We all know the Incredible Hulk. He’s big, we won’t like it when he’s angry, and, of course, he’s very, very green. But that’s not the only hue Bruce Banner, or several other characters to take on the irradiated moniker of Hulk, has been over the years. As the MCU prepares for Captain America: Brave New World to add the latest splash to its Hulk palette in Thaddeus Ross’ crimson carnage causer, here’s a brief run down of the rainbow of Hulks from the comics and beyond.
Brown
The occasional color of many forms of the Devil Hulk—an alternate persona within Bruce Banner’s psyche that embodied both Bruce’s negative traits as well as his own self-loathing perspective of his plight. Although as an aspect of Bruce’s mind, always threatening to break out, the Devil Hulk has had differing forms across its appearances—it returned again in 2018’s Immortal Hulk as the dominant personality, following Bruce’s death and resurrection after the events of Civil War II—its debut marked this significant color differential.
First Appearance: 2000
Reason for color: Not given, other than he has a more monstrous, reptilian form compared to the regular Hulk.
Blue
Many heroes over the years have harbored the cosmic, god-like force that transforms a host into Captain Universe, Hulk included—albeit only briefly. Although originally green when he first encountered it, the Enigma Force enhanced Bruce’s abilities to give him a strength boost across the board, but also transformed him into a shade of blue the first time he tried to use the power. Realizing is wildly increased strength, the Hulk declared his new form the strongest he’d ever been, only for the Enigma Force to vacate and search for a new host.
First Appearance: 2005
Reason for color: The Enigma Force transforms all of its hosts with an astral-themed makeover when they bond.
Orange
Several Hulks from alternate realities have used an orange coloration—the Hulk of the infamous X-Men alternate timeline, the Age of Apocalypse, considered himself the “Solar Hulk,” while in an alternate reality where Bruce Banner became Sorcerer Supreme, he managed to separate his consciousness from the Hulk and exile it to Hell, transforming the Hulk into a fiery demon intent on re-possessing Bruce’s body.
First Appearance: 2011
Reason for color: The Hulk of the Age of Apocalypse timeline was orange due to getting his power from solar radiation. Infernal Hulk, meanwhile, turned demonically orange due to being banished to Hell.
Purple
Likewise, there have been a few instances of a Hulk turning Purple. The first saw Bruce possessed by the sinister Sorcerer Supreme of an alternate reality, Shanzar, during an adventure with his fellow Defenders Doctor Strange and Namor. The other notable one wasn’t Bruce at all, but Norman Osborn: working with AIM after his plans to usurp SHIELD with HAMMER were exposed, Norman was given Super Adaptoid technology which he used to absorb all the powers of the Avengers at once, Hulk included… and nearly killing himself in the process. Outside of the comics, Happy Hogan became a purple Hulk during the events of the What If…? animated series, after being exposed to Bruce’s radioactive blood.
First Appearance: 1990
Reason for color: Demonic possession; being stupid enough to absorb the powers of multiple conflicting Avengers at once.
Yellow
A version of AIM also had a role in a briefly appearing version of the Hulk where Bruce had been corrupted by the group and forced into working as their agent, now in an appropriately AIM-ian shade of yellow. It turns out, however, that such a reality was the result of a nightmare dreamed up by Steven Rogers, rather than an actual event.
First Appearance: 2020
Reason for color: AIM brainwashing.
Silver
The latest shade of Hulk is a bit of a cheat: in a series of new one-shots imagining alternate stories where Galactus didn’t choose Norrin Radd to become his Silver Surfer, Bruce Banner, seeking a way to mitigate the anger issues that drive the Hulk, is chosen instead, giving the usually Green Hulk a coating of cosmic silver. So he’s technically two colors at once.
First Appearance: 2025
Reason for color: The power cosmic, granted by Galactus to people deemed worthy enough to become his herald.
