The Hulk just confirmed his most debated power is real with a staggering show of force. Beyond his strength and invulnerability, Hulk has many unusual powers that he doesn’t often use – and one is so rare that fans have long debated whether it actually exists or not. Now, Hulk has given them the answer.
Hulk Proves He Has Anti-Magic Powers
The Jade Giant Shatters Clea Strange’s Spell
In today’s New Avengers #5 – from Sam Humphries, Tiago Palma, Fabi Marques and Joe Sabino – the New Avengers summon Hulk to aid in their fight against Reed Richards’ evil clone Mr. Ouroboros. However, the Jade Giant isn’t exactly feeling cooperative. When Clea Strange attempts to access Hulk’s mind and persuade Bruce Banner to help, the Hulk shatters her spell with his teeth.
It’s perhaps the most definitive proof ever offered that Hulk is able to resist magic as part of his power set – something he’s done many times before, but rarely clearly enough to be definitively identified as its own power. What’s more, Clea Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Dark Dimension and only recently stepped down as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, showing that Hulk can resist not just magic, but magic of the highest level.
Hulk’s Anti-Magic Powers Explained
As an apparent creation of science, the Hulk hasn’t encountered magic as often as many other Avengers, and when he does, it’s rarely depicted consistently. In comics like The Incredible Hulk #102, the Hulk seems vulnerable to magic, while in others he’s been able to resist it.
Examples include Hulk remembering Spider-Man’s identity after Doctor Strange erased it from human knowledge and being able to resist the influence of the magical Eye of the Kraken in Mech Strike: Monster Hunters. He’s also able to see and even touch those traveling through the mystic Astral Dimension and has resisted teleportation spells in the past. In his enhanced form as the Titan Hulk, Hulk could even absorb magical energy, using it to make himself stronger.
However, going up against Clea is the most direct example of Hulk sensing and destroying a spell. This is likely possible because of Hulk’s growing understanding of gamma energy as a quasi-mystic form of power exuded by the eldritch One-Below-All. It seems the more Hulk accepts his magical nature, the more he’s able to turn it to his advantage.
Our Take on Hulk Being Able to Destroy Magic
Part of the appeal of the Hulk is that he’s truly unstoppable, and it makes sense for that to include magic. While fighting back against mysticism shouldn’t be easy for Hulk, it makes sense that it’s possilble – otherwise, every Hulk story should end with Doctor Strange arriving to safely dispose of him.
In the past, Marvel has established Hulk as having the power of ‘reactive adaptation.’ Whatever he confronts, his body can alter itself to survive. The most commonly cited example is Peter David and Lee Weeks’ Incredible Hulk #77, which shows Hulk’s lungs developing an oxygenated emulsion to allow him to breathe underwater.
It’s likely (and probably the best narrative path) that Hulk isn’t consistently immune to magic, but is able to reactively adapt when exposed to spells he wants to resist. Given his current loathing for Bruce Banner, it makes sense that this ability would activate when the New Avengers tried to access Hulk’s other half. Future comics will continue to decide how Hulk’s anti-magic powers are applied and how often they’re depicted, but this show of powers leaves one thing beyond debate – Hulk can manifest anti-magic powers when he wants to.
New Avengers #5 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- First Appearance
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The Incredible Hulk (1962)
- Alias
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Robert Bruce Banner
- Alliance
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Avengers, Defenders, Horsemen of Apocalypse, Fantastic Four, Pantheon, Warbound, S.M.A.S.H., Secret Avengers
- Franchise
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Marvel