There's no better introduction to Marvel's heavyweight Red Hulk How to read some of the best comics the Hulk variant appeared in. Any reader looking to understand the concept or character of "A Red Hulk" should look no further than the entries on this list.
With the character set to make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he will next be seen as the superpowered form of Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, a presence in the MCU ever since. The Incredible HulkWho will transform into the Red Hulk for the first time in Captain America: Brave New World. And with fans eager to learn the history of Red Hulk looking to the comics, where's the best place to start? Look no further, and enjoy this list of The best Red Hulk stories Marvel Comics have ever told.
10
Hulk: Red Hulk
Hulk #1-6 by Jeph Loeb, Audrey Loeb, Chris Giarrusso and Ed McGuinness + Wolverine #50 by Jeph Loeb and Simone Bianchi
To best understand the Red Hulk concept, there's no better place to start than his debut. Upon his introduction, the Red Hulk was shrouded in mystery, with the revelation of his secret identity not coming until years after the fact. For now, though, Hulk #1 (2008) opens with a bang in Dimitri, Russia, where Doc Samson recounts how he watched A Hulk not only fighting the abomination, but killing him with a gun.
With each passing issue, the heroes would learn new details - learning the Hulk is red, for example - and inevitably, the Avengers get into a physical confrontation with Red Hulk. Before Bruce Banner's Hulk even comes face to face with the Red Hulk, the new Hulk is immediately established as a force to be reckoned with.
9
Hulk: Red and Green
Jeph Loeb's Hulk #7-9 & King Size Hulk By Jeph Loeb and Arthur Adams
Jeph Loeb's Hulk Series continues with Red Hulk's rampage shortly after facing off against the Hulk. Banner's Hulk puts up a good fight, even eating a piece of Red Hulk's gun, but can't calm the Red Hulk (or "Rulk"). Next on the chopping block is She-Hulk, who assembles an entire super-team of female superheroes to combat the Red Hulk. Surprisingly, they prove to be more of a challenge than even the Hulk did – or do they? Can Rulk play on them, and if so, what is his larger plan?
While the mystery behind who the Hulk is under the red remains elusive, the storyline showcases Just how much of a surprising mastermind the Red Hulk is. He is cunning, sly, and most of all, conniving. He's not a dumb Hulk, and he's smart enough to have a plan at all times, even in the thick of a fight.
8
Code Red
Hulk #14-17 by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill
After his ordeal with She-Hulk's Lady Liberators team, Red Hulk was absent from Loeb's Hulk for several issues. In his absence, he would recruit a team of his own with Frank Castle's Punisher, Elektra, Deadpool, Dynamo, and former member of She-Hulk's Liberators, Thundra. The beginning of the "Code Red" storyline begins with an all-out brawl between Red Hulk's team and X-Force, which at the time consisted of Wolverine, Domino, X-23, Archangel and Warpath. The fight came with Red Hulk tracking Domino, after she learns his secret and watches him transform. Readers don't see the transformation, so Red Hulk's identity remains a mystery.
As if the brawl wasn't enticing enough, a bigger twist arrives that shocks the Red Hulk, with the sudden debut of the Red Ze-Hulk. While the story arc ultimately isn't necessarily essential reading, it's fun to watch the two super-violent teams go head-to-head with each other, while a new She-Hulk helps spice things up.
7
fall from the hulls
By Jeph Loeb, Greg Pak, Whilce Portacio, Paul Pelletier and Danny Miki
In 2010, Marvel launched an expansive crossover storyline that stretched across Hulk, The Incredible HulkAnd some one-shots and mini-series. At the center of this storyline is the Intelligencia, a supervillain squad that readers learn, actually gifted the Red Hulk his powers and gifts. Again, it's too early at this point to reveal who's hiding under the red guys, but readers learn how MODOK, the leader, and Doc Samson all play a role in creating the Red Hulk.
As expansive as this crossover is across multiple series and one-shots, for the sake of focusing on the Red Hulk, it's most essential to read the four-part limited series, Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk. The series would prove to be a massive step in his story, intending readers closer to discovering his true identity.
6
World War II
By Greg Pak and Jeph Loeb
The "World War Hulks" storylines would be another company-wide crossover, spinning directly from both "Fall of the Hulks" and "Dark Reign," where Red Hulk siphoned off Bruce Banner's powers. Eventually, Red She-Hulk strolls back into the fray too siphoning Red Hulk's power away from him, forcing Red Hulk to revert to his true identity - Thunderbolt Ross! After two years of an active comics run, the identity of the Red Hulk was finally revealed in Hulk #22.
This would come as a huge shock to readers at the time, as past storylines and comics featuring the Red Hulk showcased the supposed death of Thunderbolt Ross. Readers are then shown the origins of the Red Hulk, how he became involved with the Intelligence, and how they built a life model deck of Thunderbolt Ross to throw off suspicion that he could be the Red Hulk. In the same breath, the readers would learn that the Red She-Hulk was none other than his daughter, Betty Ross.
5
Red Hulk: She dried up Earth
Hulk #25-30 by Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman, Ed McGuinness and Mark Robinson
At the end of the "World War Hulk" storyline, the Hulk finally defeats the Red Hulk, and does so in decisive fashion. In fact, it's kind of embarrassing to see Red Hulk taken so brutally compared to their last fight. Once he is humiliated, Red Hulk first begins to walk down the path of redemption. His first task is to combat the leader and MODOK's endgame project that was set in motion in the event of their deaths, a plan they called Scorched Earth. "Time to start making up for your sins," Bruce Banner tells Ross. And so he does.
Now that the Red Hulk's human form is revealed, the story takes steps to finally humanize the monster. In doing so, the reader gets a much more reflective and reflective Ross. It allows the creative to distinguish both Thunderbolt Ross and what he decides to become the Red Hulk. It is an extremely fascinating depiction that effectively refreshes him.
4
Hulk of Arabia
Hulk #42-46 by Jeff Parker and Patrick Zircher
Once the secret is out that Red Hulk is actually Thunderbolt Ross and Thaddeus starts to realize the tragedy his transformation spurred, his redemption arc begins. From there, he starts working on special missions for the SHIELD director at the time, Steve Rogers. However, things take a turn when Ross discovers that his old friend Colonel William Krugauer has been killed in the Middle East under mysterious circumstances. So naturally, Ross looks for answers, but as he's doing so unsupervised, Rogers sends the Secret Avengers to take him down.
At this point, there were several stories depicting Red Hulk as the protagonist, however This is one of the first stories to showcase how Red Hulk can be a hero. Ross has committed a lot of bad things since becoming the Red Hulk, but he made it clear that his path to redemption was as genuine as it was personal to him.
3
Red Hulk: Haunted
Hulk#47-52 by Jeff Parker, Elena Casagrande and Carlo Pagulayan
A visit to Doctor Strange reveals that when he returns from the dead, an entity attaches itself to the Red Hulk, haunting him until a confrontation that is always bound to happen. This arrangement leads Red Hulk to begin seeing ghosts, slowly driving him insane before such a confrontation can even occur. This would eventually require Red Hulk to get help from supernatural forces like Morbius, Strange and co., all before Dark Samson - the ghost of Doc Samson - was introduced to haunt Thunderbolt.
Red Hulk is not a character that would make an obvious fit in a supernatural story, but that's why the story is so fascinating. It takes a character rooted in science, logic, and a military background, and forces him into a situation he doesn't understand, but is forced to use his brain power to resolve his conflict.. It's like a fish out of water story as it relates to genre, specifically the horror genre.
2
Red Hulk: Mayan Rule
Hulk #54-57 by Jeff Parker and Dale Eaglesham
For context, this was released in 2012, a year when everyone was obsessed with the potential prospect behind the end of the world and how it related to Mayan culture. The obsession found its way into the comics, with the Red Hulk, where he and Alf Fly fight their eyes on the strange sight: a Mayan temple in the middle of Canada. They incited the wrath of Mayan gods hoping to feed enough life force to give them enough power to rise to prominence once more.
This is very much a storyline that attempted to capitalize on the fascination of society at the time. Still, it does so in a way that creates a timeless fascination of its own by once again placing Red Hulk in unfamiliar territory.. It works for the same reason that "Haunted" works so well and shows that the creative team is not afraid to experiment with a new character.
1
USAvengers
By Al Ewing and Paco Medina
So far, all the storylines listed here centered around Thunderbolt Ross, but some readers may not know that he is not the only character to be the Red Hulk. Al Ewing's 12-part USAvengers series brings General Robert L. Maverick into the fold. He originally debuted in Ewing and Gerardo Sandoval New Avengers #9 for the Avengers "Standoff!" Story arc, however It is in USAvengers #1 where Robert Maverick debuts as the new Red Hulk. Using a Hulk plug-in implant that allows him to transform into the Red Hulk for an hour, he effectively becomes the muscle of the new Avengers team.
While it's easy to get attached to Thunderbolt Ross as a character to the point that it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Red Hulk, Maverick brings a different flavor to the role that makes his journey worth reading. Plus, his bombastic character helps make the team, character-wise. It's refreshing to see a new one Red Hulk.