Amadeus Cho's Role as Key Spider-Man Ally

While Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man introduces a fresh take on Peter Parker, its web connects to the broader Marvel Universe. The series cleverly reimagines most of its supporting cast as established heroes and villains from Marvel lore. This even applies to Peter's colleagues at his Oscorp internship, including the brilliant Amadeus Cho.

So, who exactly is Amadeus Cho, and how did he become one of Marvel's most significant young heroes in recent years? Why was he famously known as the "Totally Awesome Hulk"? Here's the essential guide to this exceptionally gifted, yet sometimes arrogant, character.This guide covers the following key areas:

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Who Is Marvel’s Amadeus Cho?

Despite his youth and the fierce competition for the title, Amadeus Cho is considered one of the most intelligent minds in the Marvel Universe. Ironically, his genius and rebellious nature have kept him on the run from authorities for much of his teenage life. He feels a natural kinship with outlawed heroes like the Hulk and Hercules, never hesitating to put himself in danger for his friends.

More recently, Amadeus acquired physical might to rival his mental prowess. He temporarily became the Hulk after absorbing Bruce Banner's gamma radiation. And although the original Hulk has since returned, Amadeus continues his heroic work under the new alias of Brawn. No matter the name, Amadeus Cho is a formidable guardian of justice.

In recent years, Amadeus has gained the strength to match his brainpower. “

Amadeus Cho’s Hulk Powers and Abilities

Amadeus possesses a superhuman intellect. Officially ranked as the seventh-smartest person on Earth in the Marvel canon, his true potential might be even greater. He excels at pattern recognition and can perform staggeringly complex mental calculations on demand. The primary drawback to his powerful mind is that such intense computation rapidly depletes his energy, leaving him ravenously hungry.

Upon becoming the new Hulk, Amadeus gained the physical power to complement his intellect. At his peak, he possesses the Hulk's signature super-strength, coupled with abilities like rapid healing and immense durability. Unlike his predecessor, Amadeus retains his full intelligence and personality in his transformed state, allowing him to sidestep the classic "rage monster" archetype.

Currently operating as Brawn, Amadeus is slightly less powerful than in his prime Hulk form. However, he can still unleash his full Hulk-level strength when circumstances require it.

Amadeus Cho’s Comic Book History

Created by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, Amadeus Cho first appeared in 2005's Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15. This issue was particularly significant, as the original Amazing Fantasy #15 from 1962 famously introduced Spider-Man. Marvel used this second volume as a platform to launch new characters with major potential, with Amadeus emerging as its standout success.

His intellect is formally recognized after winning a competition sponsored by the Excello Soap Company, earning him the title of the world's seventh-smartest man. Tragically, the contest's sponsor, Pythagoras Dupree—ranked sixth—attempts to have Amadeus killed to protect his own status. When his family is killed in the ensuing conflict, Amadeus is forced into a life on the run, accompanied only by a coyote pup. A fateful meeting with the Hulk forges a lifelong friendship and allegiance with the green goliath.

Cho re-emerged as a key figure during the 2007 World War Hulk event, coming to his friend's aid and eventually partnering with Hercules (himself a fugitive for refusing to register under the Superhuman Registration Act during 2006's Civil War). Their dynamic partnership led to their own ongoing series, The Incredible Hercules, chronicling their many shared escapades. This series also gave rise to this now-iconic meme:

Cho and Hercules eventually redeem themselves as legitimate heroes, even saving the entire multiverse from the cosmic threat of the Japanese god Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Eventually, this dynamic duo parted ways to pursue their own paths.

This separation, however, marked the beginning of a new era for Amadeus. In a heroic effort to prevent a nuclear disaster, he absorbed Bruce Banner's gamma radiation, resulting in his transformation into the new Hulk. His adventures as the Marvel Universe's "Totally Awesome Hulk" were detailed in his self-titled series. Cho also played a pivotal role in founding a new iteration of the superhero team The Champions, fighting alongside other young heroes like Ms. Marvel, Nova, Viv Vision, and a time-displaced Cyclops.

In the current era, Banner has resumed his role as the Hulk, and Amadeus has carved out a new identity as Brawn—a hero whose physical power is matched only by his towering intellect. He is a character whose immense abilities fully justify his considerable ego.

Amadeus Cho Beyond the Comics

Amadeus has steadily become a more frequent presence in Marvel's animated shows and video games, a trend that accelerated after he became the Hulk in the comics. In gaming, his Hulk persona is a playable character in titles like Marvel Future Fight, Marvel Puzzle Quest, and Avengers Academy, and he also features in the LEGO Marvel game series.

In animation, Amadeus appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man and Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled. In both, voiced by Eric Bauza, he assumes the mantle of Iron Spider, a departure from his comic book origins. The 2017 Spider-Man animated series was the first to feature Amadeus as the Totally Awesome Hulk, voiced by Ki Hong Lee.

Cho now appears as a supporting character in the newest animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Voiced by Aleks Le, this incarnation of Amadeus is introduced as a supremely confident scientist and one of Peter Parker's fellow interns at Oscorp. It remains to be seen if this version will eventually gain superpowers. However, given that other interns and even their professors are all based on established comic book heroes and villains, it seems likely that a team-up between this Spider-Man and Brawn is inevitable.

We also anticipate it's only a question of when, not if, Amadeus will debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His mother, Helen, had a minor role in Avengers: Age of Ultron (played by Claudia Kim) as the scientist coerced into building Ultron's new body. This suggests the MCU planted the seeds for this character's introduction years ago.

For more on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, explore IGN's spoiler-free review of Season 1 and discover the five ways the new series revitalizes Peter Parker's iconic story.