Emerald Rage!

Infected with a gamma virus, Doc Samson battled the Hulk until he was able to transfer the virus to the green goliath in Washington Square Park. Now Doc Samson and Spider-Man are attacked by a Hulk that has greatly increased strength and entirely consumed by his repressed anger. Completely outclassed, Spider-Man tries to contain the Hulk by emptying a massive amount of webbing on the brute. Both he and Samson agree that they need to lure the Hulk somewhere where innocent people won't get hurt. Spider-Man suggests that they lure Banner to the ruins of Empire State University. Spider-Man tells Samson to go and get the scientists who created the virus while he deals with the Hulk. Leonard doesn't like the idea of leaving Spider-Man alone against the Hulk but has no other choice. No sooner is Samson gone, does the Hulk break free from the webbing. Spider-Man easily dodges the Hulk's blows, goading the gamma-spawned monster to follow him.

Meanwhile, in Forest Hills, Richard and Mary Parker are on their way out to give a lecture on international politics at Queens College. On their way out, they are greeted by Bernard Scudder, who May says is helping her with charity work at the church. However, Scudder is actually a private detective, and when Richard and Mary are gone, May expresses her concerns that the in-laws might actually be impostors. While back at the Midtown Research Center, Doc Samson arrives and tells Doctor Pollock what happened and asks if they have a cure for the gamma virus. Pollock informs Samson that since the virus was intended for normal people, not gamma-enhanced humans such as the Hulk, they hadn't gotten to the point of coming up with a cure just yet.

By this time, Spider-Man has successfully lured the Hulk to the ruins of Empire State University. The trip has done little to calm the Hulk who fights just as savagely as ever. Spider-Man fears the worst until Doc Samson arrives to lend a hand. At that moment, on the set of "Secret Hospital", Mary Jane ruins a scene because she has a lit cigarette in her scene, even though her character "Sybil" doesn't smoke. The director decides not to do another take since the episode is running long and the scene will be cut. This upsets Mary Jane as her career seems to be falling apart. She considers telling Peter about it, but decides to keep quiet, as her husband has other problems to deal with.

Back at Empire State University, Spider-Man is told by Doc Samson that there is no cure for the virus. Suspecting that it works like a fever, and needs to burn itself out, Spider-Man suggests they do that. However, Samson explains that the scientists figured that would have already happened by now. Leonard theorizes that the virus must be preventing the Hulk from going all out in order to use it up. Doc Samson suggests that they force the Hulk to burn out the virus, hoping that Bruce Banner's sense of right and wrong will prevent him from killing either of them. With no other choice, the pair leap into the battle, but the Hulk is too powerful for either of them. Considering Spider-Man a pest, the Hulk claps his hands together bowling the wall-crawler over. Banner then begins beating on Doc Samson to the point where he is at Banner's mercy. By this point, Spider-Man has recovered and gets between Hulk and Samson before Bruce can land the killing blow. Spider-Man appeals to Bruce Banner's good side, telling him that he knows killing is wrong and he is being manipulated by the virus in his system. Luckily, the web-slinger's gambit works, as the Hulk is able to fight off the virus by sheer force of will. In the aftermath of th battle, the Hulk commends Spider-Man for his quick thinking, then chastises Samson for fooling around with gamma rays. The Hulk then leaves, intending to head back to Nevada to deal with the fallout from his latest rampage. Doc Samson still insists that Bruce Banner needs his help and departs as well. Spider-Man is relieved that this is all over, he can go home and relax.

Unfortunately for Spider-Man, he's not going to get much of a chance to relax for long. At that moment, in New Jersey, Orwell Taylor oversees the offloading of equipment from his private plane. He has come to the east coast after failing to render a "verdict" on Venom, and has now set his sights on putting Spider-Man on "trial".

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Doc Samson, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Hulk, “Richard Parker”, “Mary Parker”, Orwell Taylor, Bernard Scudder

Continuity Notes

• The story is later refuted as a dream in Incredible Hulk #413. This was because Peter David didn't like the idea of Hulk flying in a regular plane and going through customs. As such, he wrote in the line about this story being a dream in Hulk #407, as explained here. Regardless, per Official Index to the Marvel Universe #9, this story is still considered a part of continuity.

• At the time of this story, Empire State University had just suffered serious damage by the Human Torch in Fantastic Four #371.

• This couple are not really Richard and Mary Parker, but impostors as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #388. The real Richard and Mary Parker are dead, having died while on a government mission, as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5. Richard specifically states that he is giving a lecture on Cold War politics. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

• Mary Jane had taken up smoking in Amazing Spider-Man #361 to deal with the stress of her husband being Spider-Man.

• Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by the demon Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such, they should be considered a common-law couple.

• Orwell Taylor and the Jury attempted to execute Venom after a mock court trial, as seen in Venom Lethal Protector #1-3.