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Red Hulk
Cover to Hulk vol. 2 #1 (January 2008). Art by Ed McGuiness.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Hulk vol. 2 #1 (January 2008)
Created by	Jeph Loeb Ed McGuiness
In-story information
Alter ego	Unknown
Team affiliations	Offenders
Notable aliases	Rulk
Abilities	Superhuman strength, stamina, and durability Regenerative healing factor Emits gamma radiation proportionate to anger level

Red Hulk, referred to as Rulk in comic narration, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Hulk vol. 2 #1 (January 2008) and was created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuiness. The Red Hulk was created to generate buzz prior to the release of the 2008 film, The Incredible Hulk. Initially, Loeb and McGuinness created the story "The Strongest There Is", which featured the original Hulk besting various characters in the Marvel Universe. Editor Joe Quesada then informed them that he had an idea for a Red Hulk, and he wanted the story to be a mystery. In the resulting comic, the Red Hulk kills long time Hulk foe the Abomination, and battles other Marvel characters. It is revealed that the Red Hulk was created by Thunderbolt Ross and Doc Samson.

The Red Hulk has been described as "absolutely uninhibited, tactically intelligent" and "Everything the Green Hulk isn't, the Red Hulk is." The character's powers are similar to the original Hulk's, including superhuman strength, speed, and durability. In contrast to the original Hulk, instead of becoming stronger when angry, the Red Hulk emits increased levels of radiation. Comics featuring the Red Hulk have sold well, but received mixed reviews. Reviewers have described it as fun, but lacking in character development. The Red Hulk has been featured in a video game and a number of toys.

Publication history

Creation

According to USA Today, the Red Hulk was created to boost sales and create buzz in the lead up to the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk. Initially, Jeph Loeb and McGuinness were working on a miniseries for the regular Hulk comic book. According to Loeb, " came over from DC for one reason, and that's he wanted to draw the Hulk." They created "The Strongest There Is", a story where the Hulk would defeat "everybody in the Marvel universe" and return the character to his roots as the strongest Marvel character. The story contained a number of ideas, including the Hulk knocking out the Watcher, "because nobody had ever done that." At that point, editor Joe Quesada called Loeb and told him that Marvel had an idea for a Red Hulk, and wanted it to be a mystery.

Marvel's insert booklets in Diamond Previews began referring to the Red Hulk character as "Rulk" (a portmanteau of Red Hulk), to distinguish from the original Hulk character. Creator Jeph Loeb began using the term as of issue #7.

First story arc

The first six issues of Hulk consist of one story arc. In the first issue it is revealed that the Red Hulk has killed the Abomination, and is not Bruce Banner. Next he attacks She-Hulk and Iron Man, destroying a S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier in the battle. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Rick Jones has become the new Abomination, and cannot be the Red Hulk. In a battle with the new Abomination, Bruce Banner is released from a cell that Thunderbolt Ross had him contained in, and he becomes the green Hulk. The fourth issue begins with the Red Hulk punching out the Watcher. He then vanquishes the green Hulk in physical combat after first trying to shoot him, sending the green Hulk plummeting into the San Francisco Bay. Then, while the Red Hulk bests Thor, the new Abomination rescues the green Hulk from the bottom of the Bay. In the conclusion of the first story arc, the Red Hulk is defeated by the green Hulk, with help from Thor. In the battle, it is revealed that the Red Hulk becomes more radioactive as his anger increases. As the green Hulk walks away from the battle, Rick Jones attempts to tell him the identity of the Red Hulk. Doc Sampson incapacitates him before he can finish his sentence, and it is revealed that Thunderbolt Ross and Doc Sampson created the Red Hulk to destroy the green Hulk.

Recent

Beginning with Hulk vol. 2 #7, and concluding in Hulk vol. 2 #9, the series contains two seperate stories. The first is written by Loeb and illustrated by Art Adams, and details the green Hulk battling a group of Wendigos and the Avengers in Las Vegas. The second is written by Loeb and illustrated by McGuinness and features the Red Hulk. In the first installment, She-Hulk teams up with Valkyrie and Thundra and they attack the Red Hulk, battling him to a stand still. Next, the Invisible Woman, Storm, Spider-Woman, Tigra, Black Widow, and Hellcat join the battle. On the cover of issue #9, this all female team is dubbed the Lady Liberators by She-Hulk. They seemingly best the Red Hulk, but he's actually feigning unconsciousness and hears Thundra recommend to the others that they kill him. He then escapes, taking Thundra with him, and offers her employment, based on her willingness to kill him.

Starting with Hulk vol. 2 #10, the title returns to a single story format. It begins in the past with an intelligent Hulk announcing that he has asked his love Jarella (who died in the issue of The Incredible Hulk #240, October 1979) to marry him. Suddenly, the Grandmaster whisks Jarella away. In the present, the Grandmaster proposes a deal to the green Hulk. If he can pick three allies for a contest and win, Jarella will be returned to the Hulk alive. The Hulk chooses the Silver Surfer, the Sub-Mariner, and Doctor Strange (one of the lineups of the Defenders). Meanwhile, the Collector has chosen the Red Hulk as the leader of a team. The Red Hulk chooses Terrax, Tiger Shark, and Baron Mordo, who he dubs the Offenders.

Powers and abilities

Marvel editor Mark Paniccia has described the 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." The character has abilities almost identical to those of the original Hulk, including superhuman strength, speed, agility, durability and advanced regeneration. As he becomes increasingly angry, the Red Hulk instead emits increasing levels of gamma radiation. In the first nine issues, the character shows proficiency in weapon use, strategy and hand-to-hand combat.

Collected editions

The series is being collected into volumes:

• Hulk:
  • Red Hulk (collects Hulk vol. 2 #1-6, 176 pages, hardcover, December 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2881-6, softcover, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2882-4)
  • Red & Green (collects Hulk vol. 2 #7-9 and King-Size Hulk #1, 112 pages, hardcover, August 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2883-2, softcover, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2884-0)

Reception

Comics featuring the Red Hulk have sold well, but received mixed reviews.

The first five issues of the Hulk title sold out, and second printings featured new covers. Issue #6 was the second best-selling title of September 2008, and issue #10 was sixth in February 2009.

Augie De Blieck Jr. of Comic Book Resources gave the first six issues a positive review, describing it as a "silly fun action romp" and a "popcorn comic". Blieck Jr. liked Loeb's lack of subtlety when giving out clues, saying "this is a book where anytime someone is about reveal the solution to the big mystery, they get knocked out by a slap in the face from the Red Hulk or a machine gun to the gut." His one criticism was that, although he liked the artwork, he would have preferred Dale Keown as the artist.

IGN reviewer Jesse Schedeen was generally critical of the series, citing a lack of character development and the emphasis on continuous action sequences over the ongoing question of Red Hulk's identity. Schedeen also derided the treatment of other mainstream Marvel characters within the pages of Hulk, saying about issue #5, "The series has already treated She-Hulk and Iron Man like ragdolls who crumple under the awesome might of Red Hulk. Now it's Thor's turn." Claiming bad dialogue, poor pacing and maltreated characters, the review claims Ed McGuiness' artwork has been the only saving grace for the title. In an interview with Loeb, Z. Julian Cenac of ComixFan.com noted that some readers were upset that the Red Hulk was able to thrash other powerful Marvel characters, and were concerned that such a high power-level wouldn't be sustainable. Loeb replied "I tell the best stories I can."

Other media

Red Hulk has appeared in a video game and as an action figure. He is a playable character in GameStop's Xbox 360 exclusive version of the video game tie-in to 2008's The Incredible Hulk movie. Red Hulk is featured in the Target exclusive Build-a-figure series from Marvel Legends and has a Big Bad Toy Store exclusive 10" Marvel Select action figure which features a new head sculpt based on Ed McGuinness' art. There is also a upcoming Series 25 Red Hulk Minimate figure.

References

1. ^ George, Richard (May 30, 2008). "The Future of the Hulk: Marvel reveals new details about the current and future status of the Hulk line". IGN. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
2. ^ Colton, David (February 17, 2008). "The reliably green Incredible Hulk gets pulled into a crimson tide for '#2'". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
3. Cavna, Michael (September 3, 2008). "The Interview: 'Hulk' Writer Jeph Loeb". Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
4. ^ CBR News Team (August 12, 2008). ""Hulk" #5 is red hot - second printing announced". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
5. ^ Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). "Who is the Hulk?" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 1 (2008). Marvel Comics.
6. Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). "The Smoking Gun" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 2 (April 2008). Marvel Comics.
7. Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). "Creatures on the Loose" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 3 (2008). Marvel Comics.
8. Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). "Red Light, Green Light" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 4 (August 2008). Marvel Comics.
9. Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). "Rolling Thunder" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 5 (October 2008). Marvel Comics.
10. ^ Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). "Blood Red" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 6 (November 2008). Marvel Comics.
11. ^ Jeph Loeb (w), Arthur Adams and Frank Cho (p). "What Happens in Vegas" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 7 (December 2008). Marvel Comics.
12. ^ Jeph Loeb (w), Arthur Adams and Frank Cho (p). Hulk, vol. 2, no. 8 (January 2009). Marvel Comics.
13. ^ Jeph Loeb (w), Arthur Adams and Frank Cho (p). "Blood Red" Hulk, vol. 2, no. 9 (February 2009). Marvel Comics.
14. Jeph Loeb (w), Ed McGuiness (p). Hulk, vol. 2, no. 10 (April 2009). Marvel Comics.
15. "Top 300 Comics Actual--September 2008". ICv2.com.
16. "Top 300 Comics Actual--February 2009". ICv2. March 17, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-19.
17. De Blieck Jr., Augie (January 6, 2009). "Pipeline". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
18. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (May 25, 2008). "Hulk #4 Review, Who is the hulkiest Hulk of them all?". IGN. Retrieved 2008-08-28. Each issue provides about 30 seconds of plot development, which usually centers around heaping more layers of mystery atop the Red Hulk's identity. The rest involves smashing, being smashed, or a bit of both.
19. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (August 6, 2008). "Hulk #5 Review, It's hammer time for Red Hulk". IGN. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
20. Cenac, Z. Julian (2009). "An Ultimatum of an Interview with Jeph Loeb". ComixFan.com. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
21. "The Red Hulk Comes To GameStop". Game News International. May 8, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
22. Marvel Legends Exclusive Red Hulk Build-A-Figure Action Figures: Set of 7 - cmdstore.com
23. BBTS Exclusive Marvel Select Red Hulk - marvelousnews.com
24. http://www.diamondselecttoys.com/store/item.asp?ItemNo=79956&CategoryID=381

External links

• Red Hulk at the Marvel Universe
• Red Hulk at the Marvel Database Project
• Red Hulk at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Jeph Loeb's Red Hulk Interview, IGN, November 27, 2007

• Marvel Comics supervillains
• 2008 comics characters debuts
• Fictional murderers
• Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
• Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds
• Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing