Is There Hulk After Death?

Leonard Samson races into Gamma Base carrying Bruce Banner's limp body in his arms. General Ross trails behind him. Banner is dying and Doc Samson (due to a previously planted psychic command) cannot leave the base to take him to a hospital. Banner's only salvation lies with the Gamma Ray Projector.

Meanwhile, the Leader continues his plan for world domination. His team of scientists and he take command of nearly every computerized network and communications system across the planet. Smiling gleefully, the Leader begins phase two of his plot. He commands the Omnivac satellite to teleport a squad of synthetic humanoids to the planet Earth. These humanoids function as the Leader's personal soldiers.

At Gamma Base, Samson activates the Gamma Ray Projector. At first, the steady influx of Gamma radiation has no effect on Banner, but in minutes, he transforms into the Hulk. Rising from the medical bed, the Hulk angrily lunges at Samson. Samson baits the Hulk into smashing him through the wall, thereby overriding the psychic command that prevents Samson from leaving the building of his own volition. He then convinces the Hulk that the Leader is still alive and is his true enemy. The Hulk still hates Samson, but as he hates the Leader even more, he decides to work with Doc in bringing him down.

The Hulk and Doc Samson go the Leader's hideout at the base's computer center. The Leader sends his army of humanoids outside to combat them. The Hulk barrels through them, scattering them all across the tarmac. Doc Samson then rolls up a large section of pavement and uses it to trap the humanoids. Smashing through the wall of the building, the two muscle-bound heroes confront the Leader. The Leader has a power of kinetic gauntlets that channels the Hulk's strength back upon him, but the Hulk manages to overpower him anyway and tears the gauntlets from the Leader's arms.

The Leader runs away and commands Omnivac to teleport him to safety. The transmission beam reacts harshly to the Leader's energized backpack, and the villain appears to disintegrate right before the eyes of Samson and the Hulk. With the threat of the Leader alleviated, the Hulk turns his fury back upon Samson.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Doc Samson, General Ross, Jim Wilson, Kropotkin the Great, The Leader

Continuity Notes

• Even though Bruce Banner saw the contrary, the Hulk still believed the Leader to be dead. This apparent demise was seen in Marvel Feature #11 (this issue incorrectly states it is Marvel Feature #12), how the Leader managed to cheat death was explined last issue.

• Jim is worried about returning to Los Angeles because he is being hunted by the Corporation who chased him out of that city in Incredible Hulk #208.

• Although the Leader seemingly perishes here he is actually saved by the members of the Intelligencia as seen in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1.