Marvel Confirms Just How Insanely Strong the Hulk Really Is

If you’ve ever wondered just how strong and resilient the Hulk really is, Marvel Comics is taking his powers to new heights. I’ll admit I haven’t read every Hulk comic, but even I know that he’s the strongest there is. Bruce Banner’s other half has faced monsters, gods, and even the forces of nature itself, and as long as there’s rage in his heart, there’s nothing the Hulk can’t take on. But I do love it when Marvel Comics puts the Hulk through things that really contextualize the Jade Giant’s unbelievable power.

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Case in point, the new series Hulk: Smash Everything by Ryan North and Vincenzo Carratù. This series was designed to put the idea of Hulk being the strongest to the test. The Hulk was manipulated by his old adversary, the Leader, who sent him after Doctor Strange so that the Leader could steal from Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. However, Strange was able to redirect Hulk’s anger back towards the Leader. But the Leader was several steps ahead and sent the Hulk several million years into the past, right before one of the worst extinction events in history.

Hulk Survives the Asteroid that Wiped Out the Dinosaurs

Hulk: Smash Everything #2 begins with the Hulk living his best life, beating up any predator that comes his way. Unfortunately, the behemoth has no clue of the hell about to be leveled on the younger Earth. Hulk has arrived right before the Cretaceous-Paleogene event, where an asteroid is going to wipe out seventy-five percent of all species on Earth. The comic spares no detail in how brutal it’s going to be, describing all the disasters that will follow the space rocks’ destructive arrival. It even likens the power of this extinction event to that of a billion nuclear weapons.

And yes, the Hulk is at the dead center of the asteroid’s landing spot. Everything around the Hulk dies in an instant, and there are species that suffer for days or even months as the planet adjusts after being hit by such a powerful force. And yet, despite the inhospitable environment that multiple species couldn’t survive in, Hulk continues to live, fueled by rage, brought on by the intense pain he’s suffering. The comic keeps up the gruesome details, specifically noting that the world is not hot enough to make the Hulk’s flesh boil.

But the Hulk goes on. Even as the planet quite literally destroys his body, Hulk regenerates faster than the hellscape can kill him. He’s caught in a cycle of suffering and anger, but that very anger is what keeps him alive. Hulk eventually finds some of the world’s only surviving mammals and begins to release his rage on them, doing what he does best and smash. But this starts to have a grave effect on the present, where the Leader notices Hulk’s actions are throwing the entire timeline out of whack.

The Hulk’s Power-Level is Impressive (And Gruesome)

It’s one thing to be told how strong the Hulk is. I mean, I know none of us doubt that Banner’s wild half is powerful. But it’s another to actually see just how powerful Hulk is when faced with something as powerful as an extinction event. Ryan North has always excelled in adding in little bits of real-world science and history to enhance the story, and he does an amazing job here. As someone who has trouble understanding just how powerful Hulk is, this was a great (and honestly horrifying) way of showing that.

I know that there are years and years of history demonstrating Hulk’s strength, and maybe in the grand scheme of things, surviving something like the Cretaceous-Paleogene event isn’t as impressive as some of his other feats. Still, I always appreciate books that simultaneously show us the cool things that the Hulk can do and give us enough information to help us appreciate what the Hulk is going through. I mean, this was a pretty grizzly story, but I walked away with a much better understanding of the kinds of things Hulk can survive.

Hulk: Smash Everything might just be one story among many that highlight the mighty power Hulk has at his disposal. But it’s a damn good and I think it does a great job. We all love seeing the Hulk tear things up, but sometimes, it’s also cool just to see the kind of cosmic punishment the Hulk can withstand. I don’t know what the rest of this series has in store for Hulk, but I am positive it’ll be just as interesting as Hulk surviving the same thing that killed the dinosaurs.

What did you think about Hulk: Smash Everything #2? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!