Who Would Win In An Epic Fight?

Summary

• Superman’s diverse powerset and strength make him a formidable opponent.
• Hulk’s strength increases with anger, but he lacks Superman’s other abilities.
• In past comic battles, Superman has defeated Hulk, highlighting the difference in power.

Superman and Hulk are two of the biggest powerhouses in all comics, and are among the strongest characters in their respective universes. But in a fight between the main versions of Kal-El and Bruce Banner, who would come out victorious?

Fans of both Marvel and DC may dismiss the idea of Superman fighting Hulk as the superhero equivalent of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. After all, it’s hard to imagine better examples of comic characters’ strength being limited only by ‘what their story requires’ than these mighty mascots. Still, based on their powers, previous comic battles, and fighting tendencies, there is a clear winner among the two superheroes in a hypothetical fight.

Hulk is Strong, But Superman is Stronger (To Start)

Hulk’s full power could be limitless, but it’s also inaccessible

The fact is simple: there are few heroes, if any, in either the DC or Marvel Comics universes that can take on Superman. The Kryptonian has few shortcoming, with kryptonite and magic his only weaknesses. Meanwhile, his superpowers are jaw-droppingly powerful. Superman is powered by the Earth’s yellow sun and is so strong he once lifted over 20 quintillion tons with just one of his hands. He also has a number of powers that put him in the upper echelon of heroes. Superman is practically invulnerable, has heat and x-ray vision, super breath, can fly faster than a speeding bullet, and has singlehandedly moved planets with his strength.

Hulk, on the other hand, doesn’t have the diverse powerset Superman possesses, but still his own strength is unrivaled. The angrier Hulk gets the more his strength increases, and there’s no limit for how strong he can get. What truly makes Hulk incredible is the more blows he takes in battle, the stronger he becomes. He just gets more and more powerful as a fight continues. The Hulk has also held together entire planets from splitting apart. Plus, it’s now official canon that keeping a gamma mutate dead is more or less impossible. Still, Hulk doesn’t start off at his maximum power, while Superman does. And that will always give Kal-El an immediate advantage.

How Did Superman Defeat Hulk in The Comics?

The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman (by Roger Stern, Steve Rude, and Al Milgrom)

The two have fought in crossover comics in the past, allowing these theories and speculation to be played out on the page. While the ‘canonicity’ of these comics may be in question, they succeed in proving some basic patterns any fight is likely to follow. In The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman by Roger Stern, Steve Rude, and Al Milgrom, the pair of heroes exchange mammoth blows in a hypothetical ‘first meeting’ existing in one universe.

In this battle, Superman uses his speed and other abilities to take down the Hulk before the pair team up against a common threat in Lex Luthor. Hulk puts on a good showing, not used to encountering a foe as hard to beat as Superman. Yet the fights also demonstrate one fact: whatever physical feats Hulk can unleash upon Superman, his powers are still limited to the raw, physical world — the one in which Superman is, arguably, the most indestructible.

DC vs. Marvel Saw Hulk Beaten By One Superman Punch

DC vs. Marvel (by Ron Marz, Peter David, Dan Jurgens, and Claudio Castellini)

In the DC vs. Marvel crossover by Ron Marz, Peter David, Dan Jurgens, and Claudio Castellini, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes from both universes battle with their respective worlds on the line. In that fight (decided by fan votes) Superman tells his opponent he needs to “put [him] down,” and won by punching the Hulk so hard he was knocked out cold. A fight in which both heroes were holding back, ended by the one who pushed the power first.

One one hand, it’s a compliment to show Hulk even capable of taking a full strength punch from Superman, and living to tell the tale. After all, there’s no question the Hulk is a near-indestructible force who comes out on top in almost all of his battles of pure strength. However, against Superman, he’s outmatched (even if that ruling is made by the audience at large). Finally, even if Hulk’s strength might rival that of the Man of Steel, Superman’s other abilities give him a considerable edge against his opponent.

Hulk Can’t Match Superman’s Other Abilities (Besides Strength)

Although the Hulk is the strongest there is in the Marvel Universe, Superman is by far the strongest in the DC Universe while also being aided by all his other abilities. Bruce Banner would have to contend with Kal-El’s speed, flight, heat vision, freeze breath, and general invulnerability beyond his super-strength. While it helps that the Hulk gets stronger the angrier he gets, the Kryptonian’s variety is far too valuable in a fight against the Jade Giant.

With his near-immeasurable strength, an ability to take even the most devastating blows, multiple attacks that aren’t just punching, along with his flight and speed, the Hulk would struggle to keep up with Superman. Even in the few times he’s faced Superman, the green monster has lost. It’s no fault of the Hulk’s, but Superman is called Superman for a reason. Unless he had kryptonite or a magic-user by his side, Hulk would usually fall to the DC Hero – although, he’d put up a hell of a fight. Superman wins.