Since their initial team-up in Avengers #1, fans of Marvel Comics have been debating whether the Hulk or Iron Man would fare better in a confrontation between the two heroes. Over their many decades together, the two Avengers have faced off numerous times; who has emerged victorious?
The mechanical engineering and scientific skill that allows Iron Man to create suits that can compete with intergalactic and earthbound enemies are unparalleled. The Hulk, on the other hand, is a wrath monster whose power grows with his anger and has almost no upper limit. However, the comic books don’t lie and will reveal the all-time winner with the number of triumphs for either Iron Man or the Hulk, regardless of who “should” win given their individual attributes and skills.
MCU Hulk Vs MCU Iron Man is now uploaded 😉 find out who wins ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ayP3URzD4E
— Grounbreaker11 (@Lewis15798820) September 12, 2022
Iron Man #132 by David Michelinie and Jerry Bingham sets the stage with Tony Stark assisting Bruce Banner by granting him access to his facilities in an effort to keep Banner and the Hulk apart. When things take a bad turn, Bruce becomes the Hulk, and Iron Man stands by to repair the damage the monster causes. Iron Man wins this fight because he knocks down Hulk.
In The Incredible Hulk #131, after the Hulk and Bruce have been separated, Iron Man assists General Ross in reuniting them, demonstrating his superiority. While General Ross readies their gamma-ray that would reconnect Banner and Hulk, Iron Man fights the Hulk, even dropping a building on him. Finally, Iron Man succeeds, rendering the Hulk unable of harming Bruce once more.
Although Iron Man appears to be the winner at this point, the Hulk actually has more victories to his name than he has. Bruce discovers Tony tampered with the gamma bomb that created the Hulk, culminating in a violent encounter, in Original Sin: Hulk vs Iron Man #4 by Mark Waid, Kieron Gillen, and Luke Ross. While the Hulk ultimately triumphs and sits triumphantly atop Iron Man’s shattered armor, the two are able to resolve their differences and makeup once the dust settles.
In World War Hulk #1, by Greg Pak and Jeph Loeb, a battle with a less amicable outcome occurred. In that comic, Iron Man’s secret society, the Illuminati, exiles Hulk to Sakaar before he eventually makes his way back to Earth. Stark’s Hulkbuster armor and the Incredible Hulk go head to head, but after the Hulk smashes Iron Man through a building, it’s game over for Stark and another win for the Hulk.
In Iron Man #305, written by Len Kaminski and illustrated by Kev Hopgood, Hulk and Tony fight to the death, and Hulk comes out on top thanks in part to the debut of the Hulkbuster armor. As seen in Hulk #1 by Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley, Hulk has recently defeated not one, but four Hulkbuster armors.
Overall, Iron Man is a strong opponent for the Hulk and has a few wins under his credit, but the Hulk has won more comic confrontations against Iron Man than Iron Man has against the Hulk, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Hulk is the superior fighter between the two of them in Marvel Comics.