Mark Ruffalo's Hulk jumps with his arms spread out in front of the Avengers MCU logo
By
Nicolas Ayala
Published 58 minutes ago
Nicolas Ayala is a Senior Writer for the Comics team at ScreenRant, with over five years of experience writing about Superhero media, action movies, and TV shows.
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Marvel's Hulk lore has grown large enough to contain dozens of Gamma mutates across various universes, but only ten of them can be considered the best. Despite the MCU’s long-running reluctance to give the Hulk a true solo spotlight, the Green Goliath's comic-book mythology remains one of Marvel’s richest and most fully developed. Even though the films haven’t tapped into this potential, the comics have built a whole empire of Hulk-centric stories.
Part of what makes Hulk's mythos so vast is the sheer number of Gamma-infused characters. Many of them push the concept of “Hulk” into strange territory. Weapon H fuses Hulk’s power with Wolverine’s adamantium claws, Hulk 2099 is a futuristic wild creature, and A-Bomb develops camouflage on top of his strength boost. Other Hulks are simply too iconic and too influential to leave off any list of Marvel’s greatest Gamma characters.
10 Skaar
What If? Planet Hulk #1 (2007)
Skarr screams and his eyes glow in Marvel Comics
Hulk's son Skaar was forged in the fires of Sakaar. His stone-like skin and broadsword skills are complemented by the Old Power, which makes him one of the most ferocious warriors in the cosmos. Introduced in Planet Hulk fallout stories, Skaar’s best arcs explore his uneasy relationship with the Hulk, though Skaar lacks the same inner struggle that makes his father's stories timeless.
Skaar's appearance is instantly recognizable despite his similarities to other Hulks. His tattoos, long hair, and warrior attire make him look like a Golden-Age comic book hero like Conan the Barbarian, with a Gamma upgrade. Skaar's animated appearances and his introduction in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law have only provided a tease at his untapped potential in motion.
9 Abomination
Tales to Astonish #90 (1967)
A white-eyed Abomination drools as he rushes towards the camera in Hulk art by Ryan Brown
The Abomination is one of Hulk’s three archenemies. Emil Blonsky's monstrous transformation represents Gamma energy stripped of all nobility. Unlike Bruce Banner, Blonsky fuels his raw power with nothing but envy and cruelty. He wanted his transformation, and his hunger for Hulk’s strength corrupted him.
Abomination doesn't grow as powerful as the Hulk, and he lacks the complexity of Bruce Banner's dichotomy. However, Abomination's sheer cruelty works in his favor. He’s strong enough to challenge Hulk without overshadowing him, and his murder of Betty Ross cements him as truly irredeemable. In other words, Abomination is to Hulk what Venom is to Spider-Man or Omega Red is to Wolverine.
8 Amadeus Cho
Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15 (1995)
Amadeus Cho holds a pair of sunglasses in The Totally Awesome Hulk comic cover
Amadeus Cho earned a reputation as a capable hero long before gaining Gamma powers. As the seventh-smartest person on Earth, Amadeus built his entire identity on his genius-level intellect. When he absorbed Hulk’s powers, Amadeus embraced the mantle confidently and much more optimistically than Bruce Banner. Since then, he has put a more joyful spin on the Hulk's legacy.
As the Totally Awesome Hulk and later as Brawn, Amadeus established himself as a powerhouse hero and a natural team player. He battled world-ending threats and stepped up as a founding member of the Champions, helping lead a new generation of young heroes. And yet, the best chapters of Amadeus Cho's heroic journey still lie ahead.
7 Doc Samson
The Incredible Hulk #141 (1971)
Doc Samson stands on other Hulks laughing and looking at the sun in Marvel Comics
Doc Samson is perhaps the most versatile Gamma character in Marvel lore, as he possesses enough strength to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk, but he retains his intellect and his human appearance. This lets him operate in ways Banner and other Hulks simply can’t. Doc Leonard Samson has long walked the line between hero, anti-hero, regular civilian, and outright antagonist. Few characters can shift so naturally between Hulk’s rogues gallery and his circle of allies.
Doc Samson has been central in major Hulk events and storylines, including World War Hulk and Thaddeus Ross' transformation into the Red Hulk. Samson's additional transformations only make him a more powerful Gamma mutate and add more layers to his story. Most notably, Leonard Samson doubled down on his heroic qualities as Doc Sasquatch.
6 Red Harpy
The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962)
Betty Ross aka Red Harpy attacks Hulk with her claws spreading her wings in The Immortal Hulk cover
Betty Ross is one of Marvel’s most fully realized love interests, having played nearly every possible role in Bruce Banner’s life. Betty has been Bruce's close ally, impossible love, wife, ex, late partner, enemy, and finally a Gamma mutate in her own right. Betty's Harpy transformation was incredibly creative for 1973, her Red She-Hulk transformation was only a natural evolution in 2009, and finally, her Red Harpy transformation in 2019's Immortal Hulk culminated her monstrous devolution.
The Red Harpy was a perfect fit for The Immortal Hulk's dark, psychological tone. With razor talons, glowing eyes, and a huge dislocated mouth, Red Harpy mirrors Bruce Banner’s own tragic curse. As Hulk stories continue embracing darker, creature-feature aesthetics in Marvel's world of monsters, Red Harpy’s relevance will only grow stronger.
5 Maestro
The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 (1992)
Maestro holds various Marvel weapons surrounded by frozen heroes in Marvel Comics art
There are countless far-future versions of famous characters in the Marvel multiverse, but none of them are as powerful or as iconic as Maestro. Maestro weaponizes Bruce Banner’s intellect and the Hulk’s raw power to become a calculating despot who knows exactly how to exploit his enemies' weaknesses. Marvel's white-bearded Hulk could have become a wise hero who rebuilds civilization from the ashes, but he chooses to become a tyrant.
A big part of Maestro’s legacy is his overwhelming track record. Across various futures, Maestro has defeated entire teams of heroes and even outplayed villains on the level of Doctor Doom. His debut in Future Imperfect remains one of the definitive Hulk stories, but his later appearances have only increased his mythic stature.
4 Red Hulk
The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962)
Thaddeus Ross aka Red Hulk charges across a hall in Marvel Comics
Thaddeus Ross cemented himself as one of the most important characters in Hulk lore long before he got his first taste of Gamma energy. As a regular human, Ross hunted down Hulk relentlessly for years. Becoming the Red Hulk amplified everything that made him dangerous, granting him Hulk-level strength plus the unique ability to generate heat and fire.
After debuting as a major villain, Red Hulk entered anti-hero territory and then earned himself a spot among the Avengers. Red Hulk has an extensive history with lots of twists and changes that make him just as much an iconic villain as an iconic hero. While he's no longer exchanging blows with the Hulk, Red Hulk is leaving a mark on the Marvel Universe, challenging none other than Doctor Doom himself.
3 The Leader
Tales to Astonish #62 (1964)
Samuel Sterns aka the Leader smirks surrounded by Intelligencia villains
Samuel Sterns’ transformation into the Leader represents the perfect intellectual counterpoint to the Hulk’s raw physical might. Unlike most Gamma mutates, it's the Leader’s mind that gains an upgrade and turns into a terrifying engine of hyper-calculation. Sterns' accelerated intelligence gives him an unparalleled grasp of probability and strategy. Since his first transformation, the Leader has been the architect behind some of Hulk’s most challenging trials.
The Immortal Hulk elevates the Leader even further, mutating him into a grotesque monster empowered by the One Below All. This version weaponizes his intellect and his Gamma-enhanced ego into something biblical in scale. In the Below Place, Samuel Sterns embodies the very worst possibilities that Gamma energy has to offer.
2 She-Hulk
The Savage She-Hulk #1 (1979)
Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk flexes her arms in front of a bright yellow background in Marvel Comics cover art
She-Hulk was first designed simply as a female twist on Hulk, but she quickly transformed into one of the most extraordinary heroes in the Marvel Universe. On top of becoming strong enough to face the same enemies as her cousin, Jennifer Walters gained fourth-wall-breaking abilities and a boost of confidence that made her an instant icon. One day, She-Hulk could be chewing chunks off a Celestial, and the other, she could be representing a Doombot in the court of law.
She-Hulk has one of the most developed double lives in Marvel lore. While she's faithful to her superhero duties, many of her stories center around her personal matters, ranging from her professional career to her love life to her family drama. The best way to explore the Marvel Universe from a casual, day-to-day perspective is to read a She-Hulk comic.
1 Hulk (Bruce Banner)
The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962)
Worldbreaker Hulk screams as he powers up using Gamma energy in Marvel Comics
Bruce Banner will forever be Marvel's definitive Hulk. No other Gamma mutate captures the concept’s primal duality as well as Bruce Banner's alter ego. Banner's Hulk transformation channels his childhood trauma and his deepest fears in the form of uncontrollable fury. Hulk is also multiple characters who represent a different aspect of Bruce Banner's mind, and each of these fragments has evolved into an individual of their own.
Hulk's best stories rank among Marvel’s most ambitious epics. Although other Hulks have expanded the Gamma mythos into uncharted territories, Marvel's original Hulk remains its heart and the standard by which all other Gamma characters are judged. Six decades after his debut, Hulk's story keeps taking huge leaps, with essential additions like the Green Door and his link to Marvel's monsters.
Hulk
Created By
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
First Appearance
The Incredible Hulk (1962)
Alias
Robert Bruce Banner
Alliance
Avengers, Defenders, Horsemen of Apocalypse, Fantastic Four, Pantheon, Warbound, S.M.A.S.H., Secret Avengers
Franchise
Marvel
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