General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
Art by John Romita Jr.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)
Created by	Stan Lee Jack Kirby
In story information
Full name	General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross
Team affiliations	Hulkbusters, United States military
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General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross is a fictional character of Marvel Comics. He is a United States military officer, the father of Betty Ross Banner, ex-father in-law of Glenn Talbot and the father in-law of Dr. Bruce Banner, who transforms into superstrong monster known as the Hulk. John Romita, Jr. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... For the fictional character of this name, see Stan Lee (Judge Dredd character). ... Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds... Hulkbusters is the name of three fictional organizations in the Marvel Universe. ... A fictional character is any person, persona, identity, or entity whose existence originates from a work of fiction. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... Betty Ross (later Betty Talbot and then Betty Banner) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Major (later Colonel) Glenn Talbot is a fictional character and an armed-villain in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Incredible Hulk, The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk redirect here. ...

A veteran of several wars, Ross was the military head of the Gamma Bomb Project although he treated the project's research head, Banner, with contempt. When Banner is caught in a test blast of the weapon and acquired his Hulk condition, Ross personally volunteers to kill the monster. As he is not initially aware of the truth of Banner's condition, Ross merely suspects he is a compatriot of the beast. However, when he does learn the truth, Ross hunts Banner as well.

Originally, many early Hulk stories had General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross as an Army general trying to capture or destroy the Hulk with his U.S. Army battalion, called the "Hulk Busters". Ross' military affiliation has been inconsistently portrayed in the comics. At times, Ross has been portrayed as an Army general. However, he is also frequently seen in an Air Force uniform, and indeed, he wore Air Force blues in his first appearance in Incredible Hulk #1. However, stories about his service during World War II correctly portray him as an Army officer in the Army Air Forces. The army continuity would be maintained in various other tellings of the Hulk story, such as in the original 1965 and 1990 cartoon versions of the Hulk as well as the Ang Lee movie. The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Hulk 2004 issue officially lists Ross as a Lieutenant General (3 stars) in the U.S. Air Force.

Fictional character biography

Ross is a General in the Air Force who is in charge of Bruce Banner's gamma bomb project. His daughter, Betty, takes a liking to the young scientist, a fact which only enhances the dislike the rough Ross has for the "weakling" scientist Banner. After Banner's transformation into the Hulk, Ross spends years chasing the monster, becoming obsessed enough with it to commit treason by allying himself with the Leader, MODOK and the Abomination^[1] in order to destroy the Hulk. Dishonorably discharged, he shows up at Betty and Bruce's wedding with a gun, and shoots Rick Jones. He is recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clay Quartermain to merge with the electric creature Zzzax, a process that gives Ross super-powers, but also makes him mentally unstable. He is later restored to human form but retains some residual energy-generating powers. A radiological weapon (or radiological dispersion device, RDD) is any weapon that is designed to spread radioactive material with the intent to kill, and cause disruption by psychologically and financially impacting a city. ... The Leader (Samuel Sterns) is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain and the archenemy of the Hulk. ... MODOK is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Abomination (Emil Blonsky) is a fictional supervillain that appears in the Marvel Universe and is a perennial foe of the Incredible Hulk. ... Richard Milhouse Rick Jones is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... S.H.I.E.L.D. (originally an acronym for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division, changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the Marvel Universe that often deals with superhuman threats. ... Agent Clay Quartermain is a fictional character from the Marvel Universe who first appeared in Strange Tales vol. ... Zzzax (sometimes spelled Zzaxx) is a fictional character, an elemental supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Comic book fiction traditionally features characters with superhuman, supernatural, or paranormal abilities, often referred to as superpowers (also spelled super-powers). ...

Finally, a mutant who drains people of their mental energy attacks Gamma base in search for a strong host, in this case the Hulk. After witnessing Rick Jones (who was the Hulk at that time) and Banner heroically engaging the mutant, Ross, realizing that he has been wrong about the Hulk being a mindless monster, saves his daughter from being slain by allowing the mutant to latch onto him, and discharging the energy resources he retained from Zzzax. Giving his blessing to Bruce and Betty, he dies in his daughter's arms. Richard Milhouse Rick Jones is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. ...

Ross' body is later stolen by the Leader (from an ambulance), who uses the powers of one of his followers to resurrect Ross. He turn him into a mindless replacement for his fallen soldier Redeemer. Ross is eventually recovered and revived by agents of the alient Troyjan, and returns to the Air Force. He would later come up with a more cost-effective method of confronting the Hulk when he is in his child-like stage: active non-resistance. He and his men simply do not fire on or engage the Hulk in anyway. The Hulk, confused, does not smash and leaps away.

Ross would make friends with Banner, but when Betty was seemingly killed due to what both Ross and Banner believed to have been Banner's gamma-irradiated DNA interacting with hers, he once more pursues the Hulk with a vendetta.

Around this time, General Ryker takes over the pursuit of the Hulk. Ross is indirectly involved, observing when Ryker mentally tortures Banner in order to try and figure out how the Hulk works.

The Hulk escapes from Ryker's control and after several adventures, is lost in space.

After the Hulk returns from exile and initiates World War Hulk, General Ross makes his own return, electing to bring the fight to his nemesis once more after Iron Man is felled by the goliath. Ross now wears the stars of a full general. After a failed assault on the Hulk, Ross and his men are captured and placed in chains under the watch of Hulk's Warbound, the army he has brought back from space. World War Hulk is a comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics beginning in May 2007. ... This article is about the comic book character. ... A General is a high rank in the United States military. ...

In the aftermath of the War, Ross is one of many experts called to investigate the appearance of a Red Hulk.

Other versions

1602

In the Marvel 1602 sequel 1602: New World, an Admiral Ross of the Royal Navy captains a vessel sent to Roanoke to quell the "Witchbreed", including the 1602 version of the Hulk. Marvel 1602 is an eight-issue Marvel comic limited series, published in 2003, written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Andy Kubert, and digitally painted by Richard Isanove. ...

Age of Apocalypse

In the Age of Apocalypse, General Thunderbolt Ross is a member of the Human High Council; a movement dedicated to protecting humans from the murderous rampages of Apocalypse. The Age of Apocalypse is a popular X-Men story arc. ...

Ultimate General Ross

In the Ultimate Marvel universe, General Ross (clearly identified in Ultimate FF #1 as an Army general) is the head of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The various characters of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, as seen on the cover of Ultimates (v2) #12. ... Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the companys most popular superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, The Avengers and the Fantastic Four. ... Ultimate Fantastic Four is a comic book published by Marvel Comics, part of the Ultimate Marvel line featuring classic Marvel Universe characters re-imagined for a modern audience. ... S.H.I.E.L.D. (originally an acronym for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division, changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the Marvel Universe that often deals with superhuman threats. ...

He decides to shut down the Weapon X program. It's director, John Wraith, stages a coup attempt by bombing Ross' offices. He somehow survives this, waking up on the autopsy table and telling the attendant "Hands off my precious bodily fluids, soldier." a nod to General Ripper of Dr. Strangelove. His body still physically damaged he has retired from active S.H.I.E.L.D. duty and has taken a role as a liaison of the government for the think tank headquartered in the Baxter Building, the one that runs the Fantastic Four. Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Governments Department K (and secretly funded by the U.S. government) which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... Strangelove redirects here. ... The Baxter Building is a fictitious Manhattan 35-story office building whose five upper floors house the Fantastic Fours headquarters in the Marvel Universe. ... This article is about the superheroes. ...

Amalgam Comcs

Ross appears as the head of Project Cadmus. He is a far more likeable character, as he adopts Spider-Boy, giving him the name Pete Ross, after feeling sorry for the clone. He plays a role similar to Uncle Ben, as he is called "Uncle Gen" by Pete, and after he is killed by a mugger, Pete decides to become a hero. Project Cadmus is a fictional government genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. ... Spider-Boy is a fictional character, the alter ego of Pete Ross and a Amalgam Comics superhero created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Mike Wieringo. ... Pete Ross is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comic books published by DC Comics. ... Benjamin Ben Parker, usually called Uncle Ben, was a supporting character in the Marvel Universe’s Spider-Man stories. ...

In other media

Hulk (film)

• Actor Sam Elliott was portrayed in the role of General Ross in the 2003 movie Hulk, directed by Ang Lee. The film portrays him as a 4-star general. In the film, it is revealed that Ross was responsible for locking away David Banner, Bruce's father, when Bruce was 4 years old after learning of David's dangerous experiments. He thinks that both Bruce and David are dangerous to his daughter, Betty. His motive of thinking that Bruce is dangerous because he might follow the footsteps of his father, who was creating the same experiment in Bruce's childhood. Ross hunts the Hulk after the Hulk breaks out of the military base. Upon discovering that Bruce Banner is the Hulk, he releases David and takes him to Bruce. When David transforms into a being similar to Absorbing Man, Ross deploys a bomb in order to destroy David. Months after that event, Ross talks to Betty, who was sad from the loss of Bruce, who is believed dead. He asks her if she can do anything to find him, which she denies.

Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American film and television actor. ... The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. ... Hulk is a 2003 superhero film based on the comic book series The Incredible Hulk published by Marvel Comics. ... Ang Lee (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (born October 23, 1954) is an Academy-Award winning film director from the Republic of China (Taiwan). ... The Absorbing Man (Carl Crusher Creel) is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Universe. ...

The Incredible Hulk (1996 TV series)

• In 1996 UPN The Incredible Hulk animated series, General Ross appears, voiced by actor John Vernon. He sends army forces and Hulkbusters to capture or destroy the Hulk, but Ross is also capable of fighting the Hulk one-on-one, using a laser gun Bruce Banner created against the creature in Return of the Beast, part 1 and 2, and again in Darkness and Light, part 3. Like in the comics, Ross is a 3-star general.

UPN (which originally stood for the United Paramount Network) was a television network in over 200 markets in the United States. ... In 1996, UPN brought Marvel Comics Hulk back to animated form (his last animated series was in 1982 for NBC). ... John Vernon was the stage name of Adolph Raymond Vernon Agopsowicz (February 24, 1932–February 1, 2005). ... Hulkbusters is the name of three fictional organizations in the Marvel Universe. ...

The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction

• In The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction video game, General Ross appears as one of the major bosses. Ross is voiced by Dave Thomas. In the game, he teams up with Emil Blonsky to get rid of the Hulk by sending armed forces. In the Proving Grounds section, Ross creates the Hulkbuster Destroyer prototype to battle the Hulk but destroyed it. In Turning Point, Ross creates a Hulkbuster titan for him to control that can shoot missiles, chainguns, and laser beams. After the Hulk's capture, Ross opens his mind, and Samson reminds him to treat Banner fairly. After Hulk and Abomination destroys his base, Ross orders his enforcers to destroy the two. Ross is revealed to be a 4-star general.

See the David Thomas disambiguation page for other people with this name. ... The Abomination (Emil Blonsky) is a fictional supervillain that appears in the Marvel Universe and is a perennial foe of the Incredible Hulk. ...

Fantastic Four (2006 TV series)

• Thunderbolt Ross made a cameo at the end of the Fantastic Four episode "Hard Knocks" when the army arrests Agent Pratt.

Fantastic Four: Worlds Greatest Heroes is a new animated television series premiering on Cartoon Network in Fall 2006 based on Marvel Comics hit series. ...

The Incredible Hulk (film)

• William Hurt will portray General Ross in director Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk scheduled for a June 27, 2008 release.^[2]

William Hurt (born March 20, 1950) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Louis Leterrier (born June 17, 1973 in Paris, France) is a Hollywood film director whose most notable films include The Transporter and Transporter 2, starring Jason Statham, as well as Danny the Dog, a thriller starring Jet Li and Morgan Freeman. ... For the 2003 film, see Hulk (film). ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 in film is expected to feature another battle of the sequels, as many properties release new installments, including: Rambo, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Lost Boys: The Tribe, The Dark Knight, The Incredible Hulk...

Footnotes