Hulkbusters

Hulkbusters is the name of three fictional organizations that have appeared in various comic book series 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 monstrous Hulk.

The U.S. military's Hulkbusters

The original Hulkbusters were a large joint task force consisting of both U.S. Army and Air Force personnel, whose primary purpose was to capture or if necessary, destroy the Hulk. Their headquarters was the Hulkbuster Base in New Mexico, resembling a Peace Symbol (also known as Gamma Base), after it was damaged by the Hulk, and they were commanded by General "Thunderbolt" Ross, General Ryker and Major Glenn Talbot. Hulkbuster Base was later demolished by the U-Foes.^[1] After Bruce Banner, the Hulk’s alter-ego, achieved a state in which his normal intelligence and personality remained dominant while in Hulk form, he received a presidential pardon and the Hulkbusters ceased to exist.^[2]

While this operation was active, Clay Quartermain was the S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison to the Hulkbusters operation.

Gamma Base, located in Death Valley, Nevada, is dedicated to the capturing and curing the Incredible Hulk.

Originally, Gamma Base was Project Greenskin: Hulkbuster Base, 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. Once again it was re-opened for the use of Operation: Zero Tolerance.

Banner’s Hulkbusters

After the Hulk reverted to his bestial personality, he was captured by Doc Samson.^[3] Samson persuaded the government to rebuild and finance Gamma Base. There, Samson managed to separate Banner and the Hulk into two distinct beings, although the Hulk was able to escape.^[4] Banner was named the leader of this iteration of the Hulkbusters, which first appeared in Incredible Hulk #317, created by John Byrne (Mar 1986).^[5]

Members of this group of Hulkbusters included:

• Craig Saunders, Jr. – Demolition expert (later known as Redeemer)
• Carolyn Parmenter – Marine scientist
• Samuel J. La Roquette – Explorer (later known as Rock)
• Armand Martel – Xenobiologist
• Hideko Takata – Professor of geophysics

Saunders, Jr. and La Roquette later became Rock and Redeemer, a supervillain team who faced the Hulk on various occasions, after much of Banner's HB team were slain in Hulk's destruction. 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 repulsar blasters, and rocket fuel. The Leader later recruited them into "New Freehold" along with the Riot Squad, and haven't been seen since.

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

Hulk's exile from earth by the Illuminati brought forth an unexpected consequence: Hulk's rogues' gallery began running wild. As a result, S.H.I.E.L.D. formed a team called the Hulkbusters to capture these villains and implant them with nanotechnology to nullify their powers. The team was led by Agent Clay Quartermain and members included Agent Cheesecake, Agent Crimson, and She-Hulk.

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Hulkbuster teams exist and primarily serve Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. Hulkbuster Units have been used to take down major threats such as Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn, and Venom.

In other media

Television

• The Hulkbusters were recurring antagonists in the first season of the 1996 animated series The Incredible Hulk as part of Ross' and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Gabriel Jones to track down Bruce Banner and failed. Dr. Craig Saunders Jr. and Dr. Samuel J. La Roquette (later Rock and Redeemer) were mentioned as members.
• The Hulkbusters appear in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Video games

• The Hulkbusters appeared in the Hulk 2003 game. They are depicted as military units controlled by General Ryker.

• The Hulkbusters appear in The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction as part of General Ross and Director Emil Blonsky's efforts to capture the Hulk. These Hulkbusters are soldiers mentally controlling mechanical armor of varying sizes and capabilities; some missions require the player to recover or destroy prototype technology that will be used on the Hulkbusters to limit the threat that they will pose to the player later in the game.

• Armored Hulkbusters appear in The Incredible Hulk video game with two of them voiced by S. Scott Bullock and Chris Edgerly. These suits are identified as StarkTech models. Hulk had to protect the Hulkbuster technology from Enclave and later helps them fight Enclave's F-POD. A Hulkbuster under Major Glenn Talbot's control was a mini-boss for Hulk until Betty Ross reveals herself to the Hulkbuster. Glenn Talbot also powers a nuclear-powered Hulkbuster armor in his fight with the Hulk. A version of Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor appears as a playable secret character if there is a saved game for the 2008 Iron Man video game present on the same memory card used for The Incredible Hulk.

Novels

• In the novelization of the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk (written by Peter David, a noted contributor to the Hulk's comics history), two members of a military strike team sent to capture the Hulk are named "Saunders" and "Laroquette" after members of Banner's Hulkbusters (the characters are unnamed in the theatrical release of the film).

References

External links

• Hulkbusters at Marvel.com