Citation

Clevenger S, Acquaviva BL. J. Crim. Justice Pop. Cult. 2020; 20(1): 28-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, University at Albany, School of Criminal Justice)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

"Hulk smash!" is one of the most iconic phrases uttered in the pages of comic books. The Incredible Hulk is one of comics' most violent characters as the Hulk smashes first and asks questions later. The popularity of the comic book genre has exploded within past decades and the interest in comics has increased. But exactly how violent is The Incredible Hulk and what does that mean for readers? This research examines the occurrence of violence in the Incredible Hulk comics through a thematic content analysis of 248 issues. Specifically, such themes as violence against men and women, unpunished violence, formal punishments of violence, interventions to stop violence and the justification provided for violence were assessed. The goal of the research was to determine the amount and level of violence within the comic and in what context it occurred.

RESULTS indicate that there is a large amount of violence occurring within the pages of the Incredible Hulk, but that this violence is often justified and committed by the Hulk to protect himself and others. A discussion is provided regarding the potential impact this may have on a reader and their view of violence, crime and justice.

Language: en