Incredible Hulk #285
Today is the First Day of the Rest of My Life!
Bruce Banner makes a personal recording of his memoirs reflecting upon the life history of his time as the savage Hulk. Concluding his report, he goes outside to oversee the progress of his latest project, Northwind Observatory. He has hired Stark Industries to construct the observatory and engineer Scott Lang is present as foreman. Lang asks Bruce about what it is like being a hero, but Banner merely wishes to devote his life to science now, not heroism.
The construction crew installs a gamma-powered core into the facility, but Banner realizes too late, that this is the same device that was once used by Soulstar Industries to harness the power of Zzzax. As the couplings are connected, an energy surge sweeps across the cables and Zzzax is reborn.
Bruce transforms into the Hulk and fights him, but his brute strength has little effect against the "living dynamo". Rather, it is the intellect of Bruce Banner that wins the day. Applying his knowledge of science, the Hulk creates a circuit that destabilizes Zzzax's form, sending his atoms back into outer space.
In New York, dozens of people gather about a movie theater to view the premiere of "The Life and Times of the Incredible Hulk". Rick Jones happens to pass the theater and sees the project's director, Bereet, exiting a limousine. Rick chastises Bereet for capitalizing on the Hulk's newfound fame, but Bereet retorts that Rick has been using his guilt over the Hulk for years to define him as a person.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Bereet, Rick Jones, Scott Lang, Zzzax
Continuity Notes
Bruce Banner recounts many milestones in the history of the Hulk up to this date. These events include:
A retelling of the Hulk's origin as originally depicted in Incredible Hulk #1.
Hulk joining the Avengers in Avengers #1, he quit in the following issue.
When Hulk teamed up with the Sub-Mariner against the Avengers in Avengers #3.
He references his many battles with the Leader, the flashback is from their original clash which ran from Tales to Astonish #62-75.
He mentions his love for Betty Ross. This depiction shown here was from around the time that Glenn Talbot first appeared circa Tales to Astonish #61.
He also mentions his various clashes with the Abomination, the first of which occurred in Tales to Astonish #90-92.
Banner also recounts when Rick Jones eventually left him to become Captain America's partner. This happened in Captain America #110.
Also mention is the Hulk's first clash with Doc Samson which happened in Incredible Hulk #141.
He also mentions his joining the Defenders, which the Hulk helped form in Marvel Feature #1. The version of the team pictured here is circa Defenders #121.
Also mentioned the events leading up to Bruce Banner assuming full control of the Hulk his battle with the U-Foes and his Presidential pardon which occurred from Incredible Hulk #272-278.
Lastly the Huk recalls how he was offered to re-join the Avengers, this was following his clash with the Leader in Incredible Hulk #282-284.
The depiction of the Twin Towers at the site of the World Trade Center should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Tiemscale of Earth-616. The twin towers were destroyed in a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.
Rick Jones recalls how he used the Destiny Force to end the Kree-Skrull War in Avengers #97.
The generator that brought Zzzax back to life is the same one that was used to create him in the first place, as seen in Incredible Hulk #183.
Banner wonders what could make Tony Stark so careless in regards to purchasing the generator. The reason is because, at the time of this story, Tony Stark had relapsed into his alcoholism as depicted in Iron Man #167.
Continuity Errors
When this story recounts the first time Bruce Banner transformed into the Hulk the man-monster is depicted with green skin instead of the grey skin he was originally depicted with in Incredible Hulk #1. As explained in Incredible Hulk #324, Banner first transformed into a grey Hulk and later evolved into a Green one. This continuity error is a technically because Incredible Hulk #324 was published years after the events of this story.
