Master Mind

Seeking out another means to find a cure for his condition, Bruce Banner sits in on a lecture being given by psychologist Sheila Marks. Her lecture centers around the study of multiple personality disorders and how she is working on a method of using an electrical device to isolate the part of the brain where alternate personalities reside, learn what their needs are and eliminate that personality. However, she explains that to date, her research has been halted due to her inability to secure research on a human subject. She explains that she gives these lectures in the hopes that she might find supporters of her methods. While most people dismiss her theories as outlandish, Bruce Banner has been listening with an open mind. While packing up, Dr. Marks thinks back to how her parents were hoping she would become a nurse, when she actually wanted to become a doctor.

After the lecture is over, Banner approaches Dr. Marks and explains to her his dilemma. Discovering that Bruce is also the Hulk, she is open to the idea of trying to use her theories to try and isolate the Hulk's personality while it's still in Banner. The two talk about it over dinner and Banner accepts all the risk and danger that might be involved. She goes on to explain the process of using a device to isolate the part of his brain where his Hulk personality exists and isolate it. Agreeing to the procedure involved, Banner bids good evening to Doctor Marks agreeing to meet with her at her home the following morning. Retiring to the hotel room that he has taken out for the night, Banner hopes that this will prove that it is a final solution to cure himself of the Hulk. That night he has a nightmare about the Hulk attacking him. In this dream, he is saved by a mystic that resembles Dr. Marks -- called the "Death Lady" by the Hulk -- eliminates the Hulk with a blast of energy from her hand. As Banner sleeps he briefly beings to turn green, but returns to normal as he calms down.

The following morning, Banner makes his appointment at Dr. Mark's home. There she takes him up to her private lab and fits a device on his head that will electrically stimulate his brain to bring the personality of the Hulk to fore. She cranks up the power of the device as high as possible which causes Bruce Banner to retreat into his unconscious mind. There he finds himself in the nightmare dreamscape from the night before. In a panic, Banner transforms into the Hulk, but only inside his mind. Outside, the Hulk rages while trapped in the body of Bruce Banner. Shiela tries to calm the Hulk, but he is out of control. In his mind's eye, the Hulk only sees Dr. Marks as the "Death Lady" from his dream. Knocking her aside, the Hulk then rushes out into the city streets.

There, the Hulk sees everyone as demons in a nightmarish landscape and lashes out at everybody. Shiela tries to chase after him and get him under control, but nobody is willing to help her due to the overall panic. The Hulk then races into the nearby subway with Marks not far behind, but she gets sidetracked by a transit officer who tries to stop her from skipping on fare. She kicks him in the shin and continues on. She arrives just in time to stop Hulk from attacking a subway train and getting the body of Banner pulped by the train. Although she saves the Hulk's life he manages to get away again and runs down the subway tunnel. Feeling guilty for trying to prove herself, Shiela remembers yet another childhood memory when her father suggested she give up on her studies and let her future husband care for her. Shiela remembered how defiant she was then, and continued to be so today, which has led her to this trouble. The transit officer follows after the Hulk, but even though the brute is without his powerful body, he manages to overpower the officer and get away. Shiela, still on the Hulk's trail, is sidetracked again when she has to save the officer from yet another subway train.

When she finally cathces up with the Hulk back on the streets, she discoveres that he has climbed atop St. Patrick's Cathedral. Seeing firefighters have raised a ladder to try and coax the Hulk down, Shiela runs up it instead. The Hulk cowers away from the "Death Lady", until she realizes she can talk the Hulk into thinking she is actually a friend. Gaining the brute's trust enough for her to remove the device from Banner's brow. This causes Bruce's mind to return, however the stress of being so high up triggers a transformation into the Hulk. While the Hulk escapes, Shiela manages to slink back down into the crowd where she chastises for herself for her failure.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Dr. Shiela Marks

Continuity Notes

• In this story, Banner states that the Hulk is not a purely physical manifestation and not a proper multiple personality. He is very much mistaken. However, at this time Banner doesn't know any better. Bruce later learns that the Hulk is a manifestation of his childhood abuse sometime after this story, as seen in Incredible Hulk #312.

It's a Monster!

In a nondescript town, an elderly local is celebrating the 60th anniversary of his flagpole sitting that lasted 7 days and 8 hours all those many years ago. However, while the man sits atop his pole, he is disappointed that nobody has a sense of nostalgia to enjoy the foolishness of the stunt. While pulling his stunt, the man thinks back to how much has changed in the sixty years that have passed.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the town is put into a state of panic thanks to the arrival of the Hulk. Angered by all the traffic serving around him, the Hulk trashes all the nearby vehicles. When some of the locals try to fight back by hurling things at the Hulk he disperses them by stomping his foot on the ground. The quaking his foot stomping causes a billboard to fall off the side of a building. Grabbing it, and deciding all billboards are ugly, the Hulk starts smashing them all. Not liking the smell of pollution coming from one of the nearby factories. To stop this, the Hulk plugs the smoke stacks forcing the factor to shut down.

The Hulk also gets irritated by the noise created by a construction sights and the constant demands made by road signs and wrecks all these things as well. In the middle of the rampage, the Hulk pauses to look at the old man sitting on top of the flagpole. The Hulk finds this amusing and comments on his silly it is. With a smile on his face, the Hulk decides to leave. During all the destruction many people called the Hulk a monster, however the old man -- at least from where he was sitting -- doesn't think so.

Recurring Characters

Hulk

Continuity Notes

• Although the year is not specified, the old man's flashback suggests that his first flagpole sitting stunt happened in the 1920s. Since this is a character who exists in the Modern Age, the depiction of his flashback should be considered a topical reference that is relative to the date of publication, as per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.