The Incredible Hulk is one of the strongest and largest superheroes in the Marvel universe. His immense size and strength make him an intimidating force to be reckoned with. However, there are a few other superheroes who can give the Hulk a run for his money in terms of sheer physical size and power. Let’s take a look at some of the top contenders who may be even bigger than the Hulk.
Apocalypse
Apocalypse is one of the oldest and most powerful mutants in the Marvel universe. His typical height is around 7 feet tall, and he weighs in at around 300 lbs. However, Apocalypse has the ability to increase his size and mass at will. When Apocalypse grows to his maximum size, he can stand over 9 feet tall and weigh around 900 lbs. This makes Apocalypse one of the few characters who can physically overwhelm the Hulk under the right circumstances. Apocalypse also has superhuman strength that is amplified when he increases his size. His advanced technology and ability to directly increase his mass and density using his molecular manipulation powers could potentially make him stronger than even the Hulk.
Giant Man/Hank Pym
The size-changing hero Giant Man, also known as Hank Pym, has the ability to grow to gigantic heights up to 100 feet tall. At full size, Giant Man can weigh up to 90 tons. He retains his normal human strength but the size and mass give him incredible levels of strength. Hank Pym has been able to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk at his giant sizes. One key advantage that Giant Man has over the Hulk is that he retains his intellect and technical skills when he grows. This allows him to outsmart and outmaneuver the rage-fueled Hulk if he plays his cards right.
Onslaught
Onslaught is a villainous psychic entity born from the merged consciousness of Professor X and Magneto. At its peak size and power, Onslaught stands over 10 feet tall and possesses incredible superhuman strength capable of overpowering even the Hulk in combat. The magnitude of Onslaught’s strength is unclear but he has demonstrated feats like punching the Hulk thousands of miles with one strike, grappling with the Juggernaut, and physically overpowering entire teams of Avengers. Some speculate Onslaught has no true limit to how strong he can become, making him one of the few characters who can become more powerful than the Hulk.
Colossus
As his name implies, Colossus is a literal metal giant. When using his mutant powers, Colossus can transform his entire body into organic steel, making him incredibly strong, massive, and resistant to injury. In his metal form, Colossus stands around 7 feet 6 inches tall and weighs over 500 lbs. He has gone toe-to-toe with the some of Marvel’s strongest heroes and villains, including trading punches with the Hulk. While Colossus usually settles for outlasting his more powerful opponents, he has shown he can boost his own strength to higher levels with extreme effort, giving him an outside chance of overpowering even the Hulk for a short period.
Sasquatch
Sasquatch of Alpha Flight has the ability to transform into a giant, fur-covered beast standing over 10 feet tall and weighing around 2000 lbs. In his monstrous form, Sasquatch possesses superhuman strength capable of lifting well over 100 tons. He has proven strong enough to brawl with both the Hulk and the Juggernaut. Sasquatch has also shown he can enter into a berserker rage that significantly boosts his strength, similar to the Hulk when he becomes extremely angry. While Sasquatch’s base strength may not exceed the Hulk’s, his unrestrained rage could potentially put him over the top.
Hulkbuster Iron Man
Iron Man has built multiple super-sized iterations of his iconic armor specifically designed to fight and subdue the Hulk. His biggest and most powerful creation is the Hulkbuster armor, which stands over 15 feet tall and has unbelievable strength and durability. The Hulkbuster armor was designed to be capable of trading blows with and potentially overpowering the Hulk when piloted by Tony Stark. It has proven strong enough to knock out the Hulk on several occasions. While not a superhero in the traditional sense, the Hulkbuster armor’s incredible size and power make it one of the few things that can exceed the Hulk’s own might in direct combat.
Galactus
Galactus is an immense cosmic entity standing over 28 feet tall who consumes entire planets for nourishment. He possesses nearly unlimited cosmic power and has shown physical strength capable of shattering planets with his bare hands. When fully fed, Galactus is strong enough to engage multiple teams of superheroes, including the Fantastic Four and Avengers simultaneously. Very few individual heroes including Thor, Hyperion and Hercules have managed to physically battle Galactus for any length of time. It is almost certain that if Galactus chose to engage the Hulk directly in combat, his incredible size, strength, and powers would allow him to overwhelm the Jade Giant.
Ego the Living Planet
As his name suggests, Ego is literally a massive, intelligent planet. Ego has taken humanoid avatar forms that stand thousands of feet tall and demonstrated physical strength far exceeding the Hulk’s, capable of battling entities like Galactus. In his full planetary form, Ego dwarfs even the Hulk’s size and contains unfathomable cosmic power. Ego has claimed to possess virtually limitless physical strength thanks to the huge stored energy contained within his planet-sized form. There is almost no conceivable way the Hulk could physically overpower or destroy a foe as massive and powerful as Ego the Living Planet.
Zeus
The king of the Olympian gods, Zeus towers over most mortal heroes and even other gods. Though his size can fluctuate, Zeus has reached heights over 100 feet tall, with the strength to match his immense stature. Zeus has shown he can easily overpower demigods like Hercules and rivals such as Typhon, who stood taller than mountains. The peak strength of Zeus is such that he could likely defeat even the merged power of class 100+ powerhouses Thor and Hercules simultaneously. This indicates Zeus could very likely exceed the Hulk in a direct test of raw might. Deep down, the Hulk is still mortal while Zeus is an all-powerful divine god whose power eclipses almost any single hero.
Dormammu
The interdimensional mystic entity Dormammu wields apocalyptic levels of magical power that allows him to grow to gigantic sizes larger than entire planets. At his peak, Dormammu has proven capable of battling cosmic entities like Eternity through both magic and physical force. While the Hulk relies on his physical might, Dormammu is an amalgam of mystical energy with almost limitless strength and power. If he was able to bring the full force of his power into a physical battle against the Hulk, it is almost certain the Hulk would be thoroughly outmatched in both size and physical power.
Surtur
The gigantic fire demon Surtur resides in the Asgardian dimension of Muspelheim where he constantly plots to destroy Asgard. At his typical size, Surtur already stands over 1,000 feet tall and possesses strength and durability far exceeding Thor. However, Surtur can also increase his size at will to truly apocalyptic levels. In his largest form, Surtur’s head alone can be larger than a planet and his sword longer than a galaxy. No single hero, not even the Hulk, could come close to matching that kind of power. If unleashed at this size with his full strength against the Hulk, Surtur would incinerate his opponent with a single gesture.
Molecule Man
Owen Reece gained his vast molecular manipulation powers from a lab accident. While not usually operating as a supervillain, at his peak, the Molecule Man possesses the pinnacle of control over all matter and energy. Reece once demonstrated the ability to destroy and recreate the entire multiverse with a mere thought. Theoretically, there is no limit to the size he could achieve or the raw physical power he could wield by manipulating all molecules around him. If Molecule Man chose to battle the Hulk, he could likely grow to any size and wield incomprehensible levels of strength, dwarfing even the Hulk’s vaunted power.
Mad Jim Jaspers
The reality-warping mutant Mad Jim Jaspers attained godlike powers that allowed him to effortlessly rewrite the entire Marvel multiverse and warp all reality according to his whims. At his peak, Jaspers achieved omnipotence and omniscience, effectively becoming an unstoppable God. No individual hero, not even cosmic entities, could hope to physically overpower an omnipotent being like Jaspers capable of snuffing out the Hulk’s existence with a stray thought. While Jaspers rarely relies on physical force, his unlimited godly power ensured nothing in the multiverse could exceed his capabilities, including overpowering the Hulk physically.
Table Comparing the Sizes of Heroes Who Could Potentially Overpower The Hulk
| Hero | Typical Height | Maximum Potential Height |
|---|---|---|
| Apocalypse | 7 feet | Over 9 feet |
| Giant Man | 6 feet 7 inches | 100 feet |
| Onslaught | 10 feet | No limit |
| Colossus | 7 feet 6 inches | 7 feet 6 inches |
| Sasquatch | 10 feet | 10 feet |
| Hulkbuster Iron Man | 6 feet 6 inches | 15 feet |
| Galactus | 28 feet | 28 feet |
| Ego the Living Planet | Planet-sized | Planet-sized |
| Zeus | 6 feet 2 inches | Over 100 feet |
| Dormammu | Varies | Larger than planets |
| Surtur | 1,000 feet | Larger than galaxies |
| Molecule Man | 5 feet 11 inches | No limit |
| Mad Jim Jaspers | 6 feet 3 inches | Omnipotent |
Key Factors Allowing Heroes to Surpass the Hulk in Size and Strength
After reviewing some of the top superheroes who can exceed the Hulk’s physical abilities, we can summarize the key factors that allow them to achieve this:
- Inherent ability to grow/increase size – Apocalypse, Giant Man
- Molecular/matter manipulation – Molecule Man, Mad Jim Jaspers
- Cosmic/divine power – Galactus, Zeus, Dormammu, Surtur
- Magic abilities – Dormammu, Mad Jim Jaspers
- Reliance on technology/armor – Hulkbuster Iron Man
- Mystical energy/magic-based biology – Ego, Onslaught
- Rage-fueled strength – Sasquatch
Heroes like Apocalypse and Giant Man can naturally grow to massive sizes that exceed the Hulk. Abstract cosmic entities like Galactus and Surtur wield enormous power that lets them achieve truly gigantic proportions capable of dwarfing the Hulk. Magical heroes like Dormammu can amplify their mystical might to grow larger than entire worlds. Genius inventors like Tony Stark rely on size-enhancing technology and armor to battle the Hulk on his terms. Mythological gods such as Zeus and divine cosmic beings like Ego have unmatched raw strength and staggering size even in their typical state. Molecular manipulators like Molecule Man and reality warpers like Mad Jim Jaspers can theoretically enhance themselves without limit. Even heroes similar to the Hulk, like Sasquatch, can potentially exceed his strength through berserker rages.
Conclusion
While the Incredible Hulk remains one of Marvel’s preeminent physical powerhouses, he is far from the only hero capable of incredible size and strength. Apocalypse, Giant Man, Hulkbuster Iron Man armor, Zeus, Galactus, Ego the Living Planet, Onslaught, Sasquatch and others have all proven capable of potentially exceeding the Hulk in sheer scale and might under the right circumstances. Cosmic entities like Dormammu, Surtur, Molecule Man and Mad Jim Jaspers can transcend any finite limits on their size and strength using magical or reality-warping abilities. What makes the Hulk a truly spectacular hero is not just his unmatched strength, but his heart and personality as a character. But in terms of pure physical ability, he still has plenty of competition from heroes capable of growing larger and punching harder!