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CNN Live At Daybreak
Hulk Hype: Comic Hero to Movie Star
Aired June 20, 2003 - 05:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: If you don't know much about Harry Potter, here's one character you may know a bit better though, the Hulk. Remember the big green guy? He bursts on to the movie screens across the country today. We'll see if moviegoers will flock to the theaters to watch those bulging muscles tear through clothes. The Hulk began his career as a comic book hero.
And here to talk about the muscleman's appeal is someone who knows a lot about comics, comic bookstore owner Joseph Lawson.
Welcome to DAYBREAK.
JOSEPH LAWSON, COMIC ENTHUSIAST: Hello.
COSTELLO: So are there as many rabid fans of the Hulk as there are for let's say Superman or Spider Man?
LAWSON: I would say he has probably not quite as big as a following of Spider Man and Superman and Batman, but he is still really big out there.
COSTELLO: Well the movie sort of focuses on the Hulk's dark side. In fact, some people criticized the movie for focusing too much on that. But tell us, what is the Hulk's dark side?
LAWSON: Well the Hulk was created as sort of like a savage character, but he still has like a hero within him. The Hulk, when he started out, he was very intelligent, and sort of as it progressed, he became more savage and sort of a more monster kind of hero.
COSTELLO: So he went back to sort of the primitive man?
LAWSON: Yes.
COSTELLO: Yes. You have some pictures of early -- of the early Hulk, I should say. Does he look much different from the one that's portrayed in the movie and that was portrayed in the television series?
LAWSON: Well the Hulk back when -- back in the '70s was -- they concentrated more on the savage hulk, and as time progressed, he became more -- he became more intelligent. And then most recently they went back to the sort of savage portrayal of the Hulk.
COSTELLO: So in the comic book, does he sort of stay as the big green monster? Does he ever revert back to Mr. Banner? LAWSON: Well, in the '80s he seemed to stay -- he gained control of the Hulk and he stayed as the Hulk most of the time. But most recently, he became -- they sort of -- his personality sort of split and so at any moment they sort -- he could be -- say he could be in the lab working on an experiment and all of a sudden he turns into this giant green monster and starts rampaging around town.
COSTELLO: That's the part we all like, actually.
LAWSON: Yes.
COSTELLO: Well how do you think this movie will do?
LAWSON: I wouldn't expect it to do as well as Spider Man or the X-Men, but I still -- there are probably thousands or millions of fans that will flock to see this movie.
COSTELLO: I'm sure so. And before you go, you have to show us the She Hulk, because I did not know that the Hulk had a partner.
LAWSON: Well the She Hulk is his cousin. He -- she was hospitalized, and in order to survive, she needed a blood transfusion from a relative. And Dr. Banner provided that blood transfusion and that turned her into the Hulk.
COSTELLO: So is she popular?
LAWSON: Not nearly as popular as the Hulk.
COSTELLO: So we shouldn't expect a movie about the She Hulk anytime soon?
LAWSON: I wouldn't be surprised.
COSTELLO: Especially if she's wearing a bikini and she's not quite so muscly.
LAWSON: Yes.
COSTELLO: Thank you -- Joe.
LAWSON: Thank you.
COSTELLO: We appreciate you being here this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 20, 2003 - 05:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: If you don't know much about Harry Potter, here's one character you may know a bit better though, the Hulk. Remember the big green guy? He bursts on to the movie screens across the country today. We'll see if moviegoers will flock to the theaters to watch those bulging muscles tear through clothes. The Hulk began his career as a comic book hero.
And here to talk about the muscleman's appeal is someone who knows a lot about comics, comic bookstore owner Joseph Lawson.
Welcome to DAYBREAK.
JOSEPH LAWSON, COMIC ENTHUSIAST: Hello.
COSTELLO: So are there as many rabid fans of the Hulk as there are for let's say Superman or Spider Man?
LAWSON: I would say he has probably not quite as big as a following of Spider Man and Superman and Batman, but he is still really big out there.
COSTELLO: Well the movie sort of focuses on the Hulk's dark side. In fact, some people criticized the movie for focusing too much on that. But tell us, what is the Hulk's dark side?
LAWSON: Well the Hulk was created as sort of like a savage character, but he still has like a hero within him. The Hulk, when he started out, he was very intelligent, and sort of as it progressed, he became more savage and sort of a more monster kind of hero.
COSTELLO: So he went back to sort of the primitive man?
LAWSON: Yes.
COSTELLO: Yes. You have some pictures of early -- of the early Hulk, I should say. Does he look much different from the one that's portrayed in the movie and that was portrayed in the television series?
LAWSON: Well the Hulk back when -- back in the '70s was -- they concentrated more on the savage hulk, and as time progressed, he became more -- he became more intelligent. And then most recently they went back to the sort of savage portrayal of the Hulk.
COSTELLO: So in the comic book, does he sort of stay as the big green monster? Does he ever revert back to Mr. Banner? LAWSON: Well, in the '80s he seemed to stay -- he gained control of the Hulk and he stayed as the Hulk most of the time. But most recently, he became -- they sort of -- his personality sort of split and so at any moment they sort -- he could be -- say he could be in the lab working on an experiment and all of a sudden he turns into this giant green monster and starts rampaging around town.
COSTELLO: That's the part we all like, actually.
LAWSON: Yes.
COSTELLO: Well how do you think this movie will do?
LAWSON: I wouldn't expect it to do as well as Spider Man or the X-Men, but I still -- there are probably thousands or millions of fans that will flock to see this movie.
COSTELLO: I'm sure so. And before you go, you have to show us the She Hulk, because I did not know that the Hulk had a partner.
LAWSON: Well the She Hulk is his cousin. He -- she was hospitalized, and in order to survive, she needed a blood transfusion from a relative. And Dr. Banner provided that blood transfusion and that turned her into the Hulk.
COSTELLO: So is she popular?
LAWSON: Not nearly as popular as the Hulk.
COSTELLO: So we shouldn't expect a movie about the She Hulk anytime soon?
LAWSON: I wouldn't be surprised.
COSTELLO: Especially if she's wearing a bikini and she's not quite so muscly.
LAWSON: Yes.
COSTELLO: Thank you -- Joe.
LAWSON: Thank you.
COSTELLO: We appreciate you being here this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
