Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): Who is She-Hulk?

Self-confident, cheeky and sometimes a little over-motivated: That’s Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk. Similar to Moon Knight, she’s not one of the most well-known Marvel characters, but she has loyal fans who can’t wait to finally see She-Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For She-Hulk herself, the series closes a circle that began in the late 1970s.

She-Hulk’s beginnings

The fact that Jennifer Walters was invented at all has a lot to do with the television landscape of the late 70s and early 80s and with the success of the “Incredible Hulk”. The TV series, which ran from 1977 to 1982, was one of the most successful Marvel projects of the time. However, Marvel boss Stan Lee wondered what would happen if Hulk made a TV career similar to that of the then also very popular “Six Million Dollar Man”. He soon got a spin-off series in the form of “Seven Million Dollar Woman”. Wanting to avoid missing out on a lucrative business opportunity, Lee decided to create a female version of the Hulk: Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk. She made her debut in Savage She-Hulk in 1980.

MCU: Jennifer Walters also became the Hulk in the series thanks to Bruce Banner. But here unintentionally.

Source: Marvel/Disney



In the Marvel Universe, attorney Jennifer Walters is Hulk Bruce Banner’s cousin. To save her life, Bruce gives her a blood transfusion that turns her into a Hulk. She-Hulk shares roughly the same abilities as the Hulk (super strength, near invulnerability, huge endurance), but differs from him in a few important areas. Unlike the Hulk, she can speak normally, has no second personality, and also has far more control over her abilities and transformation. It even goes so far that She-Hulk decides to spend most of her time in Hulk form.

She-Hulk’s time with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four

MCU: Her status as a superhero also makes She-Hulk a superstar.

Source: Marvel/Disney



After her successful solo comic, She-Hulk became a regular guest star on other series. Two superhero groups in particular always get support from her: the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. In the Avengers, she’s usually just part of the group, so she has to share stories and time with the other heroes. In the Fantastic Four she was a replacement for Thing Ben Grimm for a while. Unlike Ben, Jennifer is very self-confident and doesn’t constantly struggle with other people’s prejudices.

So she got some stories all to herself. Even more than her time in the Avengers, her appearance in the Fantastic Four helped establish her as an interesting character for fans. Comics writer and illustrator John Byrne played an important role in making the “replacement Hulk” that She-Hulk was at the beginning of her career a character in her own right.

She-Hulk: Advocate for superheroes

MCU: She-Hulk’s clients also include super villains like Abomination.

Source: Marvel/Disney



So when Byrne got the opportunity to create a new solo title with She-Hulk, he immediately said yes. The only condition: She-Hulk should be different than the rest of the superheroes. His solution gave She-Hulk one of the character’s most important traits: making her funny and knowing she was a comic book character. “Sensational She-Hulk” was a comedy series in which Jennifer Walters often met very weird villains and discussed them with readers and comic book authors.

Jennifer Walters’ last major addition to her character came in 2004 and 2005. In a new solo title, she landed a job as a lawyer specializing in superhero cases. This title is definitely funny, too, but Jennifer’s life as a lawyer is put in the foreground here. The cases have also been used more frequently to explain plot holes in other Marvel comics.