5 Worst Hulk Villains, Ranked

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It’s challenging to create compelling villains for the Hulk because of his immense power. The most effective Hulk enemies are those who possess different kinds of strengths. Similar to Superman and Lex Luthor – where one relies on physical power and the other on intellect – Hulk’s rival, the Leader, presents a comparable dynamic. And just as Superman has General Zod as a physically matched opponent, the Hulk has characters like the Abomination who can challenge him in a similar way.

Many of Hulk’s enemies aren’t strong enough to provide a good challenge, making their fights with him underwhelming and rarely enjoyable.

5) Glenn Talbot

The movie The Incredible Hulk has several flaws, and the villains are a major reason why. The decision to make Bruce Banner’s father a version of The Absorbing Man felt strange, and the other villains weren’t much better. While General Ross was adequately portrayed, the villain Glenn Talbot was a weak character – and he’s not any stronger in the comic books. Talbot was a major in the U.S. Army who reported to General Ross.

I always felt bad for Bruce and Betty because of General Ross bringing in Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination. It seemed Ross just wanted to drive a wedge between them, hoping Blonsky would be a better match for his daughter. But it quickly became clear Blonsky was just incredibly jealous of Bruce, and that jealousy spiraled into a full-blown obsession with eliminating both Bruce and the Hulk. He was a constant pest, always interfering, and honestly, he did more to sabotage Bruce and Betty’s relationship than pose any real threat. A lot of us fans were frustrated it took so long for his story to end.

4) The Red King

In Thor: Ragnarok, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) introduced Sakaar, a planet ruled by the Grandmaster who hosted gladiatorial contests. While the comics version of the story, Planet Hulk, featured a different leader, the MCU made a deliberate change. The original villain in Planet Hulk, Angmo-Asan (also called the Red King), was largely portrayed as a comical figure. He was a boastful and conceited ruler, and ultimately, his own arrogance led to his defeat.

Sakaar, as seen in Planet Hulk, is a harsh world that eliminates anyone considered weak. This makes the Red King seem like an unlikely leader at first, because he’s far less powerful than he later becomes. Hulk defeated him in two fights, easily overpowering him both times. Ultimately, the Red King was betrayed by his own bodyguard, Caiera, who helped Hulk overthrow him. Despite the compelling story, the main villain ended up being quite underwhelming.

3) Zzzax

It’s surprising that a Marvel animated film pitted the combined might of Hulk and Iron Man against a villain named Zzzax. This occurred in Iron Man and Hulk: Heroes United, but Zzzax is even more obscure than the movie suggests. Originating from a nuclear accident, Zzzax is essentially an electromagnetic field that somehow took on a human shape.

Zzzax first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #166, and the idea of Hulk fighting an enemy without a physical body seemed promising. Unfortunately, the character never quite worked, and still doesn’t. Zzzax is supposed to be immensely powerful, able to absorb brain energy and unleash huge amounts of electricity. But he never feels like a real threat, and it’s a bit disappointing that Hulk consistently defeats him, especially considering Zzzax should be an all-powerful energy being.

2) Wendigo

Wendigo is notable in Marvel Comics for being the villain in Wolverine’s very first appearance. This happened in The Incredible Hulk #181, where the Canadian government tasked Wolverine with stopping the Hulk after he crossed the border and started causing damage. When Wolverine arrived, he discovered Wendigo was already causing trouble, leading to a three-way fight. Eventually, Wolverine and the Hulk teamed up to defeat Wendigo, though the Hulk managed to escape in the process.

I’ve heard a lot about Wendigo, and it’s not so much a single being as a terrible fate. Apparently, if someone resorts to cannibalism, they can become one. People say Wendigo is incredibly strong – even a match for the Hulk! – and fights with a wild, uncontrolled rage. But honestly, when I looked back at Wolverine’s first comic appearance, Wendigo didn’t seem that impressive. The Hulk barely even noticed him, and Wolverine was the real problem. It turns out the legend is a lot scarier than the actual character!

1) Brian Banner

Brian Banner is often considered one of the Hulk’s most formidable foes, but his story is unusual. He’s actually deceased and largely exists as a psychological presence within the Hulk’s mind. Despite this, he isn’t a particularly well-developed or compelling character. Brian was Bruce Banner’s father and worked with dangerous gamma radiation. He constantly feared the radiation was harming him, and when Bruce displayed exceptional intelligence as a child, Brian became convinced the gamma had caused a mutation.

Brian was abusive, physically assaulting Bruce’s mother and ultimately causing her death in front of their child. This trauma was deeply suppressed by Bruce, significantly contributing to his development of Dissociative Identity Disorder, which later manifested as the Hulk. Brian continued to exist as a haunting figure in Bruce’s mind, even appearing to torment him in the Below-Place. While Brian Banner was intended to represent Bruce’s buried memories, he often felt like a weak villain whose sole purpose was to justify the Hulk’s rage.

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2025-11-24 23:12