The Only Hulk Explainer You Need Before Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Brand new day, same old Hulk –- this summer, Marvel's jade giant is sure to put the "smash" back in smash hit, as the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) returns to theater screens in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." But before putting on your best pair of purple pants and heading to the multiplex, check out the video above for all the information you'll need on the Marvel Cinematic Universe's biggest (and we mean biggest) hero.

Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, the Hulk made his debut in 1962's "The Incredible Hulk" volume 1 #1. Bruce Banner is a brilliant but emotionally repressed scientist, until accidental exposure to a radioactive "gamma bomb" changes him into a super-strong, rage-fueled monster. With his transformations triggered by his emotional state, Bruce Banner and the Hulk are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for the atomic age. The reluctant hero has been a pop culture juggernaut ever since, appearing in hundreds of comic books, a popular 1977 CBS television series, and a 2003 movie by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee.

He is also one of the first heroes of the MCU. Introduced in 2008's "The Incredible Hulk," where the titular character was played by Edward Norton, he becomes one of the Avengers' most unpredictable members –- though there are still rules that even he has to follow. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" marks his twelfth appearance in the blockbuster superhero franchise, and it doesn't look like the Hulk is going to stop smashing things anytime soon.

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" continues the adventures of Peter Parker (Tom Holland) after the tumultuous ending of 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home." After nearly breaking the multiverse, Spider-Man returns to his humble, heroic beginnings –- but with his beloved Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) dead and his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) unable to remember that he ever existed, he's lonelier than ever. And as if tussling with the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Scorpion (Michael Mando), and Hand ninjas wasn't bad enough, now Spider-Man has to deal with his superpowers undergoing a strange evolution -– and if Peter Parker isn't careful, he could actually die.

Enter Bruce Banner. The "Brand New Day" trailer reintroduces the mild-mannered scientist, now teaching at a university and wearing a power-suppressing gauntlet. Peter seeks out Banner for help about his mutating DNA, but he gets more than he bargained for when Banner changes back into his rampaging alter-ego.

"Brand New Day" is just the latest transformation for the Hulk, who has undergone some amazing alterations in his nearly 20 years in the MCU. He has been a scientist, an Avenger, a gladiator on an alien world, a "Smart" amalgamation of Hulk and Banner, and even a cosmically enhanced "Infinity Hulk." What other transformations are in store for the good doctor? With a brand-new day dawning, watch the video above for an incredible Hulk explainer.