The Incredible Hulk #180–181 (October–November 1974): Wolverine debuts as his opponent; see Wolverine's first appearance.

If a Hulk comic's number is above 100 and dated 1968 or later, it is from the relaunched series, not the 1962 run.