The Dogs of War: Part 1

Angela Lipscombe takes Bruce Banner to the gravesite of his late wife, Betty Banner, and waits outside so he can pay his respects in private. Talking to the grave, Bruce explains how he has discovered that he is suffering from a degenerative neurological disorder. He explains how he made a pact with his Hulk personas to control his body and how his old girlfriend, Angela Lipscombe, is trying to help him with his condition. He finishes his conversation by telling her that she will never know how badly he misses her.

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., General John Ryker looks out the window and contemplates his involvement in the conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. He thinks about how events were orchestrated so that Lee Harvey Oswald took the fall and was killed before he could tell the truth. His thoughts are then interrupted by one of his agents who tell him that Bruce Banner has recently been sighted at his wife's grave. Ryker tells his subordinate to start tracking the residual gamma radiation and inform him the next time Banner turns into the Hulk. At that moment, Banner is driving off in Angela's car. With the thoughts of his wife, he drives off to a secluded area along the Virginia/North Carolina border. There he goes into the woods and burns the last photograph he has of his life. Wracked with pain from his illness, Banner suddenly gives in to his grief and rage and changes into the savage Hulk and lets off a massive scream of agony. The transformation is picked up by John Ryker's men who zero in on the Hulk's location via satellite. General Ryker then orders them to let loose the Dogs of War.

Soon a military helicopter is deployed to the region and a cover story about escaped prisoners from a maximum-security penitentiary allows the military to evacuate the area under a cover of secrecy. While the military helicopter tracks down and fires on the Hulk, a ground crew feed a quartette of dogs gamma-irradiated meat that causes them to transform into ferocious gamma mutates. The four mutated canines attack the Hulk in addition to the helicopters. The Hulk smashes one of the dogs into the attacking ship. He then fights off the other three and tries to flee. However, when the mutated dogs try to maul a soldier the Hulk leaps in the way. Sometime later, the partially clothed form of Bruce Banner comes knocking on Angela Lipscombe's door.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Angela Lipscombe, General Ryker,

Continuity Notes

• Bruce Banner states that he has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Since this story has been published there have been advances in treating the illness and with the advent of and innovations in stem cell research could potentially lead to a cure. As such any references to what disease Bruce is suffering from should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

• There are numerous mentions to the fact that Bruce's wife, Betty Ross, had just recently died. She died of radiation poisoning in Incredible Hulk #466. Unknown to him is that the grave he is visiting is empty and that Betty's father has secretly been keeping her body in stasis (as revealed in Incredible Hulk #467). She will be eventually resurrected, as seen in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #62.

• In this story, John Ryker recounts his involvement in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Given his constant obfuscation of the truth this cannot be confirmed, denied, or if this should be considered a topical reference as it also cannot be confirmed if Ryker is a normal human or has benefited by any age slowing abilities or access to suspended animation technology.

• Chronologically speaking, this is the last appearance of President John F. Kennedy, all further appearances beyond this chronological point (IE: Any stories from the 1960s taking place in the modern age that depict JFK as president) should be considered topical references beyond this point.