There have been several different versions of the Hulk character in Marvel Comics, each with its own unique color scheme and personality. The Hulk has many different colors in Marvel Comics due to the character’s evolving history and the creative direction of various writers and artists over the years. Each new color represents a new interpretation or variation of the character and reflects changes in the Hulk’s personality, abilities, or backstory.
Each new Hulk color is a reflection of the creativity and imagination of the writers and artists who work on the character, and they help to keep the character fresh and interesting for fans.
Some of the more well-known Hulk colors include:
Gray Hulk
In the original depiction of the Hulk color in the early 1960s, co-creator Stan Lee intended for the character to have gray skin. However, due to printing limitations at the time, the gray often appeared as green on comic book pages. This unintended green color eventually became synonymous with the character, and the green Hulk has since become the most well-known version of the character.
The gray Hulk was introduced in The Incredible Hulk #324, which was published in 1986. This version of the character, also known as Joe Fixit, was a Las Vegas enforcer with a cunning and intelligent personality, in contrast to the savage and irrational green Hulk.
Joe Fixit is the alter ego of Bruce Banner, his backstory is tied to Bruce Banner’s struggle with the Hulk persona. After years of battling the green Hulk, Banner discovered that he could suppress the Hulk personality and assume control of his own mind as the gray Hulk.
However, even as Joe Fixit, Banner was still haunted by his past and the guilt of the destruction caused by the green Hulk. Over time, he struggled to maintain control over the gray Hulk persona and eventually merged back into the classic green Hulk.
Orange Hulk
The Orange Hulk color is a version of the Hulk character that appeared in an alternate reality of Earth-295, also known as the “Age of Apocalypse.” In this reality, the Orange Hulk was a member of the X-Men and a close ally of the series’ main villain, Apocalypse. While still powered by radiation, this orange character‘s power source is solar, not gamma. As such he is stronger in sunlight.
The Orange Hulk’s real name and background have not been fully revealed, but he was depicted as a formidable and brutal warrior with immense strength and durability. He was a member of Apocalypse’s Horsemen, a group of powerful mutants who served as the dictator’s enforcers.
The Orange Hulk’s appearance and abilities were based on the classic Hulk character, but with distinctive orange coloration. He played a significant role in the “Age of Apocalypse” storyline and was one of the key villains in the series.
Age of Apocalypse reality is separate from the main Marvel Comics continuity, and not all of the characters and events from this reality have been carried over into the main Marvel universe.
Blue Hulk
The Blue Hulk is a version of the Hulk character in Marvel Comics. He is a gamma-powered hero and an ally of the classic green Hulk, Bruce Banner.
The Blue Hulk’s real name is Robert Maverick, and he was initially introduced as a rival of the green Hulk. Maverick was a former soldier who was transformed into the Blue Hulk after being exposed to gamma radiation. Unlike the green Hulk, who was characterized by his immense rage and mindless savagery, the Blue Hulk color (Much like Gray Hulk) was depicted as a calculated and intelligent hero who could control his powers.
Despite their initial rivalry, the Blue Hulk and the green Hulk eventually became allies and worked together on various missions.
While both the Green Hulk and the Blue Hulk have immense strength and durability, the Blue Hulk has unique abilities, such as the ability to absorb and control various forms of energy and a regenerative healing factor.
The Blue Hulk first appeared in Marvel Comics in The Incredible Hulk #449, which was published in 1997.
Black Hulk
Kluh, also known as the Black Hulk, is not fully established in Marvel Comics. However, it is known that he is an alternate version of Bruce Banner and the Hulk, who exists in a different universe.
In the “Secret Wars” storyline, Kluh was one of several versions of the Hulk who were brought together on Battleworld, a patchwork planet created by the cosmic being known as the Beyonder. There, he was depicted as one of the most powerful and dangerous versions of the Hulk and was a member of the Thors, a group of law enforcement officers who maintain order in Battleworld.
Despite his seemingly noble role, Kluh was portrayed as a dark and brooding character, who was willing to use violence and intimidation to get what he wanted. He was depicted as having a deep-seated hatred for all other versions of the Hulk colors and was willing to do whatever it took to destroy them and become the ultimate Hulk.
Red Hulk
General “Thunderbolt” Ross, the man who eventually becomes the Red Hulk, has a long-standing grudge against the green Hulk (Bruce Banner) due to a number of personal and professional reasons.
Ross held a deep resentment towards Banner for his involvement in the creation of the Hulk, which resulted in the death of Ross’ daughter, Betty. As a military General, Ross saw the Hulk as a dangerous and uncontrollable weapon and was determined to capture or destroy him in order to protect the safety of the public. He transformed into the Red Hulk color as part of a secret government project to create a super-powered weapon to defeat the green Hulk.
These feelings of hatred and resentment eventually led Ross to become the Red Hulk and fueled his desire to defeat the green Hulk and prove his superiority. Despite his grudge against the green Hulk, Ross is as a complex character as he is capable of both good and evil, and his motivations and actions are not always straightforward.
Yellow Hulk
The Yellow Hulk color is an alternate version of the Hulk character who first appeared in the limited series “Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect” in 1992. In this storyline, the Yellow Hulk is depicted as an older version of the green Hulk from a dystopian future.
In this future, the green Hulk has become a tyrant who rules over a bleak, post-apocalyptic wasteland with an iron fist. The Yellow Hulk is revealed to be the remnants of the green Hulk’s consciousness after it was split into two separate personalities by a villainous organization known as the Maestro.
Brown Hulk
In many storylines, the Devil Hulk is a constant presence in the Hulk’s mind, constantly vying for control over the character’s actions and thoughts. However, the green Hulk is often depicted as being able to overcome this darker aspect of his personality through sheer willpower and is a hero who is always fighting against his own inner demons.
He is in opposition to the more heroic and virtuous aspects of the green Hulk’s personality. There are many different looks and appearances of the Devil Hulk. To summarize his physical appearance, he usually appears several times larger than the Savage Hulk and has very rough and scaly skin. His skin color has varied from a dark grey to a dark brown to a pale purple to even orange in one instance.
The Green Hulk
The most famous iconic Hulk color is of course the green color, it symbolizes the Hulk’s immense power and is often used to contrast with the character’s human alter ego, Bruce Banner, who is typically depicted as being small, frail, and reserved. The green color was chosen because it was believed to be the most distinctive color that would stand out on the comic book page and be easily recognizable to readers.
When Bruce Banner becomes the green Hulk, his increased blood pressure overcharges the radiation in his body, causing the energy to literally come out of his pores and turn his skin green.
