Red Hulk

"Red" Hulk
File:Red Hulk.jpg Red Hulk standing over She-Hulk in King Size Hulk (June 2008) Art by Frank Cho
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Hulk #1 (March 2008)
Created by	Jeph Loeb Ed McGuiness
In-story information
Alter ego	Leonard (Doc) Samson
Abilities	Super strength, stamina, and durability. Also gives off high amounts of gamma radiation which increases when angered.

Red Hulk is the name of a fictional comic book character within the Marvel Comics universe. Patterned on Marvel Comic's Hulk character, Red Hulk first appeared in Hulk #1 (January 2008) and was created by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness.

Publication history

The Red Hulk was introduced in Hulk #1, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed McGuiness, a monthly ongoing series started following the World War Hulk crossover. Marvel also released a one-shot King Size Hulk (June 2008) in which Frank Cho, Arthur Adams, and Herb Trimpe supplied the artwork.

Fictional character biography

Crossing the Canadian wilderness, the Red Hulk is attacked by, and kills, a Wendigo. The government learns of the Red Hulk in the Bering Strait when a satellite detects the seismic activity of the Hulk landing on the ground. In Dimitri, Russia, the Red Hulk murders Abomination.

In New York, the Red Hulk attacks Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony Stark's newly commissioned Helicarrier, causing it to crash and be destroyed. While there, Red Hulk erases all files on the Hulk, using a sophisticated computer virus. After this attack, Red Hulk heads to Gamma Base in Death Valley, where he squares off against Rick Jones, and his A-Bomb persona, before having to face android Harpies and the original Hulk. Red Hulk's battle with Hulk was witnessed by Uatu the Watcher and raged on before being interrupted by Thor.

At a meat packing plant, S.H.I.E.L.D agent Clay Quartermain is found dead in a suspected Red Hulk attack.

Characterization

Marvel editor Mark Paniccia has described Red Hulk as "absolutely uninhibited, tactically intelligent", while writer Jeph Loeb states "The Red Hulk is the kind of Hulk we haven't seen before — a thinking, calculating, brutal weapon-toting kind of Hulk." To further distance the character away from the original. "Everything the Green Hulk isn't, the Red Hulk is."

Powers and equipment

Red Hulk has powers almost identical to those of the original Hulk, including superhuman strength, stamina, and durability, as well as the ability to heal at an accelerated rate. However, the Red Hulk also gives off gamma radiation proportional to his mood, hence the statement, "the madder this Hulk gets, the hotter he gets."

Red Hulk has also been shown to use firearms, most notably a S.H.I.E.L.D. issue handgun ergonomically designed for his giant hands, which was taken from the armory of the Stark-designed Helicarrier.

Bibliography

• Hulk vol. 3 #1–present (Marvel Comics, March 2008-present)
• King Size Hulk one-shot (Marvel Comics, June 2008)

In other media

Red Hulk is a playable character in GameStop's Xbox 360 exclusive version of The Incredible Hulk video game.

Red Hulk will feature in an upcoming Build-a-figure series from Marvel Legends and has a Big Bad Toy Store exclusive 8" Marvel Select action figure which features a new head sculpt based on Ed McGuinness' art.