Incredible Hulk #279
Everybody Loves a Parade, Right?
Now that Bruce Banner has full control of the Hulk and has been granted a pardon for his past rampages, he is celebrated as a hero. A huge parade is thrown in his honor in New York City which includes superheroes from all over the world. The parade finally ends at a massive stage set up in Central Park where a congratulatory ceremony is to take place. As the Hulk and Rick Jones exit his parade vehicle, Banner notices General Ross among the soldiers there to congratulate him. Banner asks the General if this means if his animosity toward him is over. Ross replies that it is, so long as Banner maintains control of the Hulk. Not far away a newscaster tells a live audience of the events leading up to the Hulk's pardon, including his battle against the U-Foes and defending Washington D.C. from an apparent alien invasion. The Hulk mounts the stairs to the stage where he is greeted by Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Girl of the Fantastic Four as well as Captain America and Thor of the Avengers. The Mayor of New York City then awards the Hulk with the key of the city which is met with wild praise from the audience of superheroes watching.
As the crowd goes wild, not everyone is happy about the Hulk's amnesty, namely Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. As Spider-Man takes pictures from afar for the Bugle, a reporter interviews Foggy Nelson about how his partner Matt Murdock managed to get amnesty for the Hulk. Murdock is not among the crowd, but high above in his costumed identity of Daredevil so his enhanced senses don't get overwhelmed. Next a bunch of speeches are made from the superhero community. Mister Fantastic talks about Bruce Banner's scientific achievements before the gamma bomb explosion that turned him into the Hulk. Iron Man then takes the podium and talks about how the Hulk was one of the founding members of the Avengers. In the crowd are Hellcat and Doctor Strange of the Defenders, and both wonder if the Hulk will remain a part of the Defenders now that Bruce Banner is now in control of the Hulk. The Hulk takes the stage next and thanks everyone for their hospitality. Among the crowd is Rick Jones, who wishes his old friend Captain Marvel could be alive to see this. The Hulk's other former partner, Jim Wilson is also in the crowd who is proud the Hulk is having his moment, but feels sad because he believes that his friend may have forgotten about him.
Next comes a surprise when the Thing carries in a massive statue of the Hulk sculpted out of Adamantium by Alicia Masters. The two long-time rivals then shake hands and the Thing admits that the Hulk was always the stronger of the two of them. Down in the crowd below, General Ross asks Nick Fury and Dum Dum Dugan about security in the area. Fury assures him that SHIELD agents are set up around the premises looking out for trouble. Suddenly, the Inhuman Royal Family teleports into the middle of the festivities. On behalf of Black Bolt, Crystal gives the Hulk a bouquet of flowers that were grown on the Inhumans new home on the Moon. As soon as the Inhumans depart, Thor then uses his hammer to open a portal to Asgard where many warriors have gathered on the Bifrost bridge to cheer the Hulk. Next the Sub-Mariner arrives with a conch as well as a solute from a ship of his warriors. Next the Hulk is congratulated by heroes from around the world: The Black Panther from Wakanda, the Arabian Knight from Egypt, Alpha Flight from Canada, Sunfire from Japan, Shamrock from Ireland, Defensor from South America, Sabra from Israel, the Soviet Super-Soldiers from Russia, Captain Britain, and Blitzkrieg from Germany.
The last few visitors are of a cosmic level, first the Silver Surfer comes to congratulate the Hulk, who says the fact that the Hulk is free from his curse gives him hope that his will end soon as well. He is also visited by the Watcher, who presents the Hulk with a crystal containing thanks from all the alien races he has helped during his career. The Watcher then vanishes, and the press trying to document the event find their cameras apparently no longer work. Lastly, Willie Lumpkin and an army of postal workers come to deliver bags upon bags of fan mail from people congratulating the Hulk. The entire spectacle brings a tear to Bruce Banner's eyes. Above all the excitement is the alien Bereet, who is happy for the Hulk but wonders who could have created the phony Krylorian space ships that attacked Washington. While aboard his space station, the Leader gloats that this celebration is just part of his latest revenge scheme against the Hulk.
Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four then closes up the ceremony. As the superhero community continue their congratulations of the Hulk, Banner spies Betty Ross in the crowd with Doc Samson. Betty then waves to Bruce before disappearing into the crowd. While the whole world embraces the Hulk, Bruce Banner still feels utterly alone without the woman he loves most by his side.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Rick Jones, General Ross, Jim Wilson, Bereet, Betty Ross, Doc Samson, Leader, Jackdaw, Alpha Flight (Vindicator, Aurora, Northstar, Sasquatch, Shaman, Snowbird), Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wasp, Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, She-Hulk, Wonder Man), Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Defenders (Doctor Strange, Sub-Mariner, Beast, Gargoyle, Hellcat, Valkyrie), Power Man, Iron Fist, Inhumans (Black Bolt/Maximus, Medusa, Crystal, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, Luna, Lockjaw), Quicksilver, Rangers (Firebird, Shooting Star, Texas Twister), SHIELD (Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan), Soviet Super-Soldiers (Darkstar, Vanguard, Ursa Major), X-Men (Professor X, Colossus, Storm, Wolverine), American Eagle, Angel, Arabian Knight, Balder the Brave, Black Panther, Blitzkreig, Captain Britain, Collective Man, Daredevil, Defensor, Falcon, Redwing, Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg), Hela, Iceman, Jack of Hearts, Le Peregrine, Machine Man, Quasar, Sabra, Shamrock, Sif, Silver Surfer, Spider-Man, Stingray, Sunfire, Tigra, Torpedo, Watcher, J. Jonah Jameson, Willie Lumpkin, Alicia Masters, Foggy Nelson
Continuity Notes
Bruce Banner now has control of the Hulk and its transformations since a series of bombardments of gamma radiation between Incredible Hulk #269-272. He retains this ability until Incredible Hulk #296.
A number of real world people are depicted in this story: Dan Rather, Deborah Walters, Ronald Reagan, and Ed Koch. All of these appearances should be considered topical references per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. In addition all references to Russia being the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics should also be considered topical.
The events leading up to the Hulk being pardoned are recapped here. They happened in Incredible Hulk #277-278.
Mister Fantastic recounts the origin of the Hulk, which was first depicted in Incredible Hulk #1. Iron Man later recounts how the Hulk was a founding member of the Avengers, which was depicted in Avengers #1. The Hulk later left the group in the following issue because his teammates couldn't bring themselves to trust him.
Doctor Strange is concerned about the Hulk continuing to involve himself with the Defenders, a group that the Hulk was also a founding member of in Marvel Feature #1.
Rick Jones laments the passing of Captain Marvel who, at the time of this story, had recently died in Marvel Graphic Novel #1.
A number of appearances of characters in this story are somewhat complicated. They are:
The X-Men appear here between pages 20 and 21 of Uncanny X-Men #161.
The appearance of Dum Dum Dugan in this story is complicated: Original Sins #5 suggests that this was not really Dugan, but a LMD after the real Dugan was fatally shot in 1966. However as revealed in New Avengers (vol. 4) #17, Dugan wasn't dead, his mind was being transmitted into LMD bodies.
Equally complicated is the appearance of Black Bolt in this story, this is not truly Black Bolt, his body has been possessed by his insane brother Maximus at the time of this story, as revealed in Avengers Annual #12.
A problematic appearance here is that of Captain Britain. Chronologically speaking, the Captain was in the middle of a quest to Otherworld in England as chronicled in Hulk Comic #1-60. This story follows immediately after Contest of Champions which saw Captain Britain getting snatched mid-quest to participate. This happened between Hulk Comic #13 and 14. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #2 states that they were put back mere moments after they left. However, the appearance of Captain Britain in this story can only fit immediately after Contest of Champions. An explanation for his appearance here is a matter of interpretation in lieu of an official explanation. Perhaps he wasn’t returned to his proper place in time right away.
The Silver Surfer mentions his "curse", he is referring to how his former master Galactus trapped him on Earth in Fantastic Four #50. The Surfer remains trapped on Earth until Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #1.
Among the images of people in the crystal given to the Hulk by the Watcher are:
Adam Warlock who liberated Counter-Earth from the Man-Beast in Incredible Hulk #176-178. His inclusion here is odd because at the time of this story, Adam Warlock was dead as seen in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 and won't return to life again until the Infinity Gauntlet #1.
Glorian who the Hulk showed the errors of his ways in Incredible Hulk #267.
The Hulk-Hunters who the Hulk assisted in stopping the Galaxy Master in Incredible Hulk #269-270.
Rocket Raccoon and his people whom he assisted in Incredible Hulk #271.
