When In Rome

Betty Ross wakes up in a barn in Belleville, Georgia, and spots smoke rising in the distance. She decides to go and check it out. Along the way, she is stopped by approaching military vehicles who tell her that it's not safe as the Hulk has been spotted on the rampage. When they try to stop her, she turns into the Red She-Hulk and smashes their vehicles. She is then approached by a man in gladiatorial armor who she thinks is her ex-husband, the Hulk, but turns out to be Tyrannus, the Hulk's old foe, who thinks that they will get along great.

Meanwhile, at the Olympus Group Research Facility located within Gammaworld, Bruce Banner visits Amadeus Cho and tells him of his recent harrowing activities. Cho has something to show him, playing back footage of the Red She-Hulk going on a rampage. Looking at the footage, he realizes the house that she is demolishing is the last place that they lived together. Cho has since tracked her to Italy where she has been shopping at high-end fashion houses. Based on his calculations both men realize that Betty's powers are in flux and after a few more transformations into the Red She-Hulk, she will be trapped in that form forever. Bruce decides to find his wife on his own, telling Amadeus that he wants to sort this one out alone. Still, Amadeus wants to help Bruce out and equips him with some spy equipment to help him track Betty down. Soon, Bruce tracks her down to a charity benefit at Il Museo Della Mitologia Antica. Cho views the surveillance cameras and determines that she is casing the room with an unseen accomplice. He tells Bruce to wait for him to run some number, but Banner is too impatient and barges into the ballroom and pulls his ex-wife onto the dance floor. He tries to warn her of the risk of continued transformations and that he doesn't want to fight. However, Betty is spoiling for one anyway and trips him. Banner falls into a marble bust, knocking it off its stand, but it is caught by Tyrannus. The fact that Betty is working with one of his oldest foes comes to a shock to a shock to Bruce. Worse, Tyrannus was invited to this event by the government.

Cho confirms that Tyrannus was indeed invited, and tries to figure out what else he is up to. However, Bruce loses control of himself and transforms into the Hulk. He smashes the bust, but Cho reminds him to just walk away otherwise Betty will transform and they don't know what will happen then. Surprisingly, the Hulk listens, and he is gone by the time the authorities are gone. Betty is unphased by all of this and continues partying. Outside, the authorities confront the Hulk, but their bullets bounce harmlessly off him. As Cho continues to figure out what Tyrannus might be looking for in the museum, the Hulk turns around and sees his foe on one of the balconies carrying Betty in his arms. Furious, the Hulks smashes through a wall and confronts him. Rushing into another room, Tyrannus tricks the Hulk into thinking he has locked Betty away in a mystically sealed vault. Back at base, Cho sees security footage of the museum direct, Sofia Di Cosio arriving on the scene and tells the Hulk to stay calm. However, the gamma-spawned monster won't listen and rips the vault door off its hinges. Once he has done so there is a sudden jolt of light. The Hulk is then attacked from behind by the Red She-Hulk, while Tyrannus grabs what he has been seeking.

The Red She-Hulk then incapacitates the Hulk and escapes with her ally. As the Hulk recovers, the authorities surround him. Amadeus then calls Sofia di Cosimo and asks her what was held in that safe. She tells him that it contains "the source of all our ills and the receptacle of our only hope.", in other words, they have just stolen Pandora's Box.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Amadeus Cho, Sofia di Cosimo, Red She-Hulk, Tyrannus

Continuity Notes

• Some of Bruce and Betty's marital history is covered in this story:

  • The pair were married in Incredible Hulk #319.

  • Betty died of radiation poisoning in Incredible Hulk #466. His body was kept in cryogenic suspension to keep her body intact.

  • She was taken by the Intelligencia and revived circa Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1 and Incredible Hulk #610.

• Tyrannus is referred to as one of the "Hulk's oldest foes", the two have clashed many times since their first encounter back in Incredible Hulk #5.