Incredible Hulk #306
Call Me Ishmael, Call Me... Hulk!
Having earned the trust of the Hulk, the Puffball Collective continues its attempts to revive the submerged mind of the creature. Telepathically scanning the Hulk's memories, the Collective tries to encourage this by assuming younger forms of Bruce Banner. When the Collective assumes the form of an adult Banner, it causes the Hulk to lash out in anger. In order to calm down the man-monster, the Collective then assumes a form similar to his own. The Puffball Collective's attempts to revive the Hulk's mind are suddenly interrupted when the energy creature known as Klattu suddenly appears in the Crossroads dimension. The Hulk suddenly attacks Klattu, but the massive creature easily swats him away. After deflecting the rest of the Hulk's attacks, Klattu suddenly becomes aware of all the portals and decides to seek out the energy that resides on the worlds on the opposite side. The creature suddenly turns into energy, which splits off into thousands of tendrils that pass through the portals.
No sooner is Klaatu is gone, does a ship full of his pursuers arrive aboard the ship Andromeda. When Xeron and his crew spot the Hulk they instantly recognize him and pull "ashore" so that Xeron can attempt to convince him to rejoin their mission to destroy Klaatu. However, Xeron finds that the Hulk is now a mindless brute. The Puffball Collective explains these changes to the Hulk and then learns about Xeron and his crew. How the Hulk had once helped them try to destroy Klaatu. That quest ended with Klaatu seemingly perishing in Earth's sun along with their leader Captain Cybor. However, Xeron explains that Klaatu instead stole energy from the sun and fled again, while Cybor was almost incinerated by it. Xeron and his crew were able to recover Cybor but his organic half was completely burned away. They saved him and repairing him, the fully mechanical Captain Cybor has now become the living masthead on the front of the Andromeda. Still seeking to slay Klaatu and steal his energies to gain immortality, Xeron and his crew have since continued hunting Klaatu ever since.
Having grown impatient, Captain Cybor orders that there have been enough talk and orders Xeron to enlist the Hulk so they can continue their hunt for Klaatu. The Hulk resists but he is too fatigued from a lack of food and is easily knocked out when caught on Xeron's laser harpoon and blasted by Captain Cybor. With the Hulk unconscious the Puffball Collective insists that it come along as it is seeking a means to escape the Crossroads, and it can keep the Hulk calm aboard the Andromeda. The Hulk is then shackled to an ore and is forced to help pilot the Andromeda, the Puffball Collective convincing the Hulk to work with the crew. Cybor manages to track Klaatu to one portal leading to a water world. However when they pass through the portal, the Puffball Collective is forced back. This sends the Hulk into a rage, but he is told to get back to work by Xeron, as Klaatu is now before them.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Puffball Collective, Klaatu, Captain Cybor, Xeron
Continuity Notes
The mind of Bruce Banner commits "psychic suicide" in Incredible Hulk #299 leaving the savage Hulk in control of his body. This lasts until Incredible Hulk #312.
Xeron the Hulk's first encounter with their first encounter with the Hulk as it was chronicled in Incredible Hulk #136-137.
