(I originally read these comics in early/mid September 2016)
This run on Hulk marked Bruce Jones' first extended run on a Marvel title since 'Ka-Zar the Savage', twenty years earlier. He combines 'The X-Files' with 'The Fugitive' for a series of twisty-turny, conspiracy-laden stories reminiscent of his earlier 'Somerset Holmes'. The Hulk takes a back seat to Banner being on the run after the green goliath's apparent killing of a boy, his only ally being the mysterious 'Mr. Blue', with whom he communicates via laptop. He's pursued at every turn by cops, the FBI and a shadowy organisation known only as Home Base, whose objective becomes apparent as gaining a sample of the Hulk's gamma-irradiated blood for as-yet unspecified (but no doubt nefarious) purposes. Easier said than done, even with their agents going so far as to return from the dead to complete their mission.
All Jones' arcs vary between four and six issues long. My favourites are his second, retroactively titled 'Boiling Point', in which Banner is involved in a hostage situation that takes an unpredictable turn, and 'Dark Minds, Dark Hearts', in issues 50-54. In this story, Home Base agents enlist the Abomination into their cause while Banner gets to know the former Emil Blonsky's wife rather more intimately than is judicious. 'Split Decisions' (# 60-65) also has some eerie moments as Home Base resorts to ever-more desperate measures to obtain the all-important Hulk blood. I was less keen on 'Hide in Plain Sight' (# 55-59), where the incarcerated Absorbing Man has developed the unlikely talent of "absorbing" minds, permitting him to create havoc outside. This new twist on one of my favourite Marvel villain's powers didn't fly with me and neither did his greatly upgraded intellect, even if it's implied that's only an aggregated side effect of his having absorbed the minds of individuals much cleverer than he is. Neither lasted, thankfully.
Jones' run comes to its conclusion following a team-up of sorts with Iron Man (which precurses Banner's and Stark's MCU status as 'Science Bros') and the not entirely surprising reveal of Home Base's villainous mastermind (whom "artist" Darick Robertson seems to want to draw as George W. Bush).
Robertson excepted, Jones was blessed with some great pencilers during his run, not least Lee Weeks, Leandro Fernandez, Doug Braithwaite (though he draws the Hulk's head way too small) and most frequently Mike Deodato Jr., working in his then newly-adopted photorealistic style. My only real artistic complaint is Kaare Andrews' hideous and unrepresentative covers, which disgrace the first twenty-odd issues. They were ugly then and they're ugly now.
The Darkness/Hulk crossover is notable only as Paul Jenkins' as-yet last fling with the character. With art reproduced from Dale Keown's pencils, it's at least a feast for the eyes.
Jones also produced two limited series. The first is an engaging race against time tale as a series of unlikely events conspire to force the Hulk and Wolverine to team up to save a boy dying of a snake bite. The second has the Hulk and the Thing, barely recognisable thanks to the overrated Jae Lee, meet up in a remote bar to talk smack, throw a punch or two and then talk some more. Jones forgets to supply a plot and Lee forgets to provide backgrounds, as usual. A very poor send-off for Jones, who'd managed to write the most readable Hulk run in years.
The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 34-43 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk Vol. 1: Return of the Monster (US)
The Incredible Hulk Vol. 1: Return of the Monster (UK)
(No current Amazon links)
The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 34-39 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 34 is collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 35 is collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 40-49 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 40-43 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 44-54 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 44-49 are collected in:
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Hulk/Wolverine: Six Hours (2003) # 1-4 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 50-59 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 50-54 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 55-59 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 60-65 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 66-69 are collected in:
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The Incredible Hulk (2000) # 70-76 are collected in:
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The Darkness/The Incredible Hulk (2004) # 1 is collected in:
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Hulk/Thing: Hard Knocks (2004) # 1-4 are collected in:
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