With Tatiana Maslany taking on the titular role in the Disney+ She-Hulk: Attorney At Law series, many audiences are experiencing She-Hulk for the first time. Some might even be curious to check out the comic books in which she appears but there are many out there to discover.
Where is the best place to start, and what should a newfound fan of She-Hulk make sure to collect? There are many comics that range from long-running series to quick miniseries, each delivering different styles and thanks to a multitude of writers and artists.
Updated on August 2nd, 2022 by Melody MacReady: Now that She-Hulk: Attorney At Law is just on the horizon, there are even more comics featuring the character to showcase. Not only are there many more adventures featuring Jennifer Walters but other variants of She-Hulk who starred in their own series or guest starred in Jen's comics.
Some of these comics appear to be a direct inspiration for the new Disney+ series. From She-Hulk's design to the fourth wall breaking to even the mix of adventures as a lawyer and superhero, it's all taken from the various comics starring the jade giantess.
The Avengers #1 (2018)
Jason Aaron & Ed McGuinness
This is a good starting place for any new reader of Marvel comics. This relaunch of the Avengers was meant to be a fresh start after universe-altering events like Secret Wars, allowing readers to be reintroduced to the classic Marvel team once again. This time, Jen Walters in her new She-Hulk form took Bruce Banner's place on the team.
It was refreshing to see a more muscled version of She-Hulk. Very rarely are female characters depicted as bodybuilders but characters like She-Hulk and Luisa from Encanto are brought proper representation. This was also a new start for Jen Walters as she now struggled to maintain her anger and now she had a savage side to wrangle with rather than a fun-loving She-Hulk.
The Savage She-Hulk #1 (1980)
Stan Lee
There's no better place to start than with Jen Walters' origin from 1980 by Stan Lee himself. The first issue depicts one of the worst things that happen to the Hulk, as his cousin Jen is mortally wounded. He saves his cousin's life by giving her a blood transfusion. As a result, it transforms her into a jade giantess with immense strength.
She displays all of the strengths that came with being the Hulk but without the side effect of an alternate personality taking over. Though it may not have aged as well as other books, The Savage She-Hulk remains an important and beloved part of She-Hulk's history.
The Immortal She-Hulk (2020)
Al Ewing
Rather than her usual fun-loving green supermodel self that fans are used to, The Immortal She-Hulk follows Jen as she struggles with the same anger issue as her cousin. Her She-Hulk has reverted back to being a massive monster who can barely string words together.
This series takes place after the events of Empyre, resulting in Jen being traumatized by multiple deaths including her own. It gave a brand new angle for She-Hulk as a character even if it would last only temporarily.
All-New Savage She-Hulk (2009)
Fred Van Lente
A new spin on the character, Lyra is the daughter of Hulk and Thundra from an alternate dark future. Instead of the glamorous, witty, and brightly dispositioned Jen Walters, Lyra is a more fierce anti-hero, which is why she inherited the "Savage" part of her title.
Lyra does not get as much attention from fans as Jen, which is unfair since she brings something fresh to the table with a darker tone and new mythos. Even Lyra's combat is much different since she utilizes blasters and swords along with her immense strength.
Red She-Hulk (2013)
Jeff Parker
Jen is not the only ally of Bruce Banner's to become gamma-powered. His romantic interest, Betty Ross, would get the same red transformation as her father thus resulting in the Red She-Hulk. This version of She-Hulk is more of an anti-hero which tends to make her an enemy of other heroes.
Jeff Parker delivers on the writing, showing as much care for Betty as Dan Slott does for Jen. It's a very different style of adventure than Jen usually has and that's a good thing. She doesn't feel like a red copy of Bruce or Jen but instead stands out on her own much as Lyra does.
Thing & She-Hulk: The Long Night (2002)
Todd Dezago
This one-shot comic was a 30th-anniversary celebration of the longtime friendship between She-Hulk and Ben Grimm AKA The Thing. It's a fairly straightforward story about Jen and Ben working together to help survivors of a crashed subway.
Mix in a dragon-like monster named Dragon Man, the Roxxon corporation, giant bugs, and vampires and the result is a fun adventure featuring two of Marvel's greatest friends.
She-Hulk: Jen Walters Must Die (2018)
Mariko Tamaki
This collection of issues #159 through #163 is the end of the Gray She-Hulk era, depicting the fight between Jen Walters, her darker persona, and the Leader. The Leader proves to be a strong villain for the Jade Giantess, forcing her to battle herself in her own mind.
The anti-hero version of She-Hulk is also well-developed as Jen learns to overcome her pain and anger in order to return to the green She-Hulk she is known for. This story is best read after the events of Civil War II which showed how Jen became the gray She-Hulk.
She-Hulks (2011)
Harrison Wilcox
If both Jen and Lyra appeal to the reader, the best comic to read would be She-Hulks, in which the two versions of the character team up. They work together to bring down fugitive villains such as Klaw, The Tinkerer, Red Ghost, and more.
The short-lived series displays the drastic differences between Jen and Lyra but pays respect to both heroes. The result is a fun, action-packed story that also guest-stars the Hulk himself for some extra spice.
She-Hulk Sensational (2010)
John Byrne, Peter David, & Brian Reed
There are a lot of She-Hulk stories out there and it could be hard to choose where to start. Thankfully, She-Hulk Sensational celebrates the character's 30th anniversary by collecting a series of stories depicting Jen Walters' evolution over the years.
This omnibus is a perfect showcase of the many styles that She-Hulk has had in both her wardrobe and the way she is portrayed. In some she's a straightforward but sassy hero, in others she is a fourth-wall-breaking lawyer trying to get her job done, etc.
She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision (2009)
Peter David
A simple but quite effective concept: She-Hulk and a collection of Earth's heroic women including Susan Storm, aka The Invisible Woman, and Valkyrie go on a galactic adventure to take on a new threat. In a way, this is a precursor to another female-led comic series known as A-Force in which She-Hulk leads a female-centric Avengers-like team.
All of these heroes are drastically different from one another so they end up conflicting. However, Jen Walters proves to be an effective leader who brings them all together so they can save the day.
