In Deadpool & Wolverine, Wade Wilson tells Logan “You were an X-Man. You were THE X-Man.” But despite his association with mutant heroes, Wolverine’s first appearance was actually in the pages of The Incredible Hulk #181. That issue hit the stands in the summer of 1974. Since then, Wolverine and the Hulk have fought several times, always beating each other to a virtual standstill. Healing factors mean neither character can really stay injured for long. Their rivalry was so legendary, there is even an animated film, Hulk vs., which spends half its runtime on the Hulk fighting Wolverine. And now, even Deadpool & Wolverine has teased this fight, if only ever so briefly.
Because of various rights issues, for years, the two characters could never tussle on screen in live-action. But now, it’s finally possible. Deadpool & Wolverine teased their epic battle, when Wade goes timeline-hopping looking for a Wolverine to save his reality. He finds a Logan ready to battle the Hulk, before (sadly) moving on to another universe. Knowing fans have been dying to see Wolverine fight Hulk for decades and then not letting us see it as it was about to start was the ultimate tease. (That was mean, Feige!) Might they just be waiting for the right moment to give us the full fight? It’s one of Marvel’s longest-standing feuds, one with a long comic book history.
The Comic Book History of Wolverine vs. the Hulk
Wolverine first appeared as a Canadian hero sent to take down the Jade Giant by Canada’s Department H. Department H was Canada’s agency monitoring superhumans, and needed someone to take Hulk down when he crossed the border. At first, Hulk thought Logan was a friend. But things quickly changed, creating an animosity that’s lasted fifty years began. That was but the first of many fights between the two, across many different realities.
Over the past fifty years, we’ve witnessed Hulk and Logan tussle many times as “Old Man Logan” and the Maestro, Hulk’s evil future self. We also saw Wolverine take on Worldbreaker Hulk during the events of World War Hulk. In the Ultimate Universe, Hulk literally ripped Logan in half. (It was pretty gruesome). Every few years, these two mega-popular characters take a crack at each other. It’s now a Marvel Comics tradition.
The Incredible Hulk #340 Is Wolverine and Hulk’s Most Iconic Fight
Yet aside from their original meeting, their most famous battle occurred in The Incredible Hulk #340. That issue, illustrated by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane early in his career, had Logan fight the Hulk when he was in his slightly less powerful Gray Hulk incarnation. During this era, Hulk was going by the name Mr. Fixit, a Las Vegas enforcer. His personality wasn’t that of a savage beast, but he wasn’t the intellectual Bruce Banner either. Logan goes into his “berserker rage” while fighting Hulk in this issue, attacking him more savagely than ever before. The cover, with Hulk reflected in Wolverine’s claws, is one of Marvel’s most iconic covers ever, replicated for posters and t-shirts, and now Deadpool & Wolverine.
As Deadpool & Wolverine pointed out, during this epic fight, Wolverine was wearing his brown and tan costume, designed by Uncanny X-Men artist John Byrne in 1981. The film teases this epic battle, even showing the moment when the Hulk’s face is reflected in Logan’s adamantium claws. But then Wade leaves this timeline, and fans were robbed of seeing this iconic fight in live-action. At least for now. At least we got a brief glimpse of Hugh Jackman in that iconic costume. But it certainly left fans wanting more.
Could Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars Finally Give Fans a Wolverine vs. Hulk Battle?
Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige knows how badly fans have been wanting to see Logan and Hulk fight in live-action. There’s almost no way he doesn’t deliver on this tease at some point. Most likely in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Hopefully, Mark Ruffalo will be in his savage Hulk persona when he fights Wolverine. No shade against Professor Hulk, but it’s much more fun seeing Logan pop his claws against Hulk when he’s a being of pure rage. It’s unlikely that Marvel fans are going to see the fight in Deadpool & Wolverine play out. But one day, Logan and Bruce are going to come to blows on screen. Here’s hoping it’s as epic as when Deadpool and Wolverine finally got to kick the tar out of each other.