red hulk

Movie Night: Captain America: Brave New World

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Released: 14 February 2025
Director: Julius Onah
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Budget: $180 million
Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tim Blake Nelson

The Plot:
Now shouldering the mantle of Captain America, Sam Wilson (Mackie) navigates a political minefield after an assassination attempt against President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Ford) threatens to spark world war!

The Background:
After some initial resistance, the United States finally joined the War against the “Axis powers” of Germany, Japan, and Italy in 1939. With patriotism running high in America, Joe Simon and the legendary Jack Kirby created Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America and his kid sidekick, James Buchanan Barnes/Bucky to encourage readers to support the war effort. Cap saw a resurgence when he joined the Avengers and has long found a home outside the comics, featuring in cartoons, serials, a botched big-screen debut, and three critically lauded entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After Steve Rogers (and actor Chris Evans) retired from the role, MCU head honcho Kevin Feige sought to expand the MCU with Disney+ shows, with one pitch being a “buddy comedy” series focused on the dysfunctional friendship between Sam Wilson and James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Echoing the comic books, where Sam took up the Cap mantle, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Skogland, 2021) was universally praised for its depiction of racism and the dynamic between the two leads. This success directly led to the production of a fourth Captain America movie, initially titled New World Order, that sought to be a more grounded political thriller. This was soon offset by the casting of Harrison Ford, who replaced the late William Hurt and was thrust into the spotlight when the film’s marketing heavily relied upon his transformation into the Red Hulk as much as commenting on real-world politics. Reshoots saw the plot shuffled round and some characters be excised, with Giancarlo Esposito given additional screentime as a trade off and placing more emphasis on the conspiracy sub-plot. Captain America: Brave New World grossed over $370 million worldwide, but was met with somewhat negative reviews that criticised the political narrative, especially in the face of real-world events. The narrative and characterisations were also called into question, with critics being divided over the visual effects, though Mackie remained hopeful for future solo ventures for the character.

The Review:
Captain America: Brave New World depicts the United States as a country in turmoil. Following the many strange, destructive, and harrowing events of the previous MCU films, the nation is more divided and afraid than ever. Thus, former “Hulk Hunter” and decorated military General Thaddeus Ross completes his evolution from Senator to President of the United States after running a successful campaign based on one, unlikely word: together. Though Ross captures the majority vote with his promises to unite Americans and repair the relationship between the American government and the country’s various costumed defenders, some still question Ross’s newfound appreciation for the Avengers and his push for unity considering his historically short fuse and previous aggression in upholding the Sokovia Accords. None are more aware of Ross’s shortcomings than Sam Wilson, the former Falcon who now operates independent of the government (yet still in a military capacity) as Captain America. Sam’s wariness of Ross’s promises is echoed by aged veteran Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), the prototype super soldier who spent thirty years locked away and being experimented on and who is reluctant for Sam to work with the government. However, Ross is eager to build bridges not just with Sam, but the entire world, especially as scientists from across the globe have discovered a rare and particularly versatile mineral (dubbed “Adamantium”) on “Celestial Island”, the remains of a titanic Celestial that tried to emerge from the Earth. The staggering potential of Adamantium is enough to have Ross set aside personal grudges and encourage the world’s governments to co-ordinate their mining efforts. He makes significant headway with this after Captain America and his enthusiastic, hacker partner, First Lieutenant Joaquin Torres/The Falcon (Ramirez), recover a stolen sample of Adamantium from Seth Voelker/Sidewinder (Esposito), an expert marksman and enigmatic leader of the Serpent Society, a group of mercenaries working for the mysterious “Buyer” to upset the political climate.

Amidst a political minefield, Sam discovers a plot to discredit the President and spark worldwide conflict.

Celebrated for their heroics, Sam and Joaquin are invited to attend Ross’s special presentation on Adamantium at the White House and, eager to coax the distrustful Isaiah out of his shell, Sam invites him along. However, during Ross’s speech, Isaiah and a handful of other attendees suddenly open fire on the President, with Isaiah appearing little more than a confused old man after Sam talks him into custody. Angered by these events, Ross rescinds his offer for Sam to rebuild the Avengers and orders him not to investigate, instead handing the task to his personal security advisor, former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Haas). Naturally, Sam disobeys this order and works with Joaquin to review security footage of the attack, learning that Isaiah and the others were compelled through a form of mind control. Sam’s investigation sees him cross paths with and apprehend Sidewinder, whose phone leads him and Joaquin to a military black site, where they find Gamma-mutated biologist Doctor Samuel Sterns (Nelson) has been held captive for over a decade. Gifted an upgraded suit by the Wakandan people, Sam is more than capable as Captain America thanks to his Vibranium wings protecting him, absorbing the impact of any attack and redirecting it as kinetic blasts. Sam has the same skills he showcased as the Falcon (skills he’s extremely protective of as he hesitates to share them with Joaquin) but has vastly improved his skill with a shield. Unlike Steve Rogers, however, Sam doesn’t have the benefit of the super soldier serum, though his suit helps dull any injuries he does receive and a pep talk from Bucky allays Sam’s doubts about his abilities after Joaquin is injured defusing a conflict between American and Japanese forces. In a nice change of pace, Sam is seemingly universally accepted in his new role; the military respect and admire him, jeopardising their careers to aid him after Ross demands he and Joaquin be apprehended. Sam’s also as charismatic and confident as Steve, easily befriending those around him and championing world peace and cooler heads over violence. Far from a naïve optimist, Sam plays his cards close to his chest and gives Ross the benefit of the doubt, but becomes determined to investigate the complex deception at work after Isaiah is imprisoned and faces the death penalty.

Sterns manipulates events to brainwash assassins and push Ross to breaking point!

Obviously, it’s a shame that William Hurt never got to complete his story as Thunderbolt Ross but, if you’re going to recast an actor, who better than Harrison Ford to pick up the slack? Shaving his trademark moustache and campaigning on a platform of unity, Ross is desperate to convince the world that he’s a changed man. However, while he’s convinced the majority of Americans, Sam and the others remain skeptical and his estranged daughter, Doctor Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) refuses to take his calls. Eager to void conflict, Ross is adamant about pushing forward a treaty to share the Adamantium, but soon finds his temper tested after he’s shot at and accused of shady dealings by the equally sceptical Japanese prime minister, Ozaki (Takehiro Hira). Although Ross genuinely wants Sam onboard and the rebuild the Avengers to atone for his previous aggressive ways, he burns bridges with Sam over Isaiah and quickly mobilises the Navy to secure Celestial Island, his stress only compounded by Sterns’ influence and his reliance on mysterious pills. It turns out the Sam’s right to be suspicious of Ross as he worsened Sterns’ condition and used his superhuman intellect to manipulate his way to the White House, then incurred the hyper-intelligent doctor’s wrath by refusing to free him. This sees Sterns concoct an elaborate plan to discredit Ross using mind control triggers, which easily turns the President’s secret service into his unwitting soldiers and sees him escape custody. Sterns’ scheme also extends to hiring Sidewinder and kick-starting the plot, which tips the world to the brink of war and sees Sam and Joaquin desperately rushing to calm tenses between the world’s superpowers once they uncover this plot. Determined to keep his dealings with Sterns from leaking, Ross surreptitiously tries to tie up loose ends, unwittingly turning the petite Ruth’s loyalties towards Sam after she discovers evidence that Isaiah and the others weren’t in control of their actions. Though Ross was saved from certain death from a heart condition thanks to Sterns’ research, he’s been unknowingly digesting Gamma-laced pills for years, which make him quick to anger and susceptible to Sterns’ mind control, resulting in Ross transforming into a crimson-hued Hulk before a terrified press conference and forcing Sam to test his mettle in the most dangerous way possible.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Captain America: Brave New World certainly gives itself a lot of balls to juggle. It finally addresses what happened to that gigantic Celestial and lays an interesting foundation for the MCU’s version of the X-Men, finally ties up the loose end of Samuel Sterns, presenting him as an embittered puppet master looking to publicly disgrace President Ross, teases Bucky’s new life as a Congressman, and continues Sam’s evolution as Captain America. Thanks to Sam having worked through many of his doubts and insecurities in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam has fully embraced his new role here, only questioning his ability after Joaquin gets hurt. Even then, Bucky offers him some advice that gets him back on track and, while I think it’d be totally believable that a man as good as Sam could handle the super soldier serum, Sam’s perfectly capable without it thanks to his skill as the Falcon. In fact, Sam may be a little too good as he shrugs off wounds and performs nigh-superhuman feats during fights, though the film makes an effort to show him visibly exhausted from the effort. His status as a “normal” man doing the right thing contributes to the respect he earns from his peers; even Ross has a begrudging respect for Sam, even if it’s strained as the film progresses. I’m glad that Brave New World didn’t waste time questioning Sam’s ability or showing undue negativity towards him. Instead, he kicks ass as Captain America and showcases his stubborn determination as he works to clear his friend’s name, even if it goes against what the President thinks or wants. It was a shame, however, that Giancarlo Esposito was essentially wasted here. He gets a couple of action scenes and steals the show with his usual silky-smooth cool, and is presumably being set up for more later down the line, but his role got a lot of hype prior to the film so I couldn’t help but be disappointed by how small his role was in the end.

Despite some predictable elements, the film was an action-packed political thriller.

Instead, most of the film’s marketing was focused on the Red Hulk and his fight against Captain America. On the one hand, I understand this as you want to capture people’s attention and get people in the cinema to see how Sam can stand against such a creature, but it was a touch misleading since the Red Hulk doesn’t appear until the finale. Instead, most of the film is an action thriller following Sam and Joaquin as they work to uncover who’s behind Isaiah’s mind control. There’s nothing wrong with this and it makes for a decent adventure, but it’s pretty obvious that Isaiah and the others were triggered by lights and music, something we’ve seen in the MCU before (and which Sam even notes), so it’s weird that Ross was so quick to condemn Isaiah. Of course, a significant sub-plot regarding the President is his trustworthiness and it’s clear he’s hiding a lot, leading to an emotional showdown between him and Sam where Ross reveals how close he came to death and how poorly he treated Sterns. Once Sam confronts Sterns and he escapes, it’s pretty clear what’s gone down, but the key parties (Sam and Ross) remain clueless. There’s even a moment where Sterns callously murders Sam’s ally, Dennis Dunphy (William Mark McCullough), to keep him from revealing the truth of Ross’s pills to Sam…only for Sterns to relate that information to Sam shortly afterwards. While some have picked about Brave New World’s CGI and reshoots, I had a great time with the action sequences. Sam looks amazing in his new suit, which is a vast improvement over his last one, and is a whirling dervish as Captain America, cutting through the air, blasting along with his jetpack, slicing up foes with his wings, and tossing his shield in ways that would make his predecessor proud. Sam’s Wakandan enhancements make up for his lack of superhuman strength, though Sam remains vulnerable, sporting wounds and exhaustion, and yet being strong enough to turn to his allies for help and to take the high road during conflicts. Joaquin made for a fun counterpart to Sam; he’s equally talented as the Falcon and a tech whiz, but overly enthusiastic and too eager to prove himself to his hero at times. They work well together on equal terms and I enjoyed their high-speed action sequences, with Sam even proving his worth without the suit and emphasising disarming and subduing his foes rather than blindly blundering in.

Cap ultimately overcomes the odds and brings a measure of peace to the misguided President.

With Ruth on-side and Sam and Joaquin having discovered Sterns is mind controlling targets with light and sound triggers, Cap and Falcon barely quell a conflict between the US and Japan. Though Joaquin is severely wounded when defending Celestial Island, Sterns’ plot is ultimately scuppered and Ross’s treaty regains traction, leading Sterns with no choice but to surrender himself, arrogantly believing that Ross’s true nature cannot be suppressed. Indeed, when addressing the press outside the White House, Sterns’ pills and the stress of the whole situation (and the Sterns’ testimony to the media) see Ross lose control of his emotions. Thus, he painfully and forcibly transforms into the Red Hulk, a mindless and enraged giant who immediately goes on a rampage. Despite being hopelessly outmatched, Captain America flies into battle with the Red Hulk, barely protected by his Vibranium wings and destroying most of the White House. Remembering Ross’s wish to take his daughter to the city’s cherry blossom trees, Captain America has Ruth get the crowd to safety and leads the Red Hulk to the garden, only for the creature’s rage to boil out of control. Badly hurt and with his suit damaged, Captain America charges his remaining wing with the Red Hulk’s unbridled strength and delivers a concussive blast that momentarily puts the beast down. When the Red Hulk returns for more, Sam takes a major gamble and appeals to Ross’s humanity, finally calming the troubled President down and ending the threat. Realising the extent of his actions, Ross relinquishes his post and allows himself to be incarcerated at the Raft, where he finally reconciles with Betty. Ross and Sam part with a mutual respect and Sam’s delighted to see Joaquin on the road to recovery, especially as he’s decided to rebuild the Avengers after all, though Sam’s left rattled when the imprisoned Sterns mocks him and delivers a vague, suitably ominous warning about future threats from other worlds…

The Summary:
Captain America: Brave New World faced an uphill battle, for many reasons. Despite Sam being Captain America in the comics for years, the idea of someone else taking up the mantle is always going to irk some, especially a very vocal and toxic minority of bigots. However, Anthony Mackie takes to the role admirably, exuding a cool confidence that sees him command the screen and throw the shield with admirable gusto. I loved how Sam was presented as a friend to all, talking to people in their native language, saluting the military, and sticking to his guns, even if it means going against the President of the United States. He’s a natural leader and an efficient fighter, even without the super soldier serum, and attacks the conspiracy at work with a stubborn determinism that showcases the strength of will and loyalty that make him the right choice to be Captain America. Harrison Ford was equally captivating in the film. It’s awful that William Hurt died before he could see this arc through, but Ford really threw himself into the whole MCU circus and brought his all to this role, being gruff, commanding, and pained as the script dictated. I definitely felt like Ross was genuinely trying to make amends for his past, but he had too many skeletons in the closet, had made too many enemies, and ultimately was faced with forces beyond his control, leading to his Hulk-out. The Red Hulk looked fantastic, exuding rage and danger and delivering by far the best and most impressive CGI rendition of a Hulk yet. While it was misleading to base so much of the marketing around the character, I can see why they did it and the sequence absolutely delivered, more than making up for the wasting of Giancarlo Esposito. I was also thrilled to see Tim Blake Nelson return and deliver a suitably hammy, menacing version of the Leader, finally paying off one of the MCU’s most notorious plot threads. While the plot felt a little predictable and bare bones at times, the action and performances and nice balance of drama and comedy made up for it and resulted in a solid first solo effort for the new Captain America, who I hope to see have a prominent role as an aspirational leader in the MCU for years to come.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy Captain America: Brave New World? What did you think Anthony Mackie’s first big-screen solo outing as the character and Sam’s status as a more human version of the Avenger? Did you enjoy Harrison Ford’s performance and Ross’s attempts to turn over a new leaf? Were you satisfied with the way the film tied up loose ends regarding Sterns and the Celestial? Do you think it was misleading to put so much focus on the Red Hulk or did you enjoy his eventual appearance? Where do you want to see Captain America go next in the MCU? Whatever you think about Captain America: Brave New World, or Captain America in general, drop a comment down below, support me on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other Captain America content.

Back Issues: Hulk #1-6

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Writer: Jeph Loeb – Artist: Ed McGuinness

Story Title: “Who is the Hulk?”
Published: 4 January 2008 (cover-dated: March 2008)

Story Title: “The Smoking Gun”
Published: 20 February 2008 (cover-dated: April 2008)

Story Title: “Creatures on the Loose”
Published: 23 April 2008 (cover-dated: June 2008)

Story Title: “Red Light, Green Light”
Published: 25 June 2008 (cover-dated: August 2008)

Story Title: “Rolling Thunder”
Published: 6 August 2008 (cover-dated: October 2008)

Story Title: “Blood Red”
Published: 24 September 2008 (cover-dated: November 2008)

The Background:
Created by legendary Marvel duo Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the depiction of Doctor Robert Bruce Banner transforming into the monstrous Incredible Hulk was inspired by a story of a hysterical mother summoning superhuman strength to rescue her child and classic screen monsters Frankenstein’s Monster and Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. Initially appearing as a stone-grey creature, the Hulk has appeared in many forms and at different levels of strength and intelligence over the years. We’ve seen an old, dictator-like Hulk, an intelligent gangster Hulk, a “Smart Hulk”, and even a “Devil Hulk” so why not a Red Hulk? The idea of a Red Hulk can be traced back to Kenny Johnson, producer of the popular and iconic Incredible Hulk television series (1977 to 1982), who lobbied for the colour change since red is commonly associated with rage, the Hulk’s defining characteristic, only to have his logic dismissed. However, a mere thirty-odd years later, then-Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada officially introduced a red variant of the Green Goliath, one whose identity was kept a closely-guarded secret for about three years. A dangerous, intelligent, and tactically-savvy villain who grew hotter the angrier he got, the Red Hulk was eventually revealed to be Banner and the Hulk’s long-time enemy, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a cantankerous military man who hounded both characters for decades. Naturally, General Ross appeared prominently in the Hulk’s ancillary media, appearing in cartoons and live-action many times, but the Red Hulk (or “Rulk” as he’s colloquially known) has not only been a card-carrying member of the Avengers but has also appeared in Hulk-centric cartoons and even unexpectedly appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, courtesy of Harrison Ford.

The Review:
Our story begins in Russia, where Doctor Leonard Samson/Doc Samson and Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk investigate the sight of a fierce battle between the Hulk and his monstrous rival, Emil Blonsky/The Abomination. Begrudgingly, She-Hulk allows Samson to recreate the fight, deftly surmising and reenacting both character’s movements based on footprints and the surrounding devastation. It’s Doc Samson’s learned belief that the Hulk was unusually vicious, that he sought to beat the Abomination to death no matter what damage he caused in the process, and that, with his foe at his mercy, the Hulk drew a pistol and shot the creature at point-blank range. General Ross, Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) commander Maria Hill, and S.H.I.E.L.D. director Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man, who are also present, question the legitimacy of such an outrageous claim. However, when Hill reveals that S.H.I.E.L.D. does make a weapon big enough for the Hulk to fire and Doc Samson points out the residual Gamma radiation, the evidence, however unlikely, becomes difficult to ignore. She-Hulk and Samson also note that the Hulk is apparently emitting so much radiation that he’s scorching the earth with each footprint. The team’s squabbling and theorising is interrupted by Russia’s equivalent to the Avengers, the Winter Guard, led by Anton/The Red Guardian, who demand to take charge of the investigation. Despite being invited by the Russian government, the Red Guard have issue with their unauthorised personnel, like Samson, who reacts by starting a fight with the Red Guardian. Not to be outdone, Mikhail Ursus/Ursa Major, Boris Vadim/Crimson Dynamo, and Sasha Roerich/Darkstar join the fracas, with the bear-like Ursa clawing She-Hulk’s arm and Iron Man blasting the mech-armoured Crimson Dynamo right in the face. The battle is violent but short-lived as General Ross discovers a survivor, a traumatised boy who can only repeat the word “Красногоin” (or “red”) over and over.

A mysterious Red Hulk murders the Abomination and trashes the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier,

On the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Maria shows Stark a version of the gun used to kill Blonsky, a weapon he had no knowledge of. However, their discussion is interrupted when She-Hulk is suddenly attacked by a monstrous, Hulk-like figure. Though Stark barely glimpses the creature, he sees that it’s red, not green, and is stunned when the unconscious and badly beaten She-Hulk is dumped at his feet. Stark armours up and meets agent Clay Quartermain, who’s been injured by the monster but no less determined to bring him, and any and all Hulks, down. Iron Man’s orders are cut short when the Red Hulk suddenly tackles him through a wall. Noting the strange contradiction of a Hulk that growls like an animal but apparently wields a pistol and systematically targets a Helicarrier, Iron Man scrambles to fend off the brute’s vicious attack and deploy his spare armours to help stabilise the Helicarrier and catch the jets that tumble from it following the Red Hulk’s attack. Though his armour’s severely damaged, Iron Man is saved from a plummet by She-Hulk, who reveals that the Red Hulk wiped S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secure files with a sophisticated virus, and that the Red Hulk threatened her with an eloquence not shown to Stark. Despite Iron Man’s best efforts, the gold-plated Helicarrier crashes in a New Jersey field (with, surprisingly, no causalities). Iron Man’s attempts to formulate an effective counterattack are put on hold when Maria shows him video footage of General Ross and Doc Samson meeting with Bruce Banner, who’s held captive in the Gamma Base located in Death Valley, Nevada. The footage confirms that there is another Hulk out there, one very different from Banner’s mindless alter ego, and Banner suggests it’s someone who’s previously been exposed to high levels of Gamma radiation. However, Iron Man’s enraged when a crucial exchange between Banner and Ross is rendered unintelligible and orders Maria to clean up the recording. Later, Iron Man is brought to a meat packing plant where Agent Quartermain has been found dead alongside a severely torn, Gamma-irradiated coat belonging to Doc Samson, framing the superhuman psychiatrist as the Red Hulk.

The Red Hulk easily overpowers A-Bomb and even the rampaging Green Goliath!

Elsewhere, the Red Hulk blindsides perennial sidekick Rick Jones outside Gamma Base, transforming him into his own Gamma monstrosity, the A-Bomb. It’s in this fight that we learn just how intelligent the Red Hulk is. While A-Bomb can only bark childish threats, the Red Hulk is goading, intelligent, and aware of his surroundings. Although Gamma Base recognises the Red Hulk as an authorised entrant, its defences fire on A-Bomb and Red Hulk takes advantage, swiping a massive cannon and taking great pleasure in riddling the armoured monster with bullets. When A-Bomb spits claims of his invulnerability, the Red Hulk gleefully tests his theory by pummelling him into the ground. The sheer force of the assault sends seismic shocks through the entire base and triggers Banner’s transformation into the Hulk when his cage attempts to gas him. As the battle rages, the base unleashes its Adamantium-taloned harpy robots (modelled after Banner’s long-time love, Doctor Betty Ross) to carry the two away. Unfortunately, the machines are no match for either monster’s strength, though the distraction separates them long enough for the Hulk to confront his red-skinned doppelgänger. Before the two can lock horns, however, the Red Hulk casually punches out Uatu the Watcher, who randomly popped up due to the significance of these two immensely powerful beings coming to blows (and, I guess, to show how tough this new Hulk is). After humbling the cosmic overseer, the Red Hulk finds the Hulk enraged by his appearance. The Hulk sees his red double an imitation and challenger to his title of “The Strongest One There Is”, a title he vehemently seeks to defend as aggressively as ever. Red Hulk, however, dives into the fight with relish, determined to make the Hulk pay for years of death and destruction, and for waging war against the entire planet after his return from Sakaar. Though the Hulk’s no longer as intelligent as his “World Breaker” persona, his strength only increases with his anger. However, the Red Hulk weathers the beating and easily grabs the Hulk’s wrist, breaking his arm and causing him to pass out.

Though he humbles Thor, the Red Hulk is outsmarted by the Hulk, his true identity left a mystery…

The Hulk awakens atop the Golden Gate Bridge and avoids a public execution by biting the Red Hulk’s gun. For his insolence, the Red Hulk decides to let his foe live with the knowledge that he’s not the strongest and knocks him into the bay, trigging the San Andreas fault. Thor Odinson then confronts the monster, only for the God of Thunder to be stunned when the Red Hulk shrugs off a blow from the mighty Mjöllnir. Savouring the chance to beat a God to death, the Red Hulk backs his words with blows powerful enough to draw blood and knock Thor flying. Thor fights back, not realising his foe is a different Hulk to the one he knows and is therefore left speechless when the intelligent Red Hulk gets around Mjöllnir’s enchantment by launching them out of Earth’s atmosphere. In zero gravity, the Red Hulk humbles Thor by beating him with his own hammer and dumping him on the Moon. After the Fantastic Four seemingly confirm that the Red Hulk is Doc Samson and A-Bomb pulls the Hulk from San Francisco Bay, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Ben Grimm/The Thing, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Prince Namor McKenzie/The Sub-Mariner, and Ares, the God of War, arrive to help save the city. While the Hulk initially rejects their assistance, he begrudgingly agrees to let them get San Francisco under control so he can confront the Red Hulk in Monument Valley. The Hulk’s efforts are aided by the returning Thor and A-Bomb, with the latter revealing the Red Hulk’s weakness (that he gets hotter the madder he gets) and restraining Thor so the Hulk can settle the score alone. Smartly, the Hulk absorbs the Red Hulk’s horrendous assault, causing the monster to overheat and grow weaker. The Hulk then asserts his dominance and knocks the Red Hulk out with a single punch. He then parts ways with Thor as friends before wandering into the desert, exhausted and reverting to Banner. However, when A-Bomb turns back into Rick and tries to reveal the Red Hulk’s identity, he’s shot in the back by Doc Samson. Both Samson and General Ross express disappointment with the Red Hulk, who they leave lying in the dirt as his eyes snap open…

The Summary:
First of all, I have to say that I love Ed McGuinness’s artwork. His work is always hyper-stylised and very bold and cartoonish, and he draws a wonderful Hulk and Hulk-like creatures, with them all being brutish monsters full of life and personality. You can tell so much about each of the Hulks in the way Ed McGuinness draws them: A-Bomb is constantly hunched over, as though weighed down by his armoured scales; the Hulk is always bulging and ready for a scrap; and the Red Hulk stands tall and confident, with a condescending smirk plastered to his face most of the time. The glue that holds this story together is the mystery of who the new Red Hulk is. At first, Doc Samson believes the Hulk is behind the Abomination’s murder. This is an odd hypothesis given he knows as well as General Ross that Bruce Banner is locked up in Gamma Base, but not one without merit; after all, Doc Samson himself once split Banner and the Hulk into separate beings. Naturally, given he was a bit of a dick around this time, Iron Man’s primary thought is to his culpability; he snaps and rages at Maria Hill about the Hulk-sized weapons S.H.I.E.L.D. developed and is desperate to ensure he can’t be held accountable for the murder. The evidence seems to ring true, but for the use of a gun and the scorched footprints, though She-Hulk remains unconvinced that her cousin was capable for such a cold-blooded act. Little moments throughout the story give some hints towards the Red Hulk’s identity, but there are numerous red herrings as well: Rick Jones, for example, seems tormented at the events, initially framing him as a suspect. We see that both Samson and Ross are authorised Gamma Base personnel, and that the base’s security recognises the Red Hulk’s iris. The garbled security footage seems to implicate Samson, as does his tattered coat, and the story even ends with the suggest that Doc Samson is the Red Hulk…until it’s revealed he’s not. But then again, General Ross is also seen standing over the Red Hulk’s unconscious body and he was right there when the Red Hulk attacked the Helicarrier, and he later turns out to be the Red Hulk! Indeed, the ending suggests more that Samson and Ross were in league with the Red Hulk, rather than being him, and I’d be interested to know or try and remember exactly how they explained how Ross and the Red Hulk could be in the same place at the same time (though it was probably a Life-Model Decoy).

The Red Hulk is an overpowered, egotistical, and incredibly dangerous Hulk.

As for the Red Hulk…well, this is a glorious showcase. Doc Samson’s intuitive nature reveals that the Red Hulk is a formidable foe, capable of beating even the super-tough Abomination into submission and fighting with a ferocity and power comparable to the Hulk. The Red Hulk is also seen to be tactically minded, launching an all-out assault against Iron Man’s fancy-pants gold Helicarrier and even wiping S.H.I.E.L.D.’s files. The Red Hulk’s intelligence is showcased in his eloquence; he delights in goading and taunting his foes as he fights them, displaying a familiarity with each and the defences of Gamma base. He repeatedly demonstrates a personal vendetta against the Hulk, first happy to frame him for murder and then delightedly besting him in a straight-up fight, even going so far as to break the Green Goliath’s arm and wish to publicly execute him. This, as he says, is payback for the Hulk’s years of death and destruction and more recent assault against the entire planet. The Red Hulk sees the Hulk as the true threat and is determined to stamp him out, but he’s also out to prove himself the superior being in mind and body. And what better way to do this than by not just beating the piss out of the Hulk and kicking him to the bottom of the San Francisco Bay, not just by punching out the Watcher, but by besting Thor in combat! Seriously, the Red Hulk is so massively overpowered it’s not even funny. Not only does he outmatch and humiliate Thor, even using insane logic to rob him of Mjöllnir, the Red Hulk completely disrespects and disregards the God of Thunder like he was nothing. A vindictive, calculating, ferocious opponent, the Red Hulk is so much than just another “Smart Hulk”. His blows have a purpose, striking at weak points and mixing pure power with tactical precision; he knows what he’s doing and enjoys doing it. His only weakness, one he doesn’t seem to realise, is that his body temperature rises exponentially when he gets mad, weakening him significantly. Well, it’s not his only weakness: he still needs to breathe, but that isn’t much of an issue considering he effortlessly trounced Thor while holding his breath.

The Hulk doesn’t care who his new foe is. He just wants to prove he’s the strongest!

The Red Hulk’s debut starts off as a showcase for the new Hulk on the block and a superpowered murder mystery. The investigation into the Abomination’s murder, the murder weapon, and the mystery of what’s happened to drive the Hulk to such an uncharacteristic action frames the first issue and a half. Once the Red Hulk makes his presence know, there’s some brief confusion as even Banner states that he’s been split in two and assumed different forms before, but then the crux of the story becomes trying to work out who this new Hulk is. Thus, everyone’s favourite Jade Giant doesn’t factor into the story for a few issues. Indeed, it’s up to the decidedly Hulk-like A-Bomb to carry the load when the Red Hulk targets him, but the action really ramps up when the two Hulks come to blows. I’m not sure what happened between Green Scar’s return to Earth and this story, but the Hulk has regressed to his mindless, child-like persona and is therefore at an initial disadvantage against his more tactile-minded doppelgänger. The Hulk’s driven to fight the Red Hulk out of a sense of pride (“Hulk is Hulk!”, after all) rather than to protect others, but his need to prove himself superior aligns with defending his few friends (such as A-Bomb) and allowing Iron Man and the others to save San Francisco. Thanks to Ed McGuiness, the Hulk-on-Hulk action is dynamic and interesting; it’s not just a senseless brawl as both Hulks weather their opponent’s onslaught to tire them out or strike when the opportunity presents itself. The Red Hulk, especially, stands out by using an enemy’s momentum against them and mixing brain with brawn, while the Hulk is naturally more savage and only tries a different tactic after seeing how dangerous his foe is. The art definitely makes his story a visually enjoyable experience and I did like the intrigue surrounding the Red Hulk. The red herrings and revelations are kind of odd knowing what I know now about the character, but it’s always nice seeing 2008-era Iron Man get his smug face smashed in and I loved that an intelligent Hulk proved to be such a threat. There’s definitely enough here to make me want to read up on what happened next with the Red Hulk and the lingering plot threat regarding Doc Samson, and the mixture of action and mystery were highly entertaining all-in-all.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy the Red Hulk’s explosive first appearance? Do you think the writers went a bit over the top in showcasing his threat, power, and intelligence? What did you think to the murder mystery sub-plot and who did you think the Red Hulk was? Were you impressed by the way the Hulk defeated his doppelgänger at the end? Which alternative version of the Hulk is your favourite? What are some of your favourite Red Hulk moments? Tell me your opinions on the Red Hulk in the comments and be sure to check out my other Marvel and Hulk content.