The Hulk may be the strongest there is, but Superman has an unexpected way of stopping Marvel’s Jade Giant. In what’s become a surprisingly common event, the Marvel and DC Universes have come together once more in Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1. The Big Two’s latest collaboration is chock full of crossover stories, including one by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. Heroes and villains from both worlds have succumbed to rage, and at the center of this storm is the Hulk. Thankfully, Superman has a way of beating the Hulk that doesn’t involve his fists or any special powers.
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Superman Uses Empathy To Stop the Hulk at His Worst
Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1’s story “Identity War” by Johns and Frank begins in media res, with every hero and villain from both universes being driven mad by rage. Thanks to Saturn Queen, Mysterio has gotten a hold of a Red Lantern Power Battery, and he’s used it to turn the Hulk into a living broadcast tower to send out waves of fury that are consuming the entire world. Thankfully, Superman and a few other key heroes have managed to overcome the feelings of rage and start working together to find a way to undo this madness.
Superman realizes the only way to stop this chaos is to calm the Hulk down, so he leads the heroes straight to the leviathan. Hulk is out of control, but the Fantastic Four’s Thing manages to get him in a headlock. Before anyone can really hurt the Hulk, Superman gets close and begins talking to him. It takes a while, but Superman’s words actually get through the Hulk. His fury subsides, and before long, Bruce Banner is all that’s left. With the Hulk defeated, the rage consuming the world disappears, and things go back to normal.
Superman’s Greatest Strength Has Always Been His Heart
As a Superman stan, I’d like to believe that Clark is indeed stronger than the Hulk, but this story wasn’t about powerscaling or spectacle. It was about showing that sometimes, the right answer isn’t force or more conflict. It’s about reaching out to others and connecting, especially when people need it the most. Empathy is an incredible thing, and Superman knew that the Hulk wasn’t dangerous; he was just in pain. And when people are in pain, compassion is the best way of helping others through it.
Is it the most traditional superhero battle? No. But it fits so incredibly well. Sure, Superman could have punched the Hulk straight to the moon. But violence and rage just keep the cycle going. Clark knew that a different approach was the only way to change things, and once he helped Bruce snap out of it, the rest of the world followed. Maybe it’s not the most action-packed way of ending a superhero conflict, but it’s a fantastic lesson. Maybe if we all took a page out of Superman’s book, we could break the cycle of anger, too.
What did you think about Superman beating the Hulk? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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