Hulkling is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A member of the Young Avengers superhero team in the Marvel Universe, Hulkling's visual design is patterned on the Hulk. In addition to being superhumanly strong, he possesses shapeshifting abilities that go far beyond the ability to mimic the Hulk, which give him the power to fly.
Hulkling was created in 2005 as part of a new series, Young Avengers, whose characters would all share common motifs with existing characters from Marvel's popular Avengers team. While Hulkling was patterned on Hulk, he is later revealed to be the son of the Kree superhero Captain Marvel and the Skrull princess Anelle. As the heir to the Skrull throne, he was raised on Earth for his own safety under the human identity Theodore "Teddy" Altman.
Hulkling's creators originally considered creating a female character before deciding that Young Avengers offered them an opportunity to increase LGBT representation at Marvel, leading to his high-profile romantic pairing with his teammate Wiccan. The character was immediately popular with audiences and critics, with the pair becoming lauded by some as "Marvel's most popular gay couple". Since the time of their introduction, the characters have been at the centre of important Marvel company-wide crossover stories such as Avengers: The Children's Crusade and Empyre. The latter story saw Hulkling marry his long-time partner Wiccan, as well as bringing an end to the Kree–Skrull War, a mainstay of the Marvel Universe since 1971. He ultimately accepts the crown of the Kree-Skrull Alliance and the regnal name of Emperor Dorrek VIII.Empyre: Aftermath Avengers
Publication history Hulkling was created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung and first was in Young Avengers #1 (April 2005) along with other teenage heroes patterned after founding Avengers members.
Hulkling was originally planned to be a female character. According to Tom Brevoort, "Originally, Allan pitched Hulkling as a female character using her shape-changing abilities to pose as a man. I suspect this was as close as Allan felt he could get to depicting an openly gay relationship in a Marvel comic. But as we got underway... he started to have second thoughts and approached me about maintaining Hulkling and Wiccan as two involved male characters".
He was also featured in Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways and appeared in the Civil War crossover event. Hulkling then appeared in the 2013 Young Avengers series by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, and appeared with Wiccan in New Avengers as part of All-New All-Different Marvel.
Most recently, Hulkling has been a key player in Empyre, Marvel's summer 2020 crossover event. A one-shot, Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling, written by Chip Zdarsky and queer author Anthony Oliveira, fills in some of the events that led to Hulkling becoming emperor and his relationship with Wiccan.
In April 2021, Hulkling and Wiccan became members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, beginning with Guardians of the Galaxy #13 by Al Ewing, Juan Frigeri, and Brett Booth.
Fictional character biography
Young Avengers Vol. 1 In his first appearance, little is revealed about Hulkling except for the fact he is raised by a single mother. All this changes when the shapeshifting extraterrestrial known as the Super-Skrull appears, stating that Teddy is a Skrull. The Super-Skrull is surprised to learn that Teddy has super strength and wonders "perhaps the rumors about his father are true." The Super-Skrull follows the Young Avengers to Wiccan's house, where Teddy's mother is waiting for him. The Super-Skrull releases a device designed to turn Teddy into his true form in an attempt to prove his Skrull heritage. While the device does not change Teddy's physical appearance, his mother is also caught in the device's beam and is exposed as a Skrull. When the Super-Skrull accuses her of being a traitor to her race, she responds by saying that the Empress ordered her to protect Teddy, even from the likes of the Super-Skrull, pulling out a gun. The Super-Skrull responds by killing her, though it was unintentional.Young Avengers #9 (December 2005). Marvel Comics.
The Super-Skrull reveals that years ago during the Kree-Skrull War, he kidnapped Mar-Vell, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch, presenting them to the Skrull emperor Dorrek VII. Though the heroes later escaped, the Emperor's daughter Anelle conceived a child with Mar-Vell. At birth, the child was marked for death by Dorrek VII. Anelle ordered her chambermaid to take the child to Earth, assuming Mar-Vell would be there to care for him. Unable to find the hero, the chambermaid took on a human identity and chose to raise Teddy as her own son.
The Super-Skrull reveals that his intention is to bring Teddy back to the Empire so that he may unify his people. Kree soldiers arrive to take Teddy as one of their own. A battle erupts between the Kree and the Skrull. Teddy ends the conflict by surrendering himself. It is settled that Teddy will spend half an Earth-year with the Kree and the other half with the Skrull, at which time he will declare his ultimate allegiance. The "Teddy" that left Earth is actually the Super-Skrull in disguise. The real Teddy remains on Earth.Young Avengers #12 (August 2006). Marvel Comics.
Civil War
Along with the rest of his team, Hulkling sides with Secret Avengers against the Superhuman Registration Act during the Civil War storyline. He plays a pivotal role in Captain America's plan for the final confrontation with Iron Man's forces, impersonating Yellowjacket to free the imprisoned heroes in Negative Zone Prison Alpha.Civil War #6. Marvel Comics.
Meeting Captain Marvel Hulkling contacts the mysteriously revived Captain Marvel to confront him about his identity as Mar-Vell's son. Mar-Vell confirms the Super Skrull's story concerning Teddy's origins and that he could be Teddy's father, though he was unaware of Teddy's existence because he and the Skrull Princess Anelle never saw each other again. Mar-Vell comforts a frustrated Teddy, who is upset at Mar-Vell's intention to return to the past, expressing an interest in spending more time with him before he dies. Later, Teddy asserts that he never saw Mar-Vell alive again.Young Avengers Presents #2. Marvel Comics.
Teddy exhibits frustration with being essentially orphaned during the events of "Family Matters" and his hopes of establishing a father-son relationship with Mar-Vell, his last remaining parent. Later storylines reveal that the "revived" Captain Marvel was a Skrull imposter named Khn'nr, intended by Skrull scientists to impersonate Mar-Vell. Due to his mental programming malfunctioning, the Skrull believed himself to be Mar-Vell.Captain Marvel vol. 7 #5. Marvel Comics.
In the Children's Crusade: Young Avengers one-shot, a future version of Teddy is shown to have taken up the mantle of Captain Marvel wearing a version of his father's classic costume with the white and green coloring of his original Kree uniform.
Secret Invasion
The Young Avengers confront a group of rampaging super-powered Skrulls. Hulkling tries to use his Skrull heritage to calm them, but is instead battered down with energy blasts.Secret Invasion #3 It was revealed that Veranke and a few higher up in position of the invasion specifically ordered Teddy's death without informing the soldiers of his royal heritage, for fear that it could confuse and divide the loyalties of their soldiers. Teddy is saved from execution at the last second by Xavin.Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #1. Marvel Comics. With the aid of Xavin, Speed and Wiccan, Hulkling survives an attack by X'iv, a Skrull assassin working for Chrell with the powers of Daredevil, Elektra, and Cloak and Dagger.Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #2–3. Marvel Comics.
Later, a Skrull reveals to Hulkling, Wiccan, and Hawkeye that taking over the Earth was the last chance they had since all their planets have been destroyed.Secret Invasion #8. Marvel Comics.
Original Sins Hulkling is featured in the Original Sins mini-series as part of the Original Sin storyline. With his friends Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr) and Prodigy (David Alleyne), Hulkling tries to save innocent people from being overwhelmed by cosmic secrets that are driving them insane.Original Sins #1–5 (2014). Marvel Comics.
All-New, All-Different Marvel As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Hulkling (alongside Wiccan) became a member of Sunspot's New Avengers. Eventually, a small group of Kree–Skrull hybrids arrive on Earth and kidnap Teddy so that he can assume his position as king and unite the two warring alien races. Teddy gains the sword of the prior king and uses it to defeat ghost wizard Moridun but announces that he has commitments to protect Earth and will return to fulfill his destiny if and when he is ready. Later, he manages to rescue Billy who was taken over by Moridun by convincing him to fight.
Empyre
Teddy later accepts his heritage and the mantle of "Dorrek VIII", and, at the cost of leaving Billy, becomes the new ruler of the Kree–Skrull Alliance, upon which he begins preparations to invade Earth for "the final war".Incoming! #1. Marvel Comics. This was further depicted when Raksor and Bel-Dann visit Teddy during his trip to Krakoa, intending him to bring the Kree and the Skrull to an alliance to combat a growing threat on the Moon. Their meeting is crashed by Skrull soldiers, who call them heretics. A fight breaks out until Teddy grabs the Sword of Space, which frightens the Skrulls. After being transported to the Imperial Flagship, Hulkling meets with Tanalth the Translator, who names him Dorrek VIII of the newly-founded Kree–Skrull Alliance. Tanalth introduces the royal guards who will be working for Hulkling, including Captain Glory and the Kree–Skrull sorceress. When the latest member is revealed to be Super-Skrull, Hulkling punches him for what he did to his mother. Super-Skrull stated that he actually killed the chambermaid who raised him after absconding him from Princess Anelle, which he now regrets. After breaking up the argument, Tanalth explains that the Kree and Skrull fleets are proceeding to the Titan stargate near Saturn. Hulkling visits Mar-Vell's grave, where he states that his mother has told him about Mar-Vell's heroics. Hulkling breaks ties with Wiccan, who states that he will be on Earth when he returns.
As well as setting Hulkling up for the Empyre event, Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling also shows the importance of Hulkling's relationship with Wiccan. Co-author Anthony Oliveira also found it important to depict them both having fuller queer lives independent of one another. Oliveira had previously shown the couple having a queer everyday life with Wiccan going to a drag brunch with Loki, with Hulkling lounging at home. The events of Emperor Hulkling start at a drag bar, where Hulkling is drinking with fellow Young Avengers Prodigy and Speed, who are also depicted as a couple. Powers and abilities Hulkling is the extraterrestrial hybrid offspring of an enhanced Kree warrior, Captain Marvel, and Skrull royalty, Princess Anelle, resulting in various abilities derived from the unique combination of his parents' genetic material. His powers exceed those of ordinary individuals of either race; they most likely are much stronger than those of other potential hybrids due to his father's various enhancements prior to Hulkling's conception. His shape-shifting and accelerated healing factor derive from his Skrull heritage, while his superhuman strength originates from his enhanced Kree background.