Nick Peron

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Incredible Hulk #102

--This World Not His Own!

Credits

Having been transported to Asgard by Loki, the Hulk leaps across a deep, bottomless chasm. For an inexplicable reason, the Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner in mid-leap and begins falling to his doom. On a lower ledge of the chasm, the Enchantress and the Executioner watch the mortal plummet towards certain death. The Enchantress suspects that this mortal might have connections to her (would-be) lover, Hercules, and uses her power to save Banner's life.

At the top of the chasm, the Warriors Three look downward, convinced that the Hulk has met his doom. They continue on their journey to the Forbidden Forest to seek the council of Oldar the Oracle. The aged crone reveals that the Hulk has not perished, and she creates a window in time, through which she reveals how Bruce Banner first became the Hulk. Knowing that the Hulk is still alive, the Warriors grow concerned that he might threaten the Realm Eternal. Leaving the lair of Oldar the Oracle, they make haste towards Asgard.

The Enchantress and the Executioner meanwhile keep vigil over the unconscious Bruce Banner. When Banner revives, he turns into the Hulk and begins fighting with the Executioner. The Executioner strikes him with his Bloodaxe, but his proves ineffective against the Hulk. The Hulk manages to stagger his foe with one crushing blow to the jaw. The Enchantress grows bored watching the two combatants fight one another and teleports herself and the Executioner to a safe distance.

The Enchantress calls together a massive army of trolls and leads them on a quest to overtake Asgard. The Hulk gets involved in the fight, and keeps the trolls at bay by sealing them inside of a rocky cavern. Enraged, the Enchantress turns her magic against the Hulk and kills him.

The Warriors Three, along with Odin recover the Hulk's body after the battle is over. Admiring the Hulk's bravado, Odin uses his Scepter of Strength to bring the Hulk back to life. The Hulk is confused and angry and trusts no one. He threatens to attack Odin, little realizing that the All-Father is responsible for bringing him back from the dead. Angered by the Hulk's lack of gratitude, Odin uses his power to teleport the Hulk away from Asgard into the depths of outer space.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Odin, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Enchantress, Executioner

Continuity Notes

Continuity Errors

  • Odin confuses Fandral's name with Balder's at one point in this issue.

  • Oldar the Oracle recaps the origin of the Hulk through rhyme. In the retelling the Hulk is colored green, even though he was originally colored gray in Incredible Hulk #1. Particularly when the gray Hulk was reintroduced in Incredible Hulk #324.

  • In this issue, the Executioner mentions his previous encounter with the Hulk, in Tales to Astonish #77 per a footnote - but that supposed encounter took place in an alternate future (Earth-6676), thus Executioner from Earth-616 should not have memory of that encounter.