After a gamma bomb exploded in his face, Bruce Banner gained incredible powers that turned
him into a colossal green superhero.
Cursed with serious self-control issues and a major case of self-loathing, Hulk became
one of the most intriguing characters in Marvel's pantheon — and in the past fifty years,
Marvel has adapted the Emerald Avenger countless times for the screen.
Where do all those Hulks rank?
Here are the highs and lows of his smashing career.
"So!
This all seems… horrible."
Travis Willingham in Super Hero Squad
In 2009, The Super Hero Squad Show featured adaptations of classic Marvel storylines set
in Superhero City — overseen by Mayor Stan Lee, of course.
Travis Willingham provided the voice of the show's Hulk, and although the Green Goliath
was a regular player, the series kept the stories simple; Hulk mostly made juvenile
jabs at his teammates and pulverized stuff.
And while the super-fan gags were entertaining enough for an adult audience, the real goal
of the series was almost certainly selling toys to impressionable children.
"Don't be scared, plant.
Scary claw have ISSUES."
Eric Bana in Hulk
You probably know Ang Lee's 2003 film for this beautifully shot sequence, which follows
Hulk as he hops from mountaintop to mountaintop in the ruddy desert.
Sadly, Lee's entry was an otherwise clunky affair, full of tacked-on nonsense like a
CGI brawl between old Purple Pants and some monster dogs.
And while Eric Bana's performance is a classic right down to that signature line —
"You're making me angry."
— we can't say the same for the CGI.
A decade later, this Hulk looks dated and cumbersome.
Ron Perlman in The Marvel Action Hour
Technically, Ron Perlman only played the Hulk in two episodes of the Marvel Action Hour
— but come on, it's Ron friggin' Perlman!
We'd never leave him off this list.
Perlman really threw himself into the role, but since his legacy as the Hulk is hampered
by his limited screentime, most people will remember him for the way he looks in red,
not green.
"Excuse me?"
Fred Tatasciore in Agents of SMASH
In 2013, the Hulk got his very own spinoff in the animated series Agents of S.M.A.S.H.,
which stands for the Supreme Military Agency of Super Humans, because of course it does.
His team of bruisers included She-Hulk, his hulky son Skaar, the Red Hulk, and Rick Jones
as his gamma-irradiated alter-ego, A-Bomb.
The series was short-lived, but showcased some solid Hulk action and a dollop of personal
development, plus the voice talents of actor Fred Tatasciore.
"Ahhh!"
Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk
Five years after the character's first big-screen adventure, the franchise rebooted itself with
The Incredible Hulk, the movie that introduced the character to the still-new Marvel Cinematic
Universe.
Edward Norton gave audiences a nuanced Bruce Banner, and even the motion-captured CG Hulk
looks good.
Unfortunately, creative tensions between Marvel and Norton, who rewrote the script, forced
the actor to make his own Hulk-sized exit from the franchise.
"Raghhh!"
Michael Bell and Bob Holt in The Incredible Hulk and The Amazing Spider-Man
In 1982, Spider Man and His Amazing Friends merged with The Incredible Hulk to create
an '80s power hour.
Michael Bell voiced Bruce Banner, while Bob Holt — who also voiced the Grape Ape — provided
the Hulk's snarls.
Like its predecessors, this series centered on Banner's episodic quest to cure himself,
in a story that remained faithful to the Hulk's bombed-out origins.
The series also saw Hulk take on Quasimodo in an epic feud that Marvel later adapted
into its own comic.
Some of the plots were half-baked and the animation could be choppy — but powered
by '80s nostalgia, this super-friend lands pretty close to the top.
"Rahhhh!
Ahhhh!"
Neal McDonough and Lou Ferrigno in The Incredible Hulk
In 1996, the Marvel greenlit this animated series to the satisfaction of Hulk fans everywhere.
Neal McDonough voiced Banner, while Lou Ferrigno — who had already played the green giant
in the live-action '70s series — came full circle as the voice of the Hulk.
"Stop calling me Hulk - I'm a person, okay?"
This show was pretty solid, and wasn't just a smash-a-thon, particularly during a downbeat
first season when Banner and Hulk both oozed self-loathing.
But the next season threw too many additional Hulks into the mix and overburdened the dialogue
with one-liners, leaving the series with a mere two-season lifespan.
Paul Soles and Max Ferguson in The Marvel Super Heroes
Let's go back in time to 1966, when The Marvel Super Heroes explored the adventures of Iron
Man, Namor, Thor, and of course, the Hulk.
Paul Soles and Max Ferguson lent their voices to Bruce Banner and the Hulk and each mini-episode
tackled one of his stories.
The animation studio used an old-school technique called xerography to capture the original
spirit of Marvel's greenest guardian.
The visuals aren't impressive by modern-day standards, but it's still got plenty of vintage
charm.
"Doc Bruce Banner, belted by gamma rays turns into the Hulk!
Ain't he unglamorous?"
Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno in The Incredible Hulk
Starring Bixby as David Banner and Ferrigno as the Hulk, CBS' The Incredible Hulk delivered
four seasons of pants-shredding action between 1978 and 1982.
The series worked over the source material, changing Banner's first name and completely
ignoring his usual cast of sidekicks.
Instead, intrepid reporter Jack McGee trailed Banner on his cross-country quest for a cure.
The stunts, effects, and formulaic plots might be corny by today's standards, but Hulk's
writers treated Banner and his plight with respect — and the show still inspires the
many Hulks who've followed in Lou's chalky green footsteps.
After CBS canceled the series in 1982, NBC snatched up the rights and revived Banner
and his big green alter-ego in three follow-up TV movies — which included Stan Lee's first
live-action cameo… though obviously not his last.
"Wow."
Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers
Mark Ruffalo sets the standard for modern era Hulks with his performances in The Avengers
and Age of Ultron, which perfectly suit the tongue-in-cheek tone of the Marvel Cinematic
Universe.
True, this Banner doesn't get much lab time or even a proper origin story, but his intellectual
sparring with Tony Stark proves he's got some serious brains — and while alien invasions
and robot overlords don't leave much room for a personal life, those interludes with
Black Widow prove that he can smash walls and break hearts.
Sadly, we're still waiting on a proper MCU solo adventure for Ruffalo's take on the big
green guy.
But for now, he's a valuable team player and the man behind many primo cinematic moments
— from the Hulkbuster fight in Avengers 2, to the thrashing Loki needs and deserves,
to revealing the one weird trick to hulking out on command.
"That's my secret, Captain - I'm always angry..."
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