Indestructible Hulk #17.INH

Mar 16

Mar 16 Indestructible Hulk #17.INH

Humanity Bomb: Part Two

Iron Man and Giant-Man are using Bruce Banner's lab at SHIELD headquarters to try and find a means of containing the Terrigen Mists that have been released into Earth's atmosphere causing people who have Inhuman DNA to mutate upon exposure. They are interrupted by Bruce Banner who orders them to get out of his lab. He is furious that they are using his lab without his permission. He tells them that they are keeping him out of this even though he is the expert on monstrous transformations caused by radiation. He tells them that he is on the brink of a breakthrough and he wants them to stop interfering with his ability to do so. After a moment of silence, Iron Man tells Banner that they are giving him 24 hours before they step in on the situation. Thinking of the Inhuman's home of Attilan, Banner recalls how much of a beauty it was, but now it is no longer after the explosion that released the Terrigen Mists. With a cloud of the mist mutating people across the globe, Bruce Banner and his team of technicians are going working around the clock to try to find a way to contain the mists.

Eventually, Banner manages to isolate the vector from the Terrigen Cloud and tells everyone to suit up. However, he is informed by Melinda Leucenstern that she and the rest of his assistants are under lockdown pending a something called a "C-47S". Banner begins to get angry over this latest setback and demands to speak to Maria Hill. Jessup tells him to calm down, but just then Iron Man and Giant-Man have returned, bringing the Beast with them. Banner is angry that they have arrived before his 24-hour time limit has ended. Iron Man explains that they have brought the Beast along for his expertise in genetics. Patricia is pleased to meet the Beast as she is a fan of his work. Randall tells Bruce to keep calm and just show the arriving heroes their work. Bruce takes them all to another lab where he reveals his invention, a bomb. The trio are horrified that Bruce would resort to building another bomb. They begin examining it to make sure it is not dangerous. Bruce tells them to get off the device, telling them that he knows what he is doing. When Iron Man becomes flippant with him, it angers Banner enough to transform into the Hulk.

The Hulk fights his way through the trio and grabs the bomb and leaps up into the air with Iron Man, Giant-Man, and Beast following after him. Randall tells the others they should do something to stop this situation from getting out of hand. It's then that Melinda learns what C-47S is a test to determine which one of them has Inhuman DNA, as exposure to the mists will cause them to transform upon contact with the Terrigen Mists. However, the requisition doesn't state who it is that has the gene. Meanwhile, the Hulk crashes through a barn owned by a man selling painters coveralls, claiming that they are radiation suits. As he leaps away, Iron Man and the others catch up with him and managed to get the bomb away from him. However, the Hulk damages their Quinjet causing it to spiral out of control. When Giant-Man tries to use his powers to shrink the bomb, it doesn't work due to interference from the radiation coursing inside. The Hulk manages to snatch the bomb back. Iron Man recovers and heads off to destroy the bomb before the Hulk can set it off. However, the Beast appeals to Stark, telling him to take a moment to trust Bruce Banner. However, Tony cannot take the chance and fires missiles at the Hulk. When they strike the bomb goes off, catching the Quinjet and Iron Man in the blast.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, SHIELD (Randall Jessup, Daman Veteri, Patricia Wolman, Melinda Leucenstern), Giant-Man, Iron Man, Beast

Continuity Notes

Tony Stark mentions building an ice wall to contain the Fukushima contamination. This is a reference to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.