- "I need you to get to Culver University and put eyes on Dr. Banner. I got word that General Ross is about to make a move on him."
- ―Nick Fury to Black Widow[src]
Culver University is a university situated in Willowdale, Virginia, with another campus in West Virginia. It has extensive resources devoted to scientific research and has been linked to a number of high profile scientists.
History[]
Early History[]
Culver University began publishing the student newspaper Culver University Press in 1857[1] and opened its Research and Development department in 1860.[2]
Investigating Time Travel[]
Victor Stein and Janet discussing time travel
In the 1990s, students Janet and Victor Stein met one day in class, and discussed the possibility of inventing time travel.[3] Janet later graduated from Culver University with a degree in Gravitational Wave Astronomy.[4]
Gamma Incident[]
In 2005, scientists Bruce Banner and Betty Ross from Culver University were recruited by the United States Armed Forces to develop a top-secret research project called the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project.
The project, initially thought to be researching radiation resistance, had the purpose of duplicating the results of the Project Rebirth developed during World War II, triggering the whole process with the use of Gamma Radiation. General Thaddeus Ross, father of Betty Ross, was the military overseer of the whole project.
Bruce Banner testing Gamma Radiation on himself
Banner, being confident that their research was worthy enough to take the risk and under threat of funding cuts, decided to test a combination of their replica of the Super Soldier Serum and high doses of Gamma Radiation by a Gamma Ray Projector. However, the amount of radiation caused instead a violent non-permanent transformation into a giant, green-skinned, muscle-bound humanoid who went to become known as Hulk, a transformation that would be triggered by anger and emotional stress. Hulk, driven by fits of extreme rage, destroyed the laboratory, killed two scientists and injured both Thaddeus and Betty Ross[2] along several others graduate students.[5] Following an explosion on the campus, Hulk fled the scene and was spotted by students, however those sightings was attributed by officials as possible effects of a chemical released into the air, causing hallucinations.[6]
In the wake of the accident, the military closed the entire lab building for a year, kept the incident a secret and shut down the entire project.[2] Three days after the accident, Ross met Banner in the destroyed lab, offering him to take him to another workplace in Maryland to perfect the serum. Banner refused and blamed himself for all the people he hurt, including Dr. Ross. Banner ran off, hiding inside the janitor's room and using the clothes available for disguise, while prompting Ross to order his own troops to chase after him, only to find that Banner was gone.[5]
Banner became a fugitive of the United States Armed Forces and left the town and his lover, Betty Ross, behind.[2]
Astrophysicists[]
Jane Foster attended Culver University, where she studied astronomy. During this time, Foster met Erik Selvig, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at Culver. Later, political science student Darcy Lewis became an intern for Selvig.[7]
Battle at Culver University[]
Culver University in 2010
Bruce Banner eventually returned to Culver University years after his first transformation, to retrieve all data regarding the project in an attempt to cure himself of his conditions. Banner first tried to enter the University, but heavy security measures have been implemented since his departure, so he had to devise a new plan.
While walking through the campus, he could not help approaching the Biological Sciences Building, and check on Betty Ross, watching her hiding behind a Culver University Press newspaper, and realizing she started a new relationship with Leonard Samson. Banner quietly left there without being seen.
Banner disguised himself as a pizza delivery boy from his old friend Stanley Lieber's restaurant, to infiltrate Culver University. Banner attempted to sneak past a security guard to recover his research, claiming that there was somebody upstairs who had ordered a pizza. When the security guard refused to let him pass without clearance, Banner claimed he risked being fired if he did not collect payment and offered the guard a box of pizza he had not been able to collect on, with the guard accepting the pizza and allowing Banner access into the university. Having made it upstairs, Banner looked inside a room and recalled it once being the same space where they had worked on the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project before everything had gone terribly wrong. Entering the room, Banner bribed Roger Harrington with the pizza and logged on to the computer using Dr. Ross' password. Discovering that all the data regarding the project had been deleted, Banner contacted the man who was helping him through his research of a cure, codenamed "Mr. Blue", to inform him of the setback.
Banner spent the night with Ross, who gave him a copy of the investigation, and promised to depart the following morning. Banner realized that they were being observed, and tried to run from a large group of soldiers led by an enhanced Emil Blonsky and commanded by General Ross himself. Banner took advantage of his knowledge of the university, and hid to swallow the USB containing the data about the project, in order to protect it if he was captured.
Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk
Betty tried to convince her father to leave Banner alone, but as they were speaking, Banner was trapped inside an elevated hallway, where the soldiers tried to render him unconscious using gas grenades. Instead, the stress of the situation triggered his transformation into Hulk.[2]
Under Nick Fury's request, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Natasha Romanoff was undercover in Culver University trying to keep an eye on Banner, and she arrived in time to witness Banner's transformation.[8]
General Ross let his daughter witness Hulk to convince her of the importance of his capture, and a ferocious battle between Hulk and the United States Armed Forces began. Hulk was able to neutralize the heavily armed soldiers and vehicles, resisting their attacks without being harmed.
Students Jack McGee and Jim Wilson arrived at the location and witnessed Hulk's rampage, recording what they could on a cellphone.[2]
Romanoff, startled by Banner's transformation, called Fury to receive orders about how to proceed. Fury simply demanded to not let Ross take Banner, either dead or alive.[8]
Blonsky was ordered to act, approaching Hulk confident that his enhancements with a Super Soldier Serum would help him confront the green giant. Hulk used two pieces of debris to shield himself of the grenades shot by Blonsky. Blonsky was able to evade the attacks and lured his opponent to a pair of Stark Sonic Cannons, that almost subdued him.
Hulk was moved by Betty's pleas and overcame the sonic attacks. Blonsky approached Hulk again, taunting him despite Ross' direct orders, and Hulk defeated him with a single kick that crushed most of Blonsky's bones.
An helicopter opened fire over Hulk while Betty was approaching him, and Hulk protected her from harm, throwing his remaining debris to bring down the helicopter, shielding her again from the ensuing explosion that rendered her unconscious. Hulk escaped with her to the Smoky Mountain National Forest.
The following day, Culver University filled with news reporters from different channels to report the incident, showing Jack McGee's footage in the news.[2]
Reunion[]
Melinda May meets Professor Andrew Garner at Culver
While at work in Culver University's campus in West Virginia, psychologist and professor Andrew Garner was speaking to a student when he spotted his ex-wife Melinda May waiting for him. She explained that Phil Coulson was now running S.H.I.E.L.D. and they required his help with a newly-powered individual. They also discussed why May did not return his calls during the HYDRA Uprising; she said it was a busy time, to which he frowned, citing that Lian May kept him informed. Garner asked May if she had returned to field work; Garner disapproved when she said she had. Garner made it clear that his responsibility would be to the subject, not to her, not to S.H.I.E.L.D.[9]
A New Psych Student[]
Werner von Strucker greets Andrew Garner
- "You know why most people take Psych, right? They're trying to figure out families."
"You got me there; you wouldn't believe how messed up mine is." - ―Andrew Garner and Werner von Strucker[src]
With the new fall semester, Andrew Garner taught Psychology 101 at Culver University. As he was finishing a class, a new student approached him, asking permission to join. Garner told him that he would have to get caught up with his previous lessons; Garner then signed the permission slip. Noting that students join psych 101 to gain insight on their family issues, Garner asked the student why he was joining; Alexander Braun said that he had family issues.[10]
Athletics Records[]
Culver Students in 2016
In April 2016, Culver University celebrated a record-breaking year in athletics.[11]
State of the Art Library[]
In May 2016, it was announced that a state-of-the-art library at Culver University would reopen after extensive renovations.[12]
Alternate Universes[]
Confiscated Data[]
In an alternate universe, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross worked on the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project at Culver University until the project resulted in the creation of the monstrous Hulk. Thaddeus Ross confiscated all of the data on the project and Betty continued working there.
Years later, Banner returned to Culver University to get the data from the original experiment in hopes that Samuel Sterns could use it to cure Banner of being the Hulk. Betty Ross happily reunited with Banner, but explained that the data was confiscated from her father. However, she revealed that she had cloned the data and started to bring him inside. Meanwhile, Emil Blonsky had followed Banner to the university and prepared to kill him, but Thaddeus Ross told him to wait until Betty was clear. Banner spotted Blonsky and told Betty to go home, so the two ran while the United States Army surrounded Banner. Betty tried to stop them, but Thaddeus had his soldier hold them back. This angered Banner, who turned into the Hulk and destroy the bases that the Army had set up around campus.
Hulk then rushed to check on Betty, but Blonsky attacked him from inside several tanks. Hulk fought Blonsky off despite his physical enhancements, so the Army retaliated with helicopters that Hulk destroyed. One helicopter crashed near where Ross was hiding, but Hulk saved her and took her away while Thaddeus watched. Thaddeus watched Blonsky recover from the fight and demanded a medical evacuation for Blonsky.[13]
Assassination of Bruce Banner[]
| This section needs a rewrite |
In an alternate universe, Natasha Romanoff traveled to Culver University where she approached Betty Ross, asking her for help with the suspicion that there might be some trace of poisoning she could detect. Ross ran some tests on the antidote ampule but could not find any trace of foreign substances but noted that the antidote did not enter Stark's body in the moment of his death. She told Romanoff that whatever was the cause of Stark's death, it was not biological, as the tip had been shattered by a tiny object.
Romanoff was later informed by Fury that the murderer was targeting the Avengers Initiative candidates, as Clint Barton was killed as well, and Bruce Banner. Romanoff found Banner hiding at the university and told him that they needed to run away before the murderer finds them.
Hulk fights against the U.S. military
However, Bruce Banner was tracked down by the United States Army battalion, led by Thaddeus Ross. Soldiers surrounded Culver University, so Romanoff tried to stop them from attacking, claiming that Banner was under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody. While the soldiers were holding them at gunpoint, Yellowjacket entered Banner's body, making it look like he was shot by a sniper. The injury resulted in Banner turning into Hulk and attacking the soldiers who opened fire at him.
As the military launched a full-on attack to take Hulk down, Betty Ross tried to get him to stop, and Black Widow stopped her, saying that Ross was not the one who started it. While Hulk was fighting against the soldiers, Yellowjacket inside his body hit his heart with the Pym Particle Disc, causing it to enlarge. Hulk's body suddenly swelled and exploded, much to Ross' horror and distraught.[14]
Academic Staff[]
| Name | Course | Status |
|---|---|---|
| John Alexander | Molecular Biology | Professor |
| Bruce Banner | Biochemistry and Nuclear Physics | Retired |
| Donald Barrington | Neurobiology | Professor |
| Michael Dillen | Molecular Biophysics | Professor |
| Robert Dixon | Computational Biology | Professor |
| Kenneth Frisson | Structural Biology | Professor |
| Marcus Benson | Natural Sciences | Retired |
| Andrew Garner | Psychology | Deceased |
| David Harp | Molecular Biology | Professor |
| Mark Harwood | Computational Biology | Professor |
| Lester Kim | Cellular Biology | Professor |
| Ewth Lawson | Neurobiology | Professor |
| Scott Petersen | Structural Biology | Professor |
| Lester Richards | Neurobiology | Professor |
| Betty Ross | Cellular Biology | Professor |
| Quinn Scott | Biotechnology Programs | Associate Director |
| Erik Selvig | Theoretical Astrophysics | Retired |
| Morgan Sharp | Molecular Biology | Professor |
| Thomas Shaw | Structural Biology | Professor |
| Ryan Stanley | Computational Biology | Professor |
| Murray Steeles | Cellular Biology | Professor |
| Frank Victoria | Neurobiology | Professor |
| Leonard Samson | Psychology | Psychiatrist |
Students[]
| Name | Course | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Victor Stein | Graduated | |
| Janet Stein | Gravitational Wave Astronomy | Graduated |
| Rick Jones | ||
| Jane Foster | Astrophysics | Graduated |
| Roger Harrington | Graduated | |
| Jack McGee | Journalism | |
| Jim Wilson | ||
| Darcy Lewis | Political Science | Graduated |
| Alexander Braun | Psychology 101 | Deceased |
Appearances[]
| Appearances for Culver University |
|---|
|
In chronological order:
|
Logos[]
Trivia[]
- The name of the university comes from the Culver Institute, where Banner worked when he became Hulk in the 1978 The Incredible Hulk TV series. The name "Culver" itself is the middle name of series creator and producer, Kenneth Johnson.
- The university's motto is "Audaces Fortuna Iuvat," which is Latin for "fortune favors the bold."
References[]
- ↑ Culver University Press Newspaper Prop
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 The Incredible Hulk
- ↑ Runaways: 1.07: Refraction
- ↑ Meghan Fox - Graphic Designer, Photographer
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Incredible Hulk: The Big Picture.
- ↑ The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration of the Avengers and Beyond.
- ↑ Thor
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 2.13: One of Us
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 3.02: Purpose in the Machine
- ↑ Twitter Profile/WHiH Newsfront
- ↑ WHiH Newsfront: 2.04: WHIH Newsfront Exclusive: President Ellis Discusses the Avengers
- ↑ The Incredible Hulk
- ↑ What If...?: 1.03: What If... The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?
