Incredible Hulk #323
Certain Intangibles
The rampage of the savage Hulk has been stopped by the east and west coast Avengers. With Bruce Banner's life on the line, the Hulk is being loaded up into a truck so that the two entities can be remerged. The people of Jericho are upset that they are sparing the life of the Hulk after it destroyed their home. When Captain America fails to calm them down, Rick Jones manages to get them to disburse. While Doc Samson is being carted away by paramedics, he is interviewed by Dianne Bellamy a news reporter, and he states that their attempt to merge the Hulk and Bruce Banner should not be interfered with by the government or SHIELD. When Diane asks what happened to her two-person helicopter, Doc remembers he left it hovering over the town hours earlier. Suddenly, the chopper runs out of gas and crashes, leaving Dianne to wonder how she will explain this to her employers. With the battle over, She-Hulk says her goodbyes to Rick and Betty before she departs with the Avengers.
The entire ordeal is watched by Bruce Banner on the hospital television. He is disappointed that they would capture the Hulk to save him even though he stressed that the Hulk should be destroyed. However, looking at his hand and seeing that it is turning translucent, Banner thinks it's too late to save him anyway. Back in the ruins of Jericho, the soldiers tasked with transporting the Hulk notice that he has somehow gotten bigger. When they try to use grapplers to pick his body up. They are shocked when the clamps go through him. When Samson sees this he realizes that the molecules of the Hulk are starting to spread apart. This leaves both Betty and Samson wondering what is happening to Bruce. At the hospital, Doctor Fisher discovers that Banner is also starting to increase in size and tangibility as his molecules also begin to spread apart. Calls are placed and Rick Jones uses his connections to the Avengers to get in touch, first with Henry Pym, then to the Vision. Once the Vision learns about the plight of Bruce Banner and how his density powers can help. After discussing it with his wife the Scarlet Witch, the Vision decides to help.
The Vision first arrives at the hospital where he uses his powers to phase into Bruce Banner's body. He then uses his control over density to draw Banne's atoms closer together, creating a merger between the two beings. The Vision then flies off with Banner's body to Jericho. There, the Vision then phases his and Banner's body into that of the Hulk. He then uses his phasing powers to once more condense. Although the merger is a success, the Vision finds himself trapped inside the Hulk's body and now has to struggle to keep the Hulk's rage in check. Meanwhile, at Gamma Base, Clay Quartermain brings Thaddeus Ross on-site, where they can prepare to rid the world of the Hulk once and for all. Back in Jericho, the Vision struggles for control and tries to free himself, but to no avail. With his mind being swallowed up by the Hulk's rage, the Vision can only free himself when Betty Banner talks the Hulk into calming down. Once the Vision has pulled himself free, the Hulk passes out and reverts back into Bruce Banner. With the process a seeming success, the Vision bids Betty and Rick farewell and wishes Bruce banner all the luck in the world.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Betty Ross, Rick Jones, Clay Quartermain, Doc Samson, General Ross, Avengers (Wasp, Captain America, Black Knight, Captain Marvel, Hercules, Sub-Mariner), Avengers West Coast (Iron Man, Wonder Man, Tigra, Hawkeye, Mockingbird), Vision, She-Hulk, Hank Pym, Scarlet Witch, SHIELD
Continuity Notes
Bruce Banner was separated from Hulk in Incredible Hulk #315.
