Incredible Hulk (Vol. 2) #21

Mar 12

Mar 12 Incredible Hulk (Vol. 2) #21

The Truth Is Really "Out There"

Joe Fixit has sought Hack for a favor, however, the nerdy hacker tells the gray Hulk that he still owes him for helping out with the John Ryker incident. Fixit refuses to honor a deal that Hack made with Banner, but when he realizes that the hacker won't back down, he concedes. Soon the two are headed to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio where Hack believes the government is involved in a project of creating alien/human hybrids. As they arrive in the city of Dayton they are observed by two strange men in black named One and Two. They believe that these two are heading to Wright-Patterson due to the subliminal invitations by a being they call "The Other" and decide to intervene.

Soon Joe Fixit and Hack arrive at the air force base where Hack explains that the alien conspiracy that he seeks can be found beneath a nondescript looking shed on the property. The Hulk finds the entire idea ridiculous just because he finds the idea of aliens coming to Earth in secret and experimenting on hybridization between the two species to be absurd. When he learns that Hack wants to obtain a sample of the hybrid that is being kept in the facility, because the "people have a right to know", the Hulk resigns to helping Hack through the rest of his crazy scheme. The Hulk easily dispatches the guard and begins working his way into the shed unaware that his movements are being monitored by Colonel St. Hubbins, a man under the control of the Men in Black. By their mental commands, St. Hubbins orders his men to allow the intruder to enter the secret facility and breach its inner sanctum. Meanwhile, the Hulk breaks into the shed and discovers a stairway into a facility called Area 188. He is surprised to discover that Hack was right, and it's then that the security system is set off and Joe Fixit finds himself surrounded by automated weapons. However, these defenses are hardly a match for the Hulk, who easily trashes the weapons.

Watching from the security monitors, One and Two are perplexed as to how a creature could so easily breach the lower levels of this facility. While Fixit works his way to the secret chamber of this facility, soldiers being surrounding the shed. To make matters worse a ship carrying the "Ancients" is picked up on radar and determined to be approaching the facility, prompting the two Men in Black to consider abandoning their mission. Down below, the Hulk smashes through a heavy door and comes upon the machine containing the alien/human hybrid DNA. As the Hulk recovers the sample a member of the Ancients teleports into the room and tells the Hulk that the hybrid belongs to them and it has come to retrieve it. The Hulk is enthralled by the alien visitor, but, before he can hand the hybrid over, One and Two arrive to take the hybrid for themselves. This leads to a battle between the three aliens, with the Hulk caught in the crossfire. While they are otherwise distracted, the aliens discover that the Hulk managed to slip away with the hybrid in all the confusion. When the Hulk returns to the surface, Hack is delighted to see that he succeeded in his mission.

However, when they open the containment unit, they discover that the "hybrid" isn't with alien and human DNA, but a hybrid version of corn. This, the Hulk finds hilarious, but Hack is upset that his discovery wasn't something sensational enough to blow the lid off of any conspiracy theories. As they drive out of town, they are observed by One and Two, who are pleased that everything has gone according to plan.