‘Hulk’ universe has many members

By ANDREW A. SMITH

Meet the cast of characters from ‘The Incredible Hulk.’

With the “Incredible Hulk” film premiering Friday, no doubt many people are wondering: Which of the supporting characters come from the comics?

Actually, most people are probably wondering, “Will this move suck less than 2003’s ‘Hulk’? Can Marvel Studios do a better job with its own character than Ang Lee did for Universal?” I can’t answer those questions, but I can shed light on movie characters with a history in Marvel Comics:

Gen. Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt). The blustering, Hulk-busting “Thunderbolt” Ross has been a Greenskin nemesis since “Incredible Hulk” No. 1, way back in 1962. He still is, although he’s been dead a couple of times (hey, it’s the comics). You may remember Thunderbolt from the last movie, in which he was played by Sam “Scariest Mustache on Earth” Elliott. He had a daughter named ...

Elizabeth “Betty” Ross (Liv Tyler). Betty, played by Jennifer Connelly in 2003, was some sort of scientist. She might be a scientist in this movie, but it’s hard to say because this is more of a reboot than a sequel. Whatever her profession, Betty’s the love interest, as she has been for 46 years. She was the mousy girl in “Incredible Hulk” No. 1, with a crush on nerdy scientist Robert Bruce Banner, whom her disgusted father considered a “milksop.” Until Ross found out about the beast inside Bruce — and then he really disapproved of his daughter’s taste in men!

For the record, Betty has been married twice, so her last name isn’t Ross in the comics anymore. She married Major Glenn Talbot when she thought Banner was dead, later divorcing him. (A version of Talbot surfaced in the 1978 TV series and the 2003 movie, but he won’t reappear in the current movie. He’s been dead in the comics since 1981.)

Betty married Bruce in 1986 and might still be called “Mrs. Banner,” except that she’s probably dead. I say “probably,” because there’s some confusion. (Long story.) She was poisoned by The Abomination during a blood transfusion in 1998. If she’s not dead, she’s been mysteriously absent since 2005.

And who is this Abomination fella? I’m so glad you asked. His real name is ...

Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). A spy who deliberately exposed himself to gamma radiation in his 1967 debut, he became another green-skinned, super-strong creature like the Hulk. Only, in his first story, he was actually stronger. Plus, he couldn’t change back to his human form. Which made him really, really honked off at the Hulk, especially since being huge and green put a damper on his marriage.

Now that I think about it, the original Abomination no longer survives in the comics. He was killed a few months ago by the new red Hulk, who isn’t Bruce Banner and whose origins remain mysterious. Now there’s a new, blue Abomination, who’s actually former Hulk sidekick Rick Jones.

If you’re confused, perhaps you should speak to:

Doc Samson (Ty Burrell). Psychiatrist Leonard Samson made his debut in the comics in 1971, when he exposed himself to gamma radiation and became super strong. He also got green hair. Like his biblical namesake, he must keep it long to retain his strength. In the comics, Samson specializes in superhero psychiatry, and Bruce Banner is a long-time patient.

Because he’s in the credits, I also should mention:

Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson). In the comics, gamma rays turned the former janitor into a green-skinned, big-headed genius named The Leader. My guess is he’ll be the Big Bad in the sequel — if there is one. If not, there may still be more Hulk in our future, thanks to...

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Yes, the lead character of “Iron Man” has a cameo in this movie, tying the two films together. Expect much the same when “Thor,” “Ant-Man” and “Captain America” premiere in the next couple of years — which completes the roster of The Avengers from the super-team’s first four issues back in the early 1960s. To no one’s surprise, an “Avengers” movie is scheduled for 2011.