The Scariest Superhero on TV

How the Incredible Hulk Traumatized Me

By Jennifer M. Contino
May 23, 2016

I grew up in the 1970s, born May 17, 1972. It was a golden age of television for a superhero fan. Saturday morning lineups were filled with superheroes: Spider-Man, Batman and Robin, the SuperFriends, Captain Marvel, Isis and Superman, to name a few. I would wake up early every Saturday, drag my Wonder Woman sleeping bag downstairs, and sack out in front of the television, waiting for all the fun to begin. It was like a non-stop superhero fest. I loved it.

But it wasn't just Saturday mornings. Superheroes were everywhere. The 1960s Batman TV series ran daily, as did the 1950s Superman TV show. Plus, I had a collection of superhero action figures called "Mego" that were amazing. During the day it was a great time to be a superhero fan.

And at night we had a plethora of heroes as well: Wonder Woman, the Six Million Dollar Man, and the Bionic Woman, were a few I loved. Plus we had "kind of" superhero shows like Kung Fu and Lucan. And, occasionally there was a live action Spider-Man television special or a Captain America movie. It was a great time to love superheroes. It really was. I could not get enough of my heroes on television.

Until I met him … the Incredible Hulk. The Hulk was the only superhero I didn't really like in his television incarnation. In fact I hated him. I turned the channel quickly. I ran from the room. Hulk terrified me. He traumatized me. He made me have nightmares. I was six when The Incredible Hulk made its debut on television. I remember being excited about watching it, because the Hulk was a hero, and I thought he would do heroic things, like he had done in some of the 1960s cartoons I saw rerun on television. I loved his cartoon theme song about the lovable Hulk.

Lovable. Hulk.

I couldn't wait to see him. The cute, big, green monster. He would probably jump around and smash a few things. He would probably play with kittens or doggies or small children. It was going to be so much fun. After all, he was the lovable Hulk. I sat there all excited to watch my cartoon friend on television. It was going to be great.

And it was great ... if by great you define that as terrifying and horrific. I mean, this live Hulk was so very far from the jovial Hulk I saw bouncing around in cartoons. This "real" Hulk was no friend ... he was monstrous. It was too much for a six-year-old to take. Without having the comprehension skill of someone older, all I took away from this series was: a man got angry, a man turned green, a beast growled, gnashed its teeth, and caused havoc!

What did this teach me about the world? That adults would become monsters if any got extremely angry. So, from that point on, every time an adult in my life got mad, and started yelling, I ducked for cover, because I thought the "turn green and monster" part was going to be next. I was so afraid of arguments and angry emotions in my life, even though no one really turned into a hulking monster, that I would cry. I just thought, s/he hasn't gotten angry enough yet to make the change. What degree of anger does it take for that to happen? I would see the little veins on the side of my uncle's head throb, was the change coming next? I would see the neck muscles tense in my dad, was green just a moment away? I would see my mom's eyes narrow as she told me I better listen. And I did listen. I listened for that music. I mean when Hulk changed there was always that dramatic, frenetic music. If I heard that, I really knew I was in trouble.

So, even though I never witnessed anyone turn into a giant green creature, I wasn't sure it couldn't happen. It was always in the back of my mind. I didn't want to see the level of anger that would have to be present for that to occur. I thought I would never survive a Hulk incident. I really, seriously, believed there was a Hulk in everyone.

And it wasn't fun.

Not like spinning until I couldn't stand, because I was trying to turn into Wonder Woman. I mean, I just wasn't doing that right, and had to keep practicing to get it perfect. I would spin for hours, because I believed at six there had to be some correct way of transforming into my hero, Wonder Woman. But it never happened, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen, right?

Unfortunately, someone in my family liked The Incredible Hulk, but it was very hard for me to watch any episodes of the series. It was very tough for me to not like a superhero. I mean, I loved superheroes! Superheroes were my thing! I had The Hulk's Mego action figure. I loved talking like he was a green Cookie Monster with him. I loved teaming him up with Green Arrow and having the green guys together. I loved his cartoon. So, I was torn. I really hated being frightened by a superhero, but I hated more that it made me frightened of my family, and terrified of the emotion "anger."

It took me many, many years before I could watch The Incredible Hulk.

I. Mean. Years!

Lots. Of. Years!!!

I think I just graduated college when one of our local television channels started airing reruns of The Incredible Hulk. I started watching it, because I wanted to see what scared me so much. To tell the truth, I enjoyed the series immensely, but, as an adult. I could understand things a six-year-old could not. And, truth be told, I really do think it is a scary television series. There were a lot of elements present in each episode that made it an emotional roller coaster. Not only did you have the get angry, turn into a monster part; but you had a person who never really had a home and was constantly hunted for being different. Wow. That's a lot going on there for a young person to take in. I was afraid of The Hulk, but I was also afraid of having no home or no one permanent in my life. I can see with the level of writing and acting on that show, how it was so well received and lasted many seasons. But, again, I could only understand the heart and soul of this show as a mature person.

It definitely was not a series for the young or faint of heart. Even though I watched this as an adult, it's still a television show that brought back scary memories and emotions. It probably always will for me. And, always, in the back of my head, when someone is ranting and raving, I wonder what might be that breaking or "Hulking" out moment …. After all, the one thing that I learned the most from The Incredible Hulk is we all have a little monster in us, even if we don't turn green.

Maybe that's the scariest thought of all.