6 Best Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man & the Hulk Crossovers

by

Two iconic characters from Marvel Comics, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, have captured the hearts of many readers since their inception. First appearing in Amazing Fantasy #15 and Incredible Hulk #1 respectively, both characters quickly gained prominence. Spider-Man, with a debut in 1962, initially encountered the Fantastic Four before establishing his formidable rogues’ gallery. Meanwhile, The Hulk, also making his appearance in 1962, was one of the founding members of the Avengers team and eventually became known as one of the most beloved antiheroes within the comic line. Interestingly, just three months separated their Marvel Comics debuts. Their paths first crossed two years later in Amazing Spider-Man, issue 14, during a battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin when he accidentally encountered The Hulk.

More often than not, encounters between Spider-Man and Hulk have resulted in fights, as Spider-Man aims to subdue the rampaging Green Goliath. Despite their instances of teamwork, these two Marvel Comics heroes generally struggle to find common ground when they meet.

6) Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3

In this retelling, let’s focus on the key moments of Spider-Man’s encounters with the Hulk:

1. The first time Spidey crossed paths with the Hulk was during a fight against Green Goblin. While investigating, he discovered Hulk’s hideout and inadvertently provoked him to defend himself. Recognizing the situation wasn’t ideal, Spider-Man smartly used his intellect to evade the chaos.

2. In a later encounter, Spider-Man sought out Hulk intentionally. This time was depicted in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3, where the Avengers were considering Spidey for membership and gave him a test – to bring in the Hulk. Eager to prove himself, he rushed into the fray without fully understanding the mission’s objectives.

3. The encounter ended with a gamma ray explosion that transformed Hulk back into Bruce Banner. It was then Spidey noticed something amiss and realized Banner was unwell. Contrary to what he believed, the Avengers didn’t seem interested in harming a sick man. As a result, Spider-Man chose to leave Banner alone and declined the offer to join the Avengers.

4. Unfortunately, Spidey wasn’t aware that the test was designed to bring Hulk to the Avengers so they could help him with his condition.

5) Peter Parker: Spider-Man #14

In the acclaimed tale for both Spider-Man and Hulk, the dramatic encounter unfolded in issue #14 of Peter Parker: Spider-Man. A tragic air crash claimed more than 100 lives, among them Mary Jane Watson, which led Spider-Man to accuse Hulk, despite him being acquitted. Overwhelmed by grief for MJ’s loss, Spidey was determined to make someone pay and attacked Hulk relentlessly, even when his strength waned.

What made this fight stand out was that Spider-Man vented his frustration over the death of his wife during their battle, while Hulk stopped fighting back, revealing that he too had lost his spouse. Despite Spidey’s desire to continue the fight, Hulk stood firm until they realized they had damaged a train track, potentially causing an impending derailment. This unusual turn of events showcased Hulk taking control and restraining Spider-Man, a remarkable twist from typical outcomes in their fights.

4) Marvel Team-Up #27

In the Marvel comic book series “Marvel Team-Up,” a new hero paired up with Spider-Man in each issue. The 27th installment featured Spider-Man alongside the Hulk, but it wasn’t your typical team-up. Instead, it was more like a battle where Spider-Man had to subdue the Hulk before they could take down the bad guys. In this storyline, the Chameleon attempted to free his friend Joe Cord from prison, and Spider-Man stepped in to prevent this criminal escape. However, being a master of disguise, Chameleon donned the guise of Rick Jones and convinced Hulk to aid him in breaking out his buddy. True to form, Hulk arrived, and Spider-Man engaged him in combat. During this era, tricking Hulk into fighting for them was a common tactic, with the heroes often unaware of the deception. The issue ended as most did, with Spider-Man and Hulk eventually joining forces to defeat the villain.

3) Amazing Spider-Man #381-382

The narrative commences with Doctor Samson aiming to transport Hulk to a facility using gamma radiation, hoping it could aid Hulk in managing his emotions for the first time. Yet, surprisingly, Hulk declines the proposal. Wisely, as an accident at the center transforms Doctor Samson into a wild version, causing him to depart and attack Hulk. Consequently, the gamma virus shifts to Hulk, forcing Spider-Man to confront him. In this battle, neither Spider-Man nor Doctor Samson can defeat Hulk, not even together. This scenario illustrates how Spider-Man typically handles such predicaments; the gamma radiation unleashes a virus that needs to run its course. So, Spider-Man and Doctor Samson engage Hulk until the symptoms begin to subside, and then Peter attempts to connect with Banner, who eventually manages to expel the virus from his body. These instances highlight why Spider-Man’s intellect often proves stronger than any adversary, no matter how formidable.

2) Web of Spider-Man #7

In issue #7 of the “Spider-Man’s Web,” one of the most peculiar and distinctive battles between Spider-Man and The Hulk unfolded in all of Marvel Comics. This fight, however, wasn’t a typical street brawl; it took place in the Dimension of Dreams. This conflict was initiated when Doctor Strange cursed Nightmare to be persistently chased by The Hulk after Bruce Banner performed a psychic suicide, transforming Hulk into an uncontrollable beast. Due to this, Strange was forced to exile Hulk from our reality. In this dreamscape, Nightmare inadvertently sucked Spider-Man in to save him. Throughout the issue, Spider-Man mainly focused on defending Nightmare against The Hulk’s relentless attacks. Eventually, he came to understand that his priority should be saving himself and letting Hulk take Nightmare along so Peter could regain consciousness. This was an engaging storyline where Spider-Man made a self-serving move to survive, yet it was necessary under the circumstances.

1) Web of Spider-Man #69-70

In issues #69-70 of “Web of Spider-Man”, we witness an intense fight between Spider-Man and the Hulk that disrupts everything. A fresh character makes an entrance, Armand Jones, who seeks vengeance against the Fantastic Four, believing they killed his brother. This brother’s tragic tale originated from one of the most memorable “Fantastic Four” stories, titled “This Man… This Monster”, where he was the unnamed scientist who switched places with The Thing and later sacrificed himself to save Reed Richards in the Negative Zone.

Armand possessed a power-transferring device similar to his brother’s, but his use of it on Bruce Banner was cut short by the Hulk. Spider-Man intervened, attempting to halt the Hulk, but in return, he suffered near-fatal blows from the raging green giant. The Hulk eventually departed, leaving Spider-Man to be struck by Armand’s device. This incident set the stage for the following storyline, as Peter transformed into Spider-Hulk and embarked on a destructive spree of his own until the effects subsided. It was an exciting development since it allowed Spider-Man to experience what it felt like to be the Incredible Hulk.

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/best-blade-stories-marvel-comics/embed/#

Read More

2025-08-17 20:24