Life Is a Four-Letter Word!

Bruce Banner finds himself about to be sacrificed on an alter by the very orange-skinned woman he tried to rescue as the Hulk. Bruce is confused as his last memories were of how Nightmare made the Hulk go savage in the hopes of slaying his foe Doctor Strange. This battle ended with Banner committing psychic suicide as he no longer wished to live a shared existence with the Hulk. Accepting his impending death, Banner closes his eyes and prepares for the end. Suddenly, the sacrifice is stopped by Dr. Daniel DeCyst, the man who is in charge of the skeletal warriors. Ordering the savage woman to stand down, DeCyst is delighted to see another human on this world and frees Banner.

DeCyst reveals that he was formally from the University of Edinburgh circa 1759. As they leave, the savage woman snaps out of whatever control the Doctor had over her. Horrified that she almost killed someone, she vows to get revenge against the man who has slaughtered so many of her people. Meanwhile, Bruce is taken to DeCyst's lab where he reveals to Banner that he is an alchemist. Banner learns that DeCyst has been trying to find the key to immortality, the exact opposite of what Banner wishes to achieve. DeCycst explains that his theories and experiments got him expelled from the University of Edinburgh. With no other support in his time, the doctor continued his study in seclusion. Using a spell, he accidentally cast himself to this alien world of orange skinned savages. It is here that he forged his empire and continued his studies. He then reveals that to maintain his life, he drank the blood of the savages.

Daniel DeCyst then takes Banner up to another room where a number of the native of this world are strung up from the ceiling and are being slowly exsanguinated. Banner finds this mad, but when he tries to attack DeCyst, the elderly alchemist pulls a flintlock pistol. Banner then flees, back outside and tries to get away. While DeCyst is distracted, the savage woman who would have been sacrificed manages to get up behind him and stab him through the heart. With danger all around, Bruce wills himself to transform into the Hulk who is joined by the Triad. As the Hulk battles DeCyst's demonic hordes, the Triad fear that he will fall in battle. In order to make the Hulk see reason, Guardian fires an arrow into the Hulk's brow. This makes the Hulk realise that the woman he came to save doesn't need his help anymore. The Hulk then triggers the failsafe spell that transports him and the Triad back to the Crossroads.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Triad (Glow, Guardian, Goblin)

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.

• Banner recounts how Nightmare manipulated him, his psychic suicide, and banishment to the Crossroads. This all transported from Incredible Hulk #292-300.

• Bruce Banner states that he graduated from Los Alamos University in 1960. The year that Banner graduated should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.