Speaking of the jolly green giant, Newsarama has kicked down 10 of the top tussles:
10. Hulk vs. a mountain range (Secret Wars #4)
During the original Secret Wars, the major heroes and many villains of the Marvel Universe were whisked away to Battleword, a patchwork planet assembled by the infinitely powerful being, the Beyonder. Beyonder, like some omniscient Vince McMahon, watched as the two sides duked it out. At one point, Molecule Man attempted to kill the heroes by dropping a mountain cluster on them. And the Hulk freaking caught it. Iron Man (Jim Rhodey, at that point) managed to blast the heroes out with a combined boost from Captain Marvel and Human Torch, but it was Hulk who boggled fans' minds with his feat of strength.
9. Hulk vs. She-Hulk (Avengers v3 #75)
This gem from Geoff Johns's run as writer features a great reversal: She-Hulk (Bruce Banner's cousin Jennifer, who had been transformed years ago when a blood transfusing from Bruce was the only thing that could save he from a gunshot wound) is going nuts, and Hulk gets dragged into the battle after trying to talk her down as Bruce Banner. The battling pair ends up essentially destroying the town of Bone, Idaho. The downside for Hulk? As usual, he winds up taking all the blame for it!
8. Hulk vs. Rhino and Abomination (Incredible Hulk v1 #171)
A story so awesome that it was made into a Power Record! Fans of a certain age (like mine) remember those tremendous book and record combos that narrated the story as you read along; the set "The Hulk: At Bay" was drawn from this issue. It featured the Jade Giant taking on not one, but two, familiar antagonists: Abomination and Rhino! One of the great things about seeing the Hulk against nearly-evenly-matched enemies is that he gets to really unload on them. And that's true here.
7. Hulk vs. The Ultimates /Hulk vs. The Chitauri Commander (The Ultimates series 1)
Though they fall outside of regular continuity, Hulk's two big clashes in the first Ultimates series should rank. In the first, the nascent Ultimates team does everything in their power to stop an unhinged Hulk from doing unspeakable things to Freddie Prinze Jr. Along the way, he breaks Giant-Man's jaw and manhandles the others; Dr. Banner, however, pays the real price as Captain America flattens him post-transformation. In the second, a "traumatized" Banner is forced to Hulk-out and is guided through battle against the alien invaders by an ingenious Cap. Hulk's biggest contribution? EATING the enemy leader.
6. Hulk vs. Red King (Incredible Hulk v2 #102)
The Hulk Who Would Be King finishes his insurrection with authority. After being exiled by The Illuminati, Hulk wound up on Sakarr; he became a gladiator and, realizing a prophecy, led a rebellion against the rulers of the world. The ultimate showdown to this series of running battles came when Hulk confronted his main opposition, the Red King. Hulk ascends to the throne and takes Caiera the Oldstrong as his Queen, but more heartbreak and devastation are just around the corner.
5. Hulk vs. Thing (Fantastic Four v1 #12)
There's a first time for everything, and this first time is pretty darn good. Establishing what would become an odd sort of tradition, The Hulk dukes it out with that other transformed powerhouse, The Thing. It's worthy to note here that, yes, many of the Hulk's most famous battles do seem to come against allies. I think part of that goes to the fact that we have less of an emotional stake watching Hulk stomp, say, Rhino, than in witnessing the lengths a fellow hero will go to in order to stop, or save, a rampaging Hulk.
4. Hulk vs. Iron Man (World War Hulk #1)
After a couple of years of coming off like a huge jerk thanks to Civil War and his choice to help send Hulk into deep space, Iron Man got the chance to begin his redemption here. How? By suffering a mammoth beating at the hands of the Hulk! Hulk and his Warbound followers have returned to Earth for some payback after the tragic end of "Planet Hulk" storyline. The Hulk blames many, Iron Man included, for his loss as well as his exile. Iron Man steps up in an attempt to stop the spree of destruction, only to get beat down big time.
3. Hulk vs. Hulk, er, Maestro (Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 and 2)
When the Hulk met Maestro, the smashing was very great. You see, Maestro is the Hulk of an alternate future where he's gone bad and lain waste to all of the other super-powered beings and installed himself as ruler. Two Hulks are better than one, especially if they're at odds with each other. Though they would later come into conflict in a plot that actually involved the mainstream storyline, the first throw-down is the best of most significant, thanks in no small part to the creative team of Peter David and George Perez.
2. Hulk vs. Thing II (Fantastic Four v1 #25-26)
Hulk/Thing Two: Uno Mas! This rumble in the urban jungle precipitated the first meeting between the FF and the Avengers. Everyone was on hand after Hulk and Thing battled their way through the city. Unlike the brief first affair, this one ranged around New York, causing mass chaos and destruction. It's also one of the few times that you see the George Washington Bridge used as any kind of restraining device. Hulk and Thing may have torn down the city, but indeed, Jack Kirby tore down the house.
1. Hulk vs. Everybody (Incredible Hulk v1 #300)
The Hulk's gone crazy, and everybody shows up to stop the big guy from tearing down New York. As Spider-Man and Daredevil scramble to save others, Hulk plows through S.H.I.E.L.D., Power Man & Iron Fist, the Human Torch, and the Avengers (including Thor!). That's a fight, kids. This one is especially notable because the only way that Hulk is even stopped is that Dr. Strange sends him off-world. Shades of stories to come, eh?
Not a bad list, but no Hulk #181 and #340? Them's two terrific fights between Wolverine and the Hulk, one featuring the hairy berserker's first appearance and the other an epic fight illustrated by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane.
10. Hulk vs. a mountain range (Secret Wars #4)During the original Secret Wars, the major heroes and many villains of the Marvel Universe were whisked away to Battleword, a patchwork planet assembled by the infinitely powerful being, the Beyonder. Beyonder, like some omniscient Vince McMahon, watched as the two sides duked it out. At one point, Molecule Man attempted to kill the heroes by dropping a mountain cluster on them. And the Hulk freaking caught it. Iron Man (Jim Rhodey, at that point) managed to blast the heroes out with a combined boost from Captain Marvel and Human Torch, but it was Hulk who boggled fans' minds with his feat of strength.
9. Hulk vs. She-Hulk (Avengers v3 #75)This gem from Geoff Johns's run as writer features a great reversal: She-Hulk (Bruce Banner's cousin Jennifer, who had been transformed years ago when a blood transfusing from Bruce was the only thing that could save he from a gunshot wound) is going nuts, and Hulk gets dragged into the battle after trying to talk her down as Bruce Banner. The battling pair ends up essentially destroying the town of Bone, Idaho. The downside for Hulk? As usual, he winds up taking all the blame for it!
8. Hulk vs. Rhino and Abomination (Incredible Hulk v1 #171)A story so awesome that it was made into a Power Record! Fans of a certain age (like mine) remember those tremendous book and record combos that narrated the story as you read along; the set "The Hulk: At Bay" was drawn from this issue. It featured the Jade Giant taking on not one, but two, familiar antagonists: Abomination and Rhino! One of the great things about seeing the Hulk against nearly-evenly-matched enemies is that he gets to really unload on them. And that's true here.
7. Hulk vs. The Ultimates /Hulk vs. The Chitauri Commander (The Ultimates series 1)Though they fall outside of regular continuity, Hulk's two big clashes in the first Ultimates series should rank. In the first, the nascent Ultimates team does everything in their power to stop an unhinged Hulk from doing unspeakable things to Freddie Prinze Jr. Along the way, he breaks Giant-Man's jaw and manhandles the others; Dr. Banner, however, pays the real price as Captain America flattens him post-transformation. In the second, a "traumatized" Banner is forced to Hulk-out and is guided through battle against the alien invaders by an ingenious Cap. Hulk's biggest contribution? EATING the enemy leader.
6. Hulk vs. Red King (Incredible Hulk v2 #102)The Hulk Who Would Be King finishes his insurrection with authority. After being exiled by The Illuminati, Hulk wound up on Sakarr; he became a gladiator and, realizing a prophecy, led a rebellion against the rulers of the world. The ultimate showdown to this series of running battles came when Hulk confronted his main opposition, the Red King. Hulk ascends to the throne and takes Caiera the Oldstrong as his Queen, but more heartbreak and devastation are just around the corner.
5. Hulk vs. Thing (Fantastic Four v1 #12)There's a first time for everything, and this first time is pretty darn good. Establishing what would become an odd sort of tradition, The Hulk dukes it out with that other transformed powerhouse, The Thing. It's worthy to note here that, yes, many of the Hulk's most famous battles do seem to come against allies. I think part of that goes to the fact that we have less of an emotional stake watching Hulk stomp, say, Rhino, than in witnessing the lengths a fellow hero will go to in order to stop, or save, a rampaging Hulk.
4. Hulk vs. Iron Man (World War Hulk #1)After a couple of years of coming off like a huge jerk thanks to Civil War and his choice to help send Hulk into deep space, Iron Man got the chance to begin his redemption here. How? By suffering a mammoth beating at the hands of the Hulk! Hulk and his Warbound followers have returned to Earth for some payback after the tragic end of "Planet Hulk" storyline. The Hulk blames many, Iron Man included, for his loss as well as his exile. Iron Man steps up in an attempt to stop the spree of destruction, only to get beat down big time.
3. Hulk vs. Hulk, er, Maestro (Hulk: Future Imperfect #1 and 2)When the Hulk met Maestro, the smashing was very great. You see, Maestro is the Hulk of an alternate future where he's gone bad and lain waste to all of the other super-powered beings and installed himself as ruler. Two Hulks are better than one, especially if they're at odds with each other. Though they would later come into conflict in a plot that actually involved the mainstream storyline, the first throw-down is the best of most significant, thanks in no small part to the creative team of Peter David and George Perez.
2. Hulk vs. Thing II (Fantastic Four v1 #25-26)Hulk/Thing Two: Uno Mas! This rumble in the urban jungle precipitated the first meeting between the FF and the Avengers. Everyone was on hand after Hulk and Thing battled their way through the city. Unlike the brief first affair, this one ranged around New York, causing mass chaos and destruction. It's also one of the few times that you see the George Washington Bridge used as any kind of restraining device. Hulk and Thing may have torn down the city, but indeed, Jack Kirby tore down the house.
1. Hulk vs. Everybody (Incredible Hulk v1 #300)The Hulk's gone crazy, and everybody shows up to stop the big guy from tearing down New York. As Spider-Man and Daredevil scramble to save others, Hulk plows through S.H.I.E.L.D., Power Man & Iron Fist, the Human Torch, and the Avengers (including Thor!). That's a fight, kids. This one is especially notable because the only way that Hulk is even stopped is that Dr. Strange sends him off-world. Shades of stories to come, eh?
Not a bad list, but no Hulk #181 and #340? Them's two terrific fights between Wolverine and the Hulk, one featuring the hairy berserker's first appearance and the other an epic fight illustrated by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane.
And while I'm geeking out about past issues, I have to mention what I think is perhaps one of the greatest Hulk stories ever. Issue #335 was a breather issue and a step away from SHIELD, the Gamma Base, Betty Ross, Rick Jones and the rest of the usual characters. Done by Peter David and John Ridgway, this realistic/horror-style is utilized well with a tale pitting two monsters against each other. The writing is smart and witty, and the art is erie and beautiful.
The story of Adria Wagner and her stalker would have made for a good episode of the Bill Bixby “Incredible Hulk” television show. Adria is attacked by an ectoplasmic boogie man under her bed and is ultimately blinded by him before running out into the street and literally into the Hulk, which fills her with a sense of reassurance and salvation. The seedy Stalker tempts the Hulk to join him in his conquests of evil, but the Hulk declines, despite playfully contemplating the notion. It is the arrival of local law enforcement that prompts the Stalker to disappear into the night, the Hulk finding pardon for his menacing stature by sponsor of the grateful blinded girl. As this story reveals again, even the Mr. Fixit personality of the (at-the-time grey) Hulk has a set moral compass (thanks to Bruce’s intrinsic goodness) and he saves Adria. While in the hospital, Adria is visited by Bruce Banner (in disguise as the staff psychologist) to get more information about her attacker. The implication here is that the Hulk has allowed Bruce to remember the events of the night before in order to stop the villain.
The Stalker, we come to find out is a manifestation of local gas clerk, Gil Jeffers. He’s a disturbed young man who lives on a steady diet of junk food and slasher movies. His monster isn’t guided by any positive feelings toward his fellow humans and Jeffers’ anger toward people, especially women, directs its evil. When Gil Jeffers falls asleep watching one of the many mind-numbing horror films he's seen hundreds of nights before, the spirit of the Stalker emerges, "free at last!" With night falling, Bruce Banner too falls victim to his hidden monster, transforming in the yard from where he spies.
The Stalker compels the Hulk to join him once more, successfully luring him with promise to free himself of the shackles of his other, and become the controlling bond like he has with the Jeffers boy. A boy whose hatred and imbalance has given birth to this monstrosity that would harass the girl he was too shy to talk to. The Stalker leads Hulk to a bar where he angrily lords his murderous strength over the innocent patrons. The Stalker spirit entices and tantalizes the Hulk with the kill. Be it the man within the beast, or the Hulk himself, he refuses and turns on the Stalker.
The story of Adria Wagner and her stalker would have made for a good episode of the Bill Bixby “Incredible Hulk” television show. Adria is attacked by an ectoplasmic boogie man under her bed and is ultimately blinded by him before running out into the street and literally into the Hulk, which fills her with a sense of reassurance and salvation. The seedy Stalker tempts the Hulk to join him in his conquests of evil, but the Hulk declines, despite playfully contemplating the notion. It is the arrival of local law enforcement that prompts the Stalker to disappear into the night, the Hulk finding pardon for his menacing stature by sponsor of the grateful blinded girl. As this story reveals again, even the Mr. Fixit personality of the (at-the-time grey) Hulk has a set moral compass (thanks to Bruce’s intrinsic goodness) and he saves Adria. While in the hospital, Adria is visited by Bruce Banner (in disguise as the staff psychologist) to get more information about her attacker. The implication here is that the Hulk has allowed Bruce to remember the events of the night before in order to stop the villain.
The Stalker, we come to find out is a manifestation of local gas clerk, Gil Jeffers. He’s a disturbed young man who lives on a steady diet of junk food and slasher movies. His monster isn’t guided by any positive feelings toward his fellow humans and Jeffers’ anger toward people, especially women, directs its evil. When Gil Jeffers falls asleep watching one of the many mind-numbing horror films he's seen hundreds of nights before, the spirit of the Stalker emerges, "free at last!" With night falling, Bruce Banner too falls victim to his hidden monster, transforming in the yard from where he spies.
The Stalker compels the Hulk to join him once more, successfully luring him with promise to free himself of the shackles of his other, and become the controlling bond like he has with the Jeffers boy. A boy whose hatred and imbalance has given birth to this monstrosity that would harass the girl he was too shy to talk to. The Stalker leads Hulk to a bar where he angrily lords his murderous strength over the innocent patrons. The Stalker spirit entices and tantalizes the Hulk with the kill. Be it the man within the beast, or the Hulk himself, he refuses and turns on the Stalker.
Suffering a taste of his own medicine, the Stalker flees the bar, throwing a police officer from his patrol car as he realises he is unable to awaken his drunken host, Gil Jeffers. He flees desperately becoming the victim of this horror film, turning around streets only to find the grey visage of the Hulk waiting to crush his car, and the Stalker inside it! The killer flees on foot, reaching the home of Jeffers, but is still unable to shake him from his drunken slumber, forced to face the Hulk instead. The climax of the tale is a great juxtaposition of the "monster" label that the Hulk typically has put upon him, and a great read outside of the character continuity.
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