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Thunderbolt Ross

Updated: 12/10/2025, 5:23:01 PM Wikipedia source

General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics featuring the Hulk. Ross is a United States military officer, the father of Betty Ross, and the ex-father-in-law of both Glenn Talbot and Bruce Banner. A jingoistic war hawk, Ross is portrayed as the military head of the gamma bomb project that turned Banner into the Hulk. After the creation of the Hulk, Ross pursues the creature with a growing obsession, and, after learning that Banner and the Hulk are one and the same, Ross hunts Banner as well. His motivations vary between different iterations, from a petulant hatred of Banner himself, to a Captain Ahab-esque desire to defeat the Hulk in combat, and sometimes even more villainous motivations such as hoping to harness the Hulk's abilities and create similar bioweapons for use by the US government. Ross was transformed into the first Red Hulk to better combat the Hulk, though this instead led him to become more sympathetic towards Banner and eventually become a superhero, serving as a member of the Avengers and forming his own Thunderbolts team. Ross has appeared in numerous media adaptations, including animated television series, video games, and live-action feature films. He has been voiced by numerous actors in animation, including John Vernon, Keith Ferguson, Fred Tatasciore, and Clancy Brown. In live-action, Sam Elliott portrayed the character in the film Hulk (2003). In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the character is portrayed by William Hurt (2008–2021) and Harrison Ford (2025).

Infobox

Publisher
Marvel Comics
First appearance
The Incredible Hulk (May 1962)As Red Hulk: Hulk (January 2008)
Created by
Thunderbolt Ross:Stan Lee (writer)Jack Kirby (artist)Red Hulk:Jeph Loeb (writer)Ed McGuinness (artist)
Alter ego
Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross
Species
Human mutate
Team affiliations
HulkbustersUnited States Army Air CorpUnited States Air Force Federal Government of the United States OffendersAvengersThunderboltsPower EliteControl
Notable aliases
General Ross, Red Hulk, Rulk, The Thing (Future Imperfect)
Abilities
As Thunderbolt Ross: Expert military leader, strategist, and tactician Access to many soldiers, armies, conventional, and unconventional weapons As Red Hulk: Immeasurable strength, stamina, durability, and speed Healing factor Energy absorption Limited thermokinesis
Full name
Thaddeus E. Ross

Tables

· Collected editions
Hulk Vol. 1: Red Hulk
Hulk Vol. 1: Red Hulk
Title
Hulk Vol. 1: Red Hulk
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #1–6
Publication date
February 2009
ISBN
mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- } }0-7851-2882-4
Hulk Vol. 2: Red & Green
Hulk Vol. 2: Red & Green
Title
Hulk Vol. 2: Red & Green
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #7–9; King-Size Hulk #1
Publication date
July 2009
ISBN
0-7851-2884-0
Hulk Vol. 3: Hulk No More
Hulk Vol. 3: Hulk No More
Title
Hulk Vol. 3: Hulk No More
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #10–13; Incredible Hulk #600
Publication date
February 2010
ISBN
0-7851-4052-2
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks Prelude
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks Prelude
Title
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks Prelude
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #2, 16; Skaar: Son of Hulk #1; Hulk: Raging Thunder; Planet Skaar Prologue; All-New Savage She-Hulk #4;
Publication date
February 2010
ISBN
0-7851-4315-7
Hulk Vol. 4: Hulk vs. X-Force
Hulk Vol. 4: Hulk vs. X-Force
Title
Hulk Vol. 4: Hulk vs. X-Force
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #14–18
Publication date
June 2010
ISBN
0-7851-4053-0
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks – Red Hulk
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks – Red Hulk
Title
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks – Red Hulk
Material collected
Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1–4
Publication date
August 2010
ISBN
0-7851-4795-0
Hulk Vol. 5: Fall of the Hulks
Hulk Vol. 5: Fall of the Hulks
Title
Hulk Vol. 5: Fall of the Hulks
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #19–21; Fall of the Hulks: Gamma
Publication date
November 2010
ISBN
0-7851-4054-9
Hulk Vol. 6: World War Hulks
Hulk Vol. 6: World War Hulks
Title
Hulk Vol. 6: World War Hulks
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #22–24
Publication date
March 2011
ISBN
0-7851-4267-3
Red Hulk: Scorched Earth
Red Hulk: Scorched Earth
Title
Red Hulk: Scorched Earth
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #25–30
Publication date
May 2011
ISBN
0-7851-4896-5
Planet Red Hulk
Planet Red Hulk
Title
Planet Red Hulk
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #30.1, 31–36
Publication date
October 2011
ISBN
0-7851-5578-3
Fear Itself: Hulk
Fear Itself: Hulk
Title
Fear Itself: Hulk
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #37–41
Publication date
February 2012
ISBN
0-7851-5579-1
Hulk: Hulk of Arabia
Hulk: Hulk of Arabia
Title
Hulk: Hulk of Arabia
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #42–46
Publication date
April 2012
ISBN
0-7851-6095-7
Hulk: Haunted Hulk
Hulk: Haunted Hulk
Title
Hulk: Haunted Hulk
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #47–52
Publication date
August 2012
ISBN
978-0-7851-6099-1
Red Hulk: Mayan Rule
Red Hulk: Mayan Rule
Title
Red Hulk: Mayan Rule
Material collected
Hulk (vol. 2) #53–57
Publication date
November 2012
ISBN
0-7851-6097-3
Title
Material collected
Publication date
ISBN
Hulk Vol. 1: Red Hulk
Hulk (vol. 2) –6
February 2009
mw- body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- } }0-7851-2882-4
Hulk Vol. 2: Red & Green
Hulk (vol. 2) –9; King-Size Hulk
July 2009
0-7851-2884-0
Hulk Vol. 3: Hulk No More
Hulk (vol. 2) –13; Incredible Hulk
February 2010
0-7851-4052-2
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks Prelude
Hulk (vol. 2) , 16; Skaar: Son of Hulk ; Hulk: Raging Thunder; Planet Skaar Prologue; All-New Savage She-Hulk ;
February 2010
0-7851-4315-7
Hulk Vol. 4: Hulk vs. X-Force
Hulk (vol. 2) –18
June 2010
0-7851-4053-0
Hulk: Fall of the Hulks – Red Hulk
Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk –4
August 2010
0-7851-4795-0
Hulk Vol. 5: Fall of the Hulks
Hulk (vol. 2) –21; Fall of the Hulks: Gamma
November 2010
0-7851-4054-9
Hulk Vol. 6: World War Hulks
Hulk (vol. 2) –24
March 2011
0-7851-4267-3
Red Hulk: Scorched Earth
Hulk (vol. 2) –30
May 2011
0-7851-4896-5
Planet Red Hulk
Hulk (vol. 2) , 31–36
October 2011
0-7851-5578-3
Fear Itself: Hulk
Hulk (vol. 2) –41
February 2012
0-7851-5579-1
Hulk: Hulk of Arabia
Hulk (vol. 2) –46
April 2012
0-7851-6095-7
Hulk: Haunted Hulk
Hulk (vol. 2) –52
August 2012
978-0-7851-6099-1
Red Hulk: Mayan Rule
Hulk (vol. 2) –57
November 2012
0-7851-6097-3

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