Hulk as an Avenger

[comicstar100]

What do you think about Hulk as an Avenger? In so much media the films, the animated series he's a main stay on the roster. But in the comic he leaves the team after only a couple issues. Do you think Hulk deserves to be on the main roster more in the comics? Why did Stan choose to have him leave so early in the series? What are some times Hulk actually has been a main member of the roster in the comics?

[Ptrvc]

As a Hulk fan I hate to see him on the Avengers. The character is just not meant to be a regular on any sort of team. The Defenders works because they're a randomly assembled non-team, but if Hulk is on the Avengers it's always pure marketing.

Hulk is better solo.

[Thirteen]

How it works best:
Bruce/Hulk works with the team by accident initially and then sticks around for an adventure of 2 before wandering off as monsters do, only to become a recurring menace for the team to face down. Eventually he's replaced by his much more team-friendly spin-off character She-Hulk. Perhaps down the line introduce the Professor Hulk, but that's pretty conflict less and boring.

[Intothevoid]

Hulk fan here, Hulk should be solo, he doesn't work with a team he is much better without it. Besides unlike the Justice League, Avengers makes very little sense as a team in almost every incarnation and i dont want to have Hulk be a part of that mess.

[Riv86672]

Much as I like the idea of Hulk getting his due as an Avenger that’s just not in the cards for him.
He found his team w. The Defenders.

[Ken Ashcroft]

What do you think about Hulk as an Avenger? In so much media the films, the animated series he's a main stay on the roster. But in the comic he leaves the team after only a couple issues. Do you think Hulk deserves to be on the main roster more in the comics? Why did Stan choose to have him leave so early in the series? What are some times Hulk actually has been a main member of the roster in the comics?

He did have a far longer run in the team as a member of the expanded Avengers team when Jonathan Hickman was writing the Avengers book a few years back.

[Gaastra]

Hulk was treated like crap by the avengers. Unlike the cartoon where wasp talked him into coming back to the team the comic team chased him wanting to cure him which hulk hears as "kill him".

He was too deadly to be in the city afterall. They even send a teen child to fight him in order to "join the avengers!"


Then he joins defenders that don't treat him like crap, tell him he is a friend when he tries to leave and he spends 50 issues in new york, down the block from avengers hq with no trouble.

Avengers are jerks! Then he tries to reset things up with the avengers in infinity gauntlet by joining them to fight thanos in return to rejoin the avengers--and they lose their memories and forgot anyways and he never rejoins.

At the same time hulk has caused some trouble like not listing to cap in evolutionary war but that did lead to an incredible scene of high evolutionary going "oh crap" when he blasts hulk and hulk takes no damage and towers over him. One of the times he got scared! Avengers just don't seem to know how to handle hulk pre 90s unlike defenders or even spider-man who friended not only him but man-thing and wood god also in marvel team up.

Later avengers did a better job with it.

[ComicNoobie]

It's honestly "incredible" how much the media showcase Hulk as a Avenger but when going to the comics I'd say he qualifies more as one of their villains then a full time member. They've fought him so many times and in so many different eras and storylines be it one Avenger or the whole team. Media and advertising wise Hulk gets more attention as a Avenger then actual mainstays of the team, I blame that mostly on the MCU as even Black Widow gets more attention then founding members Janet and Hank.

Personally I'll always view Hulk as a Defender. The Defenders worked perfectly for a being like Hulk and was a far better fit for him given how they work. Many of them are as misunderstood as the green behemoth. But because the Defenders isn't as popular or as well known both Hulk and Dr. Strange are associated and marketed more with the Avengers via the media. Especially in the case of Hulk. When it works it works pretty well like in the first Avengers movie and EMH cartoon. But I can't help but wonder if outside the comics they aren't confident in marketing Hulk as a solo act anymore?

[Digifiend]

If an Avengers team wants a Hulk, don't go for the OG. He's never been a team player. Use She-Hulk instead - or if she's unavailable, they can use Brawn (especially if neither Agents of Atlas nor Champions have a book).

[Frontier]

It's honestly "incredible" how much the media showcase Hulk as a Avenger but when going to the comics I'd say he qualifies more as one of their villains then a full time member. They've fought him so many times and in so many different eras and storylines be it one Avenger or the whole team. Media and advertising wise Hulk gets more attention as a Avenger then actual mainstays of the team, I blame that mostly on the MCU as even Black Widow gets more attention then founding members Janet and Hank.

Personally I'll always view Hulk as a Defender. The Defenders worked perfectly for a being like Hulk and was a far better fit for him given how they work. Many of them are as misunderstood as the green behemoth. But because the Defenders isn't as popular or as well known both Hulk and Dr. Strange are associated and marketed more with the Avengers via the media. Especially in the case of Hulk. When it works it works pretty well like in the first Avengers movie and EMH cartoon. But I can't help but wonder if outside the comics they aren't confident in marketing Hulk as a solo act anymore?

EMH probably had the best take on Hulk with the Avengers.

[ChrisIII]

If an Avengers team wants a Hulk, don't go for the OG. He's never been a team player. Use She-Hulk instead - or if she's unavailable, they can use Brawn (especially if neither Agents of Atlas nor Champions have a book).

She's definitely been a member of several of the teams for decades, as well as a member of Fantastic Four for a decent while and I think at least one version of the Defenders (Although that's more Betty's thing as far as She-Hulks go).

[Chris0013]

EMH probably had the best take on Hulk with the Avengers.

Agree with this...and is this was how Hulk was portrayed in the comics I think he could work on the team...maybe not permanently but for short periods of time. But there are like 20 different personalities now and with that I don't see it working.

[ed2962]

What do you think about Hulk as an Avenger? In so much media the films, the animated series he's a main stay on the roster. But in the comic he leaves the team after only a couple issues. Do you think Hulk deserves to be on the main roster more in the comics? Why did Stan choose to have him leave so early in the series? What are some times Hulk actually has been a main member of the roster in the comics?

I think Stan realized that the Hulk works better as a loner or at least not as part of a in universe "mainstream" team. It's the same reason Spidey wasn't on the team back in the day.

[Gaastra]

Hercules replaced hulk for a bit also. US avengers used the second red hulk.

[Gamma Irradiated Being]

Hulk has a legitimate reason as to why he's not an Avenger, just check out Avengers #2. Hulk is a loner, but he can work on a team like the Defenders that first started out as a group of heroes just hanging out at Nighthawk's and Doctor Strange's mansions. Hulk is the ultimate antihero, but I don't mind that he works with the Avengers from time to time, but the issue I have is no one writes Hulk or Banner to their strengths...