At least in terms of physical strength, theHulkis the most powerful hero thatStan Leeever gave the Marvel Universe. Indeed,Hulklore has given Marvelseveralof its most impressive powerhouses, both superheroes and supervillains. Here are the strongest of the lot in current Marvel lore.
In this list, we’re looking at the most powerful charactersStan Lee introduced toHulklore. We’re looking exclusively at characters who debuted in Hulk-related stories, andranking them by their current power level in Marvel Comics- often ahugeglow-up from how strong they were when Lee first introduced them.
8Sleeper Agent, aka Rick Jones
Debuted Incredible Hulk #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
Rick Jones is a unique character in the Marvel Universe - a regular guy who has been the sidekick to multiple superheroes, including Captain America, the Hulk and Captain Marvel.Rick has possessed multiple different sets of superpowers, but it all started out with him helping Bruce Banner during his first days transforming into the monstrous Hulk.
Rick is an essential part of Hulk lore. Bruce Banner was only caught in the blast of his gamma bomb because he ran out to save Rick’s life, when the rebellious musician was trying to win a bet by driving out onto the bomb range. Since then, Rick has becomeHulk’s oldest and most trusted ally, even brieflyfighting alongside him as the titanic, blue-skinned hero A-Bomb.
However, in current comics,Rick Jones is the Sleeper Agent- the current host ofSleeper, the symbiote child of Venom. Sleeper is unique in that the symbiote erases its host’s memory, meaning that whenever they’re out of costume, even they don’t know they’re the Sleeper Agent. Sleeper is also adept at combining chemicals within its body, allowing it to unleash chemical attacks that are too complex for most symbiotes.
Bonded to Sleeper, Rick possesses enhanced strength, agility, and the ability to shapeshift his symbiote partner into a variety of tools and weapons. While Stan Lee died before Rick ever became the Sleeper Agent (inAll-New Venom #4, by Al Ewing and Carlos Gómez), his work onThe Incredible HulkandThe Avengersset Rick on his path to becoming the ultimate roving sidekick.
7Mongu, aka Boris Monguski
Debuted Incredible Hulk #4 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
A Hulk villain who sadly never caught on, Mongu was a fake alien who the Russian army used to bait the Hulk into a trap. The Mongu armor was actually a mech piloted by Russian agent Boris Monguski, utilizing enhanced strength to wield a gigantic battle ax. Later stories by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerick revealed that while the original Mongu was a fake, the mech was a recreation of arealalien gladiator, who Hulk later fought for real.
6Red Harpy, aka Betty Ross
Introduced to Hulk lore as Bruce Banner’s love interest, Betty Ross (later Banner) often played the role of damsel in distress, as well as inextricably linking Bruce to his most dedicated enemy, Betty’s father General Ross. However,overHulkhistory Betty has been given multiple different gamma powers, first becoming the Harpy,then the Red She-Hulk, and currently Red Harpy.
Red Harpy is the expression of Betty’s rage at being sidelined by her husband and father, constantly thrust in and out of danger by their decisions while being treated as a pawn in their battle of wills. With enhanced strength and sharp talons,Red Harpy isn’t quite as strong as Hulk, but her acidic vomit can still cause catastrophic damage to his body. Currently, Red Harpy loves Hulk but despises Bruce, setting up a dark love triangle between the three.
5She-Hulk, aka Jennifer Walters
Debuted Savage She-Hulk #1 by Stan Lee & John Buscema
Bruce Banner’s cousin is one of the Marvel Universe’s greatest lawyersandone of its strongest heroes. Transformed by a blood transfusion from Bruce,She-Hulk has historically been far more able to control her powersand keep her human personality when in Hulk form. While not as strong as Hulk, Jennifer does have her own ‘full Hulk’ form, where she grows to a far larger size and adopts a more bestial persona.
Stan Lee stated multiple times (including a 1978 lecture at James Madison University) that hecreated She-Hulk mainly to lock down the copyrighton the name, worried that another publisher would snap it up (creating Spider-Woman for the same reason.) Despite this, She-Hulk has become one of Marvel’s most beloved characters, with her own villains and allies separate to her more chaotic cousin.
4Red Hulk, aka Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross
Debuted in Incredible Hulk #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Originally the Ahab to Hulk’s Moby Dick, General Ross spent decades hunting down Bruce Banner. Ross sent waves of soldiers against Hulk, wore mech suits to battle him, and even worked with his enemies to kill him off for good.
It was only in 2008’sHulk volume 2 #1(by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness) that Ross got his own permanent powers,becoming the Red Hulk. As Red Hulk, Ross is almost as strong as the Hulk, withthe ability to exude extreme heat the angrier he gets. He also has the ability to absorb energy, allowing him to depower other gamma beings.
Ross' Red Hulk made his MCU debut in 2025’sCaptain America: Brave New World.
3Metal Master, aka Molyb
Debuted Incredible Hulk #6 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Another early Hulk villain who hasn’t appeared much since,Metal Master essentially has the same powers asX-Men’s Magneto, with total control over magnetic force. An alien conqueror, Molyb took on the Hulk during an attempt to conquer Earth, bombarding the Jade Giant with metallic weapons and restraints, shaped in seconds by the pure force of his mental abilities. While not as physically strong as many of Hulk’s sparring partners, Molyb’s ceaseless attack made him one of the deadliest beings Bruce Banner has ever faced.
Surprisingly, Molyb later chose to atone for his criminal actions. He was succeeded by Molyn, another member of the same alien race with similar powers, who - like the original Metal Master - hasn’t been seen much since his introduction.
2Hulk, aka Bruce Banner
One of the most iconic creations of the historic Lee/Kirby partnership, the Hulk is a byword for essentially limitless physical strength. Transformed by gamma energy, Bruce Banner’s rage and self-hatred took the form of a towering green monster. However, as chaotic as the Hulk can be, Banner’s inherent heroism and decency shine through, turning the Green Goliath into a misunderstood hero.
Over the years,Hulk has pulled off some truly jaw-dropping feats, includingshattering an entire planet with a single blow. Hulk gets stronger the more gamma energy he absorbs, and experiencing rage draws more gamma energy into his body. Hulk has smashed everyone from Thanos to the Sentry in his time, and is Marvel’s paragon of physical might.
Perhaps Hulk’s most impressive feat took place in 1984’sSecret Wars #4(Jim Shooter and Bob Layton), where Hulk lifted a 150 billion-ton mountain range to prevent it crushing the Avengers.
1Abomination, aka Emil Blonsky
Debuted Tales to Astonish #90 by Stan Lee and Gil Kane
Abominaton’s #1 spot on this list will annoy some fans, but it’s official canon that hisbasestrength ishigher than that of the Hulk. Abomination is the ‘true monster’ to Hulk’s misunderstood beast, with the man underneath the scales being every bit as despicable as he looks. First appearing in 1967, Abomination and Hulk have been trading punches for 58 years, with the two constantly vying for who is the true strongest being on Earth.
While Hulk has been upgraded to god-tier several times over the years, the same upgradesshouldapply to Abomination in the same conditions - he’s just had fewer chances given his nature as an antagonist. Despite this,it takes a significant amount of anger for Hulk to overpower the Abomination, showing that there’s a respectable gulf between their default abilities.
Those are the eight strongestHulkcharacters introduced by Stan Lee - let us know in the comments below who else belongs on this list, as well as anyone who should be higher or lower in our power ranking.
Hulk
The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel’s universe.
Stan Lee
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stan Lee, known for Spider-Man and The Avengers.
