Origins

Now

Griffin, Prodigy, Mr. Gideon, and Grey are practicing for their coming battle against the Hulk by battling a Life Model Decoy of the gamma-spawned monster. After destroying the robot, they are contacted by General Ryker who wants to know where their teammate Mess is. They thought she was running drills with Ryker, but apparently, this is not the case. Ryker and the rest of Gamma Corps find Mess trying to sneak away to take on the Hulk on her own. Ryker warns his team that if they jeopardize the mission he has given his men orders to kill them immediately. Mess grabs Ryker's gun and points it in her mouth and tells him to get it over with. However, he refuses to do so, telling them to remember why they are all together. This causes members of Gamma Corps to think over the tragic events that brought them to Ryker...

Then...

Years earlier, Nichole Martin was driving down the freeway with her son when suddenly there is a report warning the public that the Hulk has been sighted in the area battling the Abomination. Suddenly, a wrecked truck is thrown from the fight is thrown onto the highway, striking Nichole's car. Although she manages to get free, her son is pinned in the car. As she struggles to save her son, the fuel ignites and the van explodes. For Timothy Wilkerton, the Hulk crashed into a shopping mall in Canada on a day his parents were shopping. Timothy's mother was pregnant with the boy and close to birth. When everyone was fleeing the Hulk, Mrs. Wilkerton trips, and falls. She screams at the Hulk to leave her alone, and surprisingly the gamma-spawned monster leaps away.

While Gideon Wilson's life changed the day his son Jim decided that he was dropping out of school and leaving their Harlem home for Los Angeles. Gideon, a Christian priest, was against the idea of his son going to living in a city he considers to be full of sin. Regardless of this, Jim still insists on going. The father and son almost come to blows, but Gideon stops himself before he strikes the boy. Jim then storms out of their apartment, telling them that this will be the last time they see him.

Not long ago at Leavenworth Maximum Security Prison, Eliot Franklin finds prison life hard. Formally known as the Clown of the Circus of Crime, he had run afoul of the Enforcers who didn't like the idea that Franklin was making fun of them. He is beaten up by the crooks who warns him that if he doesn't cut the jokes he won't live very long.

Later...

While recovering in the hospital, Nichole Martin has been horribly scarred and lost an arm, leg, eye, and lung. She is visited by a man who offers her the opportunity to get revenge against the one she holds responsible for this tragedy. While at the Toronto Institute of the Developmentally Disabled, Timothy Wilkerson's parents have brought their son here to be looked after. They explain that while Timothy suffered a stroke in the womb when his mother encountered the Hulk. Hearing this, the administrator -- who turns out to be John Ryker who in disguise -- offers them an opportunity to cure their son of his condition.

At the funeral of Jim Wilson, Ryker is disguised as the priest giving the last rites. He learns that Gideon Wilson has given up on religion following the death of his son, who died of complications caused by an auto-immune disease. When Ryker learns that Gideon blames the Hulk for his son's death, he also makes him an offer. Lastly, when Ryker visits Eliot Franklin in prison, he agrees to join up the moment Ryker mentions the Hulk, figuring out exactly what the General had come for.

Now

By this point, John Ryker has managed to hack into the communication systems aboard the Hulk's Stone Ship. He expresses his disappointment that of all the people the Hulk is seeking revenge against, he isn't one of them. He then asks the Hulk to meet so they can catch up on old times. However, the Hulk is not interested in fighting Ryker at this time. Unfortunately, the gamma-spawned monster has no choice in the matter as Ryker has already deployed his Gamma Corps to attack his ship.

Recurring Characters

Gamma Corps (Grey, Mess, Prodigy, Mister Gideon, Griffin), General Ryker, Hulk, (in flashback) Jim Wilson, Enforcers (Montana, Fancy Dan, Ox)

Continuity Notes

• The events of this story between pages 24 and 27 of World War Hulk #3.

• The Enforcers make fun of the Clown for trying to go up against the Hulk. Eliot Franklin made this poor decision in Incredible Hulk #470-471.

• Jim Wilson died in Incredible Hulk #420. This story states that he died of complications from HIV. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 considering the enhancements of treatment for this disease.

• Ryker mentions how the Hulk is going after Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Black Bolt, and Dr. Strange. This is because these heroes shot the Hulk into space in Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #91.

• Ryker mentions how he almost defeated the Hulk. He is referring to the events of Incredible Hulk Vol 2 #14-20.