The Power Cosmic

The Red Hulk arrives at a secret AIM facility, knocking out the two guards at the main door to investigate reports that they are holding a doomsday device. Using the guard's eye to get past the retinal scanner, the Red Hulk goes inside the facility. However, he stops for a moment because he knows he is not alone. With his cover blown, A-Bomb drops his cloaking ability and reveals that he was sent by Bruce Banner to keep an eye on the Red Hulk because they don't fully trust him yet. The Red Hulk can't fully trust A-Bomb either, pointing out that he was transformed into his current form by MODOK as well. Still, the pair continues on their appointment mission and venture into the AIM complex.

Along the way, they happen upon a lab where clones of MODOK are made. At first, Rick thinks this is the real MODOK. Before he can attack the mindless clone, the Red Hulk stops him and reveals that MODOK constantly needs replacement organs which he harvests from his clones. Soon they find the room where the doomsday weapon is held. There they are surprised to find a robot of the Hulk as well as a strange gold disk. When A-Bomb touches the disk it begins to project a hologram that begins playing information regarding the Hulk robot. It explains that it was granted power by the Cosmos Automation, a data loop that travels the universe finding intelligent worlds where it can imprint its parameters onto the most advanced machines it can find and make it capable of absorbing cosmic energy. When it came to Earth, it briefly considered imprinting on the Dragon Man android, but it did not meet its parameters. However, he discovered that the Mad Thinker had created an android of the Hulk. He ended up storing it away and it was later stolen by some engineering students who sought to take credit for its creation. The robot was later activated and battled the Eternals.

Having heard enough, the Red Hulk smashes the holographic projector, convinced that the Cosmic Hulk robot needs to be destroyed. As A-Bomb picks up the disk, the Red Hulk reaches out for the robot, but the energies in his body activate the machine. It immediately attacks the Red Hulk, throwing him into A-Bomb. When the two recover and fight back, the Hulk robot has absorbed the necessary cosmic energy to easily trounce the two attackers. With the Red Hulk and A-Bomb down, the Hulk robot then follows its programming and flies off through a hatch in the ceiling. Suddenly, MODOK and the Leader appear on a nearby screen and thank the Red Hulk for falling into their trap, explaining that even though he is no longer their ally, he is still helping them in their goals. The base is then set to self-destruct and the two gamma-spawned monsters just barely manage to get out before it explodes.

They return to Bruce Banner's cave to report what happened. Learning about the Cosmic Hulk deeply troubles Banner. He then builds a device that will allow them to view the rest of the disk. The rest of the recording explains the origins of the Cosmic Automation. They learn that it was created by Galactus sometime prior to his use of heralds like the Silver Surfer. The machines it imprinted on were then used to prepare a given world for the eventual arrival of Galactus. When considering who they can count on to help them try and stop this robot, the Red Hulk believes he knows someone, revealing a holographic image of Lyra, the woman from the future who is also the daughter of the Hulk.

Recurring Characters

Red Hulk, A-Bomb, Bruce Banner, AIM, Cosmic Hulk, Intelligencia (Leader, MODOK), Dragon Man, Gregson Gilbert, (in flashback) Mad Thinker, Galactus

Continuity Notes

• The events of this story take place prior to Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1

• The Red Hulk mentions the fact that he killed the Abomination. This happened in Hulk Vol 2 #1.

• The Dragon Man was created and brought to life by Gilbert Greigson and Diablo in Fantastic Four #45.

• The Eternals battled the Cosmic Hulk in Eternals #14-16, the Intelligencia stole it in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1.

• The data disk states that the Silver Surfer was the first herald of Galactus. How Norrin Radd became the Surfer was first told in Silver Surfer #1. However, the Silver Surfer was not the first herald of Galactus. This was actually the Herald known as the Fallen One whose time has long since been forgotten by all except Galactus as revealed in Thanos #11-12, hence why he is not depicted here.

• Bruce mentions how he cannot turn into the Hulk anymore, he was stripped of this ability in Incredible Hulk #600, however, it eventually returns in Incredible Hulk #610.

• She-Hulk also went missing following the events of Incredible Hulk #600. She is revealed to be a prisoner of the Intelligencia, as revealed in Incredible Hulk #606.

• The Red Hulk tells Banner that he has a daughter. Lyra is the daughter of the Hulk and Thundra after the woman got a DNA sample from the Hulk in Hulk: Raging Thunder #1 and used it to create the girl. Lyra has been active in the modern age of Earth-616 since Dark Reign: Savage She-Hulk #1. She was also recruited by the Intelligencia in Incredible Hulk #605.