The Incredible Hulk

A moving truck is stopped along a stretch of road along a swamp somewhere in the United States by a military cordon. The soldier guarding the roadblock tells the driver that some violent man has recently escaped a nearby government research center. When the soldier asks what the trucker is hauling, he explains that he picked up a hitchhiker a few miles back.

This hitchhiker turns out to be Bruce Banner, who upon hearing the soldier saying that he was going to check on the hitchhiker, decides to make a run for it. Banner manages to flee into the swamp, but gets caught in quicksand and begins to sink. By the time the soldiers arrive with tracking dogs, Banner is completely submerged in the mire and is presumed dead.

However, Banner has just transformed into the Hulk, who manages to pull his way out of the muck. The soldiers begin to open fire, but the Hulk piles into them, beating them all into submission. Growing weary, the Hulk wanders off into the swamp again and eventually reverts back into Bruce Banner. No sooner is Banner back to normal is he attacked by the "man" who escaped the government facility, a strange being with a transparent dome in the top of his skull and a complex machine inside for a brain.

Recurring Characters

Hulk

The Black Knight

Mordred has unleashed an ancient rock monster to destroy his foes the Black Knight and Brian Braddock. As the Black Knight rides his horse Valinor out of the cave they are holed up in, it creates enough of a distraction for Braddock to change into his Captain Britain costume.

The Black Knight is easily knocked off his horse sending his Ebony Blade flying. When the rock monster tries to grab for it, Captain Britain trips up the monster with his Star Sceptre. Britain then recovers the enchanted sword and returns it to the Black Knight. When Captain Britain tries to strike the rock monster, he finds that it is far too strong to be destroyed by hand. Getting an idea, the Captain gets on the back of Valinor and tells the Knight to fly past a certain area. Sure enough, the rock monster follows after them and steps into a patch of quicksand which Braddock had known about. Soon their foe is submerged in the mire and defeated.

Spotting Mordred on the beach, the Black Knight charges at him and tries to strike at him, but his foe suddenly disappears, leaving nothing but his cloak behind. Knowing who their enemy now is, the Black Knight tells Captain Britain that they are now comrades in arms.

Recurring Characters

Black Knight, Brian Braddock, Mordred, Valinor

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

While trying to quell a guerilla uprising in the nation of San Miguel, Nick Fury and his Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are opposed by the armies of an organization calling themselves Sept. As Fury, Gabe and the Countess try to keep the attacking hang gliders at bay, their radio man is shot dead, cutting off communication to Dum Dum Dugan on the Helicarrier. No longer willing to stand on the sidelines Dugan orders the Helicarrier to plot a course to San Miguel. Gaffer protests this command, but he is ignored.

Wondering how their foes are able to figure out their every move, Valentina discovers that the civilian clothing they are wearing has been bugged by the forces of Sept. Tossing a grenade, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents doff their disguises and flee the scene.

Meanwhile, in the presidential palace, President Gomez comes out of his drugged stupor and learns that he turned over the nation to Garcia Juanilla, the nation's richest businessman and an agent of Sept. Juanilla then begins the process of announcing his transition to power. While back outside, Fury and the other spot a crowd of people trying to seek refuge in a nearby church. Fury manages to convince the Padre to let everyone into the church. As soldiers begin to surround the church, they decide to wait for the church service to end to capture the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Fury, Jones and De Fontaine climb up into the bell tower and wait until nightfall. Under the cover of darkness, Fury and the others manage to escape the church unseen. Fury then tells his agents that they're going to liberate the country by rescuing President Gomez at his palace.

Recurring Characters

SHIELD (Nick Fury, Gabe Jones, Dum Dum Dugan, Countess Valentina, Gaffer), Sept (Garcia Juanilla)

Continuity Notes

• Dum Dum Dugan's appearance here is complicated as he's not in the flesh. He was mortally wounded decades ago as revealed in Original Sins #5. He has since been operating in sophisticated LMD bodies as revealed in New Avengers (vol. 4) #17.

Night-Raven

At Fat Freddie's Pool Hall, Ace Diamond, a local card sharp, is caught cheating at a card game. Freddie tells a man playing pool that he should head out because there is going to be trouble. The pool player is the vigilante known as Night Raven, and he is not afraid of a little trouble.

When the gamblers start trying to rough up Ace Diamond, the Night Raven interrupts, telling them that three-to-one odds are hardly fair. The vigilante leaps in and starts fighting the men. The whole time, Freddie is freaking out because they are wrecking his newly felted pool tables.

After the Night Raven defeats the irate gamblers, he finds that while Ace is greatful, he's hardly an upstanding citizen. Holding Night Raven at gun point, he takes the gambling money and the key to the pool hall and leaves, locking Night Raven inside with the others. Trying the door in vein, Night Raven turns around and finds that his sparring partners have recovered from his initial bout, and are looking for a rematch.

Recurring Characters

Night Raven, Ace Diamond