The Red Hulk is an alias that is used by several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics: Thunderbolt Ross and Robert Maverick as well as other equivalents in specific Marvel timelines. The character has appeared in numerous adaptions in media alongside the comics including several animated television shows, video games and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film (2025).
Fictional character biography
Thunderbolt Ross
The first Red Hulk (also known as
Rulk)
[ "'Hulk' #5 is red hot – second printing announced". CBR.com. August 12, 2008] appeared in the
Hulk series that debuted in 2008.
The 2010
World War Hulks storyline reveals that this being is
Thunderbolt Ross,
the United States Army General who is the father-in-law and longtime nemesis of Bruce Banner.
[ "71. Thunderbolt Ross". IGN (2009). Retrieved January 23, 2017.] The storyline reveals that Ross was given the ability to transform into the Red Hulk by the criminal organizations A.I.M. and the Intelligencia and that he did this in order to better fight the original Hulk.
Robert Maverick
The second Red Hulk appears in the 2017 debut issue of
U.S.Avengers. Four-star General
Robert Maverick is selected for his genetic profile to create a being who is "halfway to a Hulk". A device called the Hulk Plug-In, created by Avengers Idea Mechanics (a legitimate technology company created from the remains of the defunct supervillain organization Advanced Idea Mechanics), is implanted in Maverick's wrist. When triggered, it turns him into the Red Hulk for one hour approximately every day and a half. Unlike his predecessor, Maverick retains his mustache as the Red Hulk and wears his sunglasses. He joins the U.S. Avengers.
[Ewing, Al (w), Medina, Paco (p), Vlasco, Juan (i). "$kullocracy", U.S.Avengers #1 (March 2017). Marvel Comics.]
Joe Fixit
The Hulk's
Hulk personality later gained the ability to transform into the Red Hulk while in the Below-Place.
[ Immortal Hulk #45-49. Marvel Comics.]
Powers and abilities
The Red Hulk has superhuman strength, durability, and endurance, comparable to that of the Hulk. He is capable of absorbing radiation, which his body can metabolize for increased strength. Unlike the Hulk, increased anger does not make him stronger but causes him to emit increasing heat. The upper limit of this heat has not been specified. When fighting the Hulk, during the Red Hulk's first story line, this heat created an aura of light around the two behemoths and melted the desert sand on which they stood into a glass disc at least dozens of feet in diameter. At this level, the Red Hulk weakens and is vulnerable to being knocked unconscious by the Hulk.
Collected editions
| +
!Title
!Material collected
!Published date
!ISBN |
| Hulk: Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk | Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1-4 and material from Incredible Hulk #606-608 | August 2010 | |
| Red Hulk: Scorched Earth | Hulk (vol. 2) #25-30 | May 2011 | |
| Red Hulk: Planet Red Hulk | Hulk (vol. 2) #30.1, 31–36 | October 2011 | |
| Fear Itself: Hulk/Dracula | Hulk (vol. 2) #37-41, Fear Itself: Hulk vs Dracula #1-3 | November 2011 | |
| Red Hulk: Hulk of Arabia | Hulk (vol. 2) #42-46 | April 2012 | |
| Red Hulk: Haunted | Hulk (vol. 2) #47-52 | August 2012 | |
| Red Hulk: Mayan Rule | Hulk (vol. 2) #53-57 | October 2012 | |
Other versions
Marvel 2099
In the unified Marvel 2099 reality of Earth-2099, space explorer
Ross Romero is dispatched with his crew by
Alchemax to explore a rogue planet that appeared around the Sun. When the planet attacked his crew and one abandoned Ross on the planet, he worked to survive on it. One day, Ross ate a red fruit that appeared before him and it transformed him into the 2099 version of the Red Hulk as he figures out that the planet he's stranded on is Ego the Living Planet who empowered him as his last act. Ego's pursuer
Terrax the Planet Hunter arrived after killing the crew member that abandoned Ross and fought his Red Hulk form. The Red Hulk defeats Terrax the Planet Hunter who finds himself unable to manipulate Ego's soil. Now with his new powers, the Red Hulk leaves Ego to protect the galaxy as he taps into Hyperspace and heads into the unknown.
[ Annihilation 2099 #3. Marvel Comics.]
Secret Wars (2015)
The 2015 "Secret Wars" story line features the
Battleworld domain of Greenland and contains several Red Hulks who are part of the Tribal Hulks. One Red Hulk rules Greenland as the
Red King. A variation of
Captain America called the Captain is sent into Greenland by
Doctor Doom and
Doctor Strange to kill the Red King, who is holding
Bucky Barnes prisoner.
[ Planet Hulk #1. Marvel Comics.] After the Red King reveals to that group that he already killed Barnes,
[ Planet Hulk #4. Marvel Comics.] the Captain kills the Red King.
[ Planet Hulk #5. Marvel Comics.]
In other media
Television
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears in , voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
[ A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.]
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., voiced by Clancy Brown.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man four-part episode "Contest of Champions", voiced again by Clancy Brown.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears in Avengers Assemble, voiced again by Clancy Brown.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Thaddeus Ross / Red Hulk appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film
(2025), portrayed by Harrison Ford. (2016) and
(2019),
and a film featuring both the Hulk and Red Hulk was considered. The film never entered development due to conflicts with Universal Pictures, who hold the film rights to the Hulk and all related characters.
Video games
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in the GameStop-exclusive Xbox 360 version of The Incredible Hulk (2008).
-
The Red Hulk appears as an alternate costume for the Hulk in ,
[ Raub, Matt "‘Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2′ Alternate Costumes Revealed!" The Flick Cast, September 15, 2009] Marvel Super Hero Squad, , Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, , and .
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, voiced by Tom Kenny.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as an unlockable character in Marvel Avengers Alliance.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes, voices again by Fred Tatasciore.
[ "Galactus Lands in New LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Trailer". Marvel.com. August 21, 2013.]
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in .
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Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in with Robert Maverick / Red Hulk as an alternate costume.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in Marvel Avengers Academy, voiced again by Fred Tatasciore.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest.
-
Thunderbolt Ross / Red Hulk appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.
