Ultimate Hulk Smashes Marvel’s New Avengers in a Rematch We’ve Waited 20 Years to See

Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe is set to offer up a new version of a classic showdown, as Hulk faces off against the Ultimates, in a callback to the violent confrontation from the original early 2000s volume of Ultimates. This Hulk is more villainous than ever before, and if Marvel’s teaser is any indication, he’s ready for a major confrontation with the newest incarnation of the Ultimate Avengers.

As announced by Marve, Ultimates #6 will feature the titular team facing down the Hulk, in a rematch Marvel fans have waited decades for, which promises to be as brutal as anything from the first incarnation of the Ultimate Universe.

In 2002’s Ultimates (Vol. 1), the series first are culminated with the original Ultimates vs Hulk battle, which came after Hulk went a murderous, misogynistic rampage. Yet that version of Hulk was supposed to be a member of the titular team, and the circumstances of this latest showdown are vastly different.

Marvel’s New “Ultimates” Series Climaxes With A Direct Parallel To The Original

Ultimates #6 – Written By Deniz Camp; Art By Juan Frigeri

In this version of the Ultimate Universe, the Hulk is a member of a council of supervillains who secretly control the world, a cabal the new Ultimates have assembled to put an end to. This Ultimate Hulk, in stark contrast to most other versions, has been established as a pacifist, despite his villainous nature. This makes his violent posing on the cover of Ultimates #6 – in which he holds Iron Man’s helmet in his hands, with Captain America’s shield at his feet – all the more intriguing.

What will be particularly notable to long-time Marvel readers will be how the Hulk’s role in Ultimates (Vol. 2) #6 mirrors how the character was used in Ultimates (Vol. 1) #6. In both cases, the first true test of the Ultimate take on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as an assembled team is a battle with the Hulk – which in turn reflects the earliest 1960s origins of the characters. In this way, it can be said that the history of the Marvel Universe might not repeat, but it does rhyme.

The True Extent Of The New Ultimate Hulk’s Villainy Is Yet To Be Revealed

Ultimates (2002) #6 – Written By Mark Millar; Art By Bryan Hitch

One of the big questions about this Hulk is whether he does have any similarities to his original Ultimate counterpart. He might espouse high-minded ideals, but so do many, many misogynists, and readers already know that the Ultimates are dealing with a hypocrite. The other unknown is Bruce Banner himself. If this Hulk is ‘peaceful’ and somewhat reasonable for a supervillain, then maybe his Banner is the inverse, petulant, violent and openly horrible. Once he faces off against the Ultimates, readers will learn what level of villainy the Hulk of this Ultimate Universe is really capable of.