Summary
- Marvel introduces an Orange Hulk, as the Soul Stone creates an energy being with Bruce Banner's powers.
- The original Orange Hulk existed in an alternate reality and was the result of gene-splicing by Apocalypse's servants, creating a solar-powered powerhouse.
- Hulk often changes color when he accesses a new energy source - the Enigma Force turned him blue, the Avengers' combined powers created a Purple Hulk, and AIM even managed to create a yellow Hulk.
Warning: contains spoilers for Ms. Marvel Annual #1!After years of waiting, Marvel fans finally get an original Hulk's green skin is one of the most iconic parts of his design, but over the years Marvel has introduced a whole rainbow of Hulks, from Bruce Banner's alternate Gray Hulk form to General Ross' Red Hulk. One of the big missing links was the Orange Hulk, who prior to now had only existed in alternate dimensions.
In Ms. Marvel Annual #1, Kamala Khan battles Multitude - the current bearer of the Soul Stone. Having fused with his Infinity Stone, Multitude is able to project duplicates of any beings with a soul as his personal enforcers, unleashing an orange-energy copy of the Hulk after coming under attack for his synthetic nature. Multitude's short-lived rampage pits this Orange 'Soul Hulk' against Ms. Marvel, but the two quickly work together once damage from their fight threatens innocent lives.
Multitude is a very recent addition to Marvel lore, but his relationship with an Infinity Stone makes him incredibly powerful. In previous Marvel lore, it was revealed that the Soul Stone stores copies of anyone who comes into with it, with Multitude being able to harness these to project energy constructs in their forms. That means that not only does the Orange Hulk finally exist, but that it's arguably an alternate form of Bruce Banner (albeit one he can't access by himself.)
This issue was co-written by Iman Vellani - the actor who plays Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel in the MCU.
Ms. Marvel Annual #1 (2024) |
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Every Version of Red Hulk in Marvel Lore (Ranked Weakest to Strongest)
Red Hulk is one of Marvel's most powerful characters, but since his 2008 introduction, there are many more versions than just General Ross.
The Orange Hulk s a larger 'Hulk rainbow' consisting of blue, black, gray and even purple versions of Bruce Banner's alter ego - here's how each was created.
Marvel Finally Gets an Orange Hulk Thanks to the Soul Stone
Multitude's Powers Create an Orange Version of Bruce Banner's Green Goliath
Ms. Marvel Annual is part of Marvel's ongoing 'Infinity Watch' crossover, taking place across Marvel's 2024 annuals. The story sees Thanos pursuing the Infinity Stone bearers to steal their power, wanting to enhance his newly created 'Death Stone,' in which he has imprisoned the manifestation of mortality in the Marvel Universe, sometimes known as Lady Death. Marvel has revealed that the event will end with the formation of a new version of the Infinity Watch team - a group who traditionally safeguard the Infinity Stones in Marvel lore, keeping them from falling into the wrong hands.
So far, it seems likely that facing down Thanos will unite the current bearers as the next Infinity Watch, but the story has yet to conclude and plenty of twists could still be coming regarding the team's roster. For example, the first installment of the story included the resurrection of Phil Coulson as the new Death Stone bearer, giving the team a potential leader no-one expected. The current bearers are:
Current Infinity Stone Bearers in Marvel Continuity |
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Infinity Stone |
Current Wielder |
Current Powers |
Affiliation |
First Appearance |
Reality Stone |
Star (Ripley Ryan) |
Short-range reality manipulation |
Former Thunderbolts member and Captain Marvel enemy |
Captain Marvel #1 by Kelly Thompson & Carmen Carnero |
Space Stone |
Quantum |
Close-range teleportation and portals |
Former henchman for the Assessor and Miles Morales enemy |
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 by Saladin Ahmed & Javier Garrón |
Mind Stone |
Worldmind |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Soul Stone |
Multitude (aka Ward) |
Can summon lifelike energy constructs |
Solo operator |
Avengers Annual #1 by Jed MacKay & Travel Foreman |
Time Stone |
Overtime (aka Hector Bautista) |
Low-power time manipulation, including pausing events and very short-range time travel |
Solo operator |
Infinity Wars: Infinity #1 by Gerry Duggan & Mark Bagley |
Power Stone |
Prince of Power (aka Otherone) |
Enhanced physique and ability to enhance powers of others |
Galactic mercenary and Guardians of the Galaxy Ally |
Guardians of the Galaxy #3 by Al Ewing & Juan Cabal |
The Infinity Stones are the definition of power in the Marvel Universe, and each bearer's abilities are enhanced the closer they get to the other bearers (in current canon, the Stones form a circuit of power.) That means that Multitude ordering around an Orange Hulk is only the tip of what he's capable of. With Multitude being able to summon constructs of Hulk, the Thing and Groot at the same time, it will be fascinating to see how his powers could get any more potent. However, given that he controls the concept of the soul, it's possible his constructs could be given more self-awareness, and his Orange Hulk might even end up as a solo character who doesn't need Multitude's energy to manifest.
Multitude, aka Ward, is a synthetic being similar to the Avengers' Vision. Multitude attracted the Soul Stone because of his desperate obsession with the nature of the soul and the fear that - as a non-biological being - he may not have one.
HULK: 13 Strongest Gamma-Powered Characters in Hulk Lore Right Now (Ranked Weakest to Strongest)
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The original Orange Hulk existed in an alternate reality and was the result of gene-splicing by Apocalypse's servants, creating a solar-powered powerhouse.
Previous Orange Hulks All Came with Major Caveats
The Original Orange Hulk Was Powered by Sunlight
Multitude's Orange Hulk isn't the first in Marvel lore, but it's the first time that an Orange Hulk has existed in Marvel's main canon. Marvel has come close in the past - in Hulk #36, Red Hulk battles the energy being Zzzax, appearing in a transformed orange form on the cover alongside the caption "Possessed by Zzzax." Sadly, this doesn't quite come to in the issue, and Rulk remains steadfastly red.
Bruce Banner's alternate persona the Devil Hulk also has orange-hued skin in some appearances, however this is inconsistent (he's often drawn as brown, and has also been pictured as green) and only the case when Devil Hulk is shown within Bruce's mind - when Bruce becomes the Devil Hulk in physical reality, he remains green. Another candidate for the Orange Hulk title is Alpha Flight's Sasquatch - a character whose powers came from a mix of gamma energy and the eldritch influence of the godlike Tanaraq, though the hero's shaggy form deviates significantly from the classic 'Hulk' design.
Devil Hulk was canonically the first alternate persona that emerged in Bruce Banner's mind and is based on his idea of the Biblical serpent. Seemingly evil, Devil Hulk is actually dedicated to protecting Bruce at all costs.
Thor Reveals How He'd Kill the Hulk, & It's Incredibly Dark (But Smart)
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Alternate realities have gone further, providing full-blown Orange Hulks. Uncanny X-Force #12 (from Rick Remender and Mark Brooks) revealed the Black Legion - an army of experimental hero/villain fusions created in the Age of Apocalypse reality. The issue introduced the Orange Hulk - a vicious killer who is seemingly powered by sunlight - however the character's very brief appearance didn't reveal a lot about his powers or origin.
More fleshed-out is John Layman and Al Barrionuevo's Infernal Hulk, introduced in Deadpool Annual #1. This orange Hulk is a version of Bruce Banner who became Sorcerer Supreme and banished his Hulk persona to Hell, where the Green Goliath was given a demonic upgrade, including orange skin, large horns, and fearsome claws. An Orange Hulk was also introduced as a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, though with no clear lore established in the game.
"The Hulkscape": The Hulk Just Became an Entire Dimension, Revealing His True Form
The Hulk is widely recognized as a green, muscle-bound superhero and founding Avenger, however, his "Hulkscape" form proves he's much more than that.
Hulk often changes color when he accesses a new energy source - the Enigma Force turned him blue, the Avengers' combined powers created a Purple Hulk, and AIM even managed to create a yellow Hulk.
Yellow, Purple, Blue and Red Hulks Already Exist
The Orange 'Soul Hulk' s the Hulk Rainbow
While Multitude's Orange Hulk may not be a full-blown alternate transformation for Bruce Banner, he's as close as fans have ever gotten, crucially because he exists as a physical being in Marvel's main reality. The addition helps to bring the idea of a 'Hulk rainbow' closer to completion, since most colors of Hulk have been introduced in some capacity. Bruce himself has achieved both Blue and Black alternate forms, the former after harnessing the Enigma Force and the latter after having his moral alignment magically flipped in AXIS, becoming 'Kluh.' He also has a weaker Gray Hulk form who goes by the name Mr. Fixit.
Less well-known are the Yellow Hulk (created in an alternate reality where Marvel's heroes all served AIM) and the Purple Hulk (Norman Osborn, who absorbed the powers of multiple Avengers including the Red Hulk and the Thing.) Other versions of these colors also exist - Hulk turned purple when possessed by the villainous Shanzar and 2015's Secret Wars tie-in Civil War introduced a Black Hulk who was eventually revealed to be Wolverine. Likewise, the iconic Weapon H (a genetic fusion of Hulk and Wolverine) gave Marvel its most powerful gray Hulk, with the character later revealing he can shift color to access the powers of different types of Hulk.
Hulk has even fused with other beings to create new pseudo-Hulks. Most famously, Hulk fused with the Red Hulk to create the 'Compound Hulk' form, which split their colors down the middle. Amalgam Comics' DC/Marvel crossover fused Hulk with Batman villain Solomon Grundy to create the white-skinned 'Skulk,' while Marvel's short-lived Ultraverse crossover fused Hulk with the Ghoul, creating a zombie-esque behemoth. There have also been other characters with the Hulk name, even before Bruce Banner's version. Marvel's psychic predator Xemnu considers himself the original Hulk, and even tried to take Hulk's place in Al Ewing and Joe Bennett's Immortal Hulk, brainwashing the world into believing he was the one and only version.
New Red Hulk Redefines Hulk's Jump Strength with a Mind-Blowing Power Feat
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Given how many Hulks there are in Marvel canon and how close the comics keep coming to introducing a mainstream 'Orange Hulk,' it's clear why Multitude's 'Soul Hulk' would be such a big deal. Hopefully, as Infinity Watch continues to enhance Multitude's powers, fans will get more of this new Ochre Ogre, and our fingers are crossed that the Soul Stone's incredible powers could unleash this Hulk construct for the Orange vs Green smackdown fans have always wanted to see.
Ms. Marvel Annual #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Hulk
The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel's universe.
