Red Hulk
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Red Hulk, referred to as Rulk in comic narration, is a character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Hulk vol. 2 #1 (Jan. 2008) and was created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuiness.
The Red Hulk has ties to the original Hulk as the character is created (although Marvel's Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada has enforced deliberate secrecy in the actual story as to the character's true identity) by long-time members of the Hulk's supporting cast, specifically General Thunderbolt Ross and Doc Samson. Written to supposedly be the "strongest one there is" - a famous catch cry of the original Hulk - the character is described as "absolutely uninhibited, tactically intelligent" and "Everything the Green Hulk isn't, the Red Hulk is." Although possessing all the abilities of the original Hulk, the Red Hulk does not grow stronger with anger, but rather radiates increasing levels of heat. The character has also been featured in video games and toy merchandise.
Publication history
The character was introduced in Hulk #1 (Jan. 2008), a monthly title written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Ed McGuiness.
According to the newspaper USA Today, the Red Hulk was created to boost sales and create buzz in the lead up to the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk. Loeb and McGuinness were initially working on a Hulk miniseries (as according to Loeb, "[McGuinness] came over from DC for one reason, and that's he wanted to draw the Hulk.") that would establish the Hulk as the strongest Marvel character. It was then that Joe Quesada proposed the idea for a red version of the Hulk with a secret identity. Once the series was promoted, 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. Writer Loeb began using the term as of issue #7.
A one-shot publication titled King-Size Hulk (June 2008) also featured the Red Hulk, and was written by Loeb with artwork by Frank Cho, Arthur Adams, and Herb Trimpe.
The first story arc (issues #1 - 6 Apr. - Nov. 2008) assert that the character is very aggressive, as the Red Hulk murders Hulk foes the Wendigo and Abomination; destroys the Helicarrier of spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D; defeats several Marvel heroes (including Iron Man; She-Hulk and Thor) and after causing an earthquake in San Francisco is finally defeated by the combined efforts of the Hulk and the Thunder god Thor. While in custody, the character is revealed to have been created by General Thunderbolt Ross and psychiatrist turned hero Doc Samson, although the character's true identity is still not known.
Issues #7 - 9 (Dec. 2008 - Feb. 2009) are in fact split books and feature two stories. Loeb writes both, with Arthur Adams providing artwork for the first and Frank Cho the second. The Red Hulk also battles the female superhero team the Lady Liberators, and after tricking them kidnaps member Thundra, who becomes his ally.
In Hulk #10 (Apr. 2009), Elder of the Universe the Grandmaster teams the character with other villains in a team called the Offenders - an evil version of superhero team the Defenders - in a bid to prevent the original Hulk from reuniting with past love Jarella.
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. The Red Hulk, however, does not become stronger with anger, but rather emits increasing levels of heat.