The 10 Strongest Hulk Villains, Ranked by Physical Strength

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There’s a lot to say about Marvel Comics’ Hulk. He’s one of the strongest heroes around. Hulk is also arguably one of the most shockingly complex. The Immortal Hulk taught readers a lot about his character, and that made it even easier to appreciate everything Hulk represented. Unsurprisingly, a hero as powerful as Hulk needs some pretty strong villains.

The Hulk has many villains, with varying power scales. Not all villains can or will match Hulk by sheer strength, and instead, they will have to find other ways to counter their antagonist. However, the strongest ones have made for some of the most memorable fights in Marvel Comics history.

10

Rhino Has the Strength of a Real Rhino

Aleksei Sytsevich May Not Be the Smartest, But He’s Strong!

“I’m Rhino. I knock things down. That’s what I do. That’s who I am.”

In many ways, Aleksei Sytsevich is a tragic character. He fell into the wrong crowd, chasing dreams of making large sums of money, and at some point, he went too far to ever dig himself free. Also known as the Rhino, Aleksei’s character has gone through a few changes over the years. Admittedly, this character has never been known for his intelligence, but what he lacks in that department, he makes up for in brawn.

According to The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, the Rhino can lift somewhere around 75 tons. The villain is probably best known for his battles against Spider-Man, but Rhino has gone up against the Hulk on several occasions. It seems like Marvel writers just can’t resist pitting two strong characters against one another.

9

Absorbing Man Can Copy the Strength of the Hulk

Carl “Crusher” Creel Can Mimic the Properties of Anything He Touches

“I can absorb the strength of livin’ things… as easily as metal or rock! That means I can add your might… to my own!”

Carl “Crusher” Creel is a villain with a longstanding history in Marvel Comics. Once upon a time, he was a professional heavyweight boxer, but that life is (sort of) behind him now. Instead, Crusher has taken on a new life: a life of crime. With his ability to turn his skin into any material he touches, Crusher is a dangerous villain that many heroes struggle to fight.

Crusher can hold his own against heroes such as Thor and Giant-Man, especially if he can get his hands on some vibranium. That’s a game-changer for this villain. Naturally, Crusher, aka the Absorbing Man, and Hulk have gone head-to-head many times over the years. Crusher is rated at having strength six, though changing the composition of his skin can give him a bit of a boost.

8

Zzzax Is the Living Dynamo

Hulk Struggles to Face Off Against a Being of Energy

“Me ZZax!!”

How can anyone, even somebody as strong as the Hulk, battle a creature of energy? That’s an interesting question that Zzzax’s presence brings to the surface. Zzzax came into being following a horrible explosion inside an atomic reactor. In an event that only happens in the comic books, the energy absorbed some of the thoughts of the dying workers, becoming somewhat sentient.

As a sentient energy being, Zzzax can absorb all forms of electricity, even the type of electricity that runs through the human body. It’s easy to see how he could be a dangerous foe, even to the Hulk. Zzzax has no trouble keeping up with the Hulk, especially as he gets stronger and absorbs more energy. Translation: the longer the fight goes on, the stronger he’ll get.

7

Dr. Philip Sterns Is a Scientist Turned Villain

Madman Used Gamma Rays to Gain the Strength of The Hulk

“Oh yeah? Roll over! Fetch! Sit up!!”

If there’s one thing Marvel loves to do, it’s turn scientists into villains (or heroes). Dr. Philip Sterns was a nuclear physicist before his transformation. Like his brother, the Leader, Philip quickly became obsessed with Banner/Hulk. Philip would eventually become convinced that Banner ripped off the whole gamma idea from him, so in his mind, the Hulk was his.

This obsession led him down a dark path, where he eventually became the Madman, a villain who hates the Hulk and has a history of working with other Hulk enemies. Madman is rated at strength six and has a few quirks that make him unique. For example, he can shift into anyone he wants, making it impossible to find him when he’s gone into hiding.

6

Abomination Is Another Gamma Mutant

Emil BlonskyA Fellow Gamma Mutant

“You are beneath me, She-Hulk! You are all beneath me! For as long as your cousin is away… the Abomination is the strongest one there is!”

Emil Blonsky is another Marvel villain with a long history. He started as a spy before becoming exposed to the same gamma radiation that transformed Bruce Banner. His character is so integral to Banner’s story that he was quickly introduced in the MCU through Hulk’s origin story. He would appear again in She-Hulk’s solo series, and there’s no doubt he’ll come back around sometime soon.

As the Abomination, Emil can become stronger thanks to his rage.It’s a familiar concept, but in this case, it lets him go toe-to-toe with Hulk. He’s a natural counter to the villain, two sides of the same coin. Marvel ranks Abomination at strength seven, though this probably is a baseline before he begins to get angry (much like the Hulk).

General Thaddeus Ross Is an Enemy to the Hulk in Many Ways

“I’m going to end the menace of the Hulk one and for all!”

General Thaddeus Ross has been a problem for both Bruce Banner and Hulk for generations. In truth, he was a problem long before he ever gained his alter-ego, which should say something about his stubbornness. Interestingly, when the Red Hulk first hit the scene, it wasn’t revealed who was behind the villain. It was later that Hulk learned the truth about the connection between Thaddeus and Red Hulk.

An incredibly powerful and dangerous character, Red Hulk’s body will burn hotter the angrier he gets. That isn’t a metaphor, as his body has been known to exceed the average temperature of an explosion. Additionally, Marvel ranks the Red Hulk at strength seven, which puts him on the same level as the Hulk.

4

Juggernaut Is Known for Being Unstoppable

Cain Marko Is a Longstanding Character Who Also Causes Problems for the X-Men

“I’m the Juggernaut! Ain’t nothin’ — ain’t nobody — can beat me!”

Cain Marko has been around for generations, playing on both sides of the lines. He has fought for and against the X-Men, depending on the situation (and his opinion at the time). Cain is probably best known for his psychic-blocking helmet and his ability to bulldoze through practically anything. It seems like the more determined he is, the faster he can run through even the densest wall.

The Juggernaut is at his most dangerous when he can get his momentum going. Given that this is his particular talent, it basically means he can become dangerous at a moment’s notice. Outside of this well-known ability, Juggernaut can create force fields, which he uses to block Hulk’s attacks, and that ability makes him a problem for any strength-based character as well.

3

Thanos Is a Match for Nearly Any Hero

The Mad Titan Has Had Many Battles With the Hulk

“My mistress, Death, likes a constant and steady harvest. The balance must be maintained. That is why I have returned.”

Thanos, aka the Mad Titan, is an infamous character in the Marvel Universe. As one of the most powerful beings around, Thanos has crafted dozens of lethal plans, forcing heroes to step up and fight him again and again. There’s a reason why Thanos was the first big bad in the MCU: he is a plausible threat to most heroes, even the likes of Hulk.

The Hulk and Thanos go way back in Marvel Comics, and no, they’re not allies.They battled it out in The Incredible Hulk Annual #1, with the battle lasting longer than most readers would have expected. This is because Thanos is capable of deflecting even the most powerful Hulk punch, which is as terrifying as it sounds.

2

Zeus Panhellenios Is an Olympian and Thorn in Hulk’s Side

Even The Hulk Struggles Against Gods

“For ages I have watched as humans make a mess of Earth! Now the time has come to stop them destroying themselves.”

It’s easy to forget that Thor is not the only god running around the Marvel Universe, as he certainly demands the most attention. However, gods like Zeus exist in comics, and they can pose quite a threat when they want to. Zeus is the leader of Olympus, as told in Greek lore. Unfortunately, he and the Hulk go way back, including an infamous battle the Hulk took to the top of Mount Olympus.

During the events of Incredible Hulk #622, Hulk fought Zeus, but that wasn’t his original goal. Hulk had wanted a boon from the gods. Instead, Hulk offended them and began a battle. Things only got worse from there, as Hulk was chained up and left to die. This single act proves that Zeus is both strong and powerful. He should not be messed with lightly.

Maestro Is the Strongest Version of the Hulk

“You’re fighting against the inevitable, Hulk. I’m simply the final product of natural selection. The strong survive. I’m the strongest. I survived.”

Thanks to the multiverse, there are dozens of superhero variants running around in Marvel Comics. One of the most powerful versions of the Hulk, is Maestro, aka Bruce Banner of Earth-9200. This version of Hulk is considered to be the strongest, successfully combining Hulk and Banner into one dangerous being. His timeline is about a hundred years into the future, and as the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Maestro took that literally, surviving an apocalypse and becoming a dictator in his own right.Not only has he taken on a more ruthless mindset, but Maestro has had much more time to absorb radiation, getting stronger in the process. While he may be Banner and Hulk, that doesn’t mean he’s an ally to all the other Hulks of Marvel comics. As such, he’s posed one of the biggest threats to Hulk of Earth-616.

“}]] Over the years, Hulk has accumulated quite an impressive villain roster, many of whom are stronger than the average hero could ever hope to handle.  Read More