Freedom!

The Hulk is restrained inside the specially constructed containment room deep within Bruce Banner's secret lab. Keeping him restrained in the room is Bruce Banner himself. When Banner vows to keep the Hulk contained forever, the Hulk goes into another rage and forces his way free. He tries to smash Banner, but misses, breaking the wall of the cavern and creating an opening to the outside. Bruce tries to make a run for it, but the Hulk leaps and lands on top of him. However, before he can crush Bruce's head, Banner suddenly disappears and reappears a number of meters away. Whenever the Hulk tries to get closer to the Banner, he moves further and further away...

... This is all a dream in the mind of Bruce Banner who is undergoing a nutrient bath at the newly reconstructed Gamma Base. The purpose of the bath is to separate Bruce Banner from the Hulk. This technique was invented by Doc Samson who has a news team led by Dianne Bellamy. The process is an apparent success as an unconscious Bruce Banner is pulled from the tank, while the Hulk remains inside. Doc Samson explains that the Hulk is now a blank slate without Banner a part of him and contemplates the benefits to psychology from such a being. However, before Samson can continue, SHIELD agents led by Clay Quartermain have come to secure the facility. Quartermain explains how they are under orders to eliminate the Hulk. Samson is against this idea, however Quartermain wants to make sure that the Hulk never returns no matter what. When Dianne explains that her feed went live and she will report about this senesless execution, Clay explains that SHIELD scrambled her transmission the moment her crew started rolling.

The news crew are then detained, however, they are released later by Doc Samson, who explains to them that he intends to rescue the Hulk before he is executed. When SHIELD begins shipping the creature out of Gamma Base, Samson forces his way onto the carrier vehicle. Removing the mental dampener used on the seemingly-mindless Hulk. Samson then takes control of the remote piloted vehicle. However, the vehicle suddenly crashes and explodes into a burst of flame. This was caused by the Hulk, which is far from an invalid. Without the mind of Bruce Banner to keep it in check, the Hulk attacks the SHIELD helicopters that are hovering overhead and then leaps away. Not longer after, Doc Samson emerges from the rubble and realizing his mistake vows to capture and destroy the Hulk himself.

Later, at a nearby hospital, Betty Ross arrives to visit Bruce Banner.

Recurring Characters

Bruce Banner, Hulk, Doc Samson, SHIELD (Clay Quartermain), Betty Ross, Dianne Bellamy

Continuity Notes

• The dream sequence in is reminiscent of the opening events of Incredible Hulk #3.

• Bruce Banner is separated from the Hulk in this issue. However, this separation proves hazardous to their continued existence and Banner is forced to merge with the Hulk again in Incredible Hulk #323.

• Doc Samson mentions the Hulk's previous exile from Earth. This lasted from Incredible Hulk #300-313.

• Clay Quartermain mentions how he had previously been assigned to Gamma Base. That tenure lasted from Incredible Hulk #187-240.