The Hulk isn't just one character, in fact, there are a total of five Hulks living inside Bruce Banner's mind: Savage Hulk (green Hulk fans grew to love), Prof. Hulk (an intelligent Hulk who becomes weaker the angrier he gets), Green Scar (the Hulk from the Planet Hulk storyline), Devil Hulk (the Hulk from The Immortal Hulk series), and last but not least, Grey Hulk (also known as Joe Fixit).
Over the decades since his introduction, the character has evolved little by little, having little to no change due in part to his individuality from the other Hulks. But the Hulk known as Joe Fixit has a life that fans know little about, especially when it comes to his past as both a hero and criminal.
10 First Hulk To Appear, Ever
The very first Hulk to appear in The Incredible Hulk #1 in 1962 was the Grey Hulk, not the famous Green Hulk. The story behind this choice was that Stan Lee originally intended for the Hulk's skin to be Green, back when the dynamic between Hulk and Bruce Banner was much like Jekyll and Hyde.
But because of a printing issue the comic-book publisher suffered early on, Lee decided to change the skin-color to Green. Although they later explained the Hulk's skin changed due to repeated exposure to radiation before Joe Fixit was introduced.
9 Weaker Than Green Hulk
One aspect that was revealed about the Grey Hulk is that he is weaker than the Savage Hulk. In Peter David's run of The Incredible Hulk, it was revealed that the Hulks were different personalities of Banner's mind, which physically transformed when coming out.
Fan's learned that the Savage Hulk and Grey Hulk battled each other to come out, and the Savage Hulk personality won more often, hence appearing more. Grey Hulk is also physically weaker than Savage Hulk but is smarter than him as well.
8 Was A Mobster
During Peter David's run on the Hulk comics, the Grey Hulk took on the name Joe Fixit, while working as a mobster in Las Vegas. There, he worked as a Las Vegas Mob Enforcer for the mafia, taking care of their problems at night, hence the name Joe "Fix it."
During this run, he would also forcibly turn into Bruce Banner at dawn, since Bruce was ashamed of this Hulk's manipulative and mean personality. But came night, Joe Fixit would appear, with an oversized suit, hat and shoes to go with the Hulk.
7 Was A Member of the Second Fantastic Four
After the Fantastic Four had apparently died (they didn't), a new term was formed, composed of Ghost Rider (to replace the Human Torch), Wolverine and Spider-Man (to replace Sue Storm and Reed Richards) and non-other than Joe Fixit (to replace the ever-loving Thing).
Known as the New Fantastic Four, they fought the Mole-Man on Monster Island and the Sinister Six and then came together when Dr. Strange asked them to bring in the Human Torch for arson (ironically).
6 Has Defeated The Thing
The Hulk and Thing had previously fought, and the Hulk lost because he was physically weaker than the thing. But it's Peter David's The Incredible Hulk #350, he fights the Thing again and defeats him using his wit and cunning (although what he really does is force the Thing underwater so that he has struggling fighting the Grey Goliath).
It's just enough for the Grey Hulk to deliver a final blow that wins him the battle, although some fans thought it showed just how dirty Joe Fixit is willing to fight in order to win.
5 Was Supposed To Appear in Avengers: Age Of Ultron
That's right, the Grey Hulk was supposed to appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron. He would've made a cameo-like appearance during the South Africa rampage and Hulkbuster battle, after Scarlet Witch "messes with his mind," as Tony Stark had put it.
Director Joss Whedon said it was an idea they were considering at the time, to show how Scarlett Witche's influence affected the Hulk. Also, he was going to have red eyes to show the mind-powers in effect. But they decided to go for a dirty-green look, reminiscent of the Savage Hulk, instead.
4 Was Born Out Of Mobster Flicks
Joe Fixit's personality and choice to become a Mob Enforcer, are not a coincidence. In Al Ewing's Immortal Hulk run, while exploring the subconscious origins of the Hulk, fans learned that Joe Fixit (or Sunshine Joe as he is now known), stemmed from Bruce Banner's obsession with crime flicks.
Young Bruce would watch the films as a kid, and slowly imagine what an ideal life as an adult would be like, at that early age. Although Doc Samson believes he is most likely a manifestation of Bruce's self-serving desires.
3 Only Hulk To Take Over Bruce Banner's Body
Another interesting fact brought on by writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennets Immortal Hulk run is Joe's recent ability to take over Bruce's mind during the day. This first occurred in The Immortal Hulk #16, while Bruce Banner in his Immortal Hulk form, began exploring a military shadow base but was forced back into "puny banner" by solar monitors.
But instead of Bruce's mind in control of his own body, instead, it was Joe Fixit, who could be recognized as "not Bruce" by his grey eyes. This is the first time a Hulk has been able to do this, and for Joe to be the first to pull it off, is quite a feat that separates him from the other Hulks.
2 Was The Smartest Of The Hulks
Before the introduction of Professor Hulk and the Green Scar (Planet Hulk persona), Joe Fixit was considered the smartest of the Hulks. This was not only because he could talk coherently and devise plans that fit his insidious nature, but he also had deductive reasoning which allowed him to judge a situation which he could benefit from.
He also used his cunning over brute strength, despite getting stronger the angrier he got. But that didn't stop him from being a sneaky Hulk.
1 Is Based On Classic Horror Film Characters
Although Hulk as a whole is inspired by both Frankenstein's monster and Mr. Hyde, Grey Hulk is specifically based (both physically and in nature) on Boris Karloff's Frankenstein's monster and Mr. Hyde.
His head was designed to resemble Karloff's own head, and his personality is supposed to be a reflection of the self-centered and pleasure-seeking Mr. Hyde, where Bruce Banner fits the well natured and scientific mind of Dr. Jekyll. Although his future designs as a mob enforcer would also make him look like a Marvel version of DC's Solomon Grundy.