Bruce Banner’s Hulk is known as the Strongest One There Is, but for one terrible moment, he was something even more powerful – the Strongest Thing That Ever Lived. The change came when a power upgrade literally doubled Hulk’s maximum strength, redefining what even his mighty musculature is capable of.
The shockwave of his gestures are so strong, even just that is like getting punched by the original Hulk.
Hulk’s Second Dose of Gamma Created Hulk²
Returning to His Origin Removed Bruce Banner’s Limits
In The Indestructible Hulk #14 (by Mark Waid, Mahmud Asrar and Kim Jacinto), Bruce Banner and Hulk end up back at the moment of their origin in separate bodies thanks to a time-traveling villain. The gamma bomb explodes and Hulk is bombarded with the same gamma energy that created him in the first place, doubling his powers and turning him into a gigantic, spike-covered monster – a beast that Bruce wryly nicknames ‘Hulk².’
This Hulk is even more monstrous, and seemingly double the size of the Green Goliath before his upgrade. He also sprouts intimidating spikes and becomes so strong that Bruce claims he’s the strongest thing to ever live, and that it would take “the combined armies of Earth” to stop him. In a staggering feat, Hulk hurls a military jeep through the air without even touching it – the shockwave of his gestures is so strong, it’s like getting punched by the original Hulk.
Thankfully, Bruce is able to rewrite time and put events back to normal, though not before he gets the ultimate moment of catharsis – yelling in General Ross’ face without any risk of Hulking Out. The upgrade proved that despite his power, Hulk can get stronger, setting the stage for even bigger upgrades that came later…
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Hulk Only Uses His Minimum Strength
When He Cuts Loose, He’s More God Than Superhuman
In Marvel lore, the Hulk draws gamma energy from the Below-Place – an Eldritch Realm below the multiverse itself. This source of power is functionally limitless, allowing Hulk to grow infinitely stronger and, theoretically, infinitely bigger. This was shown in Incredible Hulks #634, by Greg Pak and Paul Pelletier. In the story, Hulk ends up stranded in the Dark Dimension – a realm populated solely by the souls of the damned, which have manifested as goblin-like monsters.
Free from any risk of hurting innocents, Hulk stops holding back, growing to gargantuan size and unleashing a punch that destroys the planet he’s standing on. Fans saw a similar upgrade in Immortal Hulk #25 (by Al Ewing and German Garcia), where Hulk is possessed by the One-Below-All (the eldritch monstrosity that lives in the Below-Place.) After consuming Galactus’ power, Hulk transforms into a huge destroyer bigger than a planet and sets out to smash the entire universe with his fists, coming close to succeeding before more time travel saves the day.
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Hulk’s Power Has No Limit, And Neither Does His Body
The Hulk Fans Know Is Just the Beginning
While the Hulk’s humanoid design is iconic, it’s just the beginning of how gamma radiation can transform his body. Hulk is capable of turning into a giant, manifesting different monstrous forms, and growing multiple limbs and heads. As Immortal Hulk pointed out, Hulk is a living metaphor – Bruce Banner’s rage and self-loathing are so limitless that there is likewise no ceiling on how gigantic and malformed the Hulk can become.
Becoming ‘the Strongest Thing That Ever Lived’ was an early preview of how malleable Hulk‘s physical form actually is, and how immense his strength can become when the gamma energy surging through his body finally matches his limitless rage.
- First Appearance
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The Incredible Hulk (1962)
- Alias
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Robert Bruce Banner
- Alliance
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Avengers, Defenders, Horsemen of Apocalypse, Fantastic Four, Pantheon, Warbound, S.M.A.S.H., Secret Avengers
- Franchise
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Marvel
