Classification: Terrestrial android

Creator: Leader (Samuel Sterns)

User/Possessors: Leader, unidentified scientist, U.S. military (including General Thaddeus Ross and Major Glenn Talbot)

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish I#86/2 (December, 1966)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: Standing nearly 8 feet tall, the semi-sentient Hulk-Killer was built by the Leader as an extension of his Humanoids. It possessed superhuman strength (Class 100) and durability -- it proved to be resistant to the U.S. military's advanced weaponry, including an "atomic flame thrower" and an "atomic powered sound cannon". It was not invulnerable, but rather it was composed of a durable and elastic polymer (Plasti-thene). Its composition was described as similar to that of a sandbag -- it was quite dense, and could absorb and distribute impacts, even temporarily deforming itself significantly, without being seriously damaged. Perforations in its outer covering apparently resealed almost instantly. However, it proved to be vulnerable to an electric shock, which short-circuited its central processing unit deep within its head. In addition, the Hulk-Killer could apparently "inhale" large amounts of air, enabling it to float in midair, to prevent it from falling from a great height (see comments).

History:
(Tales to Astonish I#86/2 (fb) - BTS) - The Hulk-Killer (see comments) was specially constructed by the Leader to beat the Hulk (Bruce Banner). Either the Leader had not yet had a chance to activate it, or it was being left as a fail-safe in case of the Leader's defeat; nevertheless, the inert android was stored in the Leader's New York City laboratory, where it stood silently within its plexiglass cylinder.

(Tales to Astonish I#86/2) - After the Leader's apparent demise from the Globe of Ultimate Knowledge, police officers investigated his laboratory. They found the inert Hulk-Killer and notified the U.S. military, who sent in General Ross and Major Talbot. Figuring that the Hulk-Killer would be able to...kill the Hulk...Ross had one of his scientists activate it. Surprisingly enough, the Hulk-Killer rampaged out of their control and crashed out the laboratory wall. Concerned about the damage the uncontrollable android might inflict upon the city, Ross immediately called in reinforcements, but the military's weapons proved ineffective against the Hulk-Killer. However, true to its programming, the android located and attacked the Hulk (see comments).

(Tales to Astonish I#87/2) - The Hulk-Killer's great strength allowed it to pummel the Hulk, while the composition of its artificial body--as resilient as rubber--enabled it to absorb the impacts of the Hulk's own attacks. Nothing the Hulk could do seemed to faze the powerful android, but when he briefly reverted to Bruce Banner, he was able to visualize a means to defeat it. As he turned back into the Hulk, he forced himself to remember his plan: The Hulk lifted a giant turbine over his head and short-circuited the Hulk-Killer with a high voltage current. With its electronic circuits destroyed, the Hulk-Killer collapsed to the ground in defeat.

Comments: Created by Smilin 'Stan Lee and Jovial John Buscema.

This thing was originally referred to as a "Humanoid," but it eventually picked up the nickname "Hulk-Killer" shortly after its rampage began.

The Hulk-Killer's ability to float was only depicted in one panel -- after the Hulk grabbed it and leapt 2,000 feet into the sky, he noticed the android could float, and figured its body must be hollow; a  few panels later, the Hulk apparently grabbed hold of the android, and the two of them came plummeting back down. Since balloons filled with ordinary air don't float, my guess is that the Hulk-Killer actually had some sort of anti-gravity generating device installed inside of it, but the Hulk's added weight exceeded the capability of the device.

Perhaps the Leader built the Hulk-Killer as his own Humanoid-version of the Hulk, and he used the bio-metric data he collected from examining the Hulk in Tales to Astonish I#69/2.

Maybe the Hulk-Killer eventually ended up in the hands of the Reanimator.

And the Hulk was in New York City because he had just saved the metropolis from the Orion Missile.
--Ron Fredricks

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Hulk-Killer has no known connections to:

• Egghead's android - large pink android with a similar appearance--Tales to Astonish I#61/1
• Flexo - robot made from "live" rubber--Mystic Comics I#1/1
• Hulk robot - which was built by two college students and enhanced by power of the Uni-Mind--Eternals I#14
• Hulkbusters - the military unit led by Jack Armbruster--Incredible Hulk II#148
• Hulkbusters - the team organized by Bruce Banner when he was separated from the Hulk--Incredible Hulk II#317
• Hulkbusters - a group of armored warriors organized by William Talbot--Incredible Hulk II#436
• Hulkbusters - another military unit--Incredible Hulk II#468
• Hulk-Hunters - Amphibion, Dark-Crawler, and Torgo--Incredible Hulk II#269
• Super-Humanoid - another powerful Humanoid of the Leader--Incredible Hulk II#116
• Synthetic Man - rubbery robot used by the Sorcerer, Spider-Man foe--Marvel Super-Heroes II#14
• other "Hulk" or "Killer" thingees

The unidentified scientist has no known connections to:

• unidentified scientist - held captive by Pinhead, rescued by Miss America--Marvel Mystery Comics I#53/4
• unidentified scientist - examined Screemies for Jimmy Woo--Yellow Claw#4/2
• unidentified scientist - built Lo-Karr--Journey into Mystery I#75/1
• unidentified scientist - held captive by "Soviet Spacemen," rescued by Bob Brant and the Trouble-Shooters--Man Comics#27/3
• any other scientists

unidentified scientist He was General Ross' "top research expert" -- presumably, he was highly skilled in some unspecified branch of science. The New York City police had discovered the Leader's laboratory, where they found a large inert android and the Leader's diary; after reading that the Leader had specifically built the android to beat the Hulk, the police contacted the military. When General Ross and Major Talbot arrived on the scene, Ross wanted to use the android to destroy the Hulk, so he contacted this scientist to activate it. The scientist arrived shorty afterward, and Ross gave him the Leader's diary to study. Hours later, the scientist learned how to operate the equipment to bring the Hulk-Killer android to life. But when the android burst from its plexiglass cylinder and didn't respond to General Ross' orders, the scientist expressed that it was too dangerous to go free, and out of their control. --Tales to Astonish I#86/2

images: (without ads)
Tales to Astonish I#87/2, p1, pan1 (Hulk-Killer battles Hulk)
Tales to Astonish I#87/2, p2, pan2 (Hulk-Killer's face deforms after being punched by Hulk's fist)
Tales to Astonish I#86/2, p8, pan3 (after getting hit by atomic powered sound cannon, Hulk-Killer thinks with its electronic brain)
Tales to Astonish I#87/2, p10, pan1 (Hulk-Killer gets short-circuited by Hulk)
Tales to Astonish I#86/2, p4, pan1 (unidentified scientist, holding Leader's diary)
Tales to Astonish I#86/2, p4, pan2 (unidentified scientist manipulates controls to activate Hulk-Killer)
Tales to Astonish I#86/2, p4, pan3 (unidentified scientist successfully activates Hulk-Killer)

Appearances:
Tales to Astonish I#86/2-87/2 (December, 1966 - January, 1967) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), John Buscema (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks)

First Posted: 01/16/2003
Last updated: 11/03/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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