Hulk First Appearance: The Incredible Hulk #1 and How to Identify It

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".

• 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.