Incredible Hulk #609

Mar 10

Mar 10 Incredible Hulk #609

Perfection

Banner is enjoying his greatest fantasy, spending it with his family. He is well known by the world as the man who killed Hulk. He then sees a towering skeleton before him, with a missile puncturing through its ribcage.

However, his fantasy is a sham, as he, among the rest of Earth's smartest minds, are hooked up to a virtual reality construct. Red She-Hulk urges Leader to kill them but he advises patience, as they require to drain all the knowledge from their brains. However, M.O.D.O.K. claims that they don't have that long, as Hulked-Out Heroes are tearing up the place. The Leader dispatches Red She-Hulk to deal with them, while Talbot makes a speech.

Talbot's speech details how Earth's heroes have gone insane. However, the military knows, thanks to Korg and A-Bomb, that Talbot staged a coup with Hulked-Out A.I.M. marines. However, A-Bomb, Korg and Skaar have arrived to stop them.

Back in the fantasy world, Doom brings Banner's attention to the fact that their fellow scientists are fascinated with simple math. The explanation is that their brainpower is being drained to help the Mental Organism Designed Only for Knowledge run the world. Doom, however, can somehow summon a mysterious gauntlet, capable of making small changes in this world. He asks that Banner study it. Banner does so and in the midst of discovering what it's from, he briefly sees Skaar fighting the Hulked Out A.I.M. marines, before being interrupted by his fantasy son named Skip.

Back in the real world, Banner's allies are forced to deal with Hulked-Out Heroes. A-Bomb is felled by Iceman, Photon and Storm. He asks Skaar to find Banner, for he is the only one who can stop this. Instead, Skaar throws him into the air right at the Intelligencia Helicarrier, before resuming his fight with the Hulked-Out Heroes.

Back in Banner's fantasy, he is catching fireflies with his family, when Doom interrupts their fun. He uses the gauntlet to turn Skip into Skaar. Banner runs to the Founders' Library but is stopped halfway there by Skaar. Doom then demands that he fully activate the gauntlet to take them home. But before Skaar could crush Banner, he is hit in the chest by a missile fired by Betty, reverting him back to Skip. She tells her husband that he'll wake up tomorrow and everything will be perfect. However, Banner instead activates the gauntlet, declaring that he loves the real Betty more.

When Banner wakes up, he sees A-Bomb being struck down by Red She-Hulk. Unfortunately, Doom has also woken up and attempts to drain the others' brains by overriding Leader's technology. However, he unknowingly wired the wrong cable and instead of fried his own brain. But before he could kill Banner, he is punched out of the Helicarrier by Red She-Hulk. She then tries to tell Banner something, only for Skaar to crash in and impale her with his sword. She reverts to human form, revealing her true identity as Betty, much to everyone's shock.

Recurring Characters

Bruce Banner, Skaar, A-Bomb, Korg, Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Ms. Marvel), Storm, Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, Thing), Intelligencia (Leader, Red-She-Hulk, MODOK), “Glenn Talbot”, Wasp, Black Panther, Beast, Doctor Doom

Continuity Notes

This story takes place concurrently with events seen in Hulk Vol 2 #22, World War Hulks: Wolverine & Captain America #2 and World War Hulks: Spider-Man & Thor #2.

The man who appears to be Glenn Talbot in this story is actually a Life Model Decoy as revealed in Hulk Vol 2 #23.

Thor recounts the time he battled Korg back in Journey into Mystery #83.

Doctor Doom was brain damaged in Incredible Hulk #606 and is stuck in that state in this story. However, his mind is later restored to normal in FF #2.

The Night Is For Vengeance

Hiro-Kala remembers everything that has happened that brought him to the Microverse, where he found love with Lihla. He is now at the mercy of her father Axeman Bone for murdering Lihla. However, Sakaarians kicks him away and runoff. Axeman Bone declares to his men that under Sakaarian law, he will dispatch of Hiro-Kala personally. The long chase has come very far before Hiro-Kala finds a crater with energy leaking out. He evades Axeman Bone's attempts to chop off his head, before falling down into the darkness. Axeman Bone then decides to leap in after him.