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{{Short description|Marvel Comics Character}}
{{Redirect-multi|3|Bruce Banner|The Hulk|The Incredible Hulk|the Marvel Cinematic Universe character|Bruce Banner (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|other uses|Hulk (disambiguation)|and|The Incredible Hulk (disambiguation)}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox comics character<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| character_name = Bruce Banner<br />{{small|Hulk}}
| image          = Hulk (circa 2019).png
| caption        = Cover art for the comic book issue ''[[The Immortal Hulk (comic book)|The Immortal Hulk]]'' #20 (July 2019)<br>Art by [[Dale Keown]] and [[Peter Steigerwald]]
| converted      = y
| publisher      = [[Marvel Comics]]
| debut          = ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' #1 (May 1962)
| creators       = [[Stan Lee]]<br>[[Jack Kirby]]
| full name      = {{ubl|Robert Bruce Banner<ref name=CBR>{{cite web|url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2005/11/03/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-23/|title= Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #23|first= Brian|last= Cronin|date= November 3, 2005|website = [[Comic Book Resources]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150427015712/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2005/11/03/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-23|archive-date= April 27, 2015|url-status= dead|quote= [Stan] Lee began referring (for more than a couple of months) to the Incredible Hulk's [[Alter ego]] as 'Bob Banner' rather than the 'Bruce Banner' that he was originally named. Responding to criticism of the goof, Stan Lee, in issue #28 of the ''Fantastic Four'', laid out how he was going to handle the situation, 'There's only one thing to do-we're not going to take the cowardly way out. From now on his name is Robert Bruce Banner-so we can't go wrong no matter WHAT we call him!'}}</ref>}}
| species= Human mutate{{efn|name=mutate|In Marvel comics, the term "mutate" is used as a noun to designate characters that received superpowers from an external source, as opposed to Marvel's [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutants]].}}
| alliances      = [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]<br>[[Defenders (comics)|Defenders]]<br>[[Horsemen of Apocalypse]]<br>[[Fantastic Four]]<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Walt Simonson|Simonson, Walt]]|penciller= [[Arthur Adams (comics)|Adams, Arthur]]|inker= [[Art Thibert|Thibert, Art]]|story= Big Trouble on Little Earth!|title= Fantastic Four|issue= 347|date= December 1990}}</ref><br>[[Pantheon (Marvel Comics)|Pantheon]]<br>[[Warbound]]<br>[[Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.|S.M.A.S.H.]]<br>[[Secret Avengers]]
| partners       = [[She-Hulk]]
| aliases        = The Incredible Hulk, Joe Fixit, World-Breaker, [[Devil Hulk]], Jade Giant, Jade Jaws,<ref>''World War Hulk: Gamma Files'' #1</ref> Doc Green, [[Guilt Hulk|Guilt Hulk/Guilt]], [[Horsemen of Apocalypse|War]]

|powers         = {{collapsible list
 | titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;
 |title = ''See list''
 |{{small|'''As Bruce Banner:'''}}
*[[Genius]] level intellect
*Proficient scientist and engineer
{{small|'''As Hulk:'''}}
*[[Superhuman strength|Enormous superhuman strength]], [[Speedster (fiction)|speed]], stamina, [[agility]], reflexes, senses, durability, endurance, and longevity
*Invulnerability
*Anger empowerment
*[[Regeneration (biology)|Regeneration]]
*Super jumps
*Shockwave generation
*Energy absorption
*[[Gamma ray]] emission and manipulation
*Ability to breathe underwater, breathe in space and see ghosts and other astral entities
}}
| cat     = super
| subcat  = Marvel Comics
| sortkey = Hulk (comics)
}}

The '''Hulk''' is a [[superhero]] appearing in [[American comic books]] published by [[Marvel Comics]]. Created by writer [[Stan Lee]] and artist [[Jack Kirby]], the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' (May 1962). In his comic book appearances, the character, who has [[dissociative identity disorder]] (DID), is primarily represented by the [[alter ego]] Hulk, an immense, green-skinned, hulking brute, possessing a limitless degree of physical strength, and the alter ego '''Dr. Robert Bruce Banner''', a physically weak, socially withdrawn, and emotionally reserved physicist, both of whom typically resent each other.

Following his accidental exposure to [[gamma ray]]s while saving the life of [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]] during the detonation of an experimental bomb, Banner is physically transformed into the Hulk when subjected to emotional stress, at or against his will. This transformation often leads to destructive rampages and conflicts that complicate Banner's civilian life. The Hulk's level of strength is usually conveyed proportionate to his anger level. Commonly portrayed as a raging savage, the Hulk has been represented with other alter egos, from a mindless, destructive force ('''[[Horsemen of Apocalypse#Hulk|War]]''') to a brilliant warrior ('''World-Breaker'''), a [[Self-hatred|self-hating]] protector (the '''[[Devil Hulk]]'''), a genius scientist in his own right ('''Doc Green'''), and a [[gangster]] ('''Joe Fixit''').

Despite Hulk and Banner's desire for solitude, the character has a large supporting cast. This includes Banner's love interest [[Betty Ross]], his best friend, [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]], his cousin [[She-Hulk]], and therapist and ally [[Doc Samson]]. In addition, the Hulk alter ego has many key supporting characters, like his co-founders of the superhero team the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]], his queen [[Caiera]], fellow warriors [[Korg (character)|Korg]] and [[Miek]], and sons [[Skaar (character)|Skaar]] and [[Hiro-Kala]]. However, his uncontrollable power has brought him into conflict with his fellow heroes and others. Despite this, he tries his best to do what's right while battling villains such as the [[Leader (character)|Leader]], the [[Abomination (character)|Abomination]], the [[Absorbing Man]], and more.

Lee stated that the Hulk's creation was inspired by a combination of ''[[Frankenstein's monster|Frankenstein]]'' and ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (character)|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]''.<ref name="HulkTIG">{{Cite book | last=DeFalco | first=Tom | title=The Hulk: The Incredible Guide | publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] | date=2003 | location=London, United Kingdom | page=200 | isbn=978-0-7894-9260-9 | url=https://archive.org/details/hulkincrediblegu0000defa | url-access=registration }}</ref> Although the Hulk's coloration has varied throughout the character's publication history, the usual color is green.

One of the most iconic characters in popular culture,<ref name="HulkIconic"/><ref name="HulkIconic2"/> the character has appeared on a variety of merchandise, such as clothing and collectable items, inspired real-world structures (such as theme park attractions), and been referenced in several media. Banner and the Hulk have been adapted into live-action, animated, and video game incarnations.

The character was first played in live-action by [[Bill Bixby]] and [[Lou Ferrigno]] in the 1978 television series ''[[The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' and its subsequent television films ''[[The Incredible Hulk Returns]]'' (1988), ''[[The Trial of the Incredible Hulk]]'' (1989), and ''[[The Death of the Incredible Hulk]]'' (1990). In the 2003 film ''[[Hulk (film)|Hulk]]'', the character was played by [[Eric Bana]]. In the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] (MCU), [[Bruce Banner (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|the character]] was first portrayed by [[Edward Norton]] in the film ''[[The Incredible Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' (2008) and then by [[Mark Ruffalo]] in later appearances in the franchise.

==Publication history==
{{Further|List of Hulk titles}}

===Concept and creation===
The Hulk first appeared in ''The Incredible Hulk'' #1 ([[cover date]]d May 1962), written by writer-editor Stan Lee, [[penciller|penciled]] and co-plotted by Jack Kirby,<ref>{{cite book|last = DeFalco|first = Tom|author-link = Tom DeFalco|editor1-last= Gilbert|editor1-first= Laura |chapter= 1960s|title = Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|date= 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 85|isbn =978-0756641238|quote= Based on their collaboration on ''The Fantastic Four'', [Stan] Lee worked with Jack Kirby. Instead of a team that fought traditional Marvel monsters, however, Lee decided that this time he wanted to feature a monster as the hero.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120509-radiation-rage|title=Hulk makes a monster out of gamma rays|publisher=BBC|first= Quentin|last= Cooper|date=May 11, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161013022820/http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120509-radiation-rage|archive-date= October 13, 2016|url-status= live|access-date=September 22, 2016}}</ref> and [[inker|inked]] by [[Paul Reinman]]. Lee cites influence from ''[[Frankenstein]]''<ref name="OyVey"/> and ''[[Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'' in the Hulk's creation:

{{blockquote|It was patently apparent that [the monstrous character the] [[Thing (comics)|Thing]] was the most popular character in [Marvel's recently created superhero team the] [[Fantastic Four]]. ... For a long time, I'd been aware of the fact that people were more likely to favor someone who was less than perfect. ... It's a safe bet that you remember [[Quasimodo]], but how easily can you name any of the heroic, handsomer, more glamorous characters in ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]''? And then there's Frankenstein ... I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Frankenstein monster. No one could ever convince me that he was the bad guy. ... He never wanted to hurt anyone; he merely groped his torturous way through a second life trying to defend himself, trying to come to terms with those who sought to destroy him. ... I decided I might as well borrow from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well—our protagonist would constantly change from his normal identity to his superhuman alter ego and back again.<ref>{{cite book | author-link=Stan Lee | last=Lee | first = Stan | title = [[Origins of Marvel Comics]]| publisher = [[Simon & Schuster]]/[[Marvel Fireside Books]]|date= 1974|location= New York, New York|page= 75|isbn= 978-0-671-21863-8}}</ref>}}

[[File:Hulk-logo.svg|thumb|367x367px|[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|Hulk]] comic logo]]
Kirby also stated the Frankenstein inspiration stating, "I did a story called "The Hulk"– a small feature, and it was quite different from the Hulk that we know. But I felt that the Hulk had possibilities, and I took this little character from the small feature and I transformed it into the Hulk that we know today.
Of course, I was experimenting with it. I thought the Hulk might be a good-looking Frankenstein. I felt there's a Frankenstein in all of us; I’ve seen it demonstrated. And I felt that the Hulk had the element of truth in it, and anything to me with the element of truth is valid and the reader relates to that. And if you dramatize it, the reader will enjoy it."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/effect/2012/08/06/19867-kirby-interview/ | title=1986/7 Jack Kirby Interview | date=August 6, 2012 }}</ref> Kirby also commented upon his influences in drawing the character, and recalled the inspiration of witnessing the [[hysterical strength]] of a mother lifting a car off her trapped child.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,999977,00.html |last=Hill |first=Dave |title=Green with anger |date=July 17, 2003 |location=London, United Kingdom |work=[[The Guardian]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505014926/http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,999977,00.html |archive-date=May 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all |quote=one of the Hulk comic books' artists, Jack Kirby, has said he was inspired by seeing a woman rescue her child from beneath a trapped car.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcj.com/jack-kirby-interview/6/ |title=Jack Kirby Interview - Part 6 |work=The Comics Journal |first=Gary |last=Groth |date=23 May 2011 |quote=KIRBY: The Hulk I created when I saw a woman lift a car. Her baby was caught under the running board of this car. The little child was playing in the gutter and he was crawling from the gutter onto the sidewalk under the running board of this car — he was playing in the gutter. His mother was horrified. She looked from the rear window of the car, and this woman in desperation lifted the rear end of the car.}} From The Comics Journal #134 (February 1990)</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-incredible-hulk-was-inspired-by-a-woman-saving-her-1727562968 |work=Gizmodo |first=Andrew |last=Lipstak |title=The Incredible Hulk Was Inspired By A Woman Saving Her Baby |date=30 August 2015 |quote=Jack Kirby witnessed a woman lift a car to get her child out from under it. The moment helped inspire one of his most famous creations: the Incredible Hulk.}}</ref>

Lee has also compared Hulk to the [[Golem]] of Jewish mythology.<ref name="OyVey"/> In ''The Science of Superheroes'', Gresh and Weinberg see the Hulk as a reaction to the Cold War<ref name=GreshWeinberg>{{Cite book|last=Gresh|first=Lois|author2=Robert Weinberg|title=The Science of Superheroes|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]]|date=September 29, 2003| location= Hoboken, New Jersey|isbn=978-0-471-46882-0}}{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}<!-- page=200 | page=27 Again, which is it?? --></ref> and the threat of nuclear attack, an interpretation shared by Weinstein in ''[[Up, Up and Oy Vey]]''.<ref name="OyVey"/> This interpretation corresponds with other popularized fictional media created during this time period, which took advantage of the prevailing sense among Americans that nuclear power could produce monsters and mutants.<ref name="Poole">Poole, W. Scott. ''Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting.'' Waco, Texas: Baylor University Press, 2011. {{ISBN|978-1-60258-314-6}}.</ref>

In the debut, Lee chose grey for the Hulk because he wanted a color that did not suggest any particular ethnic group.<ref name="CBG">''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]'' #1617 (June 2006)</ref> Colorist [[Stan Goldberg]], however, had problems with the grey coloring, resulting in different shades of grey, and even green, in the issue. After seeing the first published issue, Lee chose to change the skin color to green.<ref>{{cite journal|last= Murray|first= Will|author-link= Will Murray|title= The Historic Hulk|journal= [[Starlog]]|issue= 312|page= 73|date= July 2003|url= https://archive.org/stream/starlog_magazine-312JPG/312#page/n72/mode/1up}}</ref> Green was used in retellings of the origin, with even reprints of the original story being recolored for the next two decades, until ''The Incredible Hulk'' vol. 2, #302 (December 1984) reintroduced the grey Hulk in flashbacks set close to the origin story. An exception is the early trade paperback, ''[[Origins of Marvel Comics]]'', from 1974, which explains the difficulties in keeping the grey color consistent in a Stan Lee-written prologue, and reprints the origin story keeping the grey coloration. Since December 1984, reprints of the first issue have displayed the original grey coloring, with the fictional canon specifying that the Hulk's skin had initially been grey.

Lee gave the Hulk's alter ego the alliterative name "Bruce Banner" because he found he had less difficulty remembering alliterative names. Despite this, in later stories he misremembered the character's name and referred to him as "'''Bob Banner'''", an error which readers quickly picked up on.<ref>{{cite news | last = Boatz | first = Darrel L. | date = December 1988 | title = Stan Lee | work = [[Comics Interview]] | issue = 64 | page = 15 | publisher = [[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref> The discrepancy was resolved by giving the character the official full name "'''Robert Bruce Banner'''."<ref name=CBR/>

The Hulk got his name from a comic book character named [[Heap (comics)|The Heap]] who was a large green swamp monster.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/14-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-hulk/|title=14 Things You Didn't Know About the Hulk|date=2016-06-03|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-15}}</ref>

===Series history===
The Hulk's original series was canceled with issue #6 (March 1963). Lee had written each story, with Kirby penciling the first five issues and [[Steve Ditko]] penciling and inking the sixth. The character immediately guest-starred in ''[[Fantastic Four|The Fantastic Four]]'' #12<!-- "The" part of cover logo through issue #15 --> (March 1963), and months later became a founding member of the superhero team the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]], appearing in the first two issues of the team's eponymous series (Sept. and Nov. 1963), and returning as an antagonist in issue #3 and as an ally in #5 (Jan.–May 1964). He then guest-starred in ''Fantastic Four'' #25–26 (April–May 1964), which revealed Banner's full name as Robert Bruce Banner, and ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #14 (July 1964).<ref>{{cite book|last = Manning|first = Matthew K.|editor-last= Gilbert|editor-first= Laura|chapter= 1960s|title = Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|date = 2012|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 26|isbn = 978-0756692360|quote= Another important character entered Spider-Man's life in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #14. Hiding in the same cavern that Spider-Man entered during his fight with the Enforcers and the [Green] Goblin, Totally paranoic now, the Hulk attacked the web-slinger.}}</ref>

[[File:The Incredible Hulk 1 (May 1962).jpg|thumb|left|''The Incredible Hulk'' #1 (May 1962). Cover art by [[Jack Kirby]] and [[Paul Reinman]].]]
Around this time, co-creator Kirby received a letter from a college dormitory stating the Hulk had been chosen as its official mascot.<ref name="OyVey"/> Kirby and Lee realized their character had found an audience in college-age readers.

A year and a half after ''The Incredible Hulk'' was canceled, the Hulk became one of two features in ''[[Tales to Astonish]]'', beginning in issue #60 (Oct. 1964).<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 102: "''Tales to Astonish'' #60 ... introduced a new series&nbsp;– The Incredible Hulk&nbsp;– starring the famous character."</ref>

This new Hulk feature was initially scripted by Lee, with pencils by [[Steve Ditko]] and inks by [[George Roussos]]. Other artists later in this run included [[Jack Kirby]] (#68–87, June 1965&nbsp;– Oct. 1966); [[Gil Kane]] (credited as "Scott Edwards", #76, (Feb. 1966)); [[Bill Everett]] (#78–84, April–Oct. 1966); [[John Buscema]] (#85–87); and [[Marie Severin]]. The ''Tales to Astonish'' run introduced the super-villains the [[Leader (character)|Leader]],<ref name="HulkTIG"/> who would become the Hulk's nemesis, and the [[Abomination (character)|Abomination]], another gamma-irradiated being.<ref name="HulkTIG"/> [[Marie Severin]] finished out the Hulk's run in ''Tales to Astonish''. Beginning with issue #102 (April 1968) the book was retitled ''The Incredible Hulk'' vol. 2,<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 128: "Hailing 1968 as the beginning of the 'Second Age of Marvel Comics,' and with more titles to play with, editor Stan Lee discarded his split books and gave more characters their own titles ... ''Tales to Astonish'' #101 [was followed] by ''The Incredible Hulk'' #102."</ref> and ran until 1999, when Marvel canceled the series and launched ''Hulk'' #1. Marvel filed for a [[trademark]] for "The Incredible Hulk" in 1967, and the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]] issued the registration in 1970.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://trademark.markify.com/trademarks/uspto/the+incredible+hulk/72277675|title= The Incredible Hulk|publisher= Markify|access-date= January 6, 2016}}</ref>

[[Len Wein]] wrote the series from 1974 through 1978, working first with [[Herb Trimpe]], then, as of issue #194 (December 1975), with [[Sal Buscema]], who was the regular artist for ten years.<ref>{{cite book|last = Amash|first = Jim|title = Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist|publisher = [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date= 2010|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|page = 17|isbn = 978-1605490212}}</ref> Issues #180–181 (Oct.–Nov. 1974) introduced [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] as an antagonist,<ref>[[Peter Sanderson|Sanderson, Peter]] "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 167: "Len Wein wrote and Herb Trimpe drew Wolverine's cameo appearance in ''The Incredible Hulk'' #180 and his premiere in issue #181."</ref> who would go on to become one of Marvel Comics' most popular characters. In 1977, Marvel launched a second title, ''[[The Rampaging Hulk]]'', a black-and-white comics magazine.<ref name="HulkTIG"/> This was originally conceived as a flashback series, set between the end of his original, short-lived solo title and the beginning of his feature in ''Tales to Astonish''.<ref>Sanderson, "1970s", in Gilbert (2008), p. 178: "This black-and-white magazine starred the Hulk in adventures set in Europe shortly after his original six-issue series."</ref> After nine issues, the magazine was retitled ''The Hulk!'' and printed in color.<ref>Sanderson, "1970s", in Gilbert (2008), p. 186: "To appeal to the audience of the popular new ''Incredible Hulk'' TV series, Marvel revamped ''The Rampaging Hulk'' magazine, calling it ''The Hulk!''."</ref>

In 1977, two Hulk [[television film]]s were aired to strong ratings, leading to an [[The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series)|''Incredible Hulk'' TV series]] that aired from 1978 to 1982. A huge ratings success, the series introduced the popular Hulk [[catchphrase]] "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry", and broadened the character's popularity from a niche comic book readership into the mainstream consciousness.<ref>{{cite journal|last= Greenberg|first= Glenn|author-link= Glenn Greenberg |date= February 2014|title = The Televised Hulk|journal= [[Back Issue!]]|issue= 70|pages= 19–26}}</ref>

[[Bill Mantlo]] became the series' writer for five years beginning with issue #245 (March 1980). Mantlo's "Crossroads of Eternity" stories (#300–313 (Oct. 1984&nbsp;– Nov. 1985)) explored the idea that Banner had suffered [[child abuse]]. Later Hulk writers [[Peter David]] and [[Greg Pak]] have called these stories an influence on their approaches to the character.<ref>{{cite news | last = O'Neill | first = Patrick Daniel | date = February 1992 | title = Peter David | work = [[Comics Interview]] | issue = 105 | page = 22 | publisher = [[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| last=Taylor | first=Robert | title=Greg Goes Wild on Planet Pak | work=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] | publisher=Wizard Entertainment Group | date=August 3, 2006 | url = http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/001199809.cfm | access-date=November 15, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070402044123/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/001199809.cfm |archive-date = April 2, 2007}}</ref> Mantlo left the series for ''[[Alpha Flight (comic book)|Alpha Flight]]'' and that series' writer [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]] took over ''The Incredible Hulk''.<ref>{{cite web| last=Serwin | first=Andy | title=The Wizard Retrospective: Mike Mignola | work= Wizard| publisher=Wizard Entertainment Group | date=July 23, 2007 | url=http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/005255245.cfm | access-date=November 13, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080120105210/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/005255245.cfm |archive-date = January 20, 2008}}</ref> The final issue of Byrne's six issue run featured the wedding of Bruce Banner and [[Betty Ross]].<ref name="DeFalcos">DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 227: "Dr. Bruce Banner first met Betty Ross in ''The Incredible Hulk'' #1 (May 1962) and finally married her in issue #319 by John Byrne."</ref> Writer Peter David began a 12-year run with issue #331 (May 1987). He returned to the [[Roger Stern]] and Mantlo abuse storylines, expanding the damage caused, and depicting Banner as suffering [[Dissociative identity disorder|dissociative identity disorder (DID)]].<ref name="HulkTIG"/>

In 1998, David killed off Banner's long-time love Betty Ross. Marvel executives used Ross' death as an opportunity to pursue the return of the Savage Hulk. David disagreed, leading to his parting ways with Marvel.<ref>{{Cite news| last=Radford | first=Bill | page=L4 | date=February 21, 1999|location= Colorado Springs, Colorado|work=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]] | title=Marvel's not-so-jolly green giant gets a fresh start and a new team}}</ref> Also in 1998, Marvel relaunched ''The Rampaging Hulk'' as a standard comic book rather than as a comics magazine.<ref name="HulkTIG"/> ''The Incredible Hulk'' was again cancelled with issue #474 of its second volume in March 1999 and was replaced with a new series, ''Hulk'' the following month, with returning writer Byrne and art by [[Ron Garney]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/hulk5.htm#S2499|title=The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators|website=www.maelmill-insi.de}}</ref><ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 294: "Bruce Banner took to the road in an attempt to escape his past in this new series by writer John Byrne and artist Ron Garney."</ref> New series writer [[Paul Jenkins (writer)|Paul Jenkins]] developed the Hulk's multiple dissociative identities,<ref name="HV3:13">{{cite comic| writer= [[Paul Jenkins (writer)|Jenkins, Paul]]|penciller= [[Ron Garney|Garney, Ron]]|inker= [[Sal Buscema|Buscema, Sal]]|story= Snake Eyes, Part 2|title= [[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]|volume= 3|issue= 13|date= April 2000}}</ref> and his run was followed by [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]]<ref>Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 310: "Creating a lengthy run to rival J. Michael Straczynski over on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and Brian Michael Bendis on ''Daredevil'', writer Bruce Jones reinvented the green goliath with a modern, cinematic approach."</ref> with his run featuring Banner being pursued by a secret conspiracy and aided by the mysterious Mr. Blue. Jones appended his 43-issue ''Incredible Hulk'' run with the [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] ''Hulk/Thing: Hard Knocks'' #1–4 (Nov. 2004&nbsp;– Feb. 2005), which Marvel published after putting the ongoing series on hiatus. Peter David, who had initially signed a contract for the six-issue ''Tempest Fugit'' limited series, returned as writer when it was decided to make that story the first five parts of the revived (vol. 3).<ref>{{cite web| url=http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/2004_09.html | title=Slight change of plan with ''Hulk'' | date=September 30, 2004 | publisher=PeterDavid.net | access-date=November 5, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071025033916/http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/2004_09.html |archive-date = October 25, 2007}}</ref> After a four-part tie-in to the "[[House of M]]" storyline and a one-issue [[epilogue]], David left the series once more, citing the need to do non-Hulk work for the sake of his career.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.comicboards.com/hulk/view.php?trd=050718024904 | title=My leaving ''Hulk'' | last=David | first=Peter | date=July 18, 2005 | publisher=The Incredible Hulk Message Board|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060307145556/http://www.comicboards.com/hulk/view.php?trd=050718024904|archive-date= March 7, 2006|url-status= dead| access-date=August 28, 2005}}</ref>

Writer [[Greg Pak]] took over the series in 2006, leading the Hulk through several crossover storylines including "[[Planet Hulk]]" and "[[World War Hulk]]", which left the Hulk temporarily incapacitated and replaced as the series' title character by the demigod [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]] in the retitled ''[[The Incredible Hercules]]'' (Feb. 2008). The Hulk returned periodically in ''Hulk'', which then starred the new [[Thunderbolt Ross#Red Hulk|Red Hulk]].<ref name=uhmcci_incredible600 /> In September 2009, ''The Incredible Hulk'' was relaunched as ''The Incredible Hulk'' (vol. 2) #600.<ref name=uhmcci_incredible600>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/hulk15.htm#S2281|title=The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators|website=www.maelmill-insi.de}}</ref> The series was retitled ''The Incredible Hulks'' with issue #612 (Nov. 2010) to encompass the Hulk's expanded family, and ran until issue #635 (Oct. 2011) when it was replaced with ''The Incredible Hulk'' (vol. 3) (15 issues, Dec. 2011&nbsp;– Dec. 2012) written by [[Jason Aaron]] with art by [[Marc Silvestri]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/hulk24.htm#S6171|title=The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators|website=www.maelmill-insi.de}}</ref> As part of Marvel's 2012 [[Marvel NOW!]] relaunch, a series called ''[[Indestructible Hulk]]'' (Nov. 2012) debuted under the creative team of [[Mark Waid]] and [[Leinil Yu]].<ref name="Hulk">{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/news/story/19195/marvel_now_qa_indestructible_hulk |title=Marvel NOW! Q&A: Indestructible Hulk |last=Hoffman |first=Carla |date=August 8, 2012 |publisher=Marvel Comics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218135712/http://marvel.com/news/story/19195/marvel_now_qa_indestructible_hulk |archive-date=December 18, 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=November 10, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This series was replaced in 2014 with ''The Hulk'' by Waid and artist [[Mark Bagley]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.newsarama.com/19971-mark-waid-talks-2014-hulk-relaunch-who-shot-bruce-banner.html|title= Mark Waid Talks 2014 ''Hulk'' Relaunch, Who Shot Bruce Banner?|first= Chris|last= Arrant|date= January 7, 2014|work= Newsarama|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140429123956/http://www.newsarama.com/19971-mark-waid-talks-2014-hulk-relaunch-who-shot-bruce-banner.html|archive-date= April 29, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref>

A new series titled ''[[The Immortal Hulk (comic book)|The Immortal Hulk]]'', written by [[Al Ewing]] and drawn by [[Joe Bennett (artist)|Joe Bennett]], was launched in 2018 and ran for 50 issues. The series had a spin-off one-shot ''Immortal She-Hulk''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/immortal-she-hulk-empyre-one-shot/|title=Immortal She-Hulk Smashes the Marvel Universe in September |first=Collier |last=Jennings |date=June 16, 2020 |work=CBR |access-date=April 15, 2021 }}</ref> and a spin-off series about [[Gamma Flight]] in June 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/immortal-hulk-spinoff-gamma-flight/|title=Gamma Flight: Marvel Announces Immortal Hulk Spinoff Series |first=Collier |last=Jennings |date=March 16, 2021 |work=CBR |access-date=April 15, 2021 }}</ref>

In November 2021, [[Donny Cates]] became the new writer of ''Hulk'', with [[Ryan Ottley]] joining as artist. In May 2022, the series did a crossover with the ''Thor'' series, also written by Cates, entitled ''Hulk vs Thor: Banner of War''. The series ran for 14 issues, with Ottley taking over as writer for the last 4 issues afters Cates left the book.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley Seek Out the Final Answer to the Hulk's Uncontrollable Rage in a New Series |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/hulk-2021-new-comic-series-by-donny-cates-and-ryan-ottley |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=Marvel Entertainment |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=First Look at 'Hulk Vs Thor: Banner Of War' Covers in May |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/hulk-vs-thor-banner-of-war-crossover-by-donny-cates-and-martin-coccolo-covers-in-may |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=Marvel Entertainment |language=en}}</ref>

In March 2023, it was announced that a new volume of ''The Incredible Hulk'' would launch in June 2023, written by [[Phillip Kennedy Johnson]] and drawn by Nic Klein.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bruce Banner Takes on Marvel's Most Gruesome Monsters in Chilling New 'Hulk' Run by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/incredible-hulk-phillip-kennedy-johnson-nic-klein-bruce-banner-monsters |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Marvel Entertainment}}</ref>

==Characterization==
===Fictional character biography===
[[File:Hulk (Marvel Comics character).png|thumb|upright|Hulk, as he appeared on a pin-up from the comic book issue ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #1 (July 1963). Art by the character's co-creator Jack Kirby.]]
Robert Bruce Banner's psyche was profoundly affected by his troubled childhood, in which his father, [[Brian Banner]], regarded him as a monster due to his seemingly unnatural intellect from a young age.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Mantlo, Bill |penciller=Mignola, Mike |inker=Talaoc, Gerry |story=Monster |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=2 |issue=312 |date=October 1985}}</ref> These experiences caused Bruce to develop a [[dissociative identity disorder]] and repress his negative emotions as a coping mechanism. After Brian killed Bruce's mother in a fit of rage,<ref name="Hulk377">{{cite comic |writer=David, Peter |penciller=Keown, Dale |inker=McLeod, Bob |story=Honey, I Shrunk the Hulk |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=2 |issue=377 |date=January 1991}}</ref> Bruce lived with several relatives up until his high school years, when his intelligence caught the attention of the [[United States Army]].<ref>{{cite comic |writer=David, Peter |penciller=[[Lee Weeks|Weeks, Lee]] |inker=[[Tom Palmer (comics)|Palmer, Tom]] |story=Tempest Fugit Conclusion |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=3 |issue=81 |date=July 2005}}</ref> Banner was recruited to develop nuclear weapons under the authority of [[Thunderbolt Ross|General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross]], and soon developed a relationship with the General's daughter [[Betty Ross]].<ref name="Hulk1">{{cite comic |writer=[[Stan Lee|Lee, Stan]] |penciller=[[Jack Kirby|Kirby, Jack]] |inker=[[Paul Reinman|Reinman, Paul]] |story=The Hulk |title=The Incredible Hulk |issue=1 |date=May 1962 |page=8}}</ref>

During the experimental detonation of a gamma bomb, Banner saves teenager [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]], who was dared onto the testing field; Banner pushes Jones into a trench to save him, but is hit with the blast, absorbing massive amounts of gamma radiation. He awakens later seemingly unscathed, but he begins transforming into a powerful and destructive creature upon nightfall, which a pursuing soldier describes as a "hulk".<ref name="Hulk1"/> Banner's attempts to cure himself of these transformations alter their conditions, causing Banner to transform as a response to rage or fear.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Lee, Stan |penciller=[[Steve Ditko|Ditko, Steve]] |inker=[[George Roussos|Roussos, George]] |story=The Incredible Hulk |title=[[Tales to Astonish]] |issue=60 |date=October 1964}}</ref> The Hulk is a founding member of the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]],<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Lee, Stan |penciller=Kirby, Jack |inker=Ayers, Dick |story=The Coming of the Avengers! |title=[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]] |issue=1 |date=September 1963}}</ref> but quickly leaves the group due to their distrust of him.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Lee, Stan |penciller=Kirby, Jack |inker=Reinman, Paul |story=The Avengers Battle... the Space Phantom |title=[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]] |issue=2 |date=November 1963}}</ref> Banner maintains the secret of his dual identity with Rick's aid, but Rick reveals his secret following his assumed death to Major [[Glenn Talbot]] who subsequently informed his superiors, forcing Banner to become a fugitive upon returning from the future where he was actually thrown to.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Lee, Stan |penciller=Colan, Gene |inker=Colletta, Vince |story=Bruce Banner is the Hulk! |title=Tales to Astonish |volume=1 |issue=77 |date=March 1966}}</ref>

Psychiatrist [[Doc Samson]] captures the Hulk and manages to physically separate Banner and the Hulk,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Byrne, John|penciller= Byrne, John|inker= Byrne, John; Williams, Keith|story= Freedom!|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 315|date= January 1986}}</ref> allowing Banner to marry Betty.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=[[John Byrne (comics)|Byrne, John]] |penciller=Byrne, John |inker=Byrne, John; [[Keith Williams (comics)|Williams, Keith]] |story=Member of the Wedding |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=2 |issue=319 |date=May 1986}}</ref> However, Banner and the Hulk's molecular structure destabilized and threatened to kill them, requiring Samson to reunite them with the aid of [[Vision (Marvel Comics)|Vision]].<ref>{{cite comic |writer=[[Al Milgrom|Milgrom, Al]] |penciller=Milgrom, Al |inker=Barras, Dell; Bulanadi, Danny |story=Certain Intangibles |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=2 |issue=323 |date=September 1986}}</ref> Samson is later able to merge elements of Banner's fractured psyche to create Professor Hulk, an intelligent but egocentric variation of the Hulk.<ref name="Hulk377"/> Professor Hulk soon becomes a key member of the [[Pantheon (Marvel Comics)|Pantheon]], a secretive organization of superpowered individuals.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=David, Peter |penciller=Keown, Dale |inker=Farmer, Mark |story=Moving On |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=2 |issue=382 |date=June 1991}}</ref><ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 253: "The Hulk first met Agamemnon, the leader of the Pantheon team, in a story written by Peter David with art by Dale Keown."</ref> His tenure with the organization brings him into conflict with a tyrannical alternate future version of himself called the [[Maestro (character)|Maestro]], who rules over a world where many heroes are dead.<ref name="Imperfect">{{cite comic |writer=David, Peter |penciller=Perez, George |inker=Perez, George |story=Future Imperfect, Part 2 |title=Hulk: Future Imperfect |volume=1 |issue=2 |date=January 1993}}</ref> The Professor Hulk construct ultimately proves unstable, and Banner's psyche eventually splinters once more.

In "[[Planet Hulk]]", the [[Illuminati (comics)|Illuminati]] decide the Hulk is too dangerous to remain on Earth and send him away by rocket ship which crashes on Planet Sakaar. The Hulk finds allies in the [[Warbound]] and marries alien queen [[Caiera]], a relationship that bears him two sons: [[Skaar (character)|Skaar]] and [[Hiro-Kala]].<ref>''Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 3 #92-104. Marvel Comics.</ref> After the Illuminati's ship explodes and kills Caiera, the Hulk returns to Earth with his superhero group Warbound and declares war on the planet in "[[World War Hulk]]".<ref>''Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 3 #105. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, after learning that [[Miek]], one of the Warbound, had actually been responsible for the destruction, the Hulk allows himself to be defeated, with Banner subsequently redeeming himself as a hero as he works with and against the new Red Hulk to defeat the new supervillain team the Intelligencia.<ref>''World War Hulk'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Later, the Hulk turns to [[Doctor Doom]] to separate himself and Banner, with Doom surgically extracting the elements of the Hulk's brain uniquely belonging to Banner and inserting them into a clone body.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=[[Jason Aaron|Aaron, Jason]] |penciller=[[Whilce Portacio|Portacio, Whilce]] |inker=Martinez, Allen; Ketcham, Rick; Hanna, Scott |story=Hulk vs. Banner! Chapter Two: There Will Be Doom |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=4 |issue=5 |date=April 2012 |publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> Banner eventually re-combines with the Hulk when his cloned body is destroyed in an attempt to recreate his original transformation.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Aaron, Jason |penciller=[[Dalibor Talajić|Talajić, Dalibor]] |inker=Talajić, Dalibor |story=The Search for the City of Sasquatches |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=4 |issue=11 |date=September 2012 |publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> Following this, Bruce willingly joins the spy organization [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]], allowing them to use the Hulk as a weapon in exchange for providing him with the means and funding to create a lasting legacy for himself.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Mark Waid|Waid, Mark]]|penciller= [[Leinil Francis Yu|Yu, Leinil Francis]]|inker= [[Gerry Alanguilan|Alanguilan, Gerry]]|story= Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.|title= Indestructible Hulk|issue= 1|date= January 2013|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> When Banner is shot in the head by an assassin, Tony Stark saves him with a variant of the [[Extremis]] virus.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Waid, Mark |penciller=[[Mark Bagley|Bagley, Mark]] |inker=Hennessy, Andrew |story=Who Shot the Hulk #4 |title=Hulk |volume=3 |issue=4 |date=August 2014 |publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> This procedure creates a new intelligent persona named Doc Green, who concludes that the world is in danger by Gamma Mutates{{efn|name=mutate}} and thus need to be depowered. He creates a cure and depowers A-Bomb (Rick Jones), Skaar, and Red Hulk. Eventually, Doc Green's intellect fades and his normal Hulk form is restored.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Duggan, Gerry|penciller= Bagley, Mark|inker= Hennessy, Andrew|story= The Omega Hulk Chapter Twelve|title= Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 16|date= July 2015|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref>

When the vision of the Inhuman [[Ulysses (comics)|Ulysses]] shows a rampaging Hulk standing over the corpses of many superheroes,<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Bendis, Brian Michael |artist=Marquez, David |story=How we looking, Friday? |title=Civil War II |issue=2 |date=August 2016 |publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> Banner gives [[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Hawkeye]] special arrows capable of killing him during a transformation, which Hawkeye accomplishes.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=Bendis, Brian Michael |artist=Marquez, David; Coipel, Olivier |story=Mister Murdock, call your first witness |title=Civil War II |issue=3 |date=September 2016 |publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> The Hulk was first revived by the [[The Hand (comics)|Hand]],<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Duggan, Gerry|penciller= Larraz, Pepe|inker= Larraz, Pepe|story= The Rebound|title= Uncanny Avengers|volume= 3|issue= 15|date= December 2016|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> then by Hydra,<ref>''Secret Empire'' #6-7 (2017). Marvel Comics.</ref> and finally by the [[Challenger (comics)|Challenger]] for a contest against the [[Grandmaster (Marvel Comics)|Grandmaster]].<ref>''Avengers'' #679-688. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Personality===
Like other long-lived characters, the Hulk's character and cultural interpretations have changed with time, adding or modifying character traits. The Hulk is typically seen as a immense, green skin hulking brute with larger jaws, exaggerated brows, black hair like Bruce's (but wilder and messy), a lower voice, and intense eyes, wearing only a pair of torn pants that survive his physical transformation as the character progressed. As Bruce Banner, the character is about 5&nbsp;ft 9 in (1.75 m) tall and weighs 128&nbsp;lbs (58.05&nbsp;kg), but when transformed into the Hulk, the character stands between 7 and 8&nbsp;ft (2.13 - 2.43 m) tall and weighs between 1,040 and 1,400&nbsp;lbs (471.73 - 635.02&nbsp;kg). The Gray Hulk stands 6&nbsp;ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall and weighs 900&nbsp;lbs (408.23&nbsp;kg); the Merged Hulk stands 7&nbsp;ft 6 in (2.28 m) tall and weighs 1,150&nbsp;lbs (521.63&nbsp;kg); the Green Scar stands 8&nbsp;ft 8 in (2.64 m) tall and weighs 2,400&nbsp;lbs (1.08 ton).<ref name="BioMarvel"/> The Devil Hulk is roughly the same size as Sasquatch, standing around 9 or 10&nbsp;ft (2.74 / 3.04 m) tall and weighing roughly 2,000&nbsp;lbs (907.18&nbsp;kg). Following his debut, Banner's transformations were triggered at nightfall, turning him into a grey-skinned Hulk. In ''Incredible Hulk'' #2, the Hulk started to appear with green skin,<ref name="NewsAramaPg2"/> and in ''Avengers'' #3 (1963) Banner realized that his transformations were now triggered by surges of adrenaline in response to feelings of fear, pain or anger.<ref name="NewsAramaPg3"/> ''Incredible Hulk'' #227 (1978) established that the Hulk's separate identity was not due to the mutation affecting his brain, but because Banner was suffering from [[dissociative identity disorder]], with the savage Green Hulk representing Banner's repressed childhood rage and aggression,<ref name="NewsAramaPg5"/> and the Grey Hulk representing Banner's repressed selfish desires and urges.<ref name="NewsAramaPg9"/>

====Identities====
=====Bruce Banner=====
During his decades of publication, Banner has been portrayed differently, but common themes persist. Banner, a [[physicist]] who earned his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the [[California Institute of Technology]] (Caltech), is sarcastic and seemingly very self-assured when he first appears in ''Incredible Hulk'' #1, but is also emotionally withdrawn.<ref name="HulkTIG"/> Banner designed the gamma bomb that caused his affliction, and the ironic twist of his self-inflicted fate has been one of the most persistent common themes.<ref name="OyVey">{{Cite book|last= Weinstein|first= Simcha|title= Up, Up, and Oy Vey!|publisher= Leviathan Press| date= 2006|location= Baltimore, Maryland|pages= 82–97|isbn=978-1-881927-32-7}}</ref> Arie Kaplan describes the character thus: "Robert Bruce Banner lives in a constant state of panic, always wary that the monster inside him will erupt, and therefore he cannot form meaningful bonds with anyone."<ref name=Kaplan>{{Cite book|last= Kaplan|first= Arie|title= Masters of the Comic Book Universe Revealed!|publisher= [[Chicago Review Press]]|date= 2006|page= 58|location= Chicago, Illinois|isbn=978-1556526336}}</ref> As a child, Banner's father [[Brian Banner|Brian]] often got mad and physically abused both Banner and his mother, creating the [[complex (psychology)|psychological complex]] of fear, anger, and the fear of anger and the destruction it can cause that underlies the character. Banner has been shown to be emotionally repressed, but capable of deep love for Betty Ross and solving problems posed to him. Under the writing of Paul Jenkins, Banner was shown to be a capable fugitive, applying deductive reasoning and observation to figure out the events transpiring around him. On the occasions that Banner controlled the Hulk's body, he applied principles of physics to problems and challenges and used deductive reasoning. It was shown after his ability to turn into the Hulk was taken away by the red Hulk that Banner has been extremely versatile as well as cunning when dealing with the many situations that followed. When he was briefly separated from the Hulk by Doom, Banner became criminally insane, driven by his desire to regain the power of the Hulk, but once the two recombined he came to accept that he was a better person with the Hulk to provide something for him to focus on controlling rather than allowing his intellect to run without restraint against the world.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Aaron, Jason|penciller= Palo, Jefte|inker= Palo, Jefte|story= Hulk: United Part 1|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 4|issue= 13|date= November 2012|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref>

=====Hulk=====
The traditional Hulk, often called "Savage Hulk", was originally shown as grey and average in intelligence. He roamed aimlessly and became annoyed at "puny" humans who took him for a dangerous monster. Shortly after becoming the Hulk, his transformation continued turning him green, coinciding with him beginning to display primitive speech.<ref name="NewsAramaPg2"/> By ''Incredible Hulk'' #4, radiation treatments gave Banner's mind complete control of the Hulk's body. While Banner relished his indestructibility and power, he was quick to anger and more aggressive in his Hulk form. He became known as a hero alongside the Avengers, but his increasing paranoia caused him to leave the group. He was convinced that he would never be trusted.<ref name="NewsAramaPg3"/>

Originally, the Hulk was shown as simple-minded and quick to anger.<ref name=Hulk4>{{cite comic| writer= Lee, Stan|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= [[Dick Ayers|Ayers, Dick]]|story= The Monster and the Machine!|title= The Incredible Hulk|issue= 4|date= November 1962}}</ref> The Hulk generally divorces his identity from Banner's, decrying Banner as "puny Banner."<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Milgrom, Al|penciller= Milgrom, Al|inker= Janke, Dennis|story= The Monster's Analyst|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 221|date= September 1972}}</ref> From his earliest stories, the Hulk has been concerned with finding sanctuary and quiet.<ref name="OyVey"/> He is often shown to quickly react emotionally to situations. Grest and Weinberg call Hulk the "dark, primordial side of Banner's psyche."<ref name=GreshWeinberg/> Even in the earliest appearances, Hulk spoke in the third person. Hulk retains a modest intelligence, thinking and talking in full sentences. Lee even gives the Hulk expository dialogue in issue #6, allowing readers to learn just what capabilities Hulk has, when the Hulk says, "But these muscles ain't just for show! All I gotta do is spring up and just keep goin'!" In the 1970s, Hulk was shown as more prone to anger and rage, and less talkative. Writers played with the nature of his transformations,<ref name="Nation">{{Cite book | title=Comic Book Nation | last=Wright | first=Bradford | date=March 22, 2001 | publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]] | location=Baltimore, Maryland | isbn=978-0-8018-6514-5 | page=[https://archive.org/details/comicbooknationt00wrig/page/336 336] | url=https://archive.org/details/comicbooknationt00wrig/page/336 }}</ref> briefly giving Banner control over the change, and the ability to maintain control of his Hulk form. Artistically and conceptually, the character has become progressively more muscular and powerful in the years since his debut.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2006/may/17/medicalresearch.medicineandhealth |last=Randerson |first=James |title=Superman copycats 'risk health' |work=The Guardian |date=May 17, 2006 |location=London, United Kingdom |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505013854/http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/may/17/medicalresearch.medicineandhealth |archive-date=May 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

=====Joe Fixit=====
Originally, Stan Lee wanted the Hulk to be grey. Due to ink problems, Hulk's color was changed to green. This was later changed in the story to indicate that the {{anchor|Grey Hulk}}'''Grey Hulk''' and the Savage Hulk are separate [[Dissociative identity disorder|dissociative identities]] or entities fighting for control in Bruce's subconscious. The Grey Hulk incarnation can do the more unscrupulous things that Banner could not bring himself to do, with many sources comparing the Grey Hulk to the moody teenager that Banner never allowed himself to be. While the grey Hulk still had the-madder-he-gets, the-stronger-he-gets part that is similar to the Savage Hulk, it is on a much slower rate. It is said by the Leader that the Grey Hulk is stronger on nights of the new moon and weaker on nights of the full moon. Originally, the night is when Bruce Banner became the Grey Hulk and changed back by dawn. In later comics, willpower or stress would have Banner turn into the Grey Hulk.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Milgrom, Al|penciller= Milgrom, Al|inker= Janke, Dennis|story= The More Things Change ...|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 324|date= October 1986}}</ref> During one storyline where he was placed under a spell to prevent him turning back into Bruce Banner and publicly presumed dead when he was teleported away from a gamma bomb explosion that destroyed an entire town, the grey Hulk adopted a specific name as {{anchor|Joe Fixit}}'''Joe Fixit''', a security expert for Las Vegas casino owner Michael Berengetti, with the grey Hulk often being referred to as Joe after these events.<ref>{{cite comic |title=The Incredible Hulk |volume=2 |issue=347 |date=September 1988 |writer=Peter David |penciller=Jeff Purves |inker=Mike Gustovich |story=Crapshoot}}</ref> Joe Fixit later gained the ability to transform into a version of '''[[Red Hulk]]''' in the Below-Place.<ref>''Immortal Hulk'' #45. Marvel Comics.</ref>

=====Merged Hulk=====
Convinced that unaided, the Banner, Green Hulk, and Grey Hulk identities would eventually destroy each other, Doc Samson uses hypnosis to merge the three to create a new single identity combining Banner's intelligence with the Grey Hulk's and Banner's attitudes and the Green Hulk's body. This new {{anchor|Merged Hulk}}'''Merged Hulk''', {{anchor|Professor Hulk}}{{anchor|The Professor}}'''Professor Hulk''', or simply '''Smart Hulk''', considered himself cured and began a new life, but the merger was not perfect, and the Hulk sometimes still considered Banner a separate person, and when overcome with rage the Merged Hulk would transform back into Banner's human body while still thinking himself the Hulk.<ref name="NewsAramaPg9"/> The Merged Hulk is the largest of the three primary Hulk incarnations. While in a calm emotional state, the Merged Hulk is stronger than Savage Hulk when he is calm. Unlike the Savage Hulk and the Grey Hulk, Banner subconsciously installed a type of safeguard within this incarnation. The safeguard is that when the Merged Hulk gets angry, he regresses back to Banner with the mind of the Savage Hulk.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= David, Peter|penciller= Keown, Dale|inker= Farmer, Mark|story= Hit and Myth|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 379|date= March 1991}}</ref>

=====Doc Green=====
A variation of the Merged Hulk identity takes on the name '''Doc Green''' as the result of [[Extremis]] fixing Hulk's brain, becoming powerful enough to destroy Tony Stark's mansion with one thunderclap. This form was also known as '''Omega Hulk'''.<ref name="Hulk #5">{{cite comic|writer= [[Gerry Duggan (comics)|Duggan, Gerry]]|penciller= Bagley, Mark|inker= Hennessy, Andrew|story= The Omega Hulk Chapter One|title= Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 5|date= October 2014|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> It was theorized by Doc Green that this form was an earlier incarnation of his possible future form Maestro.<ref>''Hulk'' Vol. 3 #9. Marvel Comics.</ref>

====={{anchor|Devil Hulk}}The Devil Hulk=====
The '''[[Devil Hulk]]''', or simply the '''Devil''', is the result of the Hulk needing a father figure. While the character's physical appearance varies, he is always depicted as having glowing red eyes and reptilian traits.<ref>''The Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 3 #19. Marvel Comics.</ref> The new form of the Devil Hulk is the result of Banner and Hulk having been through different deaths and rebirths. This incarnation is articulate, smart, and cunning, and does merciless attacks on those who do harm. Unlike the other Hulk incarnations, the Devil Hulk is content with waiting inside Bruce. If Bruce is injured by sunset, the Devil Hulk will emerge with his transformation being limited to night-time.<ref name="Immortal Hulk">''Immortal Hulk'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Thanks to the Devil Hulk side and Banner working together, the Devil Hulk can maintain his form in sunlight.<ref>''Immortal Hulk'' #27. Marvel Comics.</ref>

=====Other identities=====
The {{anchor|Gravage Hulk}}'''Gravage Hulk''' is the result of Banner using the Gamma Projector on himself which merged his Savage Hulk and Grey Hulk identities. This form possesses the raw power of the Savage Hulk and the cunning intellect of the Grey Hulk. While he does not draw on anger to empower him, the Gravage Hulk identity draws on dimensional nexus energies to increase his strength.<ref>''Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 3 #60. Marvel Comics.</ref>

The {{anchor|Dark Hulk}}'''Dark Hulk''' identity is the result of Hulk being possessed by [[Shanzar]]. This form has black skin and is viciously strong.<ref>''Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 2 #371. Marvel Comics.</ref>

The '''[[Guilt Hulk]]''' is a malevolent representation of Banner's abusive father, Brian Banner, that manifests itself in Banner's childhood memories.<ref>''The Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 2 #377 (January 1991). Marvel Comics.</ref>

The {{anchor|Green Scar}}'''Green Scar''' identity is unleashed on Sakaar and is an enraged version of the Gravage Hulk. In addition, he is an expert in armed combat like the use of swords and shields. Green Scar is also a capable leader and an expert strategist.<ref>''Incredible Hulk'' Vol. 3 #93. Marvel Comics.</ref>

{{anchor|Kluh}}'''Kluh''' is a personality of Hulk who is described as the "Hulk's Hulk". This form sports a white mohawk, black skin, and red lines on him.<ref name="Avengers & X-Men: AXIS">{{cite comic| writer= Remender, Rick|penciller= Yu, Leinil Francis|inker= Alanguilan, Gerardo; Yu, Leinil Francis|story= Altered beast|title= [[AXIS (comics)|Avengers & X-Men: AXIS]]|issue= 4|date= January 2015|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref>

{{anchor|Titan}}'''Titan''' is a more monstrous and malicious form of Hulk who stands at 30&nbsp;ft., has black skin, rock-like spikes on his shoulders, and possesses the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes.<ref>''Hulk'' Vol. 5 #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> This personality was born when it was planted in Hulk by [[D'Spayre]].<ref>''Hulk'' Vol. 5 #14. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Powers and abilities===
====Bruce Banner====
Considered to be one of the greatest scientific minds on Earth, Banner possesses "a mind so brilliant it cannot be measured on any known intelligence test."<ref>{{cite news| last=Pisani | first=Joseph | title=The Smartest Superheroes | work=BusinessWeek | date=June 2006 | url= http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-05-31/the-smartest-superheroes-businessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140115135337/http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-05-31/the-smartest-superheroes-businessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice|archive-date= January 15, 2014|url-status= dead|access-date=December 9, 2007}}</ref> [[Norman Osborn]] estimates that he is the fourth most-intelligent person on Earth.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= Oliver, Ben |inker= Oliver, Ben|colorist=Gandini, Veronica | letterer=Bowland, Simon | editor=Paniccia, Mark | story= The List: Hulk |title= Dark Reign: The List – Hulk|volume= 1|issue= 1|date= December 2009}}</ref> Banner holds expertise in biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, physiology, and nuclear physics. Using this knowledge, he creates advanced technology dubbed "Bannertech", which is on par with technological development from Tony Stark or Doctor Doom. These technologies include a [[Teleportation|teleporter]] and a [[Force shield|force field]] that can protect him from the attacks of Hulk-level entities.

After becoming a fugitive from the law, Banner is forced to go on the run and over the years learns various skills in order to both survive and remain under radar of those who are hunting him. Banner's most frequent method of travel includes hitchhiking, train hopping or simply just walking as he is unable to travel legally via planes, passenger ships or buses due to being in several travel watchlists. Banner is generally on the move and rarely ever stays in one place for very long and only does so if there's a possibility of curing himself. He will only ever stay in one place for an extended period of time if it provides him with complete solitude and privacy where the Hulk can do little to no harm.

To avoid being tracked, Banner does not use cell phones, debit or credit cards and will only use payphones or cash. He will often use fake identities when staying at motels or working jobs that require identification. Having been on the run for years, Banner can normally tell when he is being followed and will generally make a run for it when he is discovered. Having traveled across the globe, Banner is able to sneak over borders without being detected and can get by, by either knowing or learning the local language. Often traveling light, Banner has little to no possessions that he carries in either a satchel or backpack. Often losing everything he owns after transforming into the Hulk, Banner avoids keeping anything of personal value to him so that he can easily replace the items and clothes that were lost or destroyed.

To support himself financially, Banner will work quick part-time jobs and will only accept payments in cash. These jobs have varied from simply working in low pay diners to working as a local doctor. Banner's work ethic as well as his vast knowledge and skillset in science, medicine and engineering often help him get hired rather quickly. Unless desperate, Banner will generally avoid jobs that are high stress due to the potential danger of transforming into the Hulk.

Banner has little to no memories of the Hulk's actions aside from his initial transformation which he described as being extremely painful. Banner's lack of memories often terrifies him as he has often transformed back to witness the devastating aftermath of the Hulk's battles which both saddens and encourages him to find a way to understand his condition so that he won't cause anymore destruction or harm. During his travels, Banner has developed several different techniques to help suppress or control his transformations when he becomes a little angry or upset. Among the techniques he has learned over the years include meditation and hypnotherapy. While they have helped him to better understand and suppress his transformations, none of techniques Banner has learned have helped him to gain full control over the Hulk.

====The Hulk====
The Hulk possesses the potential for seemingly limitless physical strength that is influenced by his emotional state, particularly his anger.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= [[Carlo Pagulayan|Pagulayan, Carlo]]|inker= Huet, Jeffrey|story= Warbound -- Part IV|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 109|date= October 2007}}</ref> This has been reflected in the repeated comment "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets."<ref>Achenbach, Joel (June 19, 2003). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2003/06/19/all-the-rage-the-hulk-in-us-all/fbf12212-e7da-4406-b78a-c8aa05a7a838/ "All the Rage: The Hulk in Us All"]. ''[[The Washington Post]]''.</ref> The cosmically powerful entity known as the [[Beyonder]] once analyzed the Hulk's physiology, and claimed that the Hulk's potential strength had "no finite element inside."<ref name="NerdistPowers"/> Hulk's strength has been depicted as sometimes limited by Banner's subconscious influence; when [[Jean Grey]] psionically "shut Banner off", Hulk became strong enough to overpower and destroy the physical form of the villain [[Onslaught (Marvel Comics)|Onslaught]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Scott Lobdell|Lobdell, Scott]]; Waid, Mark|penciller= [[Adam Kubert|Kubert, Adam]]; [[Joe Bennett (artist)|Bennett, Joe]]|inker= [[Dan Green (artist)|Green, Dan]]; [[Art Thibert|Thibert, Art]]; Townsend, Tim; Delpergang, Jesse|story= With Great Power ...|title= Onslaught: Marvel|issue= 1|date= October 1996}}</ref> Writer Greg Pak described the Worldbreaker Hulk shown during ''World War Hulk'' as having a level of physical power where "Hulk was stronger than any mortal—and most immortals—who ever walked the Earth"<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.brokenfrontier.com/columns/p/detail/hulk-skaar-hercules|title= Hulk, Skaar & Hercules|first= Greg|last= Pak|date= April 2, 2008|publisher= Broken Frontier|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100111010836/http://www.brokenfrontier.com/columns/p/detail/hulk-skaar-hercules|archive-date= January 11, 2010|url-status= dead|access-date= April 27, 2010|df= mdy-all}}</ref> and depicted the character as powerful enough to completely destroy entire planets.<ref name="Hulks635" /><ref name="Hulks634">{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= Pelletier, Paul|inker= Miki, Danny|story= Heart of the Monster Part Five|title= Incredible Hulks|issue= 634|date= October 2011}}</ref> His strength allows him to leap into lower Earth orbit or across continents,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Christopher Priest (comic book writer)|Priest, Christopher]]|penciller= [[Jon Bogdanove|Bogdanove, Jon]]|inker= Bogdanove, Jon|story= Tides|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 33|date= December 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Mantlo, Bill|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Buscema, Sal|story= Waiting For the U-Foes!|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 254|date= December 1980}}</ref> and he has displayed superhuman speed.<ref name="Hulk440" /><ref name="World War Hulk #5 2007">{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= [[John Romita Jr.|Romita, John Jr.]]|inker= [[Klaus Janson|Janson, Klaus]]|story= The Incredible Hulk Versus the Sentry|title= World War Hulk|issue= 5|date= January 2008}}</ref> Exposure to radiation has also been shown to make the Hulk stronger.<ref name="NerdistPowers"/> It is unknown how he gains biomass during transformation but it may be linked to the One-Below-All.

His durability, regeneration, and endurance also increase in proportion to his temper.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= [[Andrew Wildman|Wildman, Andrew]]|inker= Ivy, Chris|story= Cold Storage|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 394|date= June 1992}}</ref> Hulk is resistant to injury or damage, though the degree to which varies between interpretations, but he has withstood the equivalent of solar temperatures,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Christian Cooper|Cooper, Chris]]|penciller= Rebner, Jeff|inker= Irwin, Mark|story= Sins of the Father|title= The Incredible Hulk '97|issue= 1|date= 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= Romita, John Jr.|inker= Janson, Klaus|story= Hulk|title= [[World War Hulk]]|issue= 2|date= September 2007}}</ref> nuclear explosions,<ref name="Hulk440">{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= [[Angel Medina (artist)|Medina, Angel]]|inker= [[Robin Riggs|Riggs, Robin]]|story= The Big Bang|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 440|date= April 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Way, Daniel|penciller= Dazo, Bong|inker= Pimentel, Joe|story= Operation: Annihilation Part One: Journada Del Muerto|title= [[Deadpool]]|volume= 4|issue= 37|date= July 2011}}</ref><ref name="FF533">{{cite comic| writer= [[J. Michael Straczynski|Straczynski, J. Michael]]|penciller= [[Mike McKone|McKone, Mike]]|inker= [[Andy Lanning|Lanning, Andy]]|story= What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas|title= [[Fantastic Four]]|issue= 533|date= January 2006}}</ref><ref name="Hulk3.105">{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= Pagulayan, Carlo|inker= Huet, Jeffrey|story= Planet Hulk Armageddon Part II|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 105|date= June 2007}}</ref> and planet-shattering impacts.<ref name="Hulks635"/><ref name="Hulks634"/><ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Ron Wilson (comics)|Wilson, Ron]]|penciller= Wilson, Ron|inker= [[Tom Morgan (comics)|Morgan, Tom]]|story= Kids Will Be Kids|title= [[Marvel Comics Presents]]|issue= 52|date= June 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Greenberg, Glen; [[J. M. DeMatteis|DeMatteis, J. M.]]|penciller= Garney, Ron|inker= [[Bob Wiacek|Wiacek, Bob]]|story= Heart of the Beast|title= [[Silver Surfer (comic book)|Silver Surfer]]|volume= 3|issue= 125|date= February 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Lee, Stan|penciller= Trimpe, Herb|inker= Adkins, Dan|story= The Brute Battles On!|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 112|date= February 1969}}</ref> Despite his remarkable resiliency, continuous barrages of high-caliber gunfire can hinder his movement to some degree while he can be temporarily subdued by intense attacks with chemical weapons such as anesthetic gases, although any interruption of such dosages will allow him to quickly recover.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Len Wein|Wein, Len]]|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Palmer, Tom|story=You Just Don't Quarrel With the Quintronic Man!|title=The Incredible Hulk|date=July 1977|volume=2|issue=213}}</ref> He has been shown to have both regenerative and adaptive healing abilities, including growing tissues to allow him to breathe underwater,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= Weeks, Lee|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Tempest Fugit, Part 1 of 5|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 77|date= March 2005}}</ref> surviving unprotected in space for extended periods,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= [[Al Rio|Rio, Al]]; Weeks, Lee; [[Sean Phillips|Phillips, Sean]]|inker= Hanna, Scott; Weeks, Lee; Palmer, Tom|story= Casus Belli|title= World War Hulk Prologue: World Breaker|issue= 1|date= July 2007}}</ref> and when injured, healing from most wounds within seconds, including, on one occasion, the complete destruction of most of his body mass.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= Keown, Dale|inker= Farmer, Mark|story= Betrayals|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 398|date= October 1992}}</ref> His future self, the "Maestro", was even eventually able to recover from being blown to pieces.<ref name="Hulk460">{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= Kubert, Adam|inker= Farmer, Mark|story= Homecoming|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 460|date= January 1998}}</ref> As an effect, he has an extremely prolonged lifespan.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= Keown, Dale|inker= Weems, Joe; Livesay, John|story= The Last Titan|title= Incredible Hulk: The End|issue= 1|date= August 2002}}</ref><ref name="ThanosWins">{{cite comic| writer= Cates, Donny|penciller= Shaw, Geoff|inker= Shaw, Geoff|story= Thanos Wins|title= Thanos|volume= 2|issue= 17|date= March 2018}}</ref>

He also possesses less commonly described powers, including abilities allowing him to "home in" to his place of origin in New Mexico;<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Byrne, John|penciller= Byrne, John|inker= Wiacek, Bob|story= Call of the Desert|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 314|date= December 1985}}</ref> resist [[Telepathy|psychic control]],<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Wein, Len|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= [[Jack Abel|Abel, Jack]]|story= The Titan Strikes Back!|title= [[Defenders (comics)|Defenders]]|issue= 12|date= February 1974}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Mantlo, Bill|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Buscema, Sal; Milgrom, Al|story= The Family That Dies Together ... !|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 259|date= May 1981}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Loeb, Jeph|penciller= [[Ian Churchill|Churchill, Ian]]|inker= Hanna, Scott|story= Loose Cannons|title= [[Cable (comics)|Cable]]|issue= 34|date= August 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Christos Gage|Gage, Christos]]|penciller= [[Andrea Di Vito|Di Vito, Andrea]]|inker= Di Vito, Andrea|story= Hard Questions|title= World War Hulk: X-Men|issue= 1|date= August 2007}}</ref> or [[Metamorphosis|unwilling transformation]];<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Chris Claremont|Claremont, Chris]]; Wein, Len|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Abel, Jack|story= And Six Shall Crush the Hulk|title= The Incredible Hulk Annual|issue= 5|date= October 1976}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Mantlo, Bill|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Buscema, Sal|story= Devolution!|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 266|date= December 1981}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= Purves, Jeff|inker= [[Marie Severin|Severin, Marie]]|story= Countdown Part 4: The Abomination|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 364|date= December 1989}}</ref> grow stronger from radiation<ref name="Hulks635">{{cite comic| writer= Pak, Greg|penciller= Pelletier, Paul|inker= Miki, Danny|story= Heart of the Monster Part Six|title= Incredible Hulks|issue= 635|date= October 2011}}</ref><ref name="FF533" /><ref name="Hulk3.105" /><ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= [[George Pérez|Pérez, George]]|inker= Pérez, George|story= Part 2 of 2|title= Hulk: Future Imperfect|issue= 2|date= January 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Gage, Christos|penciller= Di Vito, Andrea|inker= Di Vito, Andrea|story= Sworn to Protect|title= World War Hulk: X-Men|issue= 2|date= September 2007}}</ref> or dark magic;<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Jenkins, Paul|penciller= Keown, Dale|inker= Keown, Dale|title= [[The Darkness (comics)|The Darkness]] / The Incredible Hulk|issue= 1|date= June 2004}}</ref><ref name="Hulk3.82">{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= [[Jae Lee|Lee, Jae]]|inker= Lee, Jae|story= Dear Tricia ...|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 82|date= August 2005}}</ref> punch his way between separate temporal<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy|penciller= Trimpe, Herb|inker= Buscema, Sal|story= Descent Into the Time-Stream|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 135|date= January 1971}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Waid, Mark|penciller= Jacinto, Kim|inker= Jacinto, Kim|story= Agent of T.I.M.E. Part Five|title= The Indestructible Hulk|issue= 15|date= January 2014}}</ref> or spatial<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Waid, Mark|penciller= Bagley, Mark|inker= Hennessy, Andrew|story= Who Shot the Hulk #1|title= Hulk|volume= 3|issue= 1|date= June 2014}}</ref> dimensions; and to see and interact with astral forms.<ref name="Hulk3.82" /><ref>{{cite comic| writer= David, Peter|penciller= Keown, Dale|inker= McLeod, Bob|story= Silent Screams|title= The Incredible Hulk|volume= 2|issue= 369|date= May 1990}}</ref> Some of these abilities were in later years explained as being related; his ability to home in on the New Mexico bomb site was due to his latent ability to sense astral forms and spirits, since the bomb site was also the place where the Maestro's skeleton was and the Maestro's spirit was calling out to him in order to absorb his radiation.<ref name="Hulk460"/> He is also shown to have a separate memory to Bruce Banner - when Spider-Man has the knowledge of his secret identity erased during [[One More Day (comics)|Spider-Man: One More Day]], the Hulk later asks how '''Peter''' is doing, not Spider-Man; upon questioning, he enigmatically states "Banner forgot. But '''I''' don't forget."

In the first ''Hulk'' comic series, "massive" doses of gamma rays would cause the Hulk to transform back to Banner, although this ability was written out of the character by the 1970s.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}

==Supporting characters==
{{Main|List of Hulk supporting characters}}
Over the long publication history of the Hulk's adventures, many recurring characters have featured prominently, including his best friend and sidekick [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]], love interest and wife [[Betty Ross]] and her father, the often adversarial [[Thunderbolt Ross|General "Thunderbolt" Ross]]. Both Banner and Hulk have families created in their respective personas. Banner is son to Brian, an abusive father who killed Banner's mother while she tried to protect her son from his father's delusional attacks, and cousin to [[She-Hulk|Jennifer Walters]], the [[She-Hulk]], who serves as his frequent ally.<ref name="DeFalco197">DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 197: "Stan Lee decided to introduce a female version of the Hulk ... With the help of artist John Buscema, Lee created Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner."</ref> Banner had a stillborn child with Betty, while the Hulk has two sons with his deceased second wife [[Caiera]] Oldstrong, [[Skaar (character)|Skaar]] and [[Hiro-Kala]], and his DNA was used to create a daughter named [[She-Hulk (Lyra)|Lyra]] with [[Thundra]] the warrior woman.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Pepose |url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/Hulks-Dark-Son-100611.html |title=Dark Son Rising As The Other Son Of Hulk Hits Earth |work=[[Newsarama]]|date=June 11, 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141208023445/http://www.newsarama.com/5432-dark-son-rising-as-the-other-son-of-hulk-hits-earth.html|archive-date=December 8, 2014 |url-status= live|access-date=June 11, 2010}}</ref>

''The Fantastic Four'' #12<!-- "The" part of the cover logo through issue #15 --> (March 1963), featured the Hulk's first battle with the [[Thing (comics)|Thing]]. Although many early Hulk stories involve Ross trying to capture or destroy the Hulk, the main villain is often a radiation-based character, like the [[Gargoyle (comics)#Gargoyle (Yuri Topolov)|Gargoyle]] or the Leader, along with other foes such as the [[Toad Men]], or Asian warlord General Fang. Ross' daughter Betty loves Banner and criticizes her father for pursuing the Hulk. General Ross' right-hand man, [[Glenn Talbot|Major Glenn Talbot]], also loves Betty and is torn between pursuing Hulk and trying to gain Betty's love more honorably. Rick Jones serves as the Hulk's friend and sidekick in these early tales. The Hulk's archenemies are the [[Abomination (character)|Abomination]] and the [[Leader (character)|Leader]]. The Abomination is more monstrous-looking, twice as strong as the Hulk at normal levels (however, the Abomination's strength levels do not increase when ''he'' gets angry) and wreaks havoc for fun and pleasure. The Leader is a gamma-irradiated super-genius who has tried plan after plan to take over the world.

==Cultural impact==
[[File:Museo Madame Tussauds (25).jpg|thumb|Hulk-figure at [[Madame Tussauds Las Vegas]]]]
The Hulk character and the concepts behind it have been raised to the level of [[Cultural icon|iconic]] status by many within and outside the comic book industry. In 2003, ''[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]]'' claimed the character had "stood the test of time as a genuine icon of American [[popular culture|pop culture]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23626618_ITM |title=Smash! |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612085443/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23626618_ITM |archive-date=June 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2008, the Hulk was listed as the 19th greatest comic book character by ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wizarduniverse.com/05230810thgreatestcharacters.html|title= The 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time|date= May 23, 2008|work= Wizard|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080526115937/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/05230810thgreatestcharacters.html|archive-date= May 26, 2008|url-status= dead|quote= The one constant for this 'atomic Jekyll-and-Hyde,' as they used to say, remains Bruce Banner's eternal struggle to control the gamma-spawned half of his psyche. The green goliath never goes out of style: The Hulk is, undeniably, all the rage.}}</ref> ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine named him as the 14th-greatest comic-book character and the fifth-greatest Marvel character.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.empireonline.com/50greatestcomiccharacters/default.asp?c=14 | title=The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters | work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] | date=December 5, 2006|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131014074050/http://www.empireonline.com/50greatestcomiccharacters/default.asp?c=14|archive-date= October 14, 2013|url-status= live|access-date=April 27, 2010}}</ref> In 2011, the Hulk placed No. 9 on [[IGN]]'s list of "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes",<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/9|title= Top 100 Comic Book Heroes|date= 2011|website= [[IGN]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150703185143/http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/9|archive-date= July 3, 2015|url-status= live}}</ref> and fourth on their list of "The Top 50 Avengers" in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ign.com/top/avengers/4|title= The Top 50 Avengers|date= April 30, 2012|website= IGN|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150309072434/http://www.ign.com/top/avengers/4|archive-date= March 9, 2015|url-status= live|access-date=July 28, 2015}}</ref>

===Analysis===
The Hulk is often viewed as a reaction to war. As well as being a reaction to the [[Cold War]], the character has been a cipher for the frustrations the [[Vietnam War]] raised, and Ang Lee said that the [[Iraq War]] influenced his direction.<ref name=GreshWeinberg/><ref>{{Cite magazine| title=Becoming the Hulk | magazine=[[The New Yorker]] | date=June 30, 2003 | last=Lahr | first=John | page=72 | url = http://archives.newyorker.com/?iid=15295&startpage=page0000080}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title=The Clash of Symbols | newspaper=[[Sunday Herald]]|location=Glasgow, United Kingdom| date=December 23, 2007 | last=Phelan | first=Stephen | page=42}}</ref> In the [[Michael Nyman]] edited edition of ''[[The Guardian]]'', Stefanie Diekmann explored Marvel Comics' reaction to the [[September 11 attacks]]. Diekmann discussed The Hulk's appearance in the 9/11 tribute comic ''Heroes'', claiming that his greater prominence, alongside [[Captain America]], aided in "stressing the connection between anger and justified violence without having to depict anything more than a well-known and well-respected protagonist."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Diekmann |first=Stefanie |url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/guesteditors/story/0,14481,1201733,00.html |title=Hero and superhero |date=April 24, 2004 |location=London, United Kingdom |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612092926/http://arts.guardian.co.uk/guesteditors/story/0,14481,1201733,00.html |archive-date=June 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In ''Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics'', [[Les Daniels]] addresses the Hulk as an embodiment of cultural fears of radiation and nuclear science. He quotes Jack Kirby thus: "As long as we're experimenting with radioactivity, there's no telling what may happen, or how much our advancements in science may cost us." Daniels continues, "The Hulk became Marvel's most disturbing embodiment of the perils inherent in the [[Atomic Age|atomic age]]."<ref name=DanielsMarvel>{{Cite book|last=Daniels|first=Les|author-link = Les Daniels|title= Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics |publisher= [[Abrams Books|Harry N. Abrams]]|date= 1991|location= New York, New York|page= 89|isbn= 9780810938212}}</ref>

In ''Comic Book Nation'', Bradford Wright alludes to Hulk's counterculture status, referring to a 1965 ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' magazine poll amongst college students which "revealed that student radicals ranked [[Spider-Man]] and the Hulk alongside the likes of [[Bob Dylan]] and [[Che Guevara]] as their favorite revolutionary icons." Wright goes on to cite examples of his anti-authority symbol status. Two of these are "The Ballad of the Hulk" by [[Jerry Jeff Walker]], and the ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' cover for September 30, 1971, a full color [[Herb Trimpe]] piece commissioned for the magazine.<ref name="Nation"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Jonah |url=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDMyYTQ4NTc5ZTU1Y2U0ZDc4ZjhmZmIwMmRhZjNjNDg= |title=Spin City |date=May 7, 2002 |work=National Review Online |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608015850/http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDMyYTQ4NTc5ZTU1Y2U0ZDc4ZjhmZmIwMmRhZjNjNDg= |archive-date=June 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The Hulk has been caricatured in such [[List of animated television series|animated television series]] as ''[[The Simpsons]]'',<ref name=IAmFuriousYellow>{{Cite episode |series= [[The Simpsons]]|title=[[I Am Furious Yellow]] |airdate= April 28, 2002|season=13|number= 18|credits = [[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]] (writer); [[Chuck Sheetz|Sheetz, Chuck]] (director)|network = [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]}}</ref> ''[[Robot Chicken]]'', and ''[[Family Guy]]'',<ref>{{Cite episode | title= [[Chitty Chitty Death Bang]]|series= [[Family Guy]]|credits= [[Danny Smith (writer)|Smith, Danny]] (writer); [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]] (director)|network= Fox Broadcasting Company|airdate= April 18, 1999|season= 1|number=3}}</ref> and such [[comedy]] [[television program|TV series]] as ''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]''.<ref>{{Cite episode |series=[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]|credits= [[Ben Elton|Elton, Ben]], [[Rik Mayall|Mayall, Rik]], and [[Lise Mayer|Mayer, Lise]] (writers); Posner, Geoff (director)|title= [[Summer Holiday (The Young Ones episode)|Summer Holiday]]|series-no= 2|number= 6| airdate= June 19, 1984}}</ref> The character is also used as a cultural reference point for someone displaying anger or agitation. For example, in a 2008 ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' review of an ''[[EastEnders]]'' episode, a character is described as going "into Incredible Hulk mode, smashing up his flat."<ref>{{Cite news| title=We love telly: We love soaps | newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]] | location=London, United Kingdom | date=February 5, 2008 | last=Quigley | first=Maeve | page=1}}</ref> In September 2019, [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Boris Johnson]] likened himself to The Hulk in an interview with the ''[[Mail On Sunday]]'', as political pressure built on him to request an extension to the date of [[Brexit negotiations in 2019#September 2019|the UK's withdrawal from the European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/15/boris-johnson-channeling-the-incredible-hulk-defiant-on-october-31-brexit|title=Boris Johnson, channelling the Incredible Hulk, defiant on October 31 Brexit|date=15 September 2019|work=[[Euronews]]|access-date=15 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/the-best-reactions-to-boris-johnson-comparing-himself-to-the-hulk-1-6270685|title=Boris Johnson compared himself to the Hulk and the internet reacted with scorn|last=Read|first=Jonathon|date=15 September 2019|work=[[The New European]]|access-date=15 September 2019|archive-date=June 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610132603/https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/the-best-reactions-to-boris-johnson-comparing-himself-to-the-hulk-1-6270685|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Hulk, especially his alter ego Bruce Banner, is also a common reference in [[hip hop music]]. The term was represented as an analogue to marijuana in [[Dr. Dre]]'s ''[[2001 (Dr. Dre album)|2001]]'',<ref>"[http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/14877/= Some L.A. Niggaz]" from ''[[2001 (Dr. Dre album)|2001]]''. [[Dr. Dre]]. 1999.</ref> while more conventional references are made in [[Ludacris]] and [[Jermaine Dupri]]'s popular single "[[Welcome to Atlanta]]".{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The 2003 [[Ang Lee]]-directed ''[[Hulk (film)|Hulk]]'' film saw discussion of the character's appeal to [[Asian American]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marchetti |first=Gina |url=http://www.filmint.nu/?q=node/68 |title=Hollywood Taiwan |journal=Film International |volume=2 |issue=6 |date=November 2004 |pages=42–51 |issn=1651-6826 |doi=10.1386/fiin.2.6.42 |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613204440/http://www.filmint.nu/?q=node/68 |archive-date=June 13, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The Taiwanese-born Ang Lee commented on the "subcurrent of repression" that underscored the character of The Hulk, and how that mirrored his own experience: "Growing up, my artistic leanings were always repressed—there was always pressure to do something 'useful,' like being a doctor." Jeff Yang, writing for the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', extended this self-identification to Asian American culture, arguing that "the passive-aggressive streak runs deep among Asian Americans—especially those who have entered creative careers, often against their parents' wishes."<ref>{{cite web|last=Yang |first=Jeff |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2006/06/01/apop.DTL |title=Look ... Up in the sky! It's Asian Man! |date=June 1, 2006 |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |publisher=[[Hearst Corporation]] |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612155951/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2006/06/01/apop.DTL |archive-date=June 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

There have been explorations about the real-world possibility of Hulk's gamma-radiation-based origin. In ''The Science of Superheroes'', Lois Grest and Robert Weinberg examined Hulk's powers, explaining the scientific flaws in them. Most notably, they point out that the level of [[gamma radiation]] Banner is exposed to at the initial blast would induce radiation sickness and kill him, or if not, create significant cancer risks for Banner, because hard radiation strips cells of their ability to function. They go on to offer up an alternate origin, in which a Hulk might be created by biological experimentation with [[adrenal gland]]s and [[green fluorescent protein|GFP]]. Charles Q. Choi from LiveScience.com further explains that, unlike the Hulk, gamma rays are not green; existing as they do beyond the visible spectrum, gamma rays have no color at all that we can describe. He also explains that gamma rays are so powerful (the most powerful form of electromagnetic radiation and 10,000 times more powerful than visible light) that they can even convert energy into matter&nbsp;– a possible explanation for the increased mass that Bruce Banner takes on during transformations. "Just as the Incredible Hulk 'is the strongest one there is,' as he says himself, so too are gamma-ray bursts the most powerful explosions known."<ref>{{cite web| last=Choi | first=Charles Q. | title=Gamma Rays: The Incredible, Hulking Reality | publisher=LiveScience | date=June 11, 2008 | url=http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/080611-incredible-hulk.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140409043518/http://www.livescience.com/2590-gamma-rays-incredible-hulking-reality.html|archive-date= April 9, 2014|url-status= live|access-date=June 12, 2008}}</ref>

==Other Marvel Comics characters called the Hulk==
Prior to the debut of the Hulk in May 1962, Marvel had earlier monster characters that used the name the "Hulk", but had no direct relation.

* In ''[[Strange Tales]]'' #75 (June 1960), Albert Poole built an armor he called the Hulk. In modern-day reprints, the character's name was changed to ''Grutan''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/poolealbertst.htm|title= The Hulk (Albert Poole)|first= Jeff|last= Christiansen|date= September 11, 2010 |publisher= The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121120171213/http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/poolealbertst.htm|archive-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status= live|access-date= February 12, 2011}}</ref>
* In ''[[Journey into Mystery]]'' #62 (Nov. 1960) was ''[[Xemnu|Xemnu the Living Hulk]]'', a huge, furry alien monster who went by the name of the Hulk.<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 79: "The lead story of [''Journey into Mystery''] issue #62, 'I Was a Slave of the Living Hulk', introduced a giant monster called the Hulk&nbsp;– similar in name only to the future Hulk."</ref> Coincidentally, the character's debut story was also illustrated by Jack Kirby. The character reappeared in issue #66 (March 1961). Since then the character has been a mainstay in the Marvel Universe, and was renamed [[Xemnu]] the Living Titan.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/xemnuthetitan.htm|title= Xemnu the Titan|first= Jeff|last= Christiansen|date= March 15, 2012|publisher= The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121120171435/http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/xemnuthetitan.htm|archive-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status= live|access-date= January 23, 2013}}</ref>
* A huge, orange, slimy monster called the Hulk was featured in a movie titled ''The Hulk'' in ''Tales to Astonish'' #21 (July 1961). In modern-day reprints, the character's name was changed to the ''Glop''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/hulkgloptta.htm|title= Hulk (Glop)|first= Jeff|last= Christiansen|date= February 8, 2006|publisher= The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121120171154/http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/hulkgloptta.htm|archive-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status= live|access-date= February 12, 2011}}</ref>

== Other versions ==
A number of [[parallel universe (fiction)|alternate universe]]s and alternate timelines in Marvel Comics publications allow writers to introduce variations on the Hulk, in which the character's origins, behavior, and morality differ from the mainstream setting.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harn |first=Darby |date=2021-07-10 |title=Marvel: 15 Strongest Versions Of The Hulk |url=https://screenrant.com/marvel-most-powerful-versions-hulk/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=2014-07-23 |title=What Changes Are Coming to Marvel's Hulk Comic? |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/07/23/what-changes-are-coming-to-marvels-hulk-comic |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> In some stories, someone other than Bruce Banner is the Hulk.

In some versions, the Hulk succumbs to the darker side of his nature: in "Future Imperfect" (December 1992), a future version of the Hulk has become the [[Maestro (comics)|Maestro]], the tyrannical and ruthless ruler of a nuclear war-irradiated Earth,<ref name="AltMaestro"/> and in "[[Old Man Logan]]" (2008), an insane Hulk rules over a post-apocalyptic California and leads a gang of his inbred Hulk children created with his first cousin She-Hulk.<ref name="AltOML"/><ref name="AltOML2"/>

===Age of Apocalypse===
In the [[Age of Apocalypse]] alternative setting, Bruce Banner was never exposed to gamma radiation. Therefore, he did not become the Hulk. Instead he became a member of the Human High Council, where he was a scientist and became a weapons designer. However he also yearns to gain knowledge and power, something Apocalypse was willing to help with, and so Bruce sold himself to [[Mikhail Rasputin]], one of the [[Horsemen of Apocalypse]], to give him mutants as test subjects. He succeeds in his experiments and can now transform into a creature resembling the Grey Hulk. He was used as a mole in the council, but was discovered by [[Invisible Woman#Age of Apocalypse|Susan Storm]] and [[Thing (comics)#Age of Apocalypse|Ben Grimm]] because the patterns of Bruce's injuries were identical to those sustained by the Hulk.<ref>''X-Universe'' #1-2</ref>

Later, Banner attempted to redeem himself by jumping out of the Human High Council ship in an effort to prevent it from getting struck by a gamma missile of his own creation. The missile detonated, allowing the Human High Council to escape [[Earth]]. He fell back to Earth, landed in the Colosseum, and emerged as the Green Hulk. There were no further mentions of the Hulk in the Age of Apocalypse material.<ref>''Hulk: Broken Worlds Book 2''</ref>

===Age of X===
In the "[[Age of X]]" reality, Bruce Banner was a scientist who was under contract from the United States government to build a device that would depower any mutant. However, during the testing phase one of the mutant volunteers began to panic. Her powers caused the machine to go off prematurely while still in the gamma spectrum. The mutants were killed and Banner was bombarded by gamma radiation. The combination of the radiation and the fact that some of the mutants' genes were imprinted on him as well, caused Banner to transform into the Hulk. Because of his exposure to mutant genes, Banner holds a deep murderous resentment for all mutants to the point that he volunteered for a suicide mission to detonate a chemical bomb that would destroy the entire mutant stronghold, forcing his former teammates to sacrifice their lives to detonate the bomb early. He was incinerated by his own bomb when one of his former teammates named Redback (this reality's [[Spider-Woman]]) uses Steel Corpse's (this reality's [[Iron Man]]) severed glove to destroy the bomb.<ref>''Age of X: Universe'' #1</ref>

===Amalgam Comics===
'''The Skulk''' is a hero of the [[Amalgam Comics|Amalgam]] Universe. He is amalgamation of the Hulk and [[DC Comics]]' [[Solomon Grundy (character)|Solomon Grundy]].

Bruce Banner was a scientist working with gamma rays. He was testing his gamma bomb out in the desert, but a tall figure walked out into the testing area. When Banner went out to see who it was, the man turned out to be Solomon Grundy. The bomb went off fusing Grundy and Banner together. When Banner gets angry he becomes Grundy, but the creature made a name for itself, calling itself Skulk.<ref>''Doctor Strangefate'' #1 (April 1996)</ref>

===Breaker-Apart===
In a potential future, the One Below All is able to destroy Bruce Banner's soul and possesses the body of the Hulk. After which, it went on to kill Franklin Richards, Galactus, Mister Immortal, and many others until it was the only being left in the universe. Taking on Bruce's appearance, the One Below All encounters the Sentience of the Eighth Cosmos/Metatron and is able to trick and devour him, absorbing his powers. In the newly formed Ninth Cosmos, the One Below All used its newly acquired powers to transform Hulk into a Galactus-like being named the 'Breaker-Apart'. 10 billion years later, the Breaker-Apart has destroyed all light, all life, and all planets in the Multiverse. When Par%l tried to make contact and reason with it, the alien instead meets the abstract form of the One Below All which told hir it wanted to "Make all hollow as I, dark and dead as I" and killed Par%l and hir's planet, O%los.<ref>''Immortal Hulk'' #25 (October 23, 2019)</ref>

===Bullet Points===
In the ''[[Bullet Points (comic)|Bullet Points]]'' [[Limited series (comics)|mini-series]], [[Spider-Man|Peter Parker]] finds himself on the test site for a Gamma bomb and absorbs a large dose of gamma radiation, becoming the Hulk. In a further twist, later in the series, in an attempt to find a cure for Peter, Dr. Bruce Banner examines specimens taken from the test site and is bitten by a radioactive spider, becoming Spider-Man.<ref>''Bullet Points'' #4 (April 2007)</ref> Parker is killed by [[Galactus]] and Banner is killed by an Inheritor during the ''[[Spider-Verse]]'' event.

===Deadpool: Samurai (Earth-346)===

In the ''Deadpool: Samurai'' manga series, which takes place on Earth-346,<ref>Edge of Spider-Verse (Vol. 2) #3</ref> Bruce Banner removes a control collar from the singer Neiro Aratabi, who had been saved from a deranged fan by Deadpool. Banner then attempts to transform into the Hulk to help Deadpool stop HYDRA agents from retrieving the Gateway Controller, which had been hidden under the Tokyo Dome, but he was knocked unconscious by a piece of falling debris before he could finish his transformation.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kasama|first=Sanshiro|author-link= |date=March 31, 2022|title=Deadpool Samurai Volume One |url= |location=San Francisco|publisher=Viz Media |page= |isbn=978-1974725311}}</ref> Banner did gradually regain consciousness and he then completed transforming into the Hulk, but he was quickly defeated by Thanos, who had been summoned by the Hydra agents.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kasama|first=Sanshiro|author-link= |date=August 4, 2022|title=Deadpool Samurai Volume Two |url= |location=San Francisco|publisher=Viz Media |page= |isbn=978-1974732203}}</ref>

===Earth X===
The [[Earth X]] series featured a vastly different take on the character, one in which the Hulk and Bruce Banner have finally achieved separation. However, they still rely on each other with Banner becoming a blind child who sees through the Hulk's eyes. In an interview in ''Comicology Volume I: The Kingdom Come Companion'', [[Alex Ross]] said that the design of Earth-X Banner and Hulk was based on the appearance of [[Moon-Boy]] and [[Devil Dinosaur]].{{Volume needed|c=y|date=February 2013}}

===Exiles===
Numerous alternate versions of the Hulk have been present in the ''[[Exiles (Marvel Comics)|Exiles]]'' series.

* A crazy version of the Hulk was seen attacking Canada. He was stopped by the Exiles and Alpha Flight. This battle featured the first appearance of the rogue reality jumpers known as Weapon X. The crazy Hulk was presumed dead after this encounter.<ref>''Exiles'' Vol 1 #5-6 (2001).</ref>
* Another visually different Hulk appeared in this universe. This version had a long ponytail and wore a "Peace Out" costume, but he still retained his gamma-irradiated appearance, strength and his famous smashing abilities. He teamed up with an evil Firestar and was recruited by the Timebroker to stop an evil Hyperion.<ref>''Exiles'' #40 (2004).</ref> The plan succeeded and they both joined Weapon X. When Hyperion had gone even crazier than before, Hulk attacked and Weapon X began to fight with each other. This version of The Hulk was killed when Hyperion brutally fought him until he was in a weakened state, Hyperion then used his heat vision on The Hulk, melting and destroying him.<ref>''Exiles'' #43-44 (2004).</ref> His body is sent back to his reality, where his funeral is held. Some time after Hulk's death, Firestar committed suicide when she incinerates herself and a teammate.
* A conqueror version of the Hulk, in his gladiator outfit, killed Annihilus, most of the superhumans, took full control of the Annihilation Wave, and decimated Earth. He has been apparently knocked unconscious by the Exiles. It is unknown if he survived this incident. This version is even more insane than the other alternate versions of the Hulk. While the Exiles had been dealing with Proteus, Hulk's Annihilation Wave killed many of the superhumans which should not have happened if not for Proteus. A new version of the Exiles have been present showing the surviving superhumans and they all have one goal: to stop Hulk and his Annihilation Wave, in which they apparently succeeded.

===Hulk: Chapter One===
In the ''Hulk 1999 Annual'', writer [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]] revised the Hulk's origin, much like his ''[[Spider-Man: Chapter One]]''. In the revised origin, the Gamma Bomb that was being tested is now a gamma laser, and a [[Skrull]] was responsible for [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]]' presence on the base during the gamma test. The Skrull also disguised himself as Igor Rasminsky (Drenkov in the original stories), a fellow scientist working on the project. The contemporary setting removes the [[Cold War]] context of the original story, and serves as a tie-in to the ''[[Marvel: The Lost Generation]]'' maxi-series created by [[Roger Stern]] and Byrne, which also brought the origins of many Marvel characters out of the 1960s and into contemporary times.<ref>Hulk 1999 Annual.</ref><ref>Marvel: The Lost Generation, issues 12-1; 2000-2001.</ref> The storyline is currently designated as set on Earth-9992, and is not part of mainstream Marvel continuity ([[Earth-616]]).

=== The Last Avengers Story ===
In the 1995 miniseries ''[[The Last Avengers Story]]'', Hulk was amongst those who joined [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]], [[Thing (comics)|The Thing]] and [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]] in a mysterious conflict known as the "Great Cataclysm" which threatened [[Olympus (Marvel Comics)|Olympus]] and [[Asgard (comics)|Asgard]]. The event ended with Hulk holding Hercules's golden mace and his skin temporarily turned grey, suggesting that the Hulk was the only survivor of this conflict. After the Event Hulk was recruited alongside [[Mockingbird (Marvel Comics)|Mockingbird]], [[Tigra]], [[Wonder Man]] and [[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Hawkeye]] to fight [[Ultron]]. However Hulk had been seemingly corrupted by the events of the Great Cataclysm and turned on his allies, ripping Tigra in half and puncturing Wonder Man, Wonder Man unleashed his energy against the Hulk, seemingly killing them both and accidentally blinding Hawkeye. Hulk is finally defeated by Thor, which ends the chaos.

===House of M===
In the ''[[House of M]]'' reality, Bruce Banner disappears in [[Australia]], where he befriends an [[Indigenous Australians|Aborigine]] tribe, and attempts to control his dark side. When the mutant rulers of the Earth attack his tribe he retaliates, and eventually conquers Australia with the aid of [[Advanced Idea Mechanics|Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.)]].{{Volume needed|c=y|date=February 2013}}

===Infernal Hulk===
In one alternative reality, Bruce Banner and the Hulk were magically separated. Bruce became the new [[Doctor Strange|Sorcerer Supreme]], and the Hulk was cast into hell. However, while in hell, the Hulk became corrupted by the demonic beings he encountered, transforming him into a demon himself. Now completely evil, he escaped from hell and attempted to kill Banner. With help from the mainstream Hulk, Banner tricked the "infernal" Hulk into shattering the Eye of Agamotto, causing him to be thrown back into hell.<ref>''Incredible Hulks Annual'' #1</ref>

===Maestro===
{{main|Maestro (character)}}

Set in a post apocalyptic future, the Hulk has mutated into the dictator Maestro ruling the remains of humanity with an iron fist. Ruthless, sadistic, violent, and tyrannical, the Maestro was shown to be an example of what would happen if the Hulk ever embraced his darker roots. Maestro was known to be an enemy of the Hulk, as the two alternate versions fought each other on Maestro's world.<ref name="Imperfect"/>

===Marvel 2099===
For the ''[[Marvel 2099]]'' imprint, [[Gerard Jones]] and [[Dwayne Turner]] created a new version of the character. First appearing in ''2099 Unlimited'' #1, John Eisenhart, a selfish film producer in "LotusLand" (future [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]) is inadvertently exposed to gamma radiation by the Knights of the Banner (a cult worshipping the original Hulk) who intend to create a Hulk of their own. As the Hulk, Eisenhart finds himself representing freedom to a closed-off society. A ''[[Hulk 2099]]'' series was published for 10 issues.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=February 2013}}

The unified Marvel Noir reality of Earth-2099 featured a version of Hulk 2009. In addition, there was a 2099 version of Grey Hulk who was a member of the [[Avengers (comics)#Marvel 2099|2099 version of the Avengers]] until he was among those who were killed by the [[Masters of Evil#Marvel 2099|2099 version of the Masters of Evil]]. The 2099 version of Moon Knight survived the massacre and formed the [[The New Avengers (comics)#Marvel 2099|2099 version of the New Avengers]] with Hulk 2099 as one of its members as they avenged Grey Hulk 2099 and the fallen Avengers by defeating the Masters of Evil and having them remanded to a prison on the planet Wakanda.<ref>''Spider-Man 2099: Exodus'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Marvel Comics 2===
In another take, The Hulk is shown to still be active in the alternative future of the [[Marvel Comics 2|MC2]] universe. There, he is shown as an amalgamation of his three main transformations; He has the strength of the Savage Hulk, the attitude of the Grey Hulk, and the intelligence of the Professor Hulk.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=February 2013}}

He's also shown to have fathered a son named David by an unknown spouse.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=February 2013}}

He was later seen within the pages of ''[[Last Hero Standing]]'', where [[Loki (Marvel Comics)|Loki]] manipulated him into attacking the heroes. When he was freed of his manipulation he was critical in punishing Loki by forcing him into the voided dimension that [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]] had opened a rift into, Hulk informing Loki that he was ruined on Earth because of Loki's actions and he therefore had nothing to lose by ensuring that Loki would be punished for eternity.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=February 2013}}

===Marvel Zombies===
====Marvel Zombies: Dead Days====
In the series ''[[Marvel Zombies]]'', the Hulk has been infected with a virus which makes him into an undead zombie (he is actually infected by the zombie Fantastic Four). Although he still retains his strength and invulnerability, he no longer heals, is losing weight because of his now-deteriorating tissue, does not feel pain and now craves human flesh. The zombie Hulk's transformations are physically controlled purely by his appetite — after feeding, he transforms back into Banner, who is also a zombie, until the hunger returns. When Hulk first transforms back into Banner, [[stomach rupture|his stomach starts to burst]]. He is directly responsible for killing the Silver Surfer by [[decapitate|biting off his head]]. Later he joins Spider-Man, Iron-Man, Giant-Man, Wolverine and Luke Cage as the Galacti after killing and consuming Galactus.

====Marvel Zombies 2====
Forty years later, the zombie Hulk, along with the other zombies, had eaten or converted most of the universe, prompting them to return to Earth to try to recover the dimensional transporter. Although the other zombies managed to beat their hunger by going without food for a time, the Hulk's raw hunger was too great for him to be convinced to stop, resulting in him killing the zombified but "cured" [[Iron Man]], [[Jean Grey]], [[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Hawkeye]], and [[Firelord (comics)|Firelord]]. Once he feeds and returns to Bruce Banner, he is finally killed by Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Giant-Man, recognizing that there is no other way to stop the Hulk from feeding again.<ref>''Marvel Zombies 2'' #5 (April 2008)</ref>

====Marvel Zombies 3====
Hulk makes a cameo appearance in ''Marvel Zombies 3'' when Machine Man, Ultron, and Jocasta travel to Earth 2149, killing winged zombies (zombie Beak, Angel, Vulture, and Falcon altogether). He also makes another cameo appearance when [[Vanessa Fisk]] explains to the 3 androids how the Silver Surfer died, and how the zombie [[Kingpin (comics)|Kingpin]], who is, surprisingly, her husband, created a zombie empire forming a huge alliance.

====Marvel Zombies Return====
A second Hulk appears in the reality the Marvel Zombies of the original series are teleported to, known as Earth-Z. This version's life appears identical to his core counterpart up until the events of World War Hulk. When he reaches the Moon to attack the Inhumans, he is infected by the zombie [[Giant-Man]], and his allies killed. Oddly hungry, he heads back to Earth and begins eating people, and ultimately infecting the [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Sentry]], who sets about forming a team of Zombie Avengers to eat humanity and wipe out any competition or resistance from other heroes, infected or otherwise dead. After the Sentry tries to kill Hulk to eliminate the competition as the two are the only creatures capable of challenging each other, Hulk is later cured of his hunger by the Zombie [[Spider-Man]] and joins his New Avengers. The team succeeds in killing the Zombie Avengers and ending their plan to eat the multiverse, sacrificing themselves in the process. Ultimately, the nanite infused Sandman killed Hulk.<ref>''Marvel Zombies Return'' #4-5</ref>

===Old Man Logan===
''[[Old Man Logan]]'' is set 50 years into an apocalyptic future. The world is in ruin and shadow following a massive conflict. A large coordinated force of super villains has killed a majority of the heroes and seized control of the [[United States]] splitting it into sections. Bruce Banner is said to have gone mad from radiation sickness, possibly from [[nuclear weapons]] that may have been used during the conflict or this and other changes may be the long-term result of his famous gamma radiation accident. Bruce's personality and powers seem altered, in human form he now has little empathy and possesses superhuman strength. Banner and his cousin [[She-Hulk#Old Man Logan|Jennifer Walters]] have mated and produced offspring that possess their green skin and a little of their strength. They form the [[hillbilly]]-like "'''[[Hulk Gang]]'''" that rule the entire west coast of the country dubbed "Hulkland", a domain formerly held by the Abomination until Banner killed him. Banner, along with his children and grandchildren, live in a collection of caves and trailers, forcing those that live on the west coast to pay them rent in order to be allowed to live.

There were two versions of the Hulk that appear:

====Earth-807128====
"Pappy" Bruce Banner's family threaten Logan's family over rent due to the Banners. Logan accompanies [[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Clint Barton]] on a cross country delivery to source the rent money. When Logan returns and finds the bodies of his family, killed by the Banners, he kills the Hulk Gang and attacks Pappy Banner who admits that he set all of this into motion because he missed their old brawls. Banner gets angry when Wolverine calls him a redneck SOB and drives his claws through his chest. He transforms into The Hulk. Hulk overpowers Logan and eats him. Logan's mutant healing factor then allows him to recover and slash his way out of Hulk's stomach, killing him. Logan spots Banner's son, '''Bruce, Jr.''' and spares him. Logan takes the boy to raise in an effort to someday help combat the various villains that still rule the country.<ref>''Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-Size'' #1</ref>

Old Man Logan found that Pappy Banner's head was placed on a gamma-powered robot made from Adamantium by [[Tinkerer (Marvel Comics)#Old Man Logan|Tinkerer]]. He used it in his revenge on Old Man Logan. Before Old Man Logan can be finished off by Pappy Banner, he is suddenly attacked by Bruce Banner Jr. who separated Pappy Banner's head from the Adamantium armor. Rather than kill his head, Old Man Logan buried it and planted a tree over him so that its roots can slowly dig into his skull.<ref>''Wastelanders: Wolverine'' #1</ref>

====Earth-21923====
Pappy Banner's history on Earth-21923's history was still intact up to his death at the hands of Old Man Logan. When Old Man Logan uses [[Asmodeus (comics)|Asmodeus]]' help to return to this future to rescue Bruce Banner Jr., he finds that the time has been altered in which Maestro appears in the place of Pappy Banner.<ref>''Old Man Logan'' Vol. 2 #24</ref> This unidentified version of Maestro has rounded up the remaining members of the Hulk Gang as he makes plans to help them build a paradise for all Hulks on Earth-616. With help from the Cambria Banner, Logan and Hawkeye of Earth-616 were able to defeat Maestro and the surviving members of the Hulk Gang went their separate ways.<ref>''Old Man Logan'' Vol. 2 #25-30</ref>

===Otto Banner===
During the "[[Devil's Reign]]" storyline, Doctor Octopus started forming his Superior Four that includes a Hulk that has four extra arms growing from his back.<ref>''Devil's Reign'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> His real name is Otto Banner of Earth-8816 and he was also abused by his Earth's version of [[Brian Banner#Earth-8816|Brian Banner]].<ref>''Devil's Reign: Superior Four'' #1. Marvel Comics</ref>

===Ruins===
In the [[Warren Ellis]] series ''[[Ruins (comics)|Ruins]]'', a dark flip to the [[Kurt Busiek]] tale ''[[Marvels]]'', the accidents, experiments and mutations that led to the creation of Super Heroes and super humans, instead led to terrible deformations and painful deaths. Here, Bruce Banner's story goes exactly the same as his 616 counterpart, but when he is caught in the middle of the gamma bomb explosion, instead of transforming into the Incredible Hulk, his whole body opens up from the gigantic tumors that appear inside it, pushing most of his organs and skull outside his body and giving Rick Jones cancer. He did not die, and was put in an underground vault by the CIA, codenamed "the Hulk".<ref>''Ruins'' #1 (Aug 1995)</ref>

===Secret Wars (2015)===
During the ''[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]'' storyline, different versions of Hulk reside in each [[Battleworld]] domain.

* The Battleworld domain of Greenland is filled with an assortment of Hulks ranging from '''Tribal Hulks''' (a group of Hulks that live like a tribe), '''Bull Hulks''' (a group of gamma-irradiated cattle), '''Sand Hulks''' (who evoke the traits of Hulk and [[Sandman (Marvel Comics)|Sandman]]), and a '''Sea Hulk'''. This land is a recreation of Earth-71612 where it was rendered into a Hulk-filled land by a gamma bomb strike by A.I.M. It was stated that Bruce Banner had started Bannertech Industries and his fate has not been mentioned since A.I.M.'s gamma bomb strike. In addition to the various type of Hulks and a variation of a [[Red Hulk]] that rules Greenland as the '''Red King'''", a variation of Steve Rogers that was sent into Greenland by God Emperor Doom and Sheriff Strange encountered another variation of Steve Rogers that operated as Doc Green.<ref>''Planet Hulk'' #1</ref>
* The Battleworld domain of Spider-Island that was based from the remnants of Earth-19919 told an alternate version of the ''[[Spider-Island]]'' storyline where Hulk was mutated into '''Spider-Hulk''' and served as one of [[List of Marvel Comics characters: Q#Queen|Spider-Queen]]'s minions. However, [[Agent Venom]] uses [[Curt Connors]]' Lizard Formula to mutate Hulk into a giant lizard monster, which broke him free from the Spider Queen's control.<ref>''Spider-Island'' #1-5</ref>
* The Battleworld domain of Marville that was based from the remnants of Earth-71912 featured a child version of Hulk that is a member of the Avengers.<ref>''Giant-Size Little Marvel: AVX'' #4</ref>
* The Battleworld domain of the Kingdom of Manhattan is based from the remnants of Earth-61610 where variations of characters from Earth-616 and Earth-1610 co-exist on the combined version of both reality's Manhattan. In this case, a variation of Hulk's Doc Green form co-exists with a variation of Earth-1610's Hulk.<ref>''Ultimate End'' #1-5</ref>
* The Battleworld domain of Bug World that was based from the remnants of Earth-22312 features an anthropomorphic insect version of Hulk called '''Roly-Poly Hulk'''.<ref>''Secret Wars: Secret Love'' #1</ref>
* The Battleworld domain of the Walled City of New York that was based from the remnants of Earth-21722 features a version of Hulk that is a member of the Avengers where they are allied with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s side of the Walled City of New York.<ref>''Hank Johnson, Agent of Hydra'' #1</ref>

===Spider-Geddon===
During the "[[Spider-Geddon]]" storyline, a sequel to "[[Spider-Verse]]", '''Robbie Banner''' is a punk on Earth-138 who is allied with [[Spider-Punk]] and can turn into the Hulk while listening to "Atomic Bomb" music. He helped Spider-Punk and [[Flag-Smasher#Spider-Geddon|Captain Anarchy]] fight the [[U-Foes]] at the Hellfire Club, assisted Spider-Punk and M.C. Strange push the [[Universal Church of Truth]] out of Queens, and fought Hydra on the streets. After obtaining the "Atomic Bomb" tape from Captain Anarchy, Spider-Punk visited Robbie to get his help, but the latter was reluctant to listen to the tape. When [[Kang the Conqueror#Spider-Geddon|Kang the Conglomerator]] went on the attack, Robbie reluctantly listened to the tape and transformed into the Hulk to help Spider-Punk fight Kang.<ref>''Edge of Spider-Verse'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===The End===
In other tales, possible futures for the character have been shown. Using a post apocalyptic wasteland as a backdrop, the Peter David written ''[[Hulk: The End]]'' [[One shot (comic)|one-shot]] features an elderly Bruce Banner as the last surviving inhabitant of Earth, the Hulk having hidden in a cave during a nuclear war until he was released by the Recorder sent to confirm humanity's demise. After Bruce has spent time traveling Earth, transforming into the Hulk at night and when attacked by the mutated [[cockroach]]es that are the only other surviving lifeforms on Earth, the story concludes with Banner dying of a heart attack, thus leaving the Hulk as the last living being on the planet. Acknowledging that he would also die if he changes back into Banner, the Hulk reflects on the fact that he has finally achieved his wish to be alone.<ref>''Hulk: The End'' (August 2002)</ref>

===Ultimate Marvel===
An alternate universe variant of Bruce Banner / Hulk from Earth-1610 appears in the [[Ultimate Marvel]] imprint. This version is a scientist working for [[S.H.I.E.L.D.#Ultimate Marvel|S.H.I.E.L.D.]] who gained his powers from an attempt to recreate the Super-Soldier Formula that created [[Captain America (Ultimate Marvel character)|Captain America]].<ref>''Ultimate Origins'' #4</ref> Additionally, Hulk is depicted as more malicious, representing Banner's hidden emotions and [[Id, ego and superego#Id|id]].

===Ultimate Universe===
During the "[[Ultimate Invasion]]" storyline, [[Maker (character)|Maker]] visits [[Earth-6160]] and remakes it into his own image. One of the things he could not succeed in was preventing the origin of Hulk, who would later find personal "enlightenment". He and his fellow monks of the Children of the Eternal Light would later attend an international event held by the Maker at the City in [[Latveria]] as part of his [[Illuminati (comics)#Ultimate Universe|Council]].<ref>''Ultimate Invasion'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> Hulk and the Children of the Eternal Light are revealed to rule India and parts of Asia.

== In other media ==
{{Main|Hulk in other media}}
The character has been played in live-action and animation by a variety of actors. The character was first played in live-action by [[Bill Bixby]] and [[Lou Ferrigno]] in the 1978 television series ''[[The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' and its subsequent television films ''[[The Incredible Hulk Returns]]'' (1988), ''[[The Trial of the Incredible Hulk]]'' (1989), and ''[[The Death of the Incredible Hulk]]'' (1990), and [[Eric Bana]] in the film ''[[Hulk (film)|Hulk]]'' (2003). In the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] (MCU), [[Bruce Banner (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|the character]] was first portrayed by [[Edward Norton]] in the film ''[[The Incredible Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' (2008) and by [[Mark Ruffalo]] in later appearances, including the films ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]'' (2012), ''[[Iron Man 3]]'' (2013), ''[[Avengers: Age of Ultron]]'' (2015), ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'' (2017), ''[[Avengers: Infinity War]]'' (2018), ''[[Captain Marvel (film)|Captain Marvel]]'' (2019), ''[[Avengers: Endgame]]'' (2019), and ''[[Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings]]'' (2021), and the television series ''[[She-Hulk: Attorney at Law]]'' (2022) and ''[[What If...? (TV series)|What If...?]]'' (2021). [[Fred Tatasciore]] has voiced Hulk in various television series and video games, including ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]'' and ''[[Avengers Assemble (TV series)|Avengers Assemble]]''.

==Reception==
The Hulk was ranked #1 on a listing of Marvel Comics' monster characters in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/marvel/250132/marvels-31-best-monsters/page/0/2|title= Marvel's 31 Best Monsters|first= Marc|last= Buxton|date= October 30, 2015|publisher= [[Dennis Publishing|Den of Geek]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170312224459/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/marvel/250132/marvels-31-best-monsters/page/0/2|archive-date= March 12, 2017|url-status= live|df= mdy-all|quote= The Hulk is way more superhero than horror icon, but in the character's year history, there were plenty of times that this titanic creature was cast in the role of classic monster.}}</ref>

In 2018, ''[[CBR.com]]'' ranked The Thing (Bruce Banner) 2nd in their "Age Of Apocalypse: The 30 Strongest Characters In Marvel's Coolest Alternate World" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lealos |first=Shawn S. |date=2018-09-16 |title=Age Of Apocalypse: The 30 Strongest Characters In Marvel's Coolest Alternate World |url=https://www.cbr.com/age-of-apocalypse-characters-ranked/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2022, ''[[Screen Rant]]'' included Hulk in their "10 Most Powerful Hercules Villains In Marvel Comics" list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harn |first=Darby |date=2022-07-17 |title=Thor: Love And Thunder — 10 Most Powerful Hercules Villains In Marvel Comics |url=https://screenrant.com/hercules-most-powerful-villains-thor-love-and-thunder/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Marvel Comics superhero debuts]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="AltMaestro">{{cite web|first=Robin |last=Parrish |title=5 Storylines Marvel Should Use For a 'Hulk' Movie |url=http://www.techtimes.com/articles/49398/20150429/5-storylines-marvel-use-hulk-movie.htm |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=October 2, 2016 |publisher=Tech Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161002131606/http://www.techtimes.com/articles/49398/20150429/5-storylines-marvel-use-hulk-movie.htm |archive-date=October 2, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="AltOML">{{cite web|first=Brendan |last=McGinley |title=The 5 Most Ridiculous Attempts to Reinvent Superheroes |url=http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-5-most-ridiculous-attempts-to-reinvent-superheroes_p2/ |date=June 19, 2013 |access-date=October 2, 2016 |publisher=[[Cracked (magazine)|Cracked]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161002205450/http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-5-most-ridiculous-attempts-to-reinvent-superheroes_p2/ |archive-date=October 2, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="AltOML2">{{cite web|first=Mark |last=Zambrano |title=11 Biggest WTF Things The Hulk Has Ever Done |url=http://screenrant.com/biggest-wtf-things-hulk-has-done/?view=all |date=June 6, 2016 |access-date=October 2, 2016 |website=Screen Rant |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161002205659/http://screenrant.com/biggest-wtf-things-hulk-has-done/?view=all |archive-date=October 2, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="BioMarvel">{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/characters/25/hulk |title=Hulk |publisher=[[Marvel Comics]] |access-date=September 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160924154017/http://marvel.com/characters/25/hulk |archive-date=September 24, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all |quote=Height 5' 9{{citefrac|1|2}}" (Banner); 6'6" (gray Hulk); 7' – 8' (green/savageHulk); 7'6" (green/Professor Hulk) Weight 128 lbs. (Banner); 900 lbs. (gray Hulk); 1,040 – 1,400 lbs.(green/savage Hulk); 1,150 lbs. (green/Professor Hulk)}}</ref>

<ref name="HulkIconic">{{cite web|first=Matt |last=Miller |title=Marvel Just Killed Off Another Iconic Superhero (But it Was the Worst One, Really) |url=http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/news/a46670/marvel-hulk-dead/ |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=October 1, 2016 |work=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161001164754/http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/news/a46670/marvel-hulk-dead/ |archive-date=October 1, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="HulkIconic2">{{cite web|first=Michael |last=Rothman |title=Marvel Kills Off Iconic 'Avenger' and 50-Year-Old Superhero |url=https://gma.yahoo.com/marvel-kills-off-iconic-avenger-50-old-superhero-083453409--abc-news-celebrities.html |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=October 1, 2016 |publisher=[[Yahoo!]] |work=[[Good Morning America]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161001165040/https://gma.yahoo.com/marvel-kills-off-iconic-avenger-50-old-superhero-083453409--abc-news-celebrities.html |archive-date=October 1, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="NerdistPowers">{{cite web|first=Kyle |last=Hill |title=Who Would Win In A Fight Between Superman And The Hulk? |url=http://nerdist.com/who-would-win-in-a-fight-between-superman-and-the-hulk/ |date=December 9, 2014 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |publisher=[[Nerdist News]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150828072318/http://nerdist.com/who-would-win-in-a-fight-between-superman-and-the-hulk/ |archive-date=August 28, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="NewsAramaPg2">{{cite news|title=Duo Dynamics: The Many Incarnations of HULK-BANNER Bond? (Page 2) |url=http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html#s2 |date=December 23, 2015 |access-date=October 7, 2016 |work=[[Newsarama]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161007194404/http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html%23s2 |archive-date=October 7, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="NewsAramaPg3">{{cite news|title=Duo Dynamics: The Many Incarnations of HULK-BANNER Bond? (Page 3) |url=http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html#s3 |date=December 23, 2015 |access-date=October 7, 2016 |work=[[Newsarama]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161007194305/http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html%23s3 |archive-date=October 7, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="NewsAramaPg5">{{cite news|title=Duo Dynamics: The Many Incarnations of HULK-BANNER Bond? (Page 5) |url=http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html#s5 |date=December 23, 2015 |access-date=October 7, 2016 |work=[[Newsarama]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161007195729/http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html%23s5 |archive-date=October 7, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="NewsAramaPg9">{{cite news|title=Duo Dynamics: The Many Incarnations of HULK-BANNER Bond? (Page 9) |url=http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html#s9 |date=December 23, 2015 |access-date=October 8, 2016 |work=[[Newsarama]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161008100548/http://www.newsarama.com/15462-duo-dynamics-the-many-incarnations-of-hulk-banner-bond.html%23s9 |archive-date=October 8, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|voy=no|wikt=Hulk|b=no|q=Hulk (comics)|s=no|commons=Category:Hulk|n=no|v=no|d=Q188760}}
* {{marvelwiki|Hulk|Hulk}}
* {{Comicbookdb|type=character|id=397|title=Hulk}}
* {{gcdb|type=character|search=Hulk|title=Hulk}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170708041934/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0007099/ Hulk] on [[IMDb]]
* {{Marveldatabase|Bruce Banner (Earth-616)|Bruce Banner}}

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