Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #208Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #208
Title: “A Monster in Our Midst!”
Writer: Len Wein
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: Joe Staton
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Len Wein
Hulk walks
dejectedly down the street while the police try and barricade
people away from him. Hulk doesn’t even take notice of the
panicky people as his thoughts are only on Jarella.
Outside a prison in Manhattan, a truck opens up and a remarkable tank-like vehicle drives out the back. The cannon lines up and blasts a hole in the prison’s second floor. One of the occupants of the tank fires a grappling hook into the wall. The one that fired the grappling hook says that this tank that their boss bought from the Tinkerer is worth every penny. Bruno Caper slides down the rope attached to the grappling hook and slides down to the tank. The police open fire, but their bullets just bounce off as the tank drives away.
Hulk wanders out into the street. The tank just happens to be rolling down the same street. They try to hit the brakes, but they don’t have enough time to stop and go smashing right into Hulk. Hulk is knocked into a building. Hulk gets up from the rubble. He says that he doesn’t understand, but when he sees the machine with the puny humans in it running away he says that he should have known. The tank is trying as hard as it can to get away from him, but Hulk leaps into the air and lands in front of the tank. They fire at Hulk, but Hulk just smacks the bomb down as it comes at him. Hulk leaps on the tank and says that he is done asking puny humans to leave him alone. He says that he will never believe their lies again. He says that now he will treat them the way they treat him. Hulk tears the cannon off the tank and stabs it into the body of the vehicle. Bruno’s men start leaping off the tank as Hulk lifts it over his head. Hulk slams the tank against the ground. Bruno and his one remaining man are still alive. Hulk says that they are alive now, but they will wish that they weren’t. He says that he is going to make an example of them so the other humans will leave him alone. Hulk hears the sirens of the arriving police cars. He says that he could stay and smash them, but that more would just take their place. Hulk leaps off.
Back at the prison, there is a cell that doesn’t seem to have been damaged by the exploding wall except for a leaking water pipe. The pipe drips down only on a cardboard box.
Hulk lands in an alley. Hulk says that it isn’t much, but that at least he can rest there. Hulk sits down next to a trash can and falls asleep. As he sleeps, Hulk turns back into Bruce Banner.
In another alley all the way in Los Angeles, Jim Wilson is cornered by two thugs. One of them says that Jim has been sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. He says that he is going to be pushing up daisies. Jim ducks one of the men as he charges and the man hits his head against a wall. Jim kicks the other man in the face and says that he picked up enough moves while he was hanging out with the Hulk to take out an army of them. Jim runs. He comes to a newsstand and sees the headline. The headline reads, “HULK RUNS AMOK IN NEW YORK CITY”. Jim keeps running and decides that maybe he has somewhere to go for a “friend in need”.
Bruce is woken up by the garbage men dumping the cans into the truck. Suddenly Bruce remembers what happened to Jarella. One of the garbage men suggests that Bruce move on before the police arrive. Bruce thinks to himself that he had forgotten how friendly people can be in the city. He remembers that he pinned some traveler’s cheques inside his pants. Bruce checks and the money is still there.
Bruce goes to a clothing store and buys some clothes. He walks down the streets and wonders how long it will be until he hulks out and destroys these clothes. Bruce looks through a window at a gun and thinks about how easy it would be to put a bullet in his head and never be the Hulk again. He decides that is no solution. He says that he had friends, a life, and a future before he became the Hulk and that he can have them again. Bruce decides to put his life back together again. He sees a sign that says there is a room to rent.
Bruce knocks on the front door. An attractive woman answers the door. She asks what she can do for him. Bruce says that he saw the sign in the front about the room. The woman says, “Say no more, sexy. Just follow me.” She says that he is lucky and that a vacancy just opened up yesterday. She introduces herself as April Sommers. Bruce just gives his first name and asks if she owns the place. April says that she just looks after it for the guy that owns it. She says that she gets a break on her rent and that as an unemployed model that she needs all the breaks she can get. April shows Bruce the room and Bruce says that she has to be kidding him. April says to not to let the furnishings bother him. She says that Kropotkin the Great, a magician, walked out on them owing six months rent so they confiscated his belongings. She says that they can put it in the basement if it bothers him. Bruce says that he likes it. She says that she is glad he is staying. April says that she will leave him now, but that if he needs anything to just whistle. Bruce looks out his window at the dump next door. He welcomes himself to the real world. He says that the Hulk is dead and long live Bruce Banner.
At Gamma Base, Ross finds Talbot in a hangar. He says that he has been looking all over for him. Talbot asks Ross if it occurred to him that it was hard to find him because he didn’t want to be found. Ross says that he has talked to Betty and that he knows about their problems. He says that it might not be his business, but that he thinks they should talk about it. Glenn says that Ross is right and that it isn’t any of his business. He says that if he wanted to talk that he would have come to him. Talbot says to leave him alone. Samson interrupts and asks for a hand. Talbot says that Samson being there is all he needs. Ross sees that Samson is carrying a man. Samson says that he found him in the desert when he collapsed at his feet. He says that it looks like he has been out there for weeks, but that he wants to know how that is possible since there is nothing but desert for hundreds of miles around them.
At the prison, the guards go to check the
contents of the cell with the cardboard box. They look in and see
that the water drip has damaged the cardboard box. The box is now
empty. The guards come in and say that the warden will have their
heads. He says that he told them how dangerous the inmate could
be. The other guard says that maybe he is still in there. A voice
says that of course he is still in there, but that he won’t
be for long. Carl “Crusher” Creel is behind the door
and has absorbed the properties of the door. 
He asks the two
shocked guards if they’ve never seen the Absorbing Man in
action before. He says that he told Thor that a cardboard box
would never hold him. Creel hits them with his ball and chain. He
asks them how they are going to shoot a guy made of solid steel.
On the other side of the wall, a bricklayer has just finished repairing the hole where the cannon blast came through. Absorbing Man smashes right through it again and says that he is busting out of there. Creel smashes a police car and warns them to back off. A news camera and reporter arrive and start covering the prison.
Bruce walks down the stairs of his new residence. He is feeling pleased with himself and says that he almost doesn’t know what to do in his own place. He decides to go out and see the neighborhood. April calls to Bruce and tells him to come see something. She shows him the news where Bruce sees Absorbing Man escaping prison. Bruce recognizes Creel from their last fight. On television, Creel says that he is glad they are filming this and that way everyone will know what happens to those that cross the Absorbing Man. Bruce starts fighting the transformation.
The police bring in the heavy artillery as Creel smashes another police car with his ball and chain. As the officer takes aim, Creel tells them to shoot and that he will absorb the force of the explosion and direct it back at them. Suddenly, Creel starts to glow. He says that he feels funny as disappears right in front of the police.
Bruce asks how he could just vanish like that with all those police surrounding him. April wonders where it is Creel has gone.
Creel stands in the dark and asks where he is. A light comes one and when he sees what he is wearing he asks why he is wearing a “sissy outfit”. A voice says that they have just garbed him in an outfit befitting his remarkable abilities. Creel turns and sees three dark silhouettes. He asks who they are. The forms say that they are “They Who Wield Power”. They say that they are the ones that rescued him. Creel tells them to forget a thanks and asks what it is they want from him. Another form says that it is good that he doesn’t mince words. He tells him to look at the glittering globe and that all will be made clear. An image of the Hulk appears. One of “They” say that for their own reasons that they want the Hulk dead, and that they have chosen him as the instrument of his demise. Creel says that they should have just said so. He says that they have a deal.
No Excuses rating: 7 out of 10
Well it’s nice to see that the Hulk cares that Jarella is dead. Bruce spends one panel mourning her and then decides to forget about it. He goes and gets an apartment and then for some reason decides that he is never going to become the Hulk again. It’s odd that there isn’t even some “cure” that won’t work, Bruce just decides that he won’t be the Hulk again. I was under the impression that was always the way he felt about it. I’ve never understood how Absorbing Man was imprisoned in a cardboard box. I understand that he absorbed it and was then wrapped up in it, but why wouldn’t he just change into human form and tear right through it (especially if he could absorb his ball and chain at that point)? Finally, why is Creel’s new sissy suit more suited for him? I’ve never gotten why Creel doesn’t wear a belt or something with materials on it that he could touch and absorb. Imagine if he could get a hold of an inch by inch piece of adamantium… it would certainly prevent his upcoming defeat… The art team does a nice job, but the issue itself is a little bleah. 4 out of 5 for the art.
Review and pictures done by the Leader.