Hulk (Vol. 2) #18
Delilah
Samson talks to a psychologist about how he has had his recurring dream of fighting a Hulk, but this time he was fighting both the green and red Hulks. However, just like in all the previous dreams, just when he is about to win chains come out from the darkness and restrain him and he is pummeled to death by the Hulks. When the psychologist asks if he sees himself as a failure. This almost makes Samson call an end to the session, but he is reminded that this is important work with what is at stake. When the psychiatrist calls him Leonard, Doc tells him that Leonard is gone and that there is only Samson now.
They begin talking about Leonard's father, Leo Skivorski, and their relationship. Samson discusses how his father got him a Newton's Cradle as a gift, telling the boy that it will be useful when he starts his own practice. At that point, young Leonard wasn't sure if he wanted to be a psychiatrist like his father. Leonard was then told to go wait in the waiting room. The man talking to Samson points out that his father had a lot of young, female clients. When Samson asks what he is implying, the psychiatrist just notes that Leo Skivorski wrote a well-regarded case study on anorexia and bulimia. He notes that Samson's father had long hair, earning him the nickname Samson.
The topic shifts about how Samson went to New York, to be around the superhero community. However, he pointed out that while other geniuses such as Reed Richards, Hank Pym, and Tony Stark got fame, recognition and beautiful women, yet Doc Samson enjoyed none of those things. The psychiatrist wonders if that's why Samson focused on Banner because he was considered a monster and never got the girl. He then asks about Betty Ross, someone the professional refers to as Samson's "Dellah". Samson points out that Betty would have died had he not gotten involved. They talk about how all of Betty's men were there: Banner, her father General Ross, and Glenn Talbot. Regardless it was Samson who saved her that day. They also recount how he took the risk of using gamma rays siphoned from Banner into himself, turning him into Doc Samson. When asked why he did that, Samson explains that his reasoning wouldn't be understood. Although the psychiatrist wonders if it is not narcissism that fueled his motivations. Pointing out that he was smarter than Banner, more loyal than Ross, and more physically superior to Talbot. After discussing his choice in costume, and how Betty reacted to him and the ethics of trying to steal everything from Banner, they talk about what it was like to fight the Hulk. Samson explains it was like sex, in that it really got him off.
When the psychiatrist begins talking about if his losses against the Hulk made him feel impotent. This leads to more talk about all that Samson managed to accomplish and yet got no recognition. This upsets Samson that he is about to stop his session, however, the psychiatrist wants to know how the Cathexis-Ray that he used to get his power worked. Specifically how he managed to get the technology accepted and was allowed to work with it on the Hulk. Who was he working with? He then wonders why he considers a failure after all he has accomplished and asks if it is because he never defeated the Hulk and never won Betty. This was the final push and Samson begins choking the psychiatrist -- who appears to be a version of himself before he was transformed by gamma rays. He is stopped by his heroic self, but Samson slays both of them. Samson says that killing them was the best idea he ever had.
This whole entire tableau was within Samson's mind and being monitored by MODOK, who believes Samson is ready for what will come next.
Continuity Notes
The X-Factor sessions were a series of sessions that Doc Samson had with the government-sponsored incarnation of the team in X-Factor #87.
Doc Samson recounts how he saved Betty's life. This happened in Incredible Hulk #141, this was when he also used Banner's gamma radiation to turn himself into Doc Samson. Betty was stuck in glass form after being forced to give the Sandman a blood transfusion in Incredible Hulk #138.
Mention is made about how Doc Samson managed to merge all of Bruce Banner's personalities. This is not entirely accurate. They are referring to the events of Incredible Hulk #377 which turned the Hulk into the "Professor" persona. It was long believed that this incarnation was Banner in control of the Hulk's body. However, as revealed in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #16, this was yet another personality in Banner's mind.
It is questioned how Samson managed to get onto Gamma Base to treat the Hulk. The truth, that he was secretly funded by AIM, back in Hulk Vol 2 #21.
Continuity Errors
Despite claiming never to have been offered a place on any team, Doc Samson was offered Avengers membership in Avengers #252 by then-team leader Vision, but Samson rejected the offer.
