Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #200Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #200
Title: “An Intruder in the Mind!”
Writer: Len Wein
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: Joe Staton
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Len Wein
Samson apologizes that this is taking so
long. He says that he wants to make sure that everything is
checked and rechecked. Doctor Banner says that he agrees that
they can’t take any chances at this stage in the game.
Samson says that Talbot’s life is at stake. He says that
everything and asks Bruce if he is ready. Bruce Banner stands in
the body of the Hulk. Hulk is wearing a helmet that allows him to
control the Hulk’s body. Bruce says that he is as ready as
he ever will be. He says to get the show on the road. Samson asks
Bruce if he has any questions about the Mirco-Cannon. Bruce says
that he has faith in Henry Pym. 
Samson says that
both Bruce and Talbot’s life depends on it. Samson reminds
Bruce that he can change his mind now, but that once he steps on
the platform that there is no turning back. Bruce says that he
wouldn’t dream of it. Bruce says that Samson is a man of
science. He asks Samson what he would give to examine the human
brain from the inside. Samson says that he can’t go since he
is the only one qualified to monitor the operation. Samson says
that is why they had to wait for Bruce. He says that only someone
with the power of the Hulk could hope to survive the brain’s
constant electrical activity. Bruce says that only someone with
the Hulk’s power and the brain of Bruce Banner could do it.
Bruce says that fortunately the encephalo-helmet allows him to
control the Hulk’s body. Clay tells Bruce to hang in there
and that everything will work out. Ross shakes Bruce’s hand
and wishes his luck and offers his prayers. Betty kisses Bruce.
She says that what they once had may be over, but that he is
still very important to her. Betty tells Bruce to take care of
himself and that she couldn’t bear to lose them both. Bruce
tells Betty that he will bring her husband back to her.
Bruce gets into position on the platform and tells Samson that he can begin. Samson presses the activator. He wishes Bruce good luck and says that he only hopes that Bruce doesn’t need it. Hulk’s body is reduced to an almost infinitesimal size and then he is shot into the brain of the comatose Glenn Talbot’s brain. Samson says that he is off. Betty asks Samson if this will work, but Samson doesn’t answer. He just grits his teeth and turns to the command console.
Bruce looks and sees himself inside Glenn’s brain. He says that it is everything he expected and nothing at all like what he imagined. Bruce says that he doesn’t know where to begin or turn. Clay asks how Bruce is supposed to find his way around. Samson says that is why they are there. He says that Bruce’s helmet allows them to track his progress. Samson says that then they can direct him from outside. Samson speaks into a microphone. He tells Bruce to turn left at the next convolution. Samson says that will take him to the temporal lobe. Banner says that he sees it and is going. Bruce wonders to himself if they will actually accomplish anything by doing this.
Banner recalls how Talbot’s mind was
erased by the Gremlin. He says that their only hope is to find a
way to destroy the mental block that is stopping Glenn from
reaching his mind. Bruce wonders what a mental block looks like.
Suddenly Bruce is zapped by an electrical impulse. Samson asks
what is happening. Bruce says that he was caught in an electrical
field. He says that the pain is incredible, but that he is
adjusting the helmet to block it out. Bruce asks why Samson
didn’t warn him. Samson reminds him that he did. He says
that nobody but the Hulk could have survived that attack. Bruce
says that just because he survived one doesn’t mean that he
will survive another. Suddenly Bruce is hit from behind. Bruce
turns and looks. He sees three phantoms of mist forming into the
Missing Link, Juggernaut, and the Abomination. Missing Link,
Juggernaut, and Abomination say that he is the one that wants to
destroy them, but that they won’t let him. Bruce says that
it doesn’t make any sense that they are there. Link hooks up
with Hulk. Juggernaut tells Link to get out of the way. He starts
to run and says that nothing can stop him. Bruce dodges out of
the way and Juggernaut hits Link. The Missing Link screams and he
vanishes back into the smoke that he came from. Abomination hits
Hulk and says that Hulk may have beaten one of them, but that he
is more than a match for him. Abomination leaps into the air to
land on Hulk. He says, “I’m gonna stomp you into the
ground, Jade-Jaws… and I’m gonna enjoy it!” 
Bruce says,
“The name isn’t Jade-Jaws, mister… It’s
Banner!” Bruce hits Abomination and he goes flying into
Juggernaut. Abomination and Juggernaut both fade back into smoke
as well.
Samson tells Bruce that they are only memories. Samson says that Talbot’s mind must have sensed him. He says that it must be taking steps to defend itself. Samson says that they are like special antibodies to destroy him. Banner says that for phantoms that they pack a heck of a punch. He says that his head is pounding like a jackhammer. The Leader blasts Hulk in the back with his laser. He says that the pain he feels now will be nothing compared to the agonies that are to come. Bruce says that Glenn’s brain has conjured up his most dangerous foe, the Leader. Leader says that the first shot was a warning, but that the second blast will reduce him to atoms. Leader fires, but he misses as the Rhino smashes into the Hulk from behind. Leader yells at Rhino, but Rhino says that this time he will finish him. Hulk grabs Rhino by the horn. He throws Rhino into Leader. He says that a man’s life is at stake and that no “warmed-over nightmares” are going to stop him from doing what he can to save him.
Bruce asks Samson if he is sure the helmet is working. He says that his head is churning so badly that he can hardly think. Bruce asks Samson if he is even listening to him. Samson tells Bruce to calm down. He says that he hears him. He says that the fighting has damaged the helmet somewhat, but that he has already gone more than halfway to his goal. Samson says to keep his head, and that it will all be over soon. Bruce says that he hopes it is over before he is.
Sandman and Mandarin appear behind Hulk. Bruce says that tears it. He says that he has had enough of this insanity. Bruce tells them that they are going to get out of his way or he is going to go through them. Mandarin blasts Bruce with his rings and says that his rings will destroy him. Bruce crushes Mandarin’s hands and says that “routine is becoming incredibly monotonous!” Mandarin fades away. Bruce turns to look for Sandman, but Sandman hits him from behind. Bruce says that Sandman is still a backstabber. Sandman tells him to save it, and that sticks and stones may break his bones, but that names don’t even make him itch. Bruce says to try this on for size and punches Sandman into fading smoke. Bruce says that Sandman is gone like the rest, but that the pounding in his head is only growing stronger. Bruce says that he can’t bear it anymore. Bruce pulls the helmet off. Hulk says that he is going to smash. Hulk asks where he is now. He wants to know what he is doing in the slimy place. Hulk says that he doesn’t want to stay there, and that he is going to leap away.
Samson says that if Hulk gets off one on of his leaps that he will go through Samson’s skull like a bullet. Samson says that something has to be done to stop him.
“Surfer” blasts Hulk in the back and tells him to stand where he is. Hulk says that Shiny-Man attacks from behind, but that he will smash him out of the sky. Iron Man materializes along with Namor, Hercules, and Doc Samson. He says that might be true if Hulk only faced the Surfer. Surfer swoops down at Hulk as Iron Man blasts him. Surfer says that they have to stop Hulk before he regains his wits. Iron Man says that Hulk never had any wits to begin with. Hulk snatches Surfer’s board. He says that first they attack him and then they insult him. Hulk says that nobody laughs at him. Hulk swats Surfer with his own board and knocks him into Iron Man. Surfer’s board fades away in Hulk’s hand. Hercules punches Hulk. Hulk says that bearded man is strong, but that he is stronger. Hulk hits Hercules, but as Hercules fades away Namor strike Hulk from behind. Namor says that he and Hulk have fought many times before and that he is second to no man. Samson warns Namor, but Namor tells Samson that he is no novice. Hulk kicks Namor if and Namor fades away. Hulk asks Green Hair if he is going to attack him too. Samson says that he isn’t overconfident the way Namor was. Samson says that he called for reinforcements. Harpy and MODOK appear. Harpy says that she defeated Hulk once, but that this time she will destroy him. MODOK says that will only be if he survives his attack first. Suddenly a giant Gremlin starts to materialize. Gremlin says that MODOK’s mental prowess pales in significance to the mind that eradicated Talbot’s very mind. Harpy and MODOK let off blasts that strike the Hulk. Hulk shouts that he is tired of all of them and that he is putting an end to them. Hulk plows through Samson, Harpy, and MODOK and smashes them. Hulk tells them to become smoke like all the others. Gremlin says that Hulk may have defeated the others, but that he is the one foe that Hulk can never defeat. Hulk says, “Bah!” he leaps into Gremlin’s face. Gremlin turns into smoke and Hulk continues to leap right through him. Hulk says that Gremlin is smoke just like all the others and that smoke doesn’t threaten him. Hulk stands alone. He says that all his enemies are gone and that he doesn’t know what to do now. Hulk says that he could leap away, but that he doesn’t even know where he is. Hulk says that he will keep walking until he finds out where he is or he finds the sky.
Clay tells Samson that he really came through in a clutch. Samson says that it wasn’t easy, but that he adjusted the machinery to Hulk’s gamma radiation after Hulk tore off the encephalo-helmet. Samson says that everything seems to be working out, and that the Hulk is actually heading where they want him to go.
Hulk turns the corner. He says that this
place is soft and sticky. 
Hulk looks up
and sees a large red tentacled monster looking back at him. The
creature says, “hhhere… hhhere at lassst… I have
waaaited for youuu a long tiiime…” Hulk asks why since
he doesn’t know the Slime-Thing. The monster starts wrapping
his tentacles around Hulk’s throat. It says that Hulk has
come there to destroy him, but that he will destroy Hulk first.
The monster says that Glenn Talbot belongs to him now, and that
nothing will take him from him. Hulk tells the monster to leave
him alone or he will smash. The monster says that Hulk isn’t
smashing anything. It says that Hulk is only something to devour
so it can become more powerful. Hulk says that the monster wants
to eat him, but that it is wrong. Hulk shouts that he is the
strongest one there is. Hulk starts wailing and beating on the
monster reducing it into pieces.
Glenn Talbot sits up abruptly and screams. He then faints dead away and falls back to the table. Betty asks Samson if Glenn is okay. Samson tells Betty not to worry. He says that he doesn’t know how, but that the Hulk did it and that the mental block is gone. Samson says that Glenn is going to be fine. Clay shouts out to Samson that a danger signal is going off. Ross asks what that means. Samson says that without the encephalo-helmet that the Hulk is starting to grow. Betty asks what they can do. Samson says that there is only one thing to do. He says that the micro-cannon is still targeted on the Hulk’s gamma radiation, and that he has to fire another shrink-blast. Samson lets off the shrink blast.
Hulk notices that he is starting to get bigger. Suddenly Hulk shouts and he starts to reduce in size at a dramatic pace.
Betty asks if it worked. Samson says that it worked too well. He says that he can no longer pick the Hulk up on the scanners. Samson says that the cannon shrunk him beyond the point of retrieval. Ross says that there has to be something they can do. Glenn calls out to Betty. Betty goes to Glenn and cradles his head. She says that he is all right and that he can speak. Glenn says that everything is so hazy. He says that he feels like he has been asleep for so long and having nightmares the entire time. Glenn asks what brought him back to life. Samson says that it was one of the bravest men he has ever known. Samson says that it was Bruce Banner… and the Hulk.
No Excuses rating: 8.5 out of 10
A nice wrap up the ordeal of Glenn Talbot’s coma, but also somewhat a little silly. I realize that Glenn saw most of the people that Hulk fought since issue #102, but the idea that his antibodies would take the form of Hulk villains is a little silly. Still a very good commerative issue. Sal and Joe do a great job with this nearly all battle issue. The villains and opponent heroes are all over the place getting smashed in this one. Makes me hungry for more Hulk smashing though since the fight would only last as long as it took Hulk to punch his opponent.
Review and pictures done by the Leader.