Hulk (Marvel)

Revision as of 11:38, 10 March 2021

The Hulk in Immortal Hulk v1 #1.

Hulk is a male comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.

Biography

Origin

Bruce Banner transforms in the Incredible Hulk v1 #1.

Robert Bruce Banner was the son of Brian Banner and his wife Rebecca Banner.

At family gatherings, he was often with his cousin Jennifer when they were children as they shared a mutual love of books, cartoons and experiments. (Fall of the Hulks: The Savage She-Hulks v1 #2)

In college, one of her lecturers was Noreen Nolan who became a mentor to Banner and was one of the early analysts of the Gamma Program. (Immortal Hulk: Flatline v1 #1) During his undergraduate days, he was enrolled at Desert State University in Navapo, Mexico where as a science student one of his favourite mentors was Professor Geoffrey Crawford. (Rampaging Hulk v2 #2)

Hulk

During the test, he sighted a young man named Rick Jones and rushed to save the young man. At that moment, the G-Bomb detonated leading to him being exposed to gamma radiation. (Incredible Hulk v1 #1)

Planet Hulk

Afterwards, he was on-board a special shuttle believing he would be returned to the Earth but it had been specially made by the Illuminati. They came to believe the Hulk was too dangerous to the world and had programmed the shuttle to take him to an uninhabited world where he could live in peace. However, the ship went through a wormhole and crashed onto the savage world of Sakaar. (Incredible Hulk v2 #92)

World War Hulk

Upon arriving on the Moon, he confronted and defeated Black Bolt whereupon he made his intentions known to the people of Earth. This saw the heroes gather with Iron Man utilising his Hulkbuster Armor to battle the Green Goliath. During the fight, he came to remember the death of Caiera and in a rage defeated Iron Man along with badly damaging Avengers Tower. (World War Hulk v1 #1)

He then had his forces build a large gladiatorial arenas as he intended to have his enemies battle to the death. This was interrupted by Doctor Strange who empowered himself with the essence of Zom intending to use the demons great power to fight the Green Scar. (World War Hulk v1 #3)

Bruce then went to reverse the effects of the Cathexis Ray and undo the gamma mutation of everyone. However, to do so, he had to absorb the energies himself thus restoring the Hulk whose body was empowered with the excess power. Upon transforming, he was confronted by Skaar who was eager to get his revenge on his father. (Incredible Hulk v1 #610)

Indestructible Hulk

Banner came to the conclusion that he could not cure himself of the Hulk and decided that instead he would use his time more effectively. He approached Maria Hill offering her the use of the Hulk for key assignments and outside that time as Banner he would conduct world changing experiments that were funded by S.H.I.E.L.D. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #1) Banner was provided a full equipped lab along with assistants of his choice with molecular engineer Daman Veteri, renewable energies expert Randall Jessup, astrophysicist Melinda Leucenstern and microneural biologist Patricia Wolman being selected to be part of this team. The Hulk was deployed on his first mission in replacing a scientist kidnapped by A.I.M. who attempted to get the Quintronic Man online but their operation was stopped. In the aftermath, Director Maria Hill informed Banner that his activities would be watched over by a drone named R.O.B (Recording Observation Bot) that would keep watch over his actions with this being a requirement of the deal he had made with S.H.I.E.L.D. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #3) He was provided a laboratory in an abandoned town that was the site of neutron bomb testing which was where his assistants were located. During this time, Banner's request at exploring Lemuria was authorised when the underwater warlord Attuma had claimed the area and unleashed its arsenal against the surface. Thus, the Hulk was deployed into the field to battle the Atlantean supervillain. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #4)

The world was then affected by mysterious changes and disruptions in the timeline. This led to Banner being taken to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s T.I.M.E. division where they consulted the captive Zarrko the Tomorrow Man who revealed the danger posed by the Chronoarchists. He suggested that the Hulk be used to end the threat with Banner unwilling to take part until he was shown that his own timeline had been altered to the point that Betty Ross no longer existed. With the Tomorrow Man's help, Banner's mind was placed within a R.O.B. Unit and sent to accompany Hulk into the turbulent timeline as the Jade Giant's body was able to survive the stresses placed on the timestream. Together, they worked to undo the harm that had been made by the Chronoarchists. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #11) The Hulk and Banners mind within R.O.B. thus travelled through time where they ended up in the Wild West where the Chronarchist Tok Baltusar had used the damaged timeline to bring dinosaurs to the era and was using them to establish control over the era. It was only through the aid of the Two-Gun Kid, Kid Colt and the Rawhide Kid were they able to defeat the time traveller where his chronometers were damaged thus displacing him into the timestream. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #12) The Hulk was then transported into the era of Camelot to battle the next Chronarchist Valdar Ahd who had deposed King Arthur. With the aid of Arthur and the Black Knight, they were able to defeat the Chronarchist thus restoring this part of history back to normal. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #13) He next travelled to defeat the last of the Chronanarchists named Khotto who was interfering in the Hulk's own origin. Thus, the Jade Giant travelled through the distorted timestream where he was forced to fight numerous displaced villains before arriving at the time of the Gamma Bomb detonation. During this time, it was revealed that Khotto was actually secretly allied with Zarrko with the two working to secure the latter's escape. They had also intended for the Hulk to be exposed to a further gamma radiation blast from the G-Bomb to turn him into a mindless weapon to serve them. Banner managed to restore the Hulk's origin and captured Khotto and Zarrko who were pulled into the timestream where they were taken away by a mysterious master thus defeating them. The Hulk was then rescued by the restored Red She-Hulk who pulled him back into the present thus ending the temporal crisis. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #15)

After Attilan was destroyed, the Terrigen Mists were released into the world creating a global pandemic as the substance transformed those that had an Inhuman heritage. Banner worked in creating a solution that was a bomb-like device but his cohorts among the superhuman scientific community dismissed his efforts and even forced their way into his laboratory. This caused Bruce to become agitated and led to him turning into the Hulk who took the bomb with the scientific superheroes attempting to stop him. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #17) The anti-mutation bomb was intended to use time manipulation as an attempt to stop the Terrigen exposure but it failed to account for the mist's radioactive decay thus making it ineffective. Afterwards, Banner went to find his assistants who went in search for him but found out that they were exposed to the mist that transformed Randall Jessup into an active Inhuman who attacked the Hulk. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #18) It was discovered that Jessup's new form fed on anger and hatred with Hulk managing to help Randall revert back to his human form. Banner then looked to find a means of turning Jessup back to his human state but they were attacked by Dr. Ted Goodrich of the new Enclave who abducted Randall for his own research into artificial human evolution. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #19) With the aid of his team, Banner had the Hulk teleported into the Enclave's Beehive facility where he battled the conclave of villainous scientists and freed Jessup. Randy transformed due to the anger he felt and warned Hulk that the facility's power source was unstable and could damage a large portion of the Earth. Thus, they destroyed the power source and saw to the dismantling of the new Enclave organization. Afterwards, Banner reported Jessup to had died but in reality had him put into hiding to escape being studied by S.H.I.E.L.D. Bruce then determined that having a team support him only put their lives in danger and thus disbanded his science team. Whilst in his laboratory, he was then shot by a mysterious assailant and left for dead. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #20)

The wounded Banner was taken for surgery where a team of scientists were looking to harvest his body. However, one of the nurses removed the anaesthetic thus awakening the Hulk as she had been saved by him in the past. Once awakened, Banner transformed and escaped but the trauma to his brain meant that Banner had reverted to a child-like persona with his memories being gone along with his intelligence. (Hulk v3 #1) He was kept under the care of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a town where agents operated as citizens in the Kentucky-based settlement. During this time, Maria Hill was investigating who was responsible for the assassination attempt but her investigation was cut short when the reborn Abomination was dispatched in the town to kill the Hulk. (Hulk v3 #2)

To repair the injuries to his brain, Tony Stark consulted with his brother Arno Stark where they decided to use the bio-electronic serum Extremis to repair the traumatic injuries. An operation was conducted with it being a success as the wound began to heal thus allowing Banner to recover his memories. (Hulk v3 #4) However, the process gave rise to a new Hulk persona known as Doc Green who sought to eliminate the spread of gamma mutations and weapons. This new persona re-assembled Banner's science team where he gave them a new base of operations at the Beehive with them assisting him in his mission. This began with them creating a serum designed to remove gamma mutation with this being administered in an injection. Upon the creation of the serum, he decided to target Rick Jones but he instead turned into A-Bomb as he refused to give up his powers. (Hulk v3 #5) Despite Rick's resistance, he was unable to stop Doc Green from injecting him with his serum that stripped him of his gamma powers making him completely human again. Afterwards, Doc Green broke into S.H.I.E.L.D. to threaten M.O.D.O.K. to prevent the supervillain from ever experimenting with gamma radiation again. (Hulk v3 #6)

By this point, the Extremis within his brain and amalgamated into a tumour in his brain. To remove it, he went to the abandoned Weapon X facility in Canada that was being used as a headquarters for Cyclop's X-Men. Once there, he enlisted the aid of Kitty Pryde where under his instructions she used her Mutant power to phase the tumour out of his head. Doc Green then returned to the Beehive where he managed to sleep for the first time since he attained his intellect. During this time, he reverted to Banner who attempted to escape the chamber but Doc Green had initiated a failsafe to force Bruce to submit to his will. This included using an artificial intelligence based on Doc Green that threatened to kill Betty Ross thus forcing Banner to transform back into his Hulk-form. (Hulk v3 #9) He next went to Nelson and Murdock about acquiring documents that Banner had left Matt Murdock but the lawyer refused to give them unless he saw Bruce personally give authority. Doc Green though used this to draw out Thunderbolt Ross and ambush him as he was the next target to be removed of his gamma mutation. This led to a battle as Ross became the Red Hulk and came to battle the Hulk who was operating under a new personality called Doc Green. Doc Green had attempted to use a syringe to remove the power of the Red Hulk from Ross but he was prepared with him wounding the Hulk who attempted to escape through a teleportation door back to his base. Red Hulk pursued him and they next battled him within Doc Green's headquarters in the Beehive where he continued to badly wound his opponent until Hulk's allies used a teleportation door to drop Ross above a volcano thus giving them a reprieve from further fighting. He evacuated the Beehive with his A.I. Project Omega accompanying him as he planned his next move. (Hulk v3 #10) Doc Green then next targeted Llyra who he intended to send back to her reality but the A.I. he used saw her as a threat and instead sent her into a dimension populated by monsters. This showed Doc Green with the A.I. stating that it viewed her as a threat to it's creator and thus looked to eliminate her. Furthermore, it stated that it was based off its creator's mind which was now unravelling as the Extremis formula was fading away thus meaning that Doc Green's intelligence was disappearing. The Doc Green artificial intelligence then downloaded itself away before its creator could destroy it leaving the Hulk uncertain about the future due to his own actions. (Hulk v3 #11)

Doc Green then looked to confront Red Hulk at the Yucatan volcano and hired he mercenary Deadpool to fire a special bullet that would remove Ross's radiation absorption ability. This saw the two Hulk's battle with Doc Green becoming the victor of the fight with him using the serum to remove Ross's gamma mutation. Returned to normal, Doc Green then called the U.S. military who proceeded to arrest General Ross for violation's of the Uniform Code for Military Justice. (Hulk v3 #15) He then went to meet She-Hulk with the entire superhero community assembling in response in order to stop his possible attack on Jennifer Walters. However, Doc Green revealed to Jennifer that his intellect was fading and though he had a solution to cure himself he feared he would turn into an even greater monster as a result. Thus, he refused to take his cure but in the time he had left he intended to rescue Lyra and stop his rogue A.I. now known as Gammon. (Hulk v3 #16)

Immortal Hulk

Sometime afterwards, an incident occurred on Kiber Island where an energy reactor threatened to explode. The Hulk arrived at the scene where his body began to absorb the power but it threatened to detonate thus causing a large scale disaster. To stop this, the Avengers top minds gathered where they decided on a course of action where they concluded to send the Hulk into the Negative Zone to detonate harmlessly there but at the cost of his life. Upon learning this, Amadeus Cho intervened where he used nanobots to absorb the gamma energy from Bruce Banner. This act transferred the power from Banner to Cho making the latter the new Hulk whilst leaving the former depowered. (Totally Awesome Hulk v1 #4)

In the aftermath of the Xemnu Incident, Roxxon filed for bankruptcy from the scandal and the Hulk was hailed as a hero by the people. However, Banner found that the Devil Hulk was still imprisoned within his mind and attempted to free him. Betty Ross by this point decided to leave Shadow Base as she felt caged in it with an argument with Banner causing her to depart. Afterwards, the Savage Hulk persona later attended a ceremony in Georgeville that honoured him when a mysterious power caused him to explode which killed the people around him. (Immortal Hulk v1 #35)

In his weakened state, the Hulk was easily overpowered and outnumbered where the U-Foes came to kill him. This saw the Hulk and the remaining alter's within him once again found themselves within the Below-Place. (Immortal Hulk v1 #44)

Overview

Personality and attributes

One of Banner's mentors in college was Noreen Nolan who was an early analyst in the Gamma Program. (Immortal Hulk: Flatline v1 #1) Another one of his mentors was Professor Geoffrey Crawford at Desert State University who was a brilliant physicist. (Rampaging Hulk v2 #2)

It was said that the Hulk tended to be a reactionary being who did not attack people unless he was attacked. (Dark Reign: The List - Hulk v1 #1)

Caeira the Oldstrong referred to him by the name of Holku. (Incredible Hulk v2 #92) For a time, the Hulk was a doorway to a deadly cosmic being and was referred to as the One Below All. (Immortal Hulk v1 #3)

Within the mind of Bruce Banner, there were a number of alternate Hulk-based personalities that included:

• Grey Hulk :
• Devil Hulk : a personality that was said to represent all the negative aspects of Banner's personality such as his resentment of the world and his self-hatred. (Incredible Hulk v2 #13)
• Guilt Hulk : (Incredible Hulk v1 #377)
• Joe Fixit : (Incredible Hulk v1 #347)
• Professor Hulk : (Incredible Hulk v1 #377)
• Green Scar : the personality to arise during his time on Sakaar where he became a cunning and intelligent gladiator. (Incredible Hulk v2 #93) He came to depose the Red King of Sakaar where he ruled the world as the Green King who married Caiera the Oldstrong who became his wife and referred to him as Hulko. (Incredible Hulk v2 #105)
• Kluh : a darker persona referred to as the Hulk's Hulk that drew his power from darker emotions of sadness and depression with it being a malevolent personality born from the Inversion. (Avengers & X-Men: AXIS v1 #4)
• Doc Green : a new highly intelligent persona that developed following the Hulk's treatment with Extremis to repair Bruce Banner's brain after a gunshot wound to the head. He hated to be called the Hulk as he felt the name was one given to him by his captor and also sought to eliminate gamma mutations in the world along with gamma weaponry. This persona was noted for being able to create his own technology and made a number of inventions to aid him in his quest. (Hulk v3 #5)

Banner's dissociative mental disorder led to him forming an inner world in his mental space that was a site for all his alters to reside in. (Immortal Hulk v1 #35) It was said that the reasoning and intelligence of the Hulk varied with it depending largely on a number of factors at the time of transformation. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #10)

According to Jennifer Walters, people always underestimated her cousin due to his Hulk side and that if people got to know Bruce himself then they would find a good friend. (Fall of the Hulks: The Savage She-Hulks v1 #2) At one point, Banner sought to rebuild his reputation and name as a scientist by creating devices for the betterment of mankind. In his words, "Hulk Breaks, Banner Builds" with him looking to forget curing the Hulk and instead being a scientist in those times he was human. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #4)

It was said that the more Bruce Banner trusted and liked a person than the more influence he had over the Hulk. (Indestructible Hulk v1 #9)

Powers and abilities

Banner was said to possibly the fourth smartest person on the planet. (Dark Reign: The List - Hulk v1 #1)

Exposure to Gamma Radiation from the Gamma Bomb's radiation led to Banner being able to transform into the powerful monstrous Hulk. (Incredible Hulk v1 #1)

The Hulk was identified as being among the ranks of Omega-class entities. (Amazing Spider-Man v1 #600)

Cosmic Rays were said to be the pure concentrated anti-gamma and acted as pure poison on his body. (Immortal Hulk v1 #44)

With his advanced intellect, Bruce was noted to had created a number of advanced pieces of equipment and technology referred to as Bannertech with these including:

• Orion Missile : (Tales to Astonish v1 #81)
• Absorbatron : (Tales to Astonish v1 #86)
• Recordasphere : inspired from Bereet's Star-Eye, this floating spherical machine was designed to observe and record Banner's daily research as a form of mobile journal that was programmed with an intelligence. (Incredible Hulk v1 #286)
• Banner B.O.X. : the Banner Brain Omnicompetence Examiner was a small hand-held controller-like device that offered a series of mental tests to determine the intelligence quotient of the user. (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur v1 #13)
• Flyspy : a small surveillance device that was deployed in large numbers and got track DNA signatures of a target. (Incredible Hulk v1 #607)
• Gammascope : a device able to seek out unseen gamma energies and remove the harmful radiation. (Incredible Hulk v1 #294)
• Gammon : an artificial intelligence based on Doc Green that looked to accomplish his goals. (Hulk v3 #9) It was based on Doc Green's intelligence and built originally to be a failsafe to prevent Bruce Banner from taking control. However, the A.I. came to operate independently from its creator and later went rogue with it inhabiting an L.M.D. body. (Hulk v3 #11)
• Hercollider Synchrotron : a large computer that acted as an artificial Hypermind capable of scanning the entire Multiverse at high speeds through quantum observation of realities. (Heroic Age: Prince of Power v1 #1)
• Gamma Bomb : a powerful weapon that harnessed the use of gamma rays. (Incredible Hulk v1 #1)

He was known to make use of Bannertech personal shielding that protected Bruce Banner from physical strikes. (Hulk v2 #20) Another feature he used as a Gamma Dome that was a protective barrier that also shorted out all non-Bannertech within range. (Incredible Hulk v1 #606) For transport, he was noted for using a Bannertech teleporter moved him and others from one location to another. (Incredible Hulk v1 #607)

Banner maintained Strength-Metrics Analysis Subordinate to Hulk (S.M.A.S.H.) Files where he kept profiles on the Hulk's allies that were on a similar power level as him. (Incredible Hulks v1 #620)

Notes

• The Hulk was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in the Incredible Hulk v1 #1 (May, 1962).
• In Hulk v3 #16 (2015), the implication was that the Doc Green personality would eventually morph into the Maestro.

Alternate Versions

• In Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect v1 (1992), an alternate version of the Hulk known as the Marvel operated in an alternate reality designated as Earth-9200.
• In Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size v1 #1 (2009), an alternate version of the character was shown who took the name of Pappy Banner that was native to the world of Earth-807128 of Old Man Logan.

In other media

Television

• In The Marvel Super-Heroes, the Hulk appeared in the 'Incredible Hulk' segments of the 1966 animated motion comic where actor Max Ferguson voiced the Hulk and actor Paul Soles voicing Bruce Banner.
• In The Incredible Hulk, the Hulk appeared in the 1980s animated television series where Bruce Banner was voiced by actor Michael Bell whilst Hulk was voiced by actor Bob Holt.
• In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, the Hulk appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Spidey Goes Hollywood" where he was voiced by actor Peter Cullen.
• In X-Men, the Hulk made a cameo appearance in the 1990s animated television series in the episode "The Juggernaut Returns". A robot version was present in the Danger Room that was used in training scenarios and was used to delay the Juggernaut though was easily destroyed by the villain.
• In Wolverine and the X-Men, the Hulk appeared in the animated television series where Bruce Banner was voiced by actor Gabriel Mann and the Hulk voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Hulk appeared in the animated television series where Bruce Banner was voiced by actor Gabriel Mann and the Hulk voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In Avengers Assemble, the Hulk appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., the Hulk appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.

Films

• In Hulk, Bruce Banner appeared in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Eric Bana.
• In Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, Hulk appeared in the animated film where Bruce Banner was voiced by actor Ken Kramer and Hulk voiced again by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Hulk made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting:
  • In The Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner appeared in the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Edward Norton.
  • In The Avengers, Bruce Banner appeared in the 2002 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Mark Ruffalo.
  • In Thor: Ragnarok, the Hulk appeared in the live-action film where he was portrayed again by actor Mark Ruffalo.
  • In Avengers: Infinity War, the Hulk appeared in the live-action film where he was portrayed again by actor Mark Ruffalo.
  • In Avengers: Endgame, the Hulk appeared in the live-action film where he was portrayed once more by actor Mark Ruffalo.

Video games

• In The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, the Hulk featured in the setting of the video game where he was primarily voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore with Neal McDonough voicing Bruce Banner.
• In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, the Hulk appeared as a playable character in the video game where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Hulk appeared as a playable character in the Facebook video game.
• In Marvel Heroes, Hulk appeared as a playable character in the MMORPG where he was voiced again by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In Marvel: Contest of Champions, Hulk appeared as a playable character in the mobile video game.
• In Marvel: Future Fight, the Hulk appeared as a playable character in the mobile video game.
• In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: the Black Order, the Hulk appeared as a playable character in the setting of the Switch video game where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In Avengers, the Hulk appeared as a playable character in the setting of the 2020 video game where Bruce Banner was voiced by actor Troy Baker whilst the Hulk was voiced by actor Darin De Paul.

Other

• In X-Men and the Avengers: Gamma Quest, the Hulk appeared in the setting of the non-canon novel.

Appearances

• Incredible Hulk v1: (1962)
• Avengers v1:
• Defenders v1:
• Hulk v1:
• Planet Hulk v1:
• World War Hulk v1:
• Hulk v2:
• Incredible Hulks v1:
• Dark Reign: The List - Hulk v1:
• Incredible Hulk v3:
• Avengers & X-Men: AXIS v1:
• Indestructible Hulk v1:
• Secret Avengers v2:
• Avengers:
• Hulk v3:
• Totally Awesome Hulk v1:
• Civil War II v1:
• Uncanny Avengers v3:
• Avengers: No Surrender v1:
• Immortal Hulk v1:
• Hulk: The Best Defense v1:
• Avengers: No Road Home v1:
• Fantastic Four v6:
• Incoming v1:
• Immortal Hulk: Flatline v1: (2021)

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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