WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Hulk #3, available now from Marvel.

The latest entry into the saga of the Hulk has introduced the most terrifying version of the superpowered behemoth yet. After taking the reins of his unstoppable alter-ego, Bruce Banner has piloted the Hulk into the unknown, only to come face-to-face with another version of himself in a faraway dimension. But, most shockingly of all, it is neither this other Bruce nor his world's Hulks who pose the greatest threat. Instead, that ominous honor belongs to none other than the Hulk's oldest enemy, Thunderbolt Ross. This Ross, the President, looks worse than any other version ol' Jade Jaws has ever encountered.

As this other Bruce explains, in his world, the initial blast that created the Hulk in most realities instead became weaponized by higher authorities. Eventually, Gamma explosions swept across the globe. Rather than creating one Hulk, this led to the birth of scores of Gamma Mutates. This reality's Banner's job is dealing with these consequences. On President Ross's orders, Banner has been exiling its Gamma Mutates to an interdimensional void, a heartless solution.

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General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross has been an indelible part of Bruce Banner's life ever since the two first appeared back in 1962's Incredible Hulk #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Ross held an intense disdain for both Banner and the Hulk immediately. With time, he grew increasingly focused on hunting the Hulk above all else. This seething hatred sent General Ross down increasingly dark roads. Eventually, he'd go as far as teaming with villains like Abomination purely for the sake of winning. It nearly cost Ross everything -- his career, family, and even life on multiple occasions.

At rock bottom, Ross' need to destroy Bruce Banner's irradiated alter-ego drove him to develop one of his own, emerging as the Red Hulk in 2008's Hulk #1 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Ross's Red Hulk, borne of malice, ironically led him to interrogate his hatred towards Gamma Mutates. His own experiences, paired with his daughter Betty's similar transformations, General Ross has become far less bloodthirsty over the years.

The Thunderbolt Ross of Hulk #3 (by Donny Cates, Ryan Ottley, Cliff Rathburn, Frank Martin, Federico Blee, and VC's Cory Petit) is very different. That he has gone to such extreme lengths to rid the world of Gamma Mutates is no real surprise, although the callousness with which he has unleashed them certainly is. From the looks of things, this version of Thunderbolt Ross is a distillation of all of the character's worst qualities, and no one has been able to quell his campaign of cruelty. The Banner of this world clearly fears this Ross. If the iron Oval Office from which he directs his efforts are any indication, Bruce is probably right to be.

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Assuming that this Thunderbolt Ross is as capable as he appears, the primary Marvel Universe's Bruce Banner is in for a fight that he might test his considerable intellect and his alter ego's tremendous strength. While his Starship Hulk is undoubtedly more powerful than whatever mutates exist in this alternate reality, that doesn't mean he isn't in danger.

Consider what readers already know of how Ross treats Gamma Mutates in this reality. The President doesn't need to destroy Hulk or even physically beat him. He only needs enough time to shove the Strongest There Is into the void. Hulk won't necessarily be able to punch his way out of a ticket to the darkness courtesy of the Multiverse's most menacing POTUS.

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