On The Comic Shack, we talk about jumping-on points for characters, creators, and whatever makes sense given the topic. This is a new thing I'll be doing as a companion to that show so that you have one article you can Instapaper/Pocket/Readability/bookmark/self-email as a single reference point of all the recommendations we make in the order they were recommended.
Prices by edition are as of this writing. I'll update this as I find more digital options, so check back.
Planet Hulk (Greg Pak)
Issues 92-105, Giant-Size Hulk 1, Mastermind Excello, extras
Hardcover || Out Of Print, available used ~$60 also an OOP paperback
Issues 92-105
Kindle || $14
Comixology || $25
iBooks || $25
Animated Movie Blu-ray || $12
The Hulk is deemed too big a threat to be allowed to stay on Earth, so The Illuminati (Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic) shoot him into space. He lands on a planet where he is made a gladiator, rises to rule, and lives a full and altogether different life, divorced from his cursed one on Earth. Though relatively recent, this is now widely considered one of the great Hulk stories ever told. In its opening, we revisit various classic Hulk stories, included those listed further down.
There's an in-print Planet Hulk Prelude ($11) that includes Fantastic Four issues by Straczynski and Hulk issues by Daniel Way that lead up to the overall thing. They aren't required reading, but at the least heavily advised. The Prelude runs about $7 digitally.
There's an exceptionally well-done animated feature version that is reasonably priced. It has a nice pile of extras.
World War Hulk (Greg Pak)
TPB (WWH #1-5) || $17
TPB (Marvel Universe crossover titles) || $18
AfterSmash "Warbound" TPB || $11
AfterSmash "Damage Control" TPB || $15
When Hulk comes back to Earth, there's Hulk-sized hell to pay. Hulk goes after those who sent him away, but ends up targeting anyone in his path. The core books themselves are collected, as are crossover issues (listed separately above). I've also included two of the post-World War Hulk trades. The first follows a ragtag group of former gladiators (from Planet Hulk) called Warbound. Dearer to my heart is Damage Control, a revival of a barely-known entity in the Marvel Universe. An offshoot of SHIELD, Damage Control is who they call in to clean up after a catastrophic superpowered event. I wish they made Damage Control t-shirts, lunchboxes, and ball caps.
Hulk: Crossroads (Bill Mantlo)
TPB || pre-order, due out 28 May 2013
The first instance of the Hulk getting banished somewhere for an extended arc with the help of Doctor Strange, this story tells Banner's tragic childhood, the story of his birth, and loads of really rich backstory on the man behind the monster and the monster behind the man.
Visionaries Vol. 6: Peter David
TPB || $20
Even though it's a third of the way into Peter David's legendary run on Hulk, John finds this to be a major high water mark. More Peter David Visionaries volumes are available (eight total) and also very good.
Incredible Hulk #140: The Brute That Shouted Love at the Heart of the Atom (aka Heart of the Atom)
TPB || $19
Adapted from a plot by the great Harlan Ellison, Hulk is shrunk down and sent to a world of green people who are much more like him than he is used to. He falls in love, feels at home, and traumatizing, character-building stuff happens. This issue was reprinted with a pile of other issues that followed it just last year. For me, this is one of the definitive Hulk stories, which informed decades of them to come.
The End (with Future Imperfect)
TPB || $12
Three great issues worth of Hulk dealing with the future that are absolute gold. It doesn't get better than George Perez art in one, Dave Keown art in the other, with Peter David's words all over both.
Hulk Transformations
TPB || $18
An assortment of issues written by Lee, Mantlo, Milgrom, and David, focusing on the changes and re-iterations of Hulk over the years.
The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Collection
This Windows/Mac-compatible DVD-ROM came has been out of print for a while. You can find it in the secondary market for around $200. What makes that worth it is that this includes every single issue of Incredible Hulk from May 1962 through December 2006, including Annuals.
Hulk vs the Marvel Universe
TPB || $8-10
Out of print but not hard-to-find used, this hits the Hulk comfort food sweet spot when it comes to the big brute just wailing on other heroes.
Visionaries: John Byrne
TPB || $19
Taking place just after Crossroads, John Byrne was the first to split Hulk and Banner apart, and introduced the Hulkbusters, married Bruce and Betty, and introduces The Scourge.
Incredible Hulk 2011-2012 (Jason Aaron)
Vol. 1 TPB || $17
Vol. 2 TPB || $22
The most recent run just before Marvel NOW!, John didn't get into this so much, but I dug it. One part of the dynamic I liked most was the Hulk repressing a downright sinister Banner persona. I'm hooked on Jason Aaron's Thor: God of Thunder now too. A great writer on the rise.
Dan Slott's She-Hulk
Vol. 1 TPB || $10
Vol. 2 TPB || $25
Vol. 3 TPB || $12
Vol. 4 TPB || $40
Vol. 5 TPB || $10
Technically not a "Hulk" book, but close enough since it's one of John's favorite runs ever...She Hulk is working for a law firm. Hilarity and fun ensue from Dan Slott, one of the crown jewels in Marvel's collection of writers.
Masterworks (Various)
Here's an Amazon listing of all eight, some of which are in TPB form, as well as Kindle.
If you want to go completely chronologically and money isn't as tight of an issue, these are the opulent, delightful, and deluxe chronological hardcovers (eventually reprinted to paperback).
Essentials (Various)
These are the TPB black and white reprints that come out much more cost-effective than the Masterworks volumes, but again...no color. Kinda kills the esperience for a big green dude.
They've done six of these so far, with multiple reprints of each. Here's an Amazon listing of them, all of which are TPB-only.
Batman vs. Hulk
TPB || $30-50 (used vs new) and out of print
Batman fighting the Hulk was one of the first four times Marvel and DC crossed over.
Superman vs Hulk
TPB || $10 used, $40 new
Also out of print, but available on the secondary market. Hulk smash Superman, Superman smash Hulk. Reader happy.
Comic Shack Reading List is a new feature that lists and summarizes recommendations made on 5by5's The Comic Shack all in one place.
Prices and availability are current at time of posting, and will vary over time.