Hulk (Vol. 2) #48 — Nick Peron

Mar 16

Mar 16 Hulk (Vol. 2) #48

Red Sky at Morning (Part 2)

Earlier:

Jacob Feinman took the fast track through the top I.T. firms in the United States for the chance to work for Omnisapient Systems so he could work with Parul Kurinji, the brilliant scientist who he admired in more ways than one. However, the career-focused Kurinji hardly noticed Feinman and their relationship was nothing more than work. He soon came to realize how she never grasped much about human interaction...

Now:

... Thinking back to those early days, Feinman finds it ironic now as he witnesses Parul -- now the cybernetic being known as Zero/One -- and her forces flash with the Red Hulk and Machine Man aboard the Ogygia. Dodging the weapons fire from Zero/One's drones the two heroes fight off the cybernetic sea monsters that Zero/One has created. The advanced weapons systems incapacitate X-51 quickly. With the Red Hulk alone, Zero/One sends Black Fog in to eliminate the Red Hulk. With the battle fairing poorly, X-51 points out the mistake of attacking Zero/One on her own base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean as there is nowhere they can escape.

While aboard the ship that brought them there, Annie is observing the situation and tells the Red She-Hulk that she is the only one who can help Thaddeus and X-51. However, while her human alter-ego might care about what happens to Thaddeus Ross, the Red She-Hulk is satisfied to merely watch what happens next. Back on the Ogygia, the Red Hulk manages to trick Black Fog into decapitating the creature whose head is clamped firmly on his arm and he uses it as a club to smash the creatures incapacitating X-51. The Red Hulk then attempts to sink the massive station with his powerful fists, however, Zero/One have built a contingency against this. The sea monsters then resume their attack, launching starfish that stun the Red Hulk with toxins. When X-51 tries to help his ally, Black Fog uses his swords to cut off the robot's arms. As Zero/One orders her drones to press forward, Feinman becomes frustrated because he was counting on the robot to assist him. Zero/One then channels the full power from her base and uses it to blast the Red Hulk. This is enough to convince the Red She-Hulk to intervene and she leaps toward the Ogygia. As she comes in for a landing, she kicks right through Zero/One, disrupting her attack.

With the element of surprise on her side, the Red She-Hulk knocks Zero/One aside and lunges at Black Fog and the monsters, battering them about with ease. While the two Hulk's are busy fighting off Zero/One's forces, Feinman manages to get to X-51 and pass him a disc that contains information on how to stop Zero/One. Her resistance is quickly ended when X-51 begins transmitting a signal that causes her drones and sea monsters to collapse. Spotting Machine Man, she threatens to destroy him if he doesn't stop, but suddenly she has the sword of Black Fog at her throat. The signal has also freed him from Zero/One's control, he then makes Zero/One feel the same pain she inflicted on him. Still, he spares her life for freeing him and vows never to be imprisoned again, then teleports away. However, despite the fact that her immediate plans have been stopped, Zero/One blasts the heroes aside and flees with Feinman, vowing to start anew. Annie congratulates them for a job well done, even though their foes both escaped. The battle also has another unexpected situation, the Red She-Hulk has allowed herself to return to human form so that Betty Ross can finally be reunited with her father.