From Out of the Night Comes... Boomerang!

The mercenary known as Boomerang, having recently been released from prison, flies to the estate of the man responsible for his extradition – Max Stryker. Max Stryker, an aging crime lord, is dying from inoperable cancer. Having learned about Bruce Banner's advances in restorative medicine using gamma radiation, Stryker invited him to test the process on himself. Banner refused, citing that the process is not ready for human trials. Desperate, Stryker instructs Boomerang to kidnap Banner's research assistant, Kate Waynesboro in order to blackmail Banner into conceding to Stryker's wishes.

At Northwind Observatory, Bruce and Kate continue their experiments with the Gammascope. They have now moved on to animal testing. The Douglas family brings their dying pet dog, Sirius, to the observatory and volunteer him as a test subject. The process works, and Sirius' health improves, albeit with the side effect of turning his fur green.

Afterwards, Banner decides to clean up and take a shower. While bathing, he suffers a waking nightmare wherein he sees the Hulk attacking him in the shower. The nightmare ends when Banner hears Kate screaming from the adjacent room. Grabbing his trademark purple shorts, Banner transforms into the Hulk and rushes out to face Boomerang. Boomerang has Waynesboro by the throat, and strikes at the Hulk with his various gimmick boomerangs. Ultimately, he manages to destroy some heavy equipment and brings the entire assembly down on top of the Hulk’s head.

When the Hulk revives, Boomerang and Waynesboro are gone. In their place sits the wheelchair bound Max Stryker. Stryker forces the Hulk to change back into Banner and give him the Gammascope treatment. Once again, the process appears to work, and Stryker is completely healed. Like Sirius, Stryker's skin is now green, but this is a small sacrifice to pay for renewed health.

Afterwards, Banner changes back into the Hulk and leaps towards Manhattan to find Boomerang and Kate. He lands in Central Park and is distracted by a large metal construct that has suddenly appeared in the middle of the park. He is hypnotically drawn to it, and disappears moments after entering the construct's archway.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Kate Waynesboro, Boomerang, Max Hammer

Continuity Notes

• Boomerang's employer is referred to as "Max Stryker" in this issue. In subsequent appearances, he is identified as Max Hammer.

• Max Stryker's flashback suggests that he was a big time mobster in the 1930s. However all suggestions of such should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale, as he is a character rooted in the Modern Age.

• Boomerang mentions that he had been recently incarcerated after a battle with Spider-Man in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #67.

• Boomerang also recalls his first encounter with the Hulk which was originally chronicled in Tales to Astonish #81-84 & 86-88.

• Banner's waking hallucination is a result of psychic manipulation by Nightmare as revealed in Incredible Hulk #297.

• The strange energy signature is revealed to be the Beyonder, and it is he who abducts the Hulk in this story. This happened in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12.