Perhaps best known from theMarvel Cinematic Universe, the Incredible Hulk was created during the 1960s. Initially a comic book character, the Hulk has since been a part of television series, movies, video games, and other forms of media. The Incredible Hulk is usually green but, in the comics, the Hulk has been a host of different colors. Some of the variations of the Hulk have different powers than the Green Hulk, but generally, it’s a matter of changing strength and intensity.
Just like the Green Hulk,most other colorful Hulks smash, jump, and come with a lot of internal strife. The multiple versions of Hulk exist have to do with how the superhero was created and what drives them. Gamma radiation, solar radiation, and cosmic entities all influence the creation of various Hulks, very often contributing to the character’s color, too.
Not every Hulk has made the leap from the pages of a comic book to the small or big screen, but they’re increasingly crossing over. The same is true for the development of new Hulks and their backstories. Here’s a basic rundown of every color of the Hulk and what powers they wield.
When the Hulk was first written and drawn by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962, he was a simple grey color.Grey Hulk was the first to manifest after Bruce Banner was hit by the gamma radiation. Later called Joe Fixit during the 1980s by Peter David, Grey Hulk intended to be neutral when it came to ethnic identity. When Grey Hulk appeared in print, however, his color varied because it was difficult to find the right ink to use. At times, the Hulk looked green which is why he later took on that color instead.
For Lee, there was one more benefit to the Hulk turning green.He explained in Web of Stories, “It gave me a chance to come up with little cute sayings like… I called him the Green Goliath, the Jolly Green Giant, and Old Greenskin — I love using expressions. So that’s how The Hulk was born.“Grey Hulk was strong and intelligent as well as fast and durable.
Bruce Banner’s future father-in-law,General Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross, was created as a counterpart to the Hulkin the first issue ofThe Incredible Hulk. In 2008, Ross was transformed into the Red Hulk so he could fight the Hulk on his terms, so to speak.The Red Hulk is driven by an intense desire to destroy the Hulk and can create heat through his skin using rage. Superhuman strength, regenerative powers, and incomparable stamina are also key to Red Hulk’s ferocity.Red She-Hulk, AKA Betty Ross Danner, is General Ross’s daughter and Bruce’s wife.
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Orange Hulk
Orange Hulk made his debut in 2011. He is from Earth-295, a planetary counterpart created as part of the multiverse.Orange Hulk is powered by solar energyand the sun and not by gamma radiation. Because he is powered by solar radiation, Orange Hulk is presumably stronger during the day and calls himself “Solar Hulk.”
Yellow Hulk
Yellow Hulk was added to the rainbow of Hulks in 2020, althoughthere was a reptilian Hulk who was yellow as early as 2000 called Devil Hulk.The Yellow Hulk introduced later was among the strongest of all Hulks, with strength, speed, and self-control that bests many of his colorful counterparts. Yellow Hulk thrives off of negative energy and is described as more base in his behavior than Green Hulk.
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Green Hulk
Played by actorsfrom Bill Bixby to Edward Norton, to Mark Ruffalo, Green Hulk results fromgamma radiation hitting Bruce Banner.Additional Green Hulks includeShe-Hulk (Banner’s cousin, Jennifer Walters), but Banner’s Hulk represents several of his alternate identities (Doc Hulk, for example). First and foremost,Green Hulk is the inner turmoil Banner struggles with after a difficult childhood.
Green Hulk is exceptionally strong, can jump over buildings, has impermeable skin, generally lacks self-control, and returns to human form when Banner is unconscious.Anger drives Green Hulkand all of his powers grow in intensity as his rage does.
Blue Hulk was created in 2006 in Jay Faeber and Carlos Magno’sCaptain Universe: Incredible Hulkseries. Green Hulk bonds with the Uni-Power or Enigma Force, a sentient cosmic energy. Blue Hulk grows in strength,making him the strongest of all Hulks.Blue Hulk is only temporary, however. The Uni-Power moves from host to host, giving each a brief upgrade of their abilities.
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Purple Hulk
Seen in theDisney+ seriesWhat If…?as well as in Marvel comics, Purple Hulk is often called a “freak.” In the comics, Purple Hulk is not as terrifying as what’s shown inWhat If…?InWhat If…?,Happy Hogan becomes Purple Hulk,while the comics feature Purple Hulk created when Norman Osborne acquires Red Hulk’s powersand transforms.Purple Hulk can be pretty much anything he touches, gaining strength and abilities from anything he comes into contact with.
Silver Hulk
Not to be confused with Grey Hulk, Silver Hulk is the strongest of all Hulks.Silver Hulk is created with Hulk meets Galactus,a cosmic being that feeds on life energy from different plants to survive. Silver Hulk becomes one of Galactus' many heralds,just like the Silver Surfer, seeking out planets for his patron to consume. Because Silver Hulk essentially holds all the powers that Galactus does, he is at the apex of his strength, rage, and overall dominance.
Black Hulk
Black Hulk is, according to his depiction in the Ultimate Marvel universe, a precursor to Bruce Banner’s Hulk. Also called Tyrone Cash and Leonard Williams,Black Hulk was a mentor of sorts to Banner, although he worked on the Super-Soldier Serum that ultimately gave him his powers. Superhuman in strength, able to leap great heights, and highly adaptable to all environments,Black Hulk is a genius with great speed and regenerative properties, too.
