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The Red Hulk is unquestionably a Marvel powerhouse, having pulled off some of the most incredible feats that rival the Incredible Hulk himself. General Thaddeus Ross’ Red Hulk, in particular, has been touted as one of Marvel’s strongest Hulks, benefiting from a lack of many drawbacks that plague Bruce Banner’s Hulk. Yet, over time, the Red Hulk has revealed an array of his own weaknesses.
When looking at the many iterations of the Hulk, such as the Immortal Hulk and World Breaker Hulk, the Red Hulk simply can’t compete.
Introduced in Hulk #1—written by Jeph Loeb, with art by Ed McGuinness—General Ross became the Red Hulk after striking a deal with M.O.D.O.K. and the Intelligencia to bring his deceased daughter back. The villains siphoned gamma radiation from the Hulk and transferred it to Ross, transforming him into an upgraded version of the Hulk, one who could maintain his intelligence and control his powerful transformation.
In his first few appearances, the Red Hulk demonstrated enough firepower to take down the Marvel Universe’s heavy hitters, but his abilities would soon prove to be a glass cannon.
The Red Hulk Has One Glaring Weakness That Marvel’s Other Heavy Hitters Don’t
The Red Giant’s Hot Head Makes Him Easy To Take Down
General Ross is known for his hatred of the Hulk, and similar to the green giant, he enters a rage-like state when transforming. However, when the Red Hulk gets angry, his body emits a smoldering heat, allowing him to siphon energy and gamma radiation. This ability to absorb energy is unique to him and has enabled him to accomplish incredible feats, such as burning through Spider-Man’s webs and absorbing the Silver Surfer’s Power Cosmic. Nevertheless, one of the Red Hulk’s most notable weaknesses is that his burning rage quickly becomes his Achilles’ heel.
While the Red Hulk has several advantages over the Hulk, he still lacks the major qualities that would make him truly formidable, as he has never been able to keep up with the Hulk’s power. When the Hulk gets mad, he becomes stronger, but when the Red Hulk gets mad, his burning rage severely weakens him and can literally cause him to burn out. Bruce Banner’s Hulk has shattered planets and possesses an infinite power source. When considering the various iterations of the Hulk, such as the Immortal Hulk and World Breaker Hulk, the Red Hulk simply can’t compete.
Out of All Marvel’s Array of Goliaths, the Reality Is That the Red Hulk Just Doesn’t Measure Up
General Thaddeus’s Red Hulk Has Become Obsolete
The Red Hulk may have claimed victory in his first encounter with the Green Hulk, but this quickly proves to be due to the Hulk’s unfamiliarity with the red giant. In their next meeting, the Red Hulk’s weakness is discovered, and the Hulk makes quick work of him. In their subsequent encounters, Bruce Banner has largely come out on top, making the Red Hulk feel like a variant of the Hulk that hasn’t been able to grow alongside his green counterpart. The Hulk has consistently reached greater strengths and defeated the Red Hulk every time.
The Red Hulk’s striking appearance and unique abilities to siphon energy and emit heat make him stand out among the sea of green, but that’s where his special qualities end. General Ross is by no means a weak Hulk, but when compared to the Hulk and even other variants, what makes him unique quickly becomes inconsequential. While the Red Hulk serves as a compelling parallel to the iconic Jade Giant and was a powerful enemy in his first appearance, he is sadly overrated when it comes to longevity within the Marvel Universe.
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Hulk #1 is available now from Marvel Comics!
“}]] Marvel’s Red Hulk is strong but clearly outdated. Read More