Hulk. While Bruce Banner is known for being the iconic green rage monster, the hero is also a world-renowned nuclear physicist and biochemist whose intellect rivals the Marvel Universe’s smartest.

In Indestructible Hulk #2 by Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu, Bruce Banner makes a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D., giving them first dibs on his groundbreaking technology and use of the Hulk in exchange for providing him a state-of-the-art lab. When Tony visits Bruce and hears what Banner has been creating, Tony begins to feel threatened and excuses himself to affirm himself in the mirror, telling himself “you’re still rich.”

At this moment, Tony Stark inadvertently realizes and its that Bruce Banner’s way of thinking makes Banner the smarter hero.

Iron Man its Bruce Banner Sures Him in Intelligence, Making Banner the Superior Scientist

Indestructible Hulk #2 by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Sunny Gho, and Chris Eliopoulos

Iron Man is undeniably a genius, often compared to Marvel’s brightest intellectuals like Reed Richards, but Bruce Banner explains why he greatly excels where Tony Stark cannot. Bruce notes that while Tony is unmatched when it comes to engineering, he often builds upon what already exists and what he already knows, which puts limits on his innovations. Meanwhile, Bruce studies the unknown with “applied science fiction.” It’s evident from his advanced Iron Man suits and inventions like Extremis 3.0 that Tony is an unmatched engineer, but Bruce has shown that he can make much larger and quicker advances.

When Bruce Banner has an epiphany that he wants to leave a greater mark on the world aside from being a green monster, he begins to make significant scientific breakthroughs in mere weeks. Bruce easily creates a device that purifies water of all water-borne illnesses, and later, he creates a catalytic converter that eliminates the carcinogens that cause most cancers, a device that Tony Stark its he and his scientists only theorized. It's apparent that if Bruce Banner were a full-time scientist rather than being the Hulk, he would run circles around Tony Stark and possibly Marvel’s other super scientists.

Marvel Proves That Bruce Banner’s Intellect Is Just as Impressive as the Hulk’s Strength

Tony Stark May Be a Superior Engineer, but Bruce Banner Is a Better Scientist

The Hulk is an incredibly powerful force of nature and has grown into one of the most powerful beings within the Marvel Universe, and too often, Bruce Banner's existence as the Hulk overshadows Bruce Banner’s status as a gifted scientist. Banner spending so many years as the Hulk and attempting to separate himself from the Green Goliath greatly derailed his career as a scientist. If he had solely remained on his path as a talented physicist, he would most likely have sured Tony Stark with his contributions to society, as seen with his advancements in reducing water and air pollution.

While Tony Stark remains a highly renowned inventor, Bruce Banner’s way of redefining science outclasses him, and Tony knows it.

When Marvel displays Bruce Banner’s intelligence, it shows how he could easily become just as beneficial to the world as the Hulk is when fighting world-ending threats with the Avengers. While Tony Stark remains a highly renowned inventor, Bruce Banner’s way of redefining science outclasses him, and Tony knows it. Bruce Banner is one of the most intelligent Avengers, and Iron Man, as much as his ego will allow him to, has even itted that the Hulk is smarter than he is.

Indestructible Hulk #2 is available now from Marvel Comics.