Marvel's *Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man* introduces a fresh take on Peter Parker, but the animated series cleverly expands its reach within the Marvel Universe. Many supporting characters are based on established comic book heroes and villains. This includes Amadeus Cho, one of Peter's Oscorp interns. But who is Amadeus Cho, and why is he a significant teen hero in the Marvel universe? Why the moniker "The Totally Awesome Hulk?" Let's delve into this brilliant, yet self-absorbed character.

Here's what we'll cover:

• Who Is Marvel's Amadeus Cho?
• Amadeus Cho's Hulk Powers and Abilities
• Amadeus Cho's Comic Book History
• Amadeus Cho Beyond the Comics

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Who Is Marvel's Amadeus Cho?

Despite his youth and the abundance of incredibly gifted individuals in the Marvel Universe, Amadeus Cho ranks among the smartest. His brilliance and rebellious nature, however, often land him at odds with authority, leading to a life partially spent evading the law. He displays a strong affinity for fugitive heroes like the Hulk and Hercules, and readily defends his friends.

Amadeus's strength eventually caught up to his intellect. He briefly became the Hulk after absorbing Bruce Banner's gamma radiation. Even with the classic Hulk's return, Amadeus continues his heroic endeavors as Brawn, a powerful force for good.

Amadeus Cho's Hulk Powers and Abilities

Amadeus possesses exceptional intelligence, officially ranking as the seventh smartest person in the Marvel Universe—a ranking that may even be an underestimate. He's particularly adept at pattern recognition and complex mental calculations. The only drawback to his incredible mind is a voracious appetite fueled by his mental exertion.

His transformation into the Hulk granted him physical strength matching his mental capabilities. At his peak, he possessed the Hulk's full strength, regeneration, durability, and other abilities. Unlike the classic Hulk, Amadeus retains his intelligence and personality when transformed, avoiding the rage-monster persona.

Currently, Amadeus operates as Brawn, a slightly less powerful iteration than his Hulk form, though he can still fully unleash his Hulk-like power when necessary.

Amadeus Cho Cheat Sheet

• First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15 (2005)
• Creators: Greg Pak & Takeshi Miyazawa
• Aliases: Mastermind Excello, Hulk, Brawn, Prince of Power
• Current Team: Agents of Atlas (Previously Champions, God Squad, Avengers)
• Recommended Reading: Incredible Hercules - The Complete Collection Vols. 1-2, The Totally Awesome Hulk Vols. 1-4, Champions: Because the World Still Needs Heroes

Amadeus Cho's Comic Book History

Created by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, Amadeus Cho debuted in 2005's Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15. This issue held significance as the original Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962) introduced Spider-Man. Marvel used this volume 2 edition to introduce potentially impactful characters, and Amadeus quickly became a standout.

He gained recognition as the world's seventh smartest man after winning an Excello Soap Company competition. Tragically, the sponsor, Pythagoras Dupree, targeted Amadeus for death to maintain his own ranking. Following his family's death, Amadeus went on the run with only a coyote pup, eventually befriending the Hulk.

Amadeus returned to prominence during 2007's World War Hulk crossover, assisting the Hulk and partnering with Hercules (a fugitive hero who refused to register under the Superhuman Registration Act in 2006's Civil War). Their adventures in The Incredible Hercules series led to memorable moments, including this iconic image:

Amadeus and Hercules eventually became respected heroes, even saving the multiverse from Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Their partnership dissolved, leading to a new chapter. After absorbing Bruce Banner's gamma radiation to prevent a nuclear meltdown, Amadeus became the new Hulk, his adventures documented in Totally Awesome Hulk. He also co-founded a new iteration of the Champions team.

Now, with Banner back as the Hulk, Amadeus thrives as Brawn, a powerful hero whose strength matches his intellect.

Amadeus Cho Beyond the Comics

Amadeus has appeared in Marvel's animated and video game projects, especially after his comic book Hulk transformation. He's a playable character in games like Marvel Future Fight, Marvel Puzzle Quest, and Avengers Academy, and features in LEGO Marvel games.

In animation, he appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man and Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled, voiced by Eric Bauza as Iron Spider. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2017) marked his first appearance as the Totally Awesome Hulk (voiced by Ki Hong Lee).

In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, voiced by Aleks Le, Amadeus is a confident scientist and Peter Parker's Oscorp intern. While his superhero destiny remains uncertain, the series' pattern of basing interns on comic book characters suggests a future team-up with Brawn.

A future MCU appearance is also likely. His mother, Helen Cho (played by Claudia Kim in Avengers: Age of Ultron), lays groundwork for his eventual introduction.

For more on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, see IGN's Season 1 review and learn how the series reinvents Peter Parker.