Incredible Hulk: Nightmerica #4

Mar 14

Mar 14 Incredible Hulk: Nightmerica #4

Nightmerica Part Four

Bruce Banner is helping Chrissie Cutler reunite the members of the Nightmericans. After rescuing Deadbird and Manifest Destiny, Banner is invited to stick his head into the body of Manifest Destiny to reconnect with the spirit of America. Bruce then finds himself in Stu's idealized version of America, unaware that the hallucination he is experiencing is deadly. Chrissie and Deadbird arrive just in time to pull Banner free before he dies, and Manifest Destiny apologizes for almost screwing everything up. It's all put behind them and they head off in their RV to their next destination, the town of Tryon, Nebraska. That evening they stop at a campsite along the Nebraska/Missouri border. Taking a walk on their own, Bruce and Chrissie talk about how she was easily able to clam the Hulk down earlier to trigger a reversion back into Bruce Banner. She explains it was easy because she could see things from his perspective. The pair stop in the woods where they give into the building tensions between the two of them and kiss.

The following day that is back on the road again and Banner is reading up on the New Church of Consecrated Light which is where the next Nightmerican, Mrs. Grey, ended up. Among the literature, he learns that this group follows typical New Age prophecy and worship something called the Angelus Orbis and wonders if Mrs. Gray would set herself up as a messiah. Deadbird says that this wouldn't have been done intentionally. Along the way, they notice the road to the New Church's compound is blocked by news crews and authorities. Turning on the news, they learn that the church is in a stand-off the FBI and the ATF. With the main route blocked, they get an alternate through back roads thanks to Chrissie's contact with Intergalactic. Bruce and Chrissie get close to the compound and see that it is surrounded by FBI And ATF agents. They go down and introduce themselves as members of the church and an Agent Treadwell decides to check with his superiors. In reality, he is speaking with Mohammed Simensky of Wright-Armstrong, the corporation that created and is seeking to reclaim the Nightmaricans. He tells Treadwell to let them through, promising him a lucrative job offer in exchange.

Approaching the property, the pair convinces the church members that they are allies of "Angelus Orbis" and are welcomed in. There they are welcomed at gunpoint by the church's prophetess, Mae Wayman, who takes them down to Mrs. Gray. The person they seek is a woman who resembles an alien dressed like Jackie Kennedy. Chrissie is happy to see her and believing that they are legitimate "followers", Mae allows them to sneak out through the underground sewer passage to get past the authorities. However, Banner notices that the members of the church are preparing to poison themselves in order to move onto what they call the "Second Realm". Banner convinces them that they have new prophecies that they need to follow, instead of sacrificing themselves they need to stay in this world and spread their message. Suddenly, the phone rings and Banner answers it. It is Mohammad Simensky who offers to take Mrs. Gray, but when he expresses his last of concern for the church members, Banner hangs up on him.

The pair then take Mrs. Gray out through the sewers where they find an ATV waiting for them. Trying to flee the scene they come upon a police roadblock. Before the officers can arrest them, Stealth arrives and slaughters the officers. She then demands that they turn over Mrs. Gray. When they try to flee, Stealth smashes into their ATV, destroying it and sending everyone flying. Giving into his rage, Bruce transforms into the Hulk and faces Stealth. The Hulk battles it out with her, but she is too fast and is able to slice the Hulk. However, she slows down, relishing the idea of finally testing out her full capabilities. This proves to be Stealth's undoing, as the Hulk is able to sustain damage to her systems. She slice's the Hulk's throat and flees the battle. She then approaches Chrissie and demands that she turn over Mrs. Gray, but the young girl refuses. The Hulk slams into Stealth, forcing her to retreat. In the aftermath of the battle, the Hulk is furious and accuses Chrissie that he is using her and prepares to attack.