Hulkling made his first appearance in Young Avengers #1, published in April 2005. He was co-created by writer Allan Heinberg, known for his work on television shows like The O.C. and Grey's Anatomy, and legendary artist Jim Cheung. The creation of the Young Avengers came in the wake of the seismic Avengers Disassembled storyline, which saw the classic Avengers team disbanded. This created a vacuum in the Marvel Universe that Heinberg and Cheung filled with a new generation of heroes who were thematically and personally linked to the Avengers legacy. Heinberg's initial concept for Hulkling was different. He originally planned for the character to be a female Skrull named Chimera who shapeshifted into a male form to emulate the Hulk, and her relationship with Wiccan (then called Asgardian) would have involved her revealing her “true” female form, complicating his sexuality. However, upon reflection and discussion with editor Tom Brevoort, Heinberg decided it would be a more powerful and direct statement to simply have two young men in an open, loving gay relationship. This decision was groundbreaking for mainstream comics at the time and cemented Hulkling and Wiccan's place in comic book history. Teddy's initial codename, “Hulkling,” and his green skin and super-strength were intentional misdirections for readers. For the first several issues, he and the team (and the readers) were led to believe he was a teenage version of the Hulk, possibly related to Bruce Banner. The eventual reveal of his true Kree-Skrull heritage was a central mystery of the series' first arc, subverting expectations and immediately establishing him as a character with cosmic significance far beyond what his name suggested.
The origin of Hulkling is a tale of forbidden love, galactic war, and a destiny hidden on a distant, primitive world. His existence is a direct consequence of the ancient and bitter conflict between the Kree and Skrull Empires.
Theodore “Teddy” Altman was raised in New York City by his single mother, a woman he knew as Mary-Jo Altman. From a young age, Teddy knew he was different; he possessed superhuman strength and the uncanny ability to change his physical form. He hid these abilities, fearing persecution. In high school, he used his powers to stand up to a bully, which attracted the attention of Iron Lad, a young hero from the future who was assembling a new team of “Young Avengers” to prevent a catastrophic future timeline. Teddy, initially believing his strength and green hue meant he was related to the Hulk, adopted the codename Hulkling. He joined Iron Lad's team alongside other young heroes with connections to Avengers legends: Patriot (Elijah Bradley), grandson of the first Captain America; Asgardian (Billy Kaplan), a magic-user with powers similar to the Scarlet Witch; and Kate Bishop. It was during their first major conflict that the truth of his origin began to unravel. The team was confronted by not only the established Avengers but also by the Super-Skrull, Kl'rt. The Super-Skrull revealed that Teddy was not related to the Hulk at all. He was, in fact, a Skrull. Simultaneously, a Kree starship arrived, and a soldier, Captain At-Lass, declared that Teddy was also part Kree and a disgrace to the Kree Empire. The truth was far more complex: Teddy was the biological son of the legendary Kree warrior Captain Mar-Vell and the Skrull Empress-in-waiting, Princess Anelle. During the Kree-Skrull War, Mar-Vell had been captured by the Skrulls. He and Anelle fell in love, and she conceived a child. Knowing that a half-Kree, half-Skrull hybrid would be seen as an abomination and a target by both empires, Anelle arranged for her newborn son, named Dorrek VIII, to be spirited away to safety. Her most loyal handmaiden took the child to Earth, a backwater planet where she believed he could grow up in obscurity. This handmaiden used her Skrull shapeshifting to take the form of Mary-Jo Altman and raised Teddy as her own son. The Super-Skrull and the Kree had come to Earth to claim the boy for their respective empires, viewing him as either a strategic asset or a threat to be eliminated. In the ensuing conflict, Teddy's adoptive “mother” was killed by the Kree. The Super-Skrull, moved by the boy's resemblance to Princess Anelle and his own personal history, protected Teddy. The Young Avengers, with the help of the main Avengers team, fought off the warring factions, allowing Teddy to remain on Earth and make his own choices. This revelation burdened him with the knowledge that he was royalty and the potential heir to two thrones, a destiny he actively rejected for years in favor of being a hero and living a normal life with his boyfriend, Billy Kaplan.
As of late 2023, Hulkling (Teddy Altman) has not been officially introduced or named in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the foundational elements for his arrival are in place, and the film The Marvels (2023) contains strong allusions that point toward his existence. The MCU has extensively established the Kree-Skrull War as a central cosmic conflict, beginning with Captain Marvel (2019). This film introduced both alien races and established that Carol Danvers' powers are Kree-derived. The film also established a group of Skrull refugees, led by Talos, seeking a new home. The film The Marvels introduces the planet Aladna, a whimsical world where its inhabitants communicate through song and its royalty is chosen based on lineage. Prince Yan, the ruler of Aladna, is revealed to be married to Carol Danvers for diplomatic reasons. Crucially, the population of Aladna is shown to be a mix of various species, including a large contingent of Skrull refugees who were relocated there by Carol. The prevailing and most credible theory is that Hulkling exists within this Skrull refugee population on Aladna. His origin would be significantly adapted from the comics:
This altered origin would streamline his introduction, immediately connecting him to Carol Danvers and the established cosmic plotlines. It would also position him as a natural leader for the displaced Skrulls, setting the stage for a future storyline where he unites them with a faction of disillusioned Kree, echoing his comic book destiny on a different scale. While this remains speculative, the narrative pieces strongly suggest this path for his eventual on-screen debut.
Hulkling's unique genetic heritage grants him a potent combination of the signature abilities of both the Kree and Skrull races, making him a formidable physical powerhouse.
Teddy's personality has undergone significant evolution. He began as a somewhat insecure and self-deprecating teenager, uncomfortable with his powers and overwhelmed by the revelation of his cosmic heritage. He was often the heart and moral compass of the Young Avengers, driven by a deep sense of loyalty and a desire to protect his friends, especially his boyfriend, Billy. As he matured, he grew into his role as a leader. He is inherently compassionate and empathetic, always seeking a peaceful solution before resorting to conflict. This was initially seen as a weakness by the more warlike Kree and Skrull factions. However, his greatest strength is his ability to inspire loyalty and hope. He carries the immense weight of his crown with grace, but the burden of leadership and the brutal decisions required of a king often weigh on him. His love for Billy remains his anchor, a source of strength that grounds him amidst the chaos of galactic politics. He is a king who would rather be a hero, but a hero who will be the king his people need.
Since Hulkling has not appeared, his abilities can only be speculated upon based on how the Kree and Skrulls have been portrayed on-screen.
The defining storyline of his early career, this arc in Young Avengers (Vol. 1, #9-12) forced Teddy to confront his true identity. After months of believing he was connected to the Hulk, the sudden arrival of both Kree soldiers and the Super-Skrull threw his life into chaos. The story masterfully reveals his royal lineage as the son of Mar-Vell and Princess Anelle. The climax of the arc saw his adoptive mother killed, forcing him to choose between two warring empires who saw him only as a symbol or a weapon. By choosing to stay on Earth with his found family, he asserted his independence for the first time, establishing the core theme of his character: the struggle between destiny and personal choice.
During the first superhero Civil War, Hulkling and the Young Avengers sided with Captain America's anti-registration faction. They saw the Superhuman Registration Act as a violation of personal freedom and a danger to young heroes. This event was a harsh coming-of-age for the team. Teddy's shapeshifting abilities were invaluable for subterfuge, but he was also one of the heroes captured by Iron Man's forces and imprisoned in the Negative Zone prison, 42. The experience was traumatic and solidified his distrust of government overreach. It also tested his relationship with Billy, as the immense stress of the war strained the entire team.
This 2020 crossover event is Hulkling's magnum opus. The storyline saw representatives from the unified Kree and Skrull races seek him out, begging him to accept his destiny and wield the Star-Sword to become their emperor and lead their joint armada against a mysterious new threat. After much soul-searching, Teddy accepted the crown. He journeyed into space, united the two bitter enemies into a single Alliance, and prepared for war. The enemy was revealed to be the Cotati, who launched a surprise invasion of Earth with the goal of turning it into their new, life-choked homeworld. The event tested Teddy's leadership at every turn; he was seemingly killed and replaced, forced to make impossible strategic decisions, and had to rally the heroes of Earth and his own armada to fight back. In the end, his compassion and belief in unity proved to be the Alliance's greatest weapon. He defeated the Cotati, saved Earth, and solidified his rule as the celebrated “King of Space,” forever changing his status in the Marvel Universe from a young hero to a major galactic power player.