She-Hulk is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in The Savage She-Hulk #1, published in November 1979 (cover-dated February 1980). The character was the last major creation Stan Lee developed for Marvel before a lengthy hiatus from comics. Her creation was partly a defensive move by Marvel, who feared the producers of the successful Incredible Hulk television series might introduce a female Hulk character, as had happened with The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman.
The character is Jennifer Susan Walters, a talented lawyer and the cousin of Bruce Banner, the original Hulk. After being shot by a mobster, she receives an emergency blood transfusion from Bruce, whose gamma-irradiated blood transforms her into the She-Hulk. Unlike her cousin, Jennifer initially retains her full intelligence, personality, and emotional control in her transformed state, though she is still susceptible to rage-fueled power increases. In later comic series, her transformation becomes permanent, and she develops a unique metafictional trait: frequently breaking the fourth wall to address the reader directly, predating Deadpool's similar antics by years.
She-Hulk has been a member of numerous superhero teams, including the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Defenders, and A-Force. Her dual identity as a superpowered lawyer has made her a distinctive figure in the Marvel Universe, often serving as legal counsel to other superheroes. The character has been celebrated as one of Marvel's most prominent and powerful female heroes, with her solo series—particularly the humorous and self-aware run by writer John Byrne in the late 1980s and early 1990s—earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan following.
