Pride Month: Favorite Characters Part 2: Hulkling (Teddy Altman)

    Teddy Altman grew up spending most of his life believing he was human. It wouldn't be until he was a teenager that he found out the truth. 

    Teddy was athletic, popular, and perhaps most importantly, extremely kind. He was also in the closet. That was, until he met Billy Kaplan. The two formed a friendship that quickly grew into something more. Eventually, Teddy and Billy would accidentally come out. They meant to reveal they were superheroes, but instead it was assumed (correctly) they were gay. 

    Teddy had shapeshifting abilities, including the ability to sprout functional wings and so could fly. He could also shape-shift to increase his strength. Adopting the codename Hulkling, he and Billy (Asgardian - soon changed to Wiccan), helped found the Young Avengers, alongside Iron Lad and Patriot. It was during these early years of superheroing that Teddy found out the truth. Kree and Skrull armies both arrived on Earth, each intent on kidnapping Teddy. It turned out he was heir to both their empires, being the son of Skrull Princess Anelle and the Kree hero Mar-Vell (he himself was a hero on Earth before his death). The two races had been fighting for years, and it was thought that with the true heir, one side would gain the advantage. With the help of the Avengers, the Young Avengers saved Teddy, though his adoptive mother was killed during the fighting. Eventually, both the Kree and Skrull agreed to leave Teddy on Earth, though neither would forget he was there. 

    Teddy went on more adventures over the years, almost always with his true love Billy. The two would later help re-form the Young Avengers (after they had been disbanded a few years previously) and would even later join the New Avengers. It was during this time, he found Excelsior, the magical sword that proved to many that Teddy was the rightful heir to both the Kree and Skrull Empires. 

    Before long, Teddy was called upon to unite the Skrull and Kree and finally end the fighting. He faced off against traitors, including his own grandmother, but with the help of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and of course Billy, Teddy was able to defeat the threats and he became known the emperor of both empires and received the nickname King of Space. Sitting alongside the throne and serving as court wizard was his newly wed husband, Billy Kaplan.