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She-Hulk Reading Order aka Jennifer Walters, lawyer and Bruce Banner’s cousin

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Meet Marvel’s own Jennifer Walters. She’s a lawyer and Bruce Banner’s cousin (aka The Hulk, see reading order). After an injury, she received an emergency blood transfusion from him and acquired a milder version of his Hulk condition. She became She-Hulk, a large, powerful green-hued version of herself and, unlike her cousin, still largely retains her personality.

Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, She-Hulk first appeared in The Savage She-Hulk #1 in 1980, and you can read a lot more about that in our article about the origins of She-Hulk in the comic books.

During the past 40 years, she has been a member of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Heroes for Hire, the Defenders, Fantastic Force,  S.H.I.E.L.D., and also at the center of multiple solo series.

Where to start with She-Hulk aka Jennifer Walters? The Recommended Reading List

  • Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne Omnibus – John Byrne’s run is quite divisive. A humorous book with Jennifer breaking the Fourth Wall, it’s not to the taste of everybody so it’s up to you to decide if it’s your cup of tea.
  • She-Hulk by Dan Slott Omnibus – Dan Slott’s run continues the characterization of Jennifer Walters as a fun and loving super-heroine but with also more focus on her career as a lawyer. It’s the inspiration behind the TV show.
  • She-Hulk by Soule & Pulido: The Complete Collection – A short but well-loved run by Charles Soule following Jennifer as she opens a new practice and still has to confront a mounting number of super villains she’s racking up as personal enemies.

She-Hulk Reading Order:

Part I: Savage She-Hulk (1980 – 1984)

Jennifer Walters started with her own ongoing series in 1980. This first run has been collected in multiple formats as you can see below. Fun fact: She-Hulk was the last character Stan Lee created for Marvel Comics, until his return to comics with Ravage 2099 in 1992.

The Omnibus Edition, the big Hardcover book:

The Marvel Masterworks, the beautiful hardcover editions:

Hard to find nowadays, the old Essential collection, the black and white paperback edition:

During that period, and before becoming a member of the Avengers, She-Hulk appears in Marvel Team-Up #107 (1981) where she meets Spider-Man for the first time; in Dazzler #14 (1982); and more importantly, in Marvel Two-in-One #88 (1982), where she first meets the Thing.

She-Hulk Reading Order

Part II: The Avengers/Fantastic Four Time (1982 – 1988)

After her brief solo career, She-Hulk joins the Avengers in issue #221 and a little bit later, she becomes a member of Fantastic Four.

After Avengers #243 (taking place after Fantastic Four #265), She-Hulk becomes a “detached” member of The Avengers and officially joins the Fantastic Four, taking Thing’s place after the Secret Wars event in John Byrne’s run.

 

After Fantastic Four #284 & Sensational: Avengers #259, The Marvel Graphic Novel #18 tells a major chapter in She-Hulk’s life. It’s John Byrne’s first take on solo She-Hulk.

During She-Hulk’s time as an FF member, the character made multiple apparitions in other issues/titles, some more important than others. On that subject, you can read: Avengers Annual #13 (1984), Marvel Graphic Novel #17 – Revenge of the Living Monolith (1985), Longshot #4 (1985), Incredible Hulk #316 (1986)

A sequel to Secret Wars, Secret Wars II (1985-1986) happened during Jessica’s time in Fantastic Four. This event concludes in Secret Wars II #9 &  Avengers #266, in which the Fantastic Four join the final conflict. For more information, see our Secret Wars II reading order.

Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus, Vol. 2

This omnibus collects the second part of John Byrne’s run on Fantastic Four, the one with She-Hulk.

  • Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus, Vol. 2
    Collects Fantastic Four #261-295, Annuals 18-19, Alpha Flight (1983) #4, Thing (1983) #10 and #19, Avengers Annual #14, and material from Secret Wars II #2, Epic Illustrated #26-34, What If? (1977) #36, What The -?! #2 and #10, Thing (1983) #7, Fantastic Four Roast and Fantastic Four Special Edition.

 

After John Byrne’s run on FF ends, She-Hulk leaves the team in issue #300, and returns to the Avengers for a short stint (from issue #278 to issue #297). She comes back quickly to the FF for Fantastic Four Versus The X-Men.

Naturally, she makes appearances in other titles, like in Fantastic Four #321 (1988) or Solo Avengers #14 (1989)

Part III: Sensational She-Hulk (1989 – 1994)

During that time, She-Hulk is the star of her own series with Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne. She also quickly rejoins The Avengers in issue #305 — after Sensational She-Hulk #6.

As said above, She-Hulk was also an Avenger member during that period, and you can see her in that title (not present in every issue).

You can also read here the Atlantis Attacks event, collected in Atlantis Attacks Omnibus, though optional for She-Hulk.

Issues of Avengers #319 to 333 are not collected yet, except for #329, collected in I Am An Avenger. She-Hulk is mostly present after issue #325 during that period.

During that time, She-Hulk is present in a few Marvel events (Infinity Gauntlet, Galactic Storm, The Infinity War, The Infinity Crusade) but not in a major way.

Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne Omnibus

John Byrne’s run on Sensational She-Hulk is also collected in a big Omnibus edition:

Part IV: Heroes for Hire (1996 – 2004)

After the cancellation of She-Hulk’s second solo series, our heroine continued making backup, one-shot, and team appearances, in Fantastic Force (#13-18), the 1996 miniseries Doc Samson #1-4 (1996), The Incredible Hulk  (#417-418, #441-442 ), The Onslaught Event (in Avengers #400 and Fantastic Four #416) and more. More, she joins Luke Cage’s team in Heroes for Hire and, of course, rejoins the Avengers in #27.

Part V: She-Hulk by Dan Slott (2004 – 2007)

In May 2004, She-Hulk was given a new title but didn’t find success at the time. Marvel opted to finish the series and relaunch the title eight months later, a gap alluded to in the story itself, as the creative team–Dan Slott and Juan Bobillo–was the same. During that time, she was also part of Avengers Disassembled and Civil War influenced her own story.

This is more or less where Civil War (see the Reading Order for more information) takes place, with She-Hulk’s involvement beginning after issue #7 of her own title and continuing until #16.

Beware, She-Hulk is a supporting player in World War Hulk (Reading Order Coming Soon), beginning after #18 of her own series.

Dan Slott’s run is also collected in:

Also Collected in Omnibus:

Part VI: She-Hulk by Peter David (2008)

Peter David took over Dan Slott for a short period before Marvel canceled the title.

  • She-Hulk by Peter David Omnibus
     Collects She-Hulk (2005) #22-38, She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision, X-Factor (2005) #33-34, Sensational She-Hulk #12 and material from She-Hulk Sensational #1.

Following the events of the Civil War, a new Defender team is selected by Tony Stark, with She-Hulk a member of The Last Defenders. The team will reassembled in 2011 for the miniseries Vengeance (both being written by Joe Casey).

Part VII: Incredible Hulks (2009-2012)

She-Hulk’s adventures are intertwined with Greg Pak’s run Hulk with Fall of The Hulks and World War Hulks, and always, multiple Marvel events.

This is where Fear Itself happens (Reading order coming soon), where you can find She-Hulk in Fear Itself: The Worthy (2011) #3 and Fear Itself: Deadpool/Fearsome Four. She does not appear in the main series.

This is where Avengers Vs. X-Men takes place (reading order coming soon), where She-Hulk makes a number of appearances in many tie-ins and in issues #7-8 & #11 of the main event.

Part VIII: She-Hulk during Marvel Now (2012 – 2015)

We enter a new era for Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, as she becomes a member of the Fantastic Four, under Matt Fraction before being, finally, again the star of her own series, written by Charles Soule. We can also encounter Jennifer as a supporting player in (Captain America &) The Mighty Avengers.

Let’s begin with Red She-Hulk who made her first appearance in Hulk (vol. 2) #15 (2009) and has her own title at the beginning of this period, where you can encounter Jennifer. The issues have been collected in two TPBs, Red She-Hulk: Hell Hath No Fury and Red She-Hulk: Route 616.

We have another Marvel event with Age of Ultron (see Reading Order), where She-Hulk makes some appearances, even if it is optional.

Fantastic Four by Matt Fraction Omnibus

Matt Fraction’s run on Fantastic Four is also collected in Omnibus form:

Infinity & Inhumanity Event (See Reading Order): She-Hulk appearances are limited during those events, even if she is a main character during Infinity: The Hunt (2013) #1-2. More important, She-Hulk joins Mighty Avengers at the end of Infinity starting with #5, collected in Mighty Avengers Vol. 1: No Single Hero.

Charles Soule’s run on She-Hulk is also collected in:

Another Event, with Avengers & X-Men: Axis where She-Hulk plays only a supporting role. But Spinning directly out of AXIS, is Mighty Avengers relaunch as Captain America & the Mighty Avengers.

Marvel tries to do something very DC, with the various Marvel universes colliding into one savage battleworld in the 2015 Secret Wars (go the full reading order), leading us to a relaunch (of course!). Again, She-Hulk is more of a supporting character but you can find her in the out-of-continuity A-Force Vol. 0: Warzones!, Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars or Civil War: Warzones.

Part IX: All-New, All-Different Marvel Now with She-Hulk (2015 – 2019)

Following the relaunch, She-Hulk is a member of the A-Force team, before new solo adventures written by Mariko Tamaki.

She-Hulk plays a role at the beginning of the Civil War II event (Reading Order) and appears in a number of issues and tie-ins including Patsy Walker #8, and Totally Awesome Hulk #8.

Part X: She-Hulk Returns To the Avengers in Fresh Start (2018 –)

With a new relaunch, She-Hulk returns once again to the Avengers under Jason Aaron.

Jason Aaron wrote also Thor at the time and was behind the War of The Realms event (See Reading Order), where the Avengers play a role, including She-Hulk.

The Avengers and the Fantastic Four take us to the Moon, beyond, and back on Earth in the first Marvel Event of the 2020s, Empyre (see Reading Order).

She-Hulk by Rainbow Rowell

After her time as an Avenger, Jennifer Walters needs to put her life back together. She’s got a legal career to rebuild, friends to reacquaint herself with, and more things to do under Rainbow Rowell’s creative guidance.

Rainbow Rowell’s work on She-Hulk continues as the series is relaunched under the title The Sensational She-Hulk.

During that short run, She-Hulk took part in the Gang War event, teaming up with Spider-Man to try to stop the destruction of New York. As it doesn’t impact the Sensational She-Hulk series, you can read it after.

After that, She-Hulk has to help save (again) New Yorkers from chaos in the Venom War (in the Zombiotes tie-in miniseries), and she fights with the Avengers in the new Avengers Assemble series.

More She-Hulk adventures to come!

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