14 years later, Spider-Man fails to fix the Hulk’s most frustrating character flaw in the MCU
Marvel Studios' new film Spider-Man: Brand New Day brings back a savage, rampaging version of the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), a departure from the calm "Professor Hulk" seen in Avengers: Endgame. While the character's return and a fight scene involving the Punisher and Spider-Man are entertaining, the piece argues it extends a long-standing and frustrating pattern in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the Hulk almost never wins a fight, and is instead repeatedly used to showcase the strength of other characters or villains.
The article traces this trend back through the MCU's history, noting that the Hulk's last decisive victory came in 2012's The Avengers, where he defeated Loki and helped repel the Chitauri invasion, following earlier wins over the US military and Abomination in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Since then, he has largely lost or been sidelined in major bouts, including defeats to Iron Man's Hulkbuster armour and Thor in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and a swift, humiliating defeat by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War that saw him hide inside Bruce Banner for the rest of the film. The author suggests that despite Spider-Man: Brand New Day reviving the character's raw power and size, it does nothing to break this recurring cycle of on-screen losses.
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day revives a savage, rampaging Hulk
- Article says Hulk keeps losing fights across the MCU since 2012
- Trend continues despite the character's bigger, wilder new look
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Marvel's new film Spider-Man: Brand New Day brings the Hulk back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, once again played by Mark Ruffalo. In this outing he appears as a wilder, more violent version of the character, a contrast to the calmer "Professor Hulk" persona he had settled into by Avengers: Endgame. The film also features a fight scene involving Spider-Man and the Punisher.
The Hulk has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008, and for years has been noted for rarely winning fights on screen, often losing to other heroes or villains rather than showcasing his own strength. This is seen as a long-running pattern across multiple films, including defeats against Iron Man's Hulkbuster suit, Thor, and Thanos, with his last clear victory dating back to 2012's The Avengers.
This background matters because it frames ongoing discussion about how the Hulk, one of Marvel's most powerful characters, has been written and used in the franchise over time, and whether his latest appearance changes that trend.