Now You See It...

Marlo Chandler takes Bruce Banner out to a video vendors convention where Bruce is frightened by an actor portraying the horror character Freddy Krueger. He realises that this is only an actor when "Krueger" gets mocked by actors portraying the X-Men, pointing out that "Wolverine's" claws are bigger. Marlo thought that Bruce would have a good day out with her, but when she starts talking about his alter-ego the Hulk, or "Joe Fixit" as she knows him, Bruce gets fed up about hearing about his "half-brother". He tries to warn her that Joe corrupts everything he touches and Marlo thinks that Bruce might be jealous. This upsets Bruce and he storms off. He thinks about telling Marlo the truth about himself and the Hulk, but worries what will happen if news that the Hulk has survived got out to the general public. Bruce then considers the life that the Hulk has forged in Las Vegas as a mob enforcer for Michael Berengetti and considering that the Hulk isn't rampaging all over the place, he wonders if he can't just accept this life, and fears what would happen if the Hulk were to lose it.

With the sun beginning to set, Bruce heads back over to the Coliseum Casino where he can change into the Hulk. Banner is unaware that he is being followed by a mysterious man with golden skin. When the Hulk transforms he is confused to see that it is still daylight outside. Going into the next room he finds three scantily clad women and a massive meal waiting for him, compliments, apparently, of his boss. After gorging down the food and having his way with the women, the Joe Fixit is then approached by Michael Berengetti who tells Joe that he is retiring and leaving his empire to him. Suddenly, the Hulk finds himself in Berengetti's office with the Thing wading over him hand and foot. The Hulk then decides to go to see Marlo and is surprised to find Rick Jones is his chauffeur. On their way he spots the Leader out walking his dog and orders Jones to run over his old foe. After that they continue on their way to Marlo's. There the Hulk finds both Marlo Chandler and Betty Banner waiting for him. When the two women begin fawning over him, Bruce Banner reasserts control, having deduced that this is merely an illusion playing out in his mind. The Hulk, furious at seeing Bruce in the same room, attacks him. Bruce points out to the Hulk that this is all an illusion and this allows his alter-ego to snap out of it.

The Hulk finds himself back in his penthouse with the golden skinned intruder standing over him. The man introduces himself as Glorian and he explains that he wants to bring the Hulk his fondest dreams in an attempt to cleanse his soul. The Hulk is furious that someone would play around in his mind like that and motions to attack. Glorian, then makes a quick escape out the window and creates a rainbow to rid along promising to bring the light into Hulk's life as he leaves. However, Glorian is not so confident while out of earshot as he thinks back to when he convinced the Shaper of Worlds to allow him to go on this mission. His thought are quickly broken when the Hulk, having followed Glorian outside, claps his hands together disorientating the dream maker enough to make him fall back to the ground.

The Hulk then attacks Glorian, who is knocked into the video expo where he tries to flee. The Hulk rampages through the convention, punching everyone out of his way to get to Glorian. The Hulk then beats his foe, seemingly to death. This is all witnessed by Marlo who is horrified to see Joe Fixit kill in cold blood. She tells the Hulk that she realizes that Bruce was right about him and she refuses to let him corrupt her. The Hulk merely walks out telling her that it's too late for that, he's corrupted her already.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Marlo Chandler, Glorian, Shaper of Worlds

Continuity Notes

• There are a number of references in this story that should be considered topical per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. They are:

  • The appearances of movie critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, especially considering that both men are now dead, having died in 1999 and 2013 respectively.

  • Mention of the 1989 Batman film as though it is a new release. Incidentally enough, the real Siskel and Ebert were just as divided on that Batman film as well.

  • The appearance of comedian Paul Reubens, in this obvious parody of Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Pee-Wee's Playhouse was at the height of its popularity at the time this story was published. The series ended in 1991.

• Bruce mentions that the general public thinks the Hulk is dead. This is after the Hulk was believed to have perished in a gamma bomb blast in Incredible Hulk #345.

• Glorian mentions the last time he met the Hulk, this was back when the Hulk was still green and savage, hence why the grey Hulk in this story might not remember him very well. That last encounter was in Incredible Hulk #267.