Warning: Spoilers ahead for Red Hulk #3

Hulkbuster mech and all its evolutions, Doctor Doom has perfected it to take down Red Hulk.

In the preview to Red Hulk #3, written by Benjamin Percy, with art by Geoff Shaw, General Thadeuss Ross, aka Red Hulk, is making a break from Latveria’s military prison when he is stopped by a sea of Doombots who con into a colossal Doom-Mech that towers over mountains. On their own, Doombots are high-tech hurdles for Marvel’s heroes; however, Doctor Doom has used them to create the ultimate Hulk Buster to subdue the Red Hulk.

Doctor Doom’s mechanical Goliath and how it’s created make this new creation possibly more advanced than most of Tony Stark's iterations of the Hulkbuster.

Marvel Introduces A New Villainous Hulkbuster That Blows Iron Man’s Suit Out of the Water

Red Hulk #3; Written By Benjamin Percy; Art By Geoff Shaw; Color By Bryan Valenza; Lettering By Cory Petit

Comic book : Doctor Doom with Doombots in Marvel comics.

Though Doombot are mostly viewed as cannon fodder for the heroes to plow through in droves, Doctor Doom has a long background in science and mysticism that has allowed him to design his Doombots with impressive technology that competes with Marvel’s most brilliant. On their own, Doombots can fly, possess super strength, the ability to project concussive energy blasts, can self-repair, self-assemble, and a lengthy list of other technological wonders; now, Doom combines all these impressive feats with the reveal of Doom’s own Hulkbuster. The Doombots act as adaptive nanobots to form Latveria’s giant mechanical guardian.

Tony Stark’s base-level Hulkbusters would have a difficult time taking down a magically imbued Doombot the size of a skyscraper.

Iron Man has made some tremendous suits, but the menacing aura, sheer size, and technological properties of the Doom mech put a unique spin on Tony Stark’s original battle armor. From what has been unveiled so far, the Doom Mech could conceivably compete with some of Iron Man’s most formidable tech. Though it’s unlikely Doctor Doom’s Hulkbuster could contend with the likes of Stark’s Thorbuster or Cosmic Iron God Armor, most of Tony Stark’s base-level Hulkbusters would have a difficult time taking down a magically imbued Doombot the size of a skyscraper.

Doctor Doom vs Iron Man: Which Super-Genius’ Hulkbuster Reigns Supreme?

Tony Stark's Unparalleled Tech Genius Vs. Doctor Doom's Mastery Of Magic

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man 3 (2013) next to artwork of Doom from Marvel Comics
Custom Image by Lewis Glazebrook

Iron Man will almost always win in a battle of wits that comes down to engineering high-tech armor despite Doctor Doom’s recognizable metal exterior, yet it’s worth mentioning that Doctor Doom is gifted at sorcery. As seen with his remarkable Doom Hulkbuster, Doctor Doom intertwines sorcery with technology, giving him an edge over many of Stark’s inventions. However, even with Doom’s magically enhanced inventions, Tony Stark has been able to make suits that counteract the effects of magic, such as his Mysterium Armor, first seen in Invincible Iron Man (Vol. 5) #15, written by Gerry Duggan, illustrated by Creees Lee.

MCU version of Hulk (left) and comic book Doctor Doom (right)
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Even though Iron Man remains undefeated with his incredibly advanced armor and Hulkbusters, Doom’s intelligence already outsmarted all of Earth’s heroes, including Tony Stark, when he took over the world at the beginning of the “One World Under Doom” event. From Doctor Doom’s first attempt at creating a Hulkbuster, his terrifying creation demonstrates that Doom is highly adaptive and incredibly competent. It’s undeniable that the domineering visage and goliath size of the Doom Hulkbuster combined with the detailed intricacies of it being made with thousands of doombots, makes Iron Man’s original Hulkbuster design look weak.

Red Hulk #3 will be available on April 30, 2025, from Marvel Comics!