Line #140 Comicbook/SheHulk


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/she_hulk_vol_2_1_textless.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:The strong arm of justice.]]
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7
8	->''"She-Hulk has the potential to be our Franchise/WonderWoman. A powerful female with a strong moral center and a determination to do what's right. She's also a unique combination of brains and brawn. The ideal She-Hulk story is one that plays on both aspects of her make-up."''
9	-->-- '''Creator/PeterDavid'''
10
11	Once upon a time, there was Bruce Banner, whose gamma-irradiated blood made him the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]]. He keeps going on about how [[CatchPhrase you wouldn't like him when he's angry]], but he's actually pretty damn popular. During the height of the 1970s [[Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977 TV series]], the same producers created a successful TV adaptation of Martin Caidin's ''Cyborg'' as ''Series/TheSixMillionDollarMan'' and, seeing an opportunity, created an original spin-off character: Jaimie Sommer's ''Series/TheBionicWoman'', which they owned completely.
12
13	Creator/MarvelComics, knowing as they do the power of a DistaffCounterpart and not wanting to lose partial control of their franchise, were quick to snag the name ''She-Hulk'' for trademark reasons, which became one of Creator/StanLee's last original creations for Marvel. Thus, Bruce Banner's lawyerly cousin, Jennifer Walters, became gravely injured and [[EmergencyTransformation received an emergency transfusion]] of his irradiated blood, becoming first [[ComicBook/TheSavageSheHulk The Savage]], and then, eventually, ComicBook/TheSensationalSheHulk: "The Second Strongest One There Is". The character first appeared in ''Savage She-Hulk'' #1 (February, 1980), created by Creator/StanLee and John Buscema.
14
15	She-Hulk's JekyllAndHyde tendencies are rather more subtle than the Hulk's. Jennifer Walters is a slightly timid, insecure lawyer who, under the effects of gamma radiation, can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting voluntarily transform]] into the [[StatuesqueStunner seven-foot-tall]] green-skinned AmazonianBeauty. While She-Hulk was originally a rampaging rage monster not unlike her cousin, it turned out Jennifer's psychological issues were far easier to deal with than Bruce's, She-Hulk gained intelligence equal to that of Jennifer herself and began acting out the fantasies Jen found too intimidating, becoming both a [[ActionGirl powerful warrior]] and a voluptuous [[TheLadette flirtatious party girl]]. In fact, for a long time Jennifer was [[ShapeshifterModeLock permanently stuck]] in [[CursedWithAwesome her super-powered form]] and ''didn't mind at all'', and friends and close allies regularly addressed her by her human name, thus implying -- [[DependingOnTheWriter at least under most writers]] -- that the only differences between the She-Hulk and Jennifer Walters personas from then on were of physical nature. She was able to pursue a successful career as a lawyer despite being a [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe green]]-skinned [[AmazonianBeauty amazon]], and had a much better control of her temper than her cousin (although, for Jennifer Walters, ''fear'' became the trigger of InvoluntaryShapeshifting, not anger). She's a [[MsFanservice sex symbol]] both within the Franchise/MarvelUniverse and without. Oh, and occasionally she [[AllAmazonsWantHercules had romantic/erotic dreams of Hercules]]. ''Literally'', since Herc exists as a real person in the Creator/{{Marvel}} [[SharedUniverse Universe]]. About two decades after turning her into She-Hulk for good, the permanence of this state was reverted, and psychological problems that had never really been an issue before were [[{{Retcon}} introduced]].
16
17	She's been a member of ComicBook/TheAvengers as well as the ComicBook/FantasticFour, [[ComicBook/{{FF}} Future Foundation]], ComicBook/TheDefenders, ComicBook/HeroesForHire, ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} and created the "Lady Liberators", to take down the ComicBook/RedHulk. Her solo title got cancelled (for the fourth time), but she rejoined the Fantastic Four. After ''ComicBook/FallOfTheHulks'' and ''[=WWH=]'', she's joined her cousin in the team book ''Incredible Hulks'' (written by Greg Pak), the first time they've been on a team together. She also co-starred with the Hulk's daughter Lyra in the mini-series ''She-Hulks'' (written by Harrison Wilcox).
18
19	During She-Hulk's second run under John Byrne, she became completely [[FourthWallObserver Fourth Wall Savvy]], and once even [[MediumAwareness ran across advertisements trying to reach the next page]]. (Meanwhile, in a guest appearance in the parodistic ''ComicBook/DamageControl'' title, her medium awareness was parodied, depicting her as a crazy lunatic who ''believes she's a character in a comic book''. And the same issue subverted ''that'' by having her ''react to a caption pointing this out''. Too bad she never had a crossover with ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}''... until ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'', and later [[https://therapyincomics.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/deadpool-75th-anniversary-photobomb-variant-gallery/she-hulk-9-incentive-mike-mckone-deadpool-75th-anniversary-photobomb-variant/ this]] Byrne-inspired VariantCover.) During the Dan Slott run, when Jen learns that Marvel comics are canon accounts of actual events & authentic enough to be admissible as evidence in court, she's asked if she possesses the ability of fourth wall breaking and she replies -- while looking directly at the FourthWall -- that of course she doesn't.
20
21	Creator/CharlesSoule -- himself a practicing attorney -- launched a new ongoing series of Jen's solo title in 2014, placing an emphasis on her non-superhero occupation as lawyer and featuring ComicBook/{{Hellcat}} as her new private investigator. Due to low sales, the title only ran for twelve issues before getting canceled a year later.
22
23	Following the end of Soule's run on her title, Jen showed up in the pages of G. Willow Wilson's ''ComicBook/AForce'' --Marvel's new (all-female) team of Avengers-- as their leader. She was also a supporting character in Creator/KateLeth's ''ComicBook/PatsyWalkerAKAHellcat'' ongoing series, following Soule's lead in continuing Jen's newfound friendship with Patsy.
24
25	In December 2016, another comic was launched with She-Hulk as the lead, this time entitled simply ''Hulk''. She-Hulk, after being in a coma due to the events of ''ComicBook/CivilWarII'' and learning that she lost someone very close during it, must now process her trauma and learn to overcome her anger. Notable for leaning towards a darker storyline and having a ''grey'' She-Hulk, this book is written by Mariko Tamaki and drawn by Nico Leon.
26
27	In June 2017, Jennifer went back to being the normal green-skinned She-Hulk as part of the ''ComicBook/MarvelLegacy'' initiative. ''Hulk'' was retitled ''She-Hulk'' and given the Legacy numbering of #159 (combining all of her runs)
28
29	In modern comics, Jennifer Walters is one of two She-Hulks. The other one is Lyra, the young adult daughter of Bruce Banner and Thundra, who was raised 300 years into the future where the world is a matriarchy society that is at war with men. Lyra was a student at ComicBook/AvengersAcademy and assisted Doctor Strange during the [[ComicBook/FearItself Serpent War]]. The two She-Hulks had starred in a mini-series titled ''She-Hulks''.
30
31	Betty Ross had been turned into a "Red She-Hulk" for a few years as the result of the Leader's machinations before being depowered. She was a member of an incarnation of ComicBook/TheDefenders and briefly starred in her own solo series.
32
33	Like her male counterpart, She-Hulk has appeared in ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'', though as always with an UltimateUniverse counterpart, there are some changes: Jennifer Walters is still involved, but ''not'' as She-Hulk; in this continuity, Jennifer Walters is no relative of Banner's and is, instead, a female scientist who manages to create an "improved" version of the Hulk serum that doesn't affect the subject's mind. However, it is ''Betty Ross'' who steals the serum and uses it to become She-Hulk. For more Information on them, see [[Characters/UltimateMarvel here]]
34
35	She-Hulk joined the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse with the 2022 Creator/DisneyPlus series ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'', played by Creator/TatianaMaslany.
36
37	[[AC:Comics]]
38	[[index]]
39	* ''ComicBook/TheSavageSheHulk'' (1980)
40	* ''ComicBook/TheSensationalSheHulk'' (1989)
41	* ''ComicBook/SheHulk2004''
42	* ''All-New Savage She-Hulk'' (2009)
43	* ''She-Hulks'' (2011)
44	* ''She-Hulk'' (2014)
45	* ''ComicBook/Hulk2016'' (becomes ''She-Hulk'' again in 2017)
46	* ''ComicBook/SheHulk2022''
47	* ''ComicBook/TheSensationalSheHulk2023''
48	[[/index]]
49
50	[[AC:Video Games]]
51	* ''VideoGame/MarvelContestOfChampions''
52	* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance2''
53	* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3''
54	* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance''
55	* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperHeroes''
56	* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes'', as a Team-Up and a playable character.
57	* ''VideoGame/MarvelFutureFight''
58	* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelsAvengers''
59	* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperHeroes2''
60	* ''{{VideoGame/Fortnite}}'' (Chapter 2, Season 4 Battle Pass)
61
62	[[AC: Live-Action TV]]
63	* ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'', portrayed by Creator/TatianaMaslany
64
65	[[AC:Western Animation]]
66	* ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourTheAnimatedSeries'' (Cameo)
67	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk1982''
68	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk1996''
69	* ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourWorldsGreatestHeroes''
70	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow''
71	* ''[[WesternAnimation/HulkAndTheAgentsOfSMASH Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.]]''
72	----
73	!!''She-Hulk'' provides examples of:
74
75	[[foldercontrol]]
76
77	[[folder:In General]]
78	* ActionGirl: Of course! They are related to the Incredible Hulk after all!
79	* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Jennifer Walters, generally, was considered to be a mousy and reserved woman. The adaptation ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'', however, has all of Jen's bossiness and snark as things she enjoys in her human form.
80	* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Jen and Lyra are both gamma green.
81	* AuthorTract: ''ComicBook/TheAvengersJasonAaron'' #20 is pretty much an entire issue dedicated to Jason Aaron using Jennifer to [[TakeThatCritics deliver a meta-mockery of everyone who has criticized his run on her]]. The most infamous highlight has to be the sequence where she notes that Bruce Banner once confessed to envying her, because her Hulk form was far less threatening and more socially acceptable than his own deformed and monstrous body — and she, incensed by it, retorted by complaining to him how her form was less frightening, but she was also the target of constantly being hit on by her allies, lusted after by civilians, exploited by sleazy paparazzi, and groped during her fights with supervillains. The issue literally concludes with her stating that she loves being ugly and scary like Bruce, and she wouldn't go back to her older She-Hulk bodies if she had the choice. It should also be noted that this doesn't seem to be a view held by all even within Marvel, as an ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'' special stated this behavior was due to the trauma she suffered in ''ComicBook/CivilWarII'' and the revelations about gamma mutants in ''Immortal'' itself.
82	* BadassFamily: Jennifer and Lyra are both are related to Bruce Banner. Jennifer is his cousin and Lyra is his daughter.
83	** Lyra also has Thundra as her mother.
84	* BreakingTheFourthWall: Jennifer did this in the John Byrne run, years before ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} was doing it. Her friend and supporting cast member, Louise "Weezi" Grant, also broke the fourth wall on occasion.
85	* DarkerAndEdgier: The Mariko Tamaki run is the darkest Jen's adventures have been since her original publication. The run has Jen dealing with the PTSD from being injured and rendered comatose during ''ComicBook/CivilWarII'' and her grief over her cousin's death. She has lost control of her transformations.
86	* ForceAndFinesse: Jen and Jazinda during the Peter David run. Jen relies on her brute strength while Jazinda is a shapeshifter.
87	* FusionDance: Marvel's [[ComicBook/CaptainMarvelMarvelComics second Captain Marvel]] has the ability to shift into any form of energy on the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes gamma rays. This allows her to make Hulked Out gamma mutates like She-Hulk even more powerful by inhabiting their bodies.
88	* OldHeroNewPals: She-Hulk's comics have a noticeable habit of discarding the previous run's supporting cast for a new one.
89	* ParentalSubstitute: Bruce Banner invoked this trope with Jen and Lyra -- after a brief talk with his daughter he has decided that, coming from a world where men and women live separately, she doesn't need a father, but has serious issues about ParentalAbandonment on her mother's side, so he asked Jen to become her legal guardian and help her get a normal life.
90	* PhysicalTherapyPlot: Jennifer's co-worker Mallory Book was severely injured during a battle between She-Hulk and Titania, and spent months receiving physical therapy from Awesome Andy in order to learn how to walk again.
91	* ShapeshifterModeLock: In ''Marvel Graphic Novel #18'', Jen has an encounter with a swarm of radioactive cockroaches which traps her in She-Hulk form permanently. She doesn't seem to mind much.
92	* StatuesqueStunner: Jennifer and Lyra both qualify.
93	* SuperStrength: Jennifer and Lyra both gained this from Bruce.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:TheSavageSheHulk]]
97	-> See ''ComicBook/TheSavageSheHulk''
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:TheSensationalSheHulk]]
101	-> See ''ComicBook/TheSensationalSheHulk''
102	[[/folder]]
103
104	[[folder:She-Hulk 2004]]
105
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:All-New Savage She-Hulk]]
109	-> See ''ComicBook/SheHulk2004''
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:She-Hulks]]
113
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:She-Hulk (2014)]]
117
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Hulk (2016)]]
121	-> See ''ComicBook/Hulk2016'' (becomes ''She-Hulk'' again in 2017)
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:She-Hulk (2022)]]
125	-> See ''ComicBook/SheHulk2022''
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:The Sensational She-Hulk (2023)]]
129	-> See ''ComicBook/TheSensationalSheHulk2023''
130	[[/folder]]

Context Comicbook / SheHulk