SMART HULK
This Hulk ego merges Bruce Banner with his Green and Grey Hulk personas. Equal parts intellect and brute strength, the ‘Professor’ represents Banner’s ideal version of self.
Genius Jade Giant
Pre-Professor Hulk
In Secret Wars (1984) #1
Prior to an official merge, there was a period of time where Banner’s ego called the shots over his green alter ego. This verbal, more evolved Hulk helped the Avengers, X-Men and FF out of a tight bind in 1984’s Secret Wars.
Honey, I Shrunk the Hulk
In Incredible Hulk (1962) #377
Psychotherapist Doc Samson places Bruce under hypnosis to “shrink” the consciousnesses of the Green and Grey Hulks. Delving into Banner’s adolescent trauma, Samson convinces the three to cooperate, leading to the Professor’s birth.
Vs. Abomination
In Incredible Hulk (1962) #384
During Thanos’ rapture of half of universal life, the Professor has his own, personal conflict with ‘dark twin’ Abomination.
‘Prof’ Reemerges
In Hulk (1999) #12
Start this series here! When Banner reveals a terminal illness, psychiatrist Angela Lipscombe negotiates with three personas to take over when Bruce can’t be in control: Savage Green, “Joe Fixit” Grey and Professor Hulk.
Past Perfect
In Hulk (1999) #28
Against the Prof’s advice, Joe Fixit ‘purges’ Banner by admitting that his current reality is a defensive psychic-scape. Wracked by guilt and with death looming, Banner is shunted to the ‘real world’ by Savage Green’s interruption.
Doc Green
In Hulk (2014) #4
Read this series in full! Following a traumatic brain injury from a bullet, Banner’s genius is lost. Tony Stark pulls off an experimental procedure, inadvertently creating a calculated, but genius-level Hulk in the process.