Incredible Hulk (Vol. 2) #71
Big Things
After a whirlwind romance with Tony Stark, Lisa Cummings commits suicide because she cannot stop him from his current project through conventional means, hoping that in death she can stop Tony from finishing his current project. The death causes a swirl of controversy around Stark. Watching a news report is Bruce Banner who learns that Stark is planning a news conference in light of the recent tragedy. Seeing some officers chasing some reporters down the street, Banner decides to get away and rounds the corner and finds himself smack in the middle of the press conference itself. Stark explains that the death of Lisa Cummings was a tragedy, but he insists that they were occasional social acquaintances. He then deflects questions about his relationship with the woman and those involving a new suit of armor he is working on. When one of the reporters asks if Stark Enterprises is working with gamma photons, reminding him of the last time those were experimented turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk. Tony denies any such rumors and tells them that they are honoring the memory of a young woman, concluding the press conference.
Talk of gamma radiation piques Banner's interest and he begins spying on the Stark Enterprises building. Through binoculars, he sees a shipment of gamma photons being brought into the facility. The following day, Banner purchases a listening device so he can continue to spy on Stark and find out what he is working on. He overhears Tony and his colleague Jack Rutledge about their current project involving gamma rays. Jack has concerns about how Lisa's death is affecting him, how much rest he is getting, and how he is out partying all the time. However, as they check on a new suit of Iron Man armor, Tony expresses his upset about Lisa's death, especially when he sat there and let it happen. Hearing this comes to a shock to Bruce Banner. Bruce then follows Tony to the Flamingo Room. He thinks he's watching Tony on the dance floor, but when the real Tony Stark gets the drop on Bruce, Banner learns that he has been watching a body double. However, Stark doesn't recognize Bruce thanks to his changed appearance and thinks him to be a corporate spy hired by the competition. A sniper fires on Bruce, it triggers a transformation into the Hulk. The Hulk then knocks Tony aside, burying him under rubble. This gives Stark a chance to change into his Iron Man armor.
The two begin battling it out in the alleyway and out into the streets. However, when they both hear police sirens both men stop fighting. Banner reverts back to human form and Tony hides his armor. Tony uses his charm and money to convince the cops that they were having a disagreement about their bar tab. Tony and Bruce are soon joined by the Mach Twins, Nicole and Rikki, and Tony decides to take all three back to his house. When they arrive at Tony's mansion, Stark has Bruce stay in his own room as the guest room is being painted. After showing the room to Bruce and getting him a fresh change of clothing, he tries to dispel the concerns of his butler Jeeves. While Jeeves is nervous that Bruce Banner is getting involved, Tony reminds him that Bruce is the leading expert on gamma radiation and will be a benefit to his project. Back in Stark's room, Bruce is trying to make sense of what is going on with Tony. He decides to look around inside the bedside night table he finds a gun and a diary. As Bruce reads, he discovers that it is Lisa Cumming's diary. As he reads, a man sneaks onto the window ledge and gets into the room through the window. Thinking Bruce is sleeping in bed, he shoots it, but it turns out to be a statue of Iron Man. Bruce detected the intruder and holds him at gunpoint.
Bruce recognizes the man as the sniper who shot him in the alley and demands to know why he shot him. The sniper explains that he was aiming for Tony. Bruce transforms into the Hulk and that while he was targeting Tony Stark, he got the Hulk instead. Watching from a security monitor, Tony Stark and Jeeves watch this scene play out. Tony admits to Jeeves that this new development is not exactly what he has been planning.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Iron Man, Jack Rutledge, Nicole March, Rikki March, Richard Cummings
Continuity Notes
Tony Stark states he purchased his BMW from actor Pierce Brosnan. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
