Hulkbusters


Hulkbusters is the name of three organizations appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. All three groups exist within Marvel's shared universe known as the Marvel Universe and are so-named for their attempts to battle the Hulk.

Publication history

Bruce Banner's incarnation of the Hulkbusters first appeared in Hulk (comic book)|Incredible Hulk] #317 and were created by John Byrne.

Fictional history

The U.S. military's Hulkbusters

The original group called the Hulkbusters was a sizeable joint task force consisting of personnel from both the U.S. Army and Air Force, created to capture or destroy the Hulk. The headquarters for this operation was the Hulkbuster Base located in New Mexico, resembling a peace sign, after it was damaged by the Hulk, and General Thunderbolt Ross commanded them along with General John Ryker and Major Glenn Talbot. The U-Foes later destroyed the Hulkbuster Base. After learning to retain his intelligence and personality as the Hulk, Bruce Banner is pardoned and the Hulkbusters disband.
During this Hulkbusters operation, Clay Quartermain served as its S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison.
Originally, Gamma Base was Project Greenskin: Hulkbuster Base and it was the base for the Hulkbusters. The US Government shut it down and it was opened again for Bruce Banner's Project: Hulkbuster. When that group broke up, it was shut down again. It was later opened again for the use of Operation: Zero Tolerance.

Bruce Banner's Hulkbusters

After the Hulk reverts to his bestial personality, he is captured by Doc Samson. Samson persuades the government to rebuild and finance Gamma Base. There, Samson manages to separate Bruce Banner and the Hulk, although the Hulk manages to escape. Banner leads a new iteration of the Hulkbusters in tracking down the Hulk.
Members of this group of Hulkbusters included:Craig Saunders Jr. – Demolition expert Carolyn Parmenter – Marine scientistSamuel J. La Roquette – Explorer Armand Martel – XenobiologistHideko Takata – Geophysics professor
Saunders and La Roquette later became Rock and Redeemer, a supervillain team who faced the Hulk on various occasions, after much of Banner's Hulkbuster team were killed. Rock had an external hide made of deadly minerals which can be used to impale and grow in size. Redeemer had an exoskeletal suit with weapons like repulsor blasters, and rocket fuel. The Leader later recruited them into "New Freehold" along with the Riot Squad.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Hulkbusters

Hulk's exile from Earth by the Illuminati during the events of "Planet Hulk" leads to his enemies causing chaos unopposed. As a result, S.H.I.E.L.D. forms a team called the Hulkbusters to capture the villains and implant them with nanotechnology to nullify their powers. The team was led by Clay Quartermain and members included Agent Cheesecake, Agent Crimson, and She-Hulk.

Other versions

An alternate universe incarnation of the Hulkbusters from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe. This version of the group works under Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.

In other media

Television

Video games

Novels

Craig Saunders Jr. and Samuel J. La Laroquette appear in the novelization of the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, written by Peter David. These versions are members of a military strike team sent to capture the Hulk and also appear unnamed in the film.