The power levels of the Hulk In the MCU compared to the Hulk from Marvel comics are not identical despite being the same character. Hulk’s MCU legacy has been notable as his core involvement in the Avengers from his earliest iteration has been bolstered by just one solo movie: 2008 The Incredible Hulk. This is a stark contrast to the other most powerful Avengers, with fellow surviving Avengers veteran Thor getting four solo movies, while Hawkeye remains the only original Avenger to miss out on a solo movie.
This meant that Hulk’s MCU career was largely limited to the four Avengers movies and the solo ventures of his colleague, Thor, and his cousin, She-Hulk. This meant that Hulk was afforded comparatively little room to flaunt the full extent of his powers. Nevertheless, each of the Hulk’s MCU appearances offers insight into what he is capable of, and with this it is possible to compare his power to the much more extensive career of his comic book counterpart.
Hulk’s powers in Marvel Comics explained
Hulk’s main roster powers are pretty extensive
Hulk is one of the most iconic heroes of Marvel Comics and almost entirely unique in his power set, except for the handful of imitative enemies in his gallery of rogues, such as Red Hulk and Abomination, and his family members. Since his debut in 1962, Hulk’s expansive history in Marvel Comics has steadily added to the litany of powers at his disposal, some of which are particularly unusual and rarely used. However, there are a handful that typify Hulk and his unique role in the Marvel universe.
Hulk boasts limitless strength that increases with his rage
The most recognizable of Hulk’s comic book power set is his immense strengthWhich is mostly unequaled in Marvel comics thanks to the lack of a ceiling. This strength is linked to another of his most defining characteristics: his unbridled fury, which, when left unchecked, will increase the immense strength of which the Hulk is capable. Hulk has been repeatedly named as the most physically powerful mortal being in the Marvel universe thanks to the limitless potential strength at his disposal. Some of his greatest feats of strength include:
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Lifting a 150-billion-ton mountain chain.
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Holding the weight of a star.
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Punching a hole through space and time.
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Tear through the fabric of reality.
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Hold an entire planet together.
This strength facilitates some of Hulk’s other feats, including the ability to jump incredible distances, cause earthquakes with a slam, and deploy his signature Thunderclap ability. The latter ability sees Hulk clap his hands together to create shockwaves that can cause natural disasters. His powerful limbs also gave him superhuman speed on both land and sea, though he still paled in comparison to the likes of Quicksilver.
Hulk is functionally immortal
Hulk’s thick green skin is able to withstand most blows from such things as high-caliber bullets to enchanted blades and a solid hit from Mjolnir. Vibranium and adamantium, meanwhile, are among the few things that can give Hulk cause for concern—which is part of what makes his regular fights with the adamantium-wielding Wolverine so compelling. Thanks for the Hulk, His vulnerability to the metals is further mitigated by his accelerated healing factorWhich the evil Hulk variant Maestro used to regenerate after being atomized.
This physical invulnerability extends to a tremendous level of resistance to a number of adverse conditions. This, of course, includes rResistance to radiation, but he is also resistant to disease and mind controlWith his anger feeling too chaotic to handle. Still, none of the resistances hold a light to the fact that the Hulk can resurrect himself through the use of the mysterious green door in Marvel comics, through which gamma mutants can return to the realm of the living from below space.
Hulk has almost limitless stamina
Hulk’s tremendous feats of strength are often facilitated by a secondary Ability to persist almost indefinitely in physical activity. This is thanks to his gamma-mutated body’s ability to resist fatigue-inducing poisons. Although the facet of Hulk’s power set is said to be limitless, there have been instances in which Hulk has seemingly run out of steam, such as in his death-heat tussle with Sentry in the World War Hulk Series. Nevertheless, with his stamina also increasing with his rage, his physical staying power is second to none in Marvel Comics.
How Hulk’s powers from MCU compare to comics
Hulk may have displayed many comic book powers in the MCU
The MCU’s Hulk has shown the ability to wield most of the powers available to his comic book counterpart. His vast strength and size are mostly what make him a formidable opponent, although whether the strength balances with Rage is still unclear. It is heavily implied that this is the case in his fight with Abomination in The Incredible Hulk And Tony Stark’s Hulkbuster armor in Avengers: Age of UltronAlthough Bruce Banner doesn’t keep saying this is a reality in the MCU.
Hulk’s powers in the comics |
Available to MCU Hulk? |
MCU example |
---|---|---|
Super strength |
Yes |
Seen in most appearances |
Thunderclap |
Yes |
Put in a hell The Incredible Hulk |
Super agility |
Yes |
Jump to surtur in Thor: Ragnarok |
Super speed |
Yes |
Get from Brazil to Guatemala in one night in The Incredible Hulk |
Super durable |
Yes |
Withstand a barrage of military weapons in The Incredible Hulk |
Healing factor |
Yes |
Spitting a bullet fired by Bruce Banner |
Limitless stamina |
Unclear |
Hulk seems content to keep fighting during most fight sequences |
Radiation resistance |
Yes |
Use the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame |
Telepathic resistance |
No |
Hulk’s mind is influenced by Scarlet Witch Avengers: Endgame |
Disease resistance |
N/A |
N/A |
Immortality |
N/A |
N/A |
After being influenced by Wanda Maximoff in Avengers: Age of UltronIt seems clear that The MCU’s Hulk is lacking in the telepathic resistance department. A handful of other abilities have also yet to be tested – including whether Hulk can die and/or has access to the Green Door in the MCU. What remains relatively clear, however, is which version of the Hulk would come out on top in a one-on-one fight.
MCU Hulk vs Comics Hulk: Who is more powerful?
The evidence points to one clear winner (so far).
Based on the evidence in Marvel Comics and the MCU, it’s obvious Comic book Hulk is the most powerful version of the character. While it’s true that Marvel Comics Hulk has decades of experience behind him, it’s hard to imagine the Hulk being pummeled almost effortlessly by Thanos punching a hole through space and time, for example. After all, it’s no secret that the MCU has made a habit of nerfing Hulk as a way to make other characters look more powerful — and it’s not hard to see why.
Having a character capable of destroying a planet on their team can only lower the stakes of the Avengers in the MCU.
Having a character capable of destroying a planet on their team can only lower the stakes of the Avengers in the MCU. While some of the Hulk’s losses from the MCU may feel particularly dire, the trade-off is ultimately worth it when moments like the end of Avengers: Infinity War Could be trivialized by a Hulk boasting the exact same power set from the comics. There is also the chance that Hulk – whether Mark Ruffalo’s or a different future version – will still climb up in power down the line in the MCU.