Incredible Hulk #606

Mar 10

Mar 10 Incredible Hulk #606

Father's Day

Skaar and Bruce Banner are riding with the Fantastic Four, the former being commended a hero for his part in stopping an attack by the Mole Man and Tyrannus in New York. However, Banner knows that this is no different from what happened with the Hulk back in the good old days, which his wife Betty saw through and he knows that Skaar hasn't learned a thing. Then suddenly, Uatu the Watcher appears, looking intently at Banner. Even stranger, Banner thought he saw Betty in the crowd. He later tells Mr. Fantastic that his tech could tell that it was Betty. He then teleports to New Mexico to tell Red Hulk about her. Red Hulk says they need to be focused on the mission. Banner shoots back that if he dares harm her, he will kill him. Red Hulk responds by telling him that she may really hate him, not the Hulk. Banner quickly teleports to Latveria.

His tech tells him that his heart rate is climbing. Next thing anyone knows, the Hulk crashes into Castle Doom. Doom fights back, apparently siphoning what appears to be cosmic energy. Skaar then pops out of nowhere to stop Doom from killing the Hulk before he could. Doom manages to subdue him, showing Skaar that the "Hulk" was actually an android charged with cosmic energy. He then attempted to use Skaar's own sword against him, just as he returns to child form. Luckily, Banner teleports in, using his shields to block the slash. He then activates his gamma dome, disabling all of Doom's technology. Doom attempted to retaliate with magic, only to suddenly forget the words. Banner explains to him that when he absorbed the Cosmic Hulk's power, he also ingested a poison pill planted by the Leader and M.O.D.O.K., to make him forget even how his armor's mechanisms work, just to capture Doom. Cosmic Hulk then grabs Doom and leaps off.

Banner then tries to talk to the child Skaar, offering to help him with his other-self. However, child Skaar snaps back that he doesn't care about either of them, only about Betty. Changing back to adult form, Skaar swears to stop him. An impressed Banner then tells him that their next job is to save the Avengers who are under attack by the Red She-Hulk

Recurring Characters

Bruce Banner, Skaar, Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Red Hulk, Doctor Doom, Hulk robot, Intelligencia (Leader, MODOK, Red She-Hulk), Franklin Richards, Watcher, Mighty Avengers (Stature, Vision, Quicksilver, US Agent), New Avengers (Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Man

Continuity Notes

The events of this story happen nearly simultaneously with the events of other stories. The proper chronology is as follows:
- Skaar defeats the Mole Man and Tyrannus and is celebrated by New York City, Incredible Hulk #605 and the flashback in the first story of this issue.
- The apparent death of Thaddeus Ross and his funeral in Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1.
- The capture of Reed Richards by the Intelligencia in Hulk Vol 2 #19.
- The capture of Doctor Doom in the first story of this issue.
- Bruce Banner and the Red Hulk's meeting at the end of Hulk Vol 2 #19.

Bruce Banner recounts when the Hulk was pardoned and a massive parade was thrown in his honor. This happened in Incredible Hulk #278-279. The Hulk's pardon lasts until the next time he went on a rampage from Incredible Hulk #296-300.

The Thing mentions that the Watcher was punched in the face. This was by the Red Hulk in Hulk Vol 2 #4.

There are multiple mentions to the fact that Betty Ross. She died of radiation poisoning in Incredible Hulk #466. At the time of this story, nobody is aware that the Intelligencia resurrected her as revealed in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1.

The reason why Banner is upset with the Red Hulk after seeing Betty, and why he is convinced he really saw her, and not a clone, is because the Red Hulk told him that she is still alive. This is revealed in a flashback in Hulk Vol 2 #21.

Bruce asks the Red Hulk why he isn't in New York. The Red Hulk goes there to stop the Frightful Four from kidnapping Mr. Fantastic as seen in Hulk Vol 2 #19.

Doctor Doom recounts how he once stole the power of the Silver Surfer. That happened in Fantastic Four #57-60. While Skaar mentions he beat up the Surfer, that happened in Skaar: Son of Hulk #8-11.

Doctor Doom states that the Cosmic Hulk robot was endowed with the Power Cosmic by Galactus. This was revealed in Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1. However, the robot itself was built on Earth, as seen in Eternals #14.

In this story, Dr. Doom is infected with a virus that causes him brain damage. His mind is eventually returned to normal in FF #2.

The Right Direction

The Leader reviews footage of the Red She-Hulk's battle with X-Force fearing that she is not ready for what is to come next. MODOK assures him that she will be ready when the time comes. However, the Leader isn't quite convinced, to prove his point he orders the computer to pull up footage of Samson's psyche profile from the week before...

They watch footage of the She-Hulk trying to escape from the AIM facility where she has been held since she was captured by the Intelligencia. Getting past the guards she is confronted by the Red She-Hulk who is determined to get the prisoner back to her cell. She-Hulk won't go down without a fight and the two women fight it out. She-Hulk is soon overpowered by her red-skinner counterpart. With Jennifer beaten down, the Red She-Hulk rips an electrical wire out of the wall and uses it to snap She-Hulk's neck, seemingly killing her.