Blue Moon

The Hulk has come back to Nadia's diner to rescue her and the mysterious Mr. Blue from a swarm of Krill, genetically engineered creatures created to collect the Hulk's blood for Home Base. Upon his arrival, the Hulk has made a startling discovery: That Mr. Blue is actually his late wife, Betty Ross. Hearing this through the eye-cam of one of the Krill, the leader of Home Base finds this revelation to be most interesting. Betty explains that undergoing plastic surgery to change her face was the hardest thing she had to do, but she did it all to help protect him and stay true to her marriage vows. Hearing this, the leader of Home Base finds this all interesting, realizing that his opposition was one step ahead of them the whole time. However, before the Hulk can get more answers as to what happened, they are attacked by the Krill again. As the Hulk fights them off, the mastermind behind Home Base tries to theorize how Betty Ross managed to return to life when the Krill begin to swarm the Hulk again.

As the creatures swarm around Betty and Nadia, the Hulk tosses the mass into a water tower, shorting out the Krill that is trying to devour the creature. However, this effort has allowed the remaining beasts to begin swarming the Hulk until one of them is able to sink its teeth into his skin and draw blood. Before it can get back to Home Base with the blood, the Hulk manages to smash the creature. As the women recover in the water tower, they discover that the creatures are vulnerable to water. Nadia questions Betty about being married to Bruce, and she explains that she was his wife until she gave away her face. Suddenly, the helicopter carrying Doc Samson and Sandra Verdugo arrive, the spotlights from the vehicle frighten the Krill away. Meanwhile, Betty explains to Nadia that not many, not even her father, know about her return. When she mocks Nadia for selling Bruce out earlier, she learns that Nadia slept with him by her choice and is heartbroken to realize that Nadia has fallen in love with Bruce. While on the ground, the Hulk doesn't know that Samson and Sandra are aboard the helicopter and attacks it.

The two women in the water tower spot a rifle that was knocked out of the chopper and make their way toward it. Meanwhile, Sandra and Leonard try to convince the Hulk to stay in the light, but with Bruce Banner's mind completely submerged by the savage Hulk, he continues to think the helicopter is a threat and sends it crashing down. From the wreckage of the downed chopper, Sandra begins stripping down to her underwear as she has a way of trying to calm the Hulk down. While Betty and Nadia prepare to shoot the Hulk with the one tranquilizer dart left in the gun. At first, Betty doesn't know what Sandra is doing but realizes her calming technique too late to stop Nadia from firing on the Hulk. With the attempt to calm the Hulk ruined, everyone tries to calm the Hulk down all at once, leaving everyone too distracted to see the lone Krill bite the Hulk's ankle and slip away. Feeling the bite, the Hulk then chases after the creature as it flees back to Home Base.

As Betty explains who she is and her involvement in this entire conspiracy, it is enough to convince Doc Samson that she is telling the truth. However, there is one problem: the spotlights on the chopper will only have enough power for another hour, leaving them vulnerable to the Krill. Meanwhile, Home Base continues to track the progress of the Krill that has the Hulk's blood sample. When their master asks how far away the Hulk is, they are horrified to discover that he is hot on the trail of the creature that took his blood!

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Doc Samson, Sandra Verdugo, Nadia Dornova, Betty Ross, Home Base (The Leader, Agents S-5. S-6, and G-7)

Continuity Notes

• Betty mentions how she and Bruce were married. Indeed they were in Incredible Hulk #319.

• Betty's reappearance here is a complicated one, especially since the Leader seems surprised that she is there. Some facts:

  • Betty died of radiation poisoning in Incredible Hulk #466. As revealed in Incredible Hulk #473-474 this was due to Betty being injected with the Abomination's Blood.

  • The Leader wonders how Betty was brought back to life, which he should know since he and the other members of the Intelligencia were responsible for bringing Betty back to life as seen in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1.

  • However, some aspects of this storyline are part of the manipulations of Nightmare as a roundabout way of birthing a child named Daydream as revealed in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #81 so some elements here, such as Betty's facelift and the fact that the Leader doesn't know that Betty is alive again are all part of this scheme.