By Tim Stevens

It should be noted, as with this writer’s previous work on the behemoth creature known as The Hulk, the majority of this report is based on naturalistic observation. As such, any opinions or diagnoses presented should be taken with some skepticism as for most of the creature’s existence, personal interviews and/or sessions were not a possibility or were rejected by it (with the exception of work with the late Doctor Leonard Samson).

The Hulk is a humanoid of immense size. His skin tone has fluctuated, over the years, between green and grey. It has now been confirmed the “Red Hulk” is, in fact, General Thaddeus Ross and therefore does not enter into this particular report.

As previously noted, in addition to skin tone changes, The Hulk has often gone through changes in attire, moving from its “classic” incarnation wearing little more than an endless stream of torn purple rags through more typical street clothes, albeit in enormous sizes, with stops for tailored suits, armor plating, and so on along the way. Current reports vary on his personal appearance, but most seem to indicate he is leaning more towards the “rags” attire with a possible tribal type quality of adornment.

Observing, these changes in appearance seem no mere sartorial indulgence. Often, they belie changes in its personality and motivations as well. For instance, current appearance would seem to indicate a certain “back to nature” quality but adoption of things like rudimentary jewelry would indicate that, in contrast to other times when the subject has gone in this direction, it has found a community with which to align. More typically, The Hulk has wanted only to be left alone when dressed in this manner. 

This could be described as a significant change in the creature’s typical patterns and is therefore worthy of note. This writer has hypothesized that current rumors in the community regarding Doctor Bruce Banner having been separated from The Hulk are, in fact, accurate and that this has trigged the creature’s new physical and emotional presentations.

While the rumors have been associated with possible disturbing developments for Doctor Banner, this paradigm shift for the creature may actually be indicative of possible healthy developments. His possible bonding with a group, be they people, animals, or creatures, while in a “native” state may be a sign of a new ability to work with and involve oneself in a community. If this is the case, The Hulk may finally have control of his emotions even in the state most often associated with savagery. Were that true, this writer feels that much of the way we have been trained to deal with the subject could be revised to be less concerned with “bringing it down or in” and more with live and let live.

I do not purport to know what this would look like in practice but the idea that the government could finally divert resources away from things like Hulkbusters is, indeed, a heartening one.

For further information on this most recent step in the creature known as the Hulk’s continued process of change, please follow the works of Doctors Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. Their latest observational pamphlet will be available for review on May 16 under the name INCREDIBLE HULK #7.1.

Psy D candidate Tim Stevens, MA is a practicum trainee at a community mental health center.