Last week I took you through the Planet Hulk event, so it’s time to talk about the follow-up – World War Hulk!

This event saw Hulk waging war against the Earth and because Bruce Banner was going after Earth, it meant that everyone got involved, so there were a lot of tie-ins!

This guide is going to make the tie-ins into an easy check list, to avoid all that confusion!

One thing I will say though – you will definitely need to read Planet Hulk before going into World War Hulk, as there is no recap/explainer, the story just carries on from Planet Hulk!

The Main Event Bind Up:

An epic story of anger unbound! Exiled by a group of Marvel “heroes” to the savage alien planet of Sakaar, the Hulk raged, bled, and conquered through the pages of last year’s “Planet Hulk” epic, rising from slave to gladiator to king. Now the Hulk returns to Earth to wreak his terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt – and anyone else who gets in the way! Stronger than ever, accompanied by his monstrous Warbound gladiator allies, and possessed by the fiercest and purest rage imaginable, the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half!

This will give you the main event, so if you just want to see Hulk getting revenge, then this is the only thing you need to read.

But, if you want the whole story, then you’ll also need to read –

The Tie-Ins:

When the Hulk returns to Earth for the senses-shattering events of World War Hulk, we can all guess which puny humans will fight against him. But which of Earth’s heroes will fight for the Hulk? Don’t miss the shocking revelations as Amadeus Cho, the boy genius who took on Reed Richards on behalf of the Hulk in Incredible Hulk #100, confronts She-Hulk and Doc Samson – and precipitates a gamma-powered smash-fest in the wilds of Jersey! 

Incredible Hercules: Against The World

In the wake of World War Hulk, the Mighty Avengers are hot on the heels of unrepentant renegades Hercules and Amadeus Cho. Driven into a mindless berserker rage by Ares, Herc has become the critical piece of Cho’s plan to utterly destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. What is Cho’s master plan to wipe out the spy agency…and is he willing to get Herc killed to do it? Guest-starring the Champions of Los Angeles! Yes, seriously! 

Quick note: The first three issues in this volume are tie-ins with the event, and then it spins out into its own story.

The Hulk. The Abomination. The Leader. The Harpy. Doc Samson. Born of gamma radiation, they represented a new chapter of humanity. Now, spawned through their respective DNA has come the next generation… the Gamma Corps. Recruited and trained by the enigmatic General Ryker, their mission is a simple one – to kill the Incredible Hulk. And considering he’s facing 5-1 odds, is that a mission even this new and improved version of the Green Goliath can prevent? 

The Heroes return to New York to find it the first battleground in World War Hulk. Will Humbug’s recently amplified powers be a factor against Hulk’s compatriots, Miek and Brood? Can the heroes salve the wounds of their adoptive city and still turn a profit? Both answers are “yes” if Misty Knight has anything to say about it! 

The puny humans hate the Warbound, the savage alien monsters who joined the Hulk in his quest for vengeance against the heroes of Earth. But when new horrors arise in the New Mexico desert, the puny humans might just learn that a savage alien monster or two can be pretty handy in a pinch. What is Gammaworld? Which deadly enemy from the Hulk’s past has returned? And who here dares to learn what it is to be Warbound, in life and death, whatever may come?

World War Hulk is over. But the Aftersmash has just begun! Heroes and monsters rise and fall as the events of World War Hulk reverberate through the blasted ruins of New York City with goliath impact in a massive story featuring the Warbound, the Renegades, Heroes for Hire, Iron Man, Tom Foster, and Damage Control. And yes, smashing will be involved. Plus: We don’t know if you heard, but Hulk came back to earth and made a HUUUUUUUUGE mess. Who’s S.H.I.E.L.D. gonna get to clean it up? DAMAGE CONTROL, the roughest, toughest dilapidated dirt dogs this side’a the universe. If anyone can clean up the aftereffects of World War Hulk, they can. But while they’re picking up the pieces, they find that the war… may not be over! 

Your street-level view of the Hulk’s invasion! The Green Goliath has returned to Earth on a collision course with some of Marvel’s mightiest heroes. So what does that mean for the ordinary people caught in the crossfire? Ben Urich and Sally Floyd, fresh from their appearance in Civil War: Front Line, pound the pavement to uncover the story behind the story! Plus: Who wants our tireless reporters to take down J. Jonah Jameson, and how do they want them to do it? Grab your press pass, and join the Civil War: Front Line team of writer Paul Jenkins and artist Ramon Bachs as they take you to the middle of the action. Also featuring the Prologue to World War Hulk! Hulk is coming, and no power on Earth can stop him from getting revenge on the Illuminati! What events have led up to the superhuman battle-to-end-all-battles? As Hulk’s great stone ship approaches the planet, he prepares for the war on the horizon by reliving past conflicts with Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, and the Inhumans.

“World War Hulk” is encompassing the entire Marvel Universe, and the effects of the fight are being felt by every hero, villain, and civilian. In Avengers: The Initiative, when the Hulk and his Warbound invade America, the Superhuman Armed Forces answer the call! Meanwhile, the Irredeemable Ant-Man is on the run, hiding from S.H.I.E.L.D. But now things have changed – the Hulk has come to town! Also, with Iron Man missing after his battle with the Hulk, S.H.I.E.L.D. is thrown into chaos! In other corners of the Marvel U Johnny Blaze gets what he wanted. Temporarily setting aside his quest for the remaining avatars of Lucifer, he has forced the Ghost Rider into a confrontation with The Hulk in hopes of saving the innocent. And it’s an all-out action as the X-Men battle the Hulk in defense of Professor Xavier’s dream! You’ve never seen a Hulk/Wolverine matchup this savage! 

Or, if that seems like too much to track down, or you just want the streamlined version –

The Omnibus:

Hulk versus the world, in an epic story of anger unbound! Exiled by his so-called friends, the Hulk has raged, bled and conquered on the alien planet Sakaar. Now, he returns to Earth to wreak terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt -and anyone else who gets in the way! Madder than ever, stronger than ever, and accompanied by his monstrous Warbound allies, this time the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half!

This collects literally everything, from the main event to the tie-ins, in one easy volume, which saves you from trying to chase it all down yourself.

And that just about wraps up World War Hulk – if you have any questions, or have a request for a reading order, then let me know in the comments!