F is for Father

General Ross has finally tracked down the Hulk after the brute kidnapped his daughter Betty. The intrusion puts the Hulk in a rage and he leaps at the General's helicopter, despite Betty's protests not to hurt her father. The Hulk brings down the chopper and pulls Ross out of the burning wreckage. When the man-monster threatens to smash Ross, he refuses to beg for mercy. The Hulk tells Thaddeus he wants to be left alone, and Ross tells him to go to hell. When the Hulk goes to strike, the General tells him to do it, because with his blood on the Hulk's hands it will prove to the world that the Hulk is exactly the monster he believes the Hulk to be. The Hulk screams back that he is not a monster and it is then that General Ross' troops arrive on the scene and surround the Hulk. Ross orders his men to fire, but they hesitate because he is in the line of fire. When he tells them to shoot anyway, Betty rushes up to the scene, begging the soldiers not to fire.

Thaddeus tells Betty to get away, but she doesn't listen. She begs the Hulk not to hurt her father. Ross is furious and tells his men to follow orders, but Betty points out that they know the bullets will only bounce off the Hulk and hit him. Thaddeus doesn't care, because it will convince others to go after the Hulk, who is sure has killed Bruce Banner, little knowing that they are both the same man. The mention of his alter-ego's name puts the Hulk in a fresh bout of rage. Betty continues to plead, telling the Hulk that she loves her father no matter what. This gets through to the Hulk. It tells her that he isn't a monster, and won't hurt her, like his father does and tosses General Ross aside. After a tense moment, the Hulk then leaps off and Betty bursts into tears.

The following morning, Bruce is found by Rick and they get some fresh clothes for him. With no other choice, Banner returns to base where General Ross demands to know where he was all this time. Bruce explains that he got lost in the desert, wish leads to Ross reaming him out. Betty intervenes, telling her father that she is just as bad as the Hulk.

... And so, Bruce Banner concludes the story that he began telling Doc Samson earlier in the night. In conclusion, he wonders why Betty stayed with him after all those years, even after finding out that he was really the Hulk. He believes that he is a coward, but when Samson tries to tell him otherwise, Bruce begins to lose his temper and transforms into the Hulk. The Hulk tells Samson that there will be no more talk and leaps out of the building. Later in the desert, the Hulk looks into his hands and sees the crumpled photo of Betty and begins to cry.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Doc Samson, Betty Ross, Rick Jones, General Ross

Continuity Notes

• Bruce Banner mentions that the public eventually became aware that he was the Hulk. This happened when Rick Jones revealed his identity in Tales to Astonish #77.

• Mention is made how Betty Ross is dead. The present day portions of this story occur at a time shortly after Betty Ross died of radiation poisoning in Incredible Hulk #465. She is later revealed to have been resurrected as explained in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #60.