Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #269Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #269
Title: “Enter: The Hulk-Hunters!”
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: Rick Parker
Colors: Bob Sharen
Editor: Allen Milgrom
Not long ago, on the planet Krylor, Bereet the techno-artist is watching the crowd watch her “film” The Life and Times of the Incredible Hulk” (Leader’s note: if you’re interested in seeing Bereet’s film you can go check out Rampaging Hulk magazine issues #1 through #9). As the film ends, the people applaud vigorously. They hail it as a “marvelous denunciation of society”. The look up to Bereet’s balcony seat, but she is already gone. Her act of rejection endears her to her adoring public even more.
As it turns out, Bereet had left the movie in frustration. She thinks to herself how the public clamor for more Hulk movies, but that they ignore her more innovative techno-art creations. She thinks to herself that her work is growing stale. Bereet walks into her studio. Her almost alive techno-art creations greet her. Bereet says hello to Starky, a flying red ball with feet and a tail. Other creations are a molecular scrambler and the star eye, a entertainment module able to make fictional narratives about anyone that it has witnessed. She tells them that they are her true masterpieces, though she admits that her films are more accessible than the creations in her bag of tricks. Bereet says that each one of them is different, and that a true techno-artist never repeats herself. Bereet says that her films mock static Krylorian society by idolizing a savage monster called the Hulk whom her Star Eye happened to discover while scanning distant worlds. She says that they witnessed his birth from afar, and have followed him now for more than a decade. She thinks about how she has never met the real Hulk, but that she didn’t need to. He was simply a symbol of everything Krylor is not, and never will be. She says that she is tired of such sentiments and wonders if she has ignored the true Hulk. She wonders if truth is more interesting than fiction. She recalls the Entertainment Code XV-III which prohibits artists from engaging alien life forms in the creation of art, but then recalls that Krylorian artists are also known for ignoring that code. Bereet pulls the Banshee Mask from her bag of tricks. She puts the mask over her face and she and the mask morph into a ship destined for Earth to find the Hulk.
In the desert,
Bruce Banner sits alone on a rock. Betty walks towards him and
asks him why he didn’t tell her that he was leaving the lab.
Bruce says that he needed to be alone to think. Betty says that
she will leave if he wants, but that the underground lab is so
confining. Bruce says that it is hidden in the desert the same
way that the Hulk is hidden in him. Bruce says that he used to
dream of all the great discoveries in gamma radiation that he
would make. He thinks about all the good he would do for mankind,
but that all he has created is horror. Betty reminds him that he
has returned there to reverse the horror. She says that he is
looking for a cure, but that in the meantime she asks if he
can’t put her arms around her and tell her how beautiful she
looks in the moon light. Bruce leaps up and says that it
isn’t beautiful to think that she and everything else needs
protection from his murdering rampages. Betty starts to cry. She
says that they aren’t his rampages, but the Hulk’s. She
says that he isn’t the Hulk, and that it is the Hulk that is
the monster. She says that he is the man she loves, and that she
came to the godforsaken desert to be with him at his moment of
truth. She says that he is brilliant, and that if anyone can cure
him he is the one to do it. She says that if he starts
identifying himself with the Hulk that he will have failed before
he began. Bruce holds Betty and says that he didn’t mean to
upset her. He says that it is hard for him to deny his common
link to the creature he has shared his existence with for so many
years. Betty says that Bruce must sever that link if they are
ever going to have a life together. She says that he must destroy
the Hulk.
Nearby, Rick Jones overhears Betty and thinks about how it has finally been said. He thinks about how they came to the desert to cure Bruce, but that he didn’t want to understand that you can’t cure the one without eliminating the other. Rick figures that it is Bruce’s game, and that if Bruce says that the Hulk goes that the rest of them fold their hands. Rick wonders if maybe the Hulk shouldn’t be dealt a hand as well. Rick walks into the cave and down some steps. Rick thinks how the Hulk’s savagery and strength always made him the odd man out. Rick wonders what would have happened if Hulk had been born with Bruce’s brain. He says that he would be as smart as the Leader and still strong as well. He thinks of all the good the Hulk could do in that form. Rick stands with his hand on the gamma ray projector. He says that Bruce has it wrong. He says that Bruce has a right to live, but that the Hulk does too. He says that Bruce may not need the Hulk, but that the world does. Rick wonders if the world really does, or if he just really does since he has always been the Hulk’s sidekick.
Out in space, an approaching ship puts up its invisiscreens to avoid detection as it nears Earth. The ship stops outside the Earth’s atmosphere and releases three probe pods. The three probes drop to the Earth and begin burning as they enter the atmosphere. The three probes slow as they sweep into formation above the desert.
Back aboard the ship, a gray-skinned woman says that the pods have begun their search and tells the crew to pray that the Hulk-Hunters find their prey.
Bruce is still holding Betty. He says that
she is right and that he has to stop thinking of he and the Hulk
as the same being. He says that they are two separate beings that
accidentally share the same existence. Bruce goes on, but he
senses that Betty is no longer listening to him. Betty stares at
the three pods as they hover there. Rick Jones comes running out
of the cave to see what the weird light is. Rick stares at the
ships. Betty asks Bruce who they are and what they want. Bruce
says that he doesn’t know anymore than she does, but that
the markings on the ships do seem strangely familiar. Suddenly,
all three pods simultaneously begin to glow. 
Three beings
appear before Bruce and Betty. Amphibian from Xantares, Torgo,
robot ruler from Mekka, and Dark-Crawler, sole survivor of the
Dark Dimension introduce themselves as the Hulk-Hunters. Bruce
says that they want the Hulk, and that they must have some kind
of sensor for his gamma irradiated physiology. Betty tells Bruce
that maybe they don’t know that he is the Hulk. Rick says
that all Bruce has to do is turn into the Hulk and pound them.
Torgo says that as odd as it seems that Bruce Banner is the one
called the Hulk. Amphibian can’t believe that they are
searching for “that pale, pitiful worm”. Dark-Crawler
says that he encountered both of Hulk’s forms in the past.
Betty asks them to leave Bruce alone. Rick tells them to go ahead
and find the Hulk so he can beat them. Betty tells Rick that
Bruce would rather die than become the Hulk again. Rick says that
if there was no Hulk that there were a lot of times when Bruce
would have died. Betty tells Rick to stop arguing with her, and
that they have to get Bruce out of there before it is too late.
Rick asks if she means too late for the Hulk or for them. Bruce
is changing into the Hulk. Torgo says that it will be too late
for the entire cosmos of they fail, but that they will not as
their quarry is at hand. Betty turns and sees the Hulk. She says,
“Oh no! No!” Hulk shouts, “Yes! You come to hunt
the Hulk? Hulk is here!” Betty says something about her poor
Bruce. Hulk says that there is no more Bruce to hold him back. He
says that there is only Hulk and his enemies, and that he is
going to smash. Hulk leaps into Amphibian, Amphibian says that he
and Hulk fought long ago in the home of the Watcher for the
Ultimate Machine. Hulk hits Amphibian. He says that he remembers,
and that he also remembers that Fish-Man lost that fight the way
he will lose this one. Amphibian lands in a nearby pool of water.
Betty says that Hulk just defeated that creature. Rick asks Betty why she is surprised and says that Hulk has been beating them for years. He says that this time however that it is three against one. Rick guesses that any group calling themselves the Hulk-Hunters must have come ready to do the job. He says that Hulk is going to need help. Betty asks what kind of help he means. Rick says that it can only be found in Bruce’s underground lab. Betty isn’t sure what Rick means, but follows him as he runs into the cave.
Dark-Crawler says that Hulk misunderstands, and that he didn’t have to attack Amphibian. Hulk says that they are there to hunt him and asks what else there is to understand. Dark-Crawler says that ‘hunt’ has many meanings including ‘to seek out’. Dark-Crawler uses his Scepter of Shadows to encase the Hulk in darkness. Hulk says that whatever he says just means that he wants to hurt him. Hulk says that is why he surrounds him in darkness. Dark-Crawler says that he just wanted to immobilize him. Dark-Crawler says that the last time they met that he was the one who misunderstood Hulk’s intentions. He says that he learned too late that Hulk wasn’t his enemy, but that it was the Undying Ones. Dark-Crawler says that Hulk destroyed his dimension, but that it opened his eyes. He says that he engaged the Undying Ones in a battle, and that he won and turned their realm into his own. Dark-Crawler says that he owes that victory to Hulk. Hulk says, “Talk! Talk! Talk! Hulk is sick of hearing talking! Hulk wants to see!” Hulk charges into Dark-Crawler following his voice. Hulk smashes the Scepter of Shadows, but as he is turning his attention to pounding Dark-Crawler he is blasted from behind by Torgo. Torgo says that no Hulk-Hunter is helpless as long as another stands. Hulk says that Robot-Man won’t stand then. Hulk says that he will tear his legs off. Torgo says that even on Mekka they have heard legends of the Hulk’s strength. Torgo says that he had them redesign him in order to be the Hulk’s equal. Torgo says that Hulk must be subdued for the sake of the cosmos. Hulk grabs at Torgo’s weapon.
Down in the lab, Betty says that there is no weapons down there. The only thing down there is the gamma ray projector. Rick says that it projects gamma rays, and that the gamma rays are what made Bruce into the Hulk. Betty says that Rick is out of his mind. Rick says that Bruce only became the Hulk because he was helping him. Rick says that now it is Bruce that needs help. Betty pounds on the observation window and tells Rick to unlock the door. Rick says that he can’t do that since he is going to activate the machine. Rick says that he is sick of being a sidekick. Rick says that he needs to help Hulk in the only way that matters. Rick says that he will become as powerful as the Hulk. Rick says that then Bruce can be cured, and that the world can still have a Hulk. Rick clicks the button with his foot.
Torgo asks Hulk if he won’t calm down
and says that there isn’t much time. Hulk says that he is
going to smash them since they came to hunt him. Amphibian stalks
out of the water. He says that they came hunting him.
Dark-Crawler says that it wasn’t to hurt him. Torgo says
that they need his help, but that Hulk attacked them before they
could tell him. Amphibian grabs Hulk from behind and says that
the one who sent them was afraid that they wouldn’t have the
power to defeat their current foe. Dark-Crawler tells Hulk that
only he has the power to save a myriad of worlds. The three of
the gang up on Hulk. Torgo says that they will have Hulk’s
power even if they have to drag him there in chains. Hulk kicks
Dark-Crawler off of him and says that he will never be chained.
Hulk punches Amphibian off and says that he will never be forced
to do what he doesn’t want to. Hulk grabs Torgo’s
weapon. Torgo asks if Hulk doesn’t want to save all
universes from a threat to come. 
Hulk punches
Torgo and says that he just wants to be left alone. Dark-Crawler
says that they have failed. He asks what they should do now.
Torgo says to summon the Empress that sent them on this hunt.
Hulk tells them to call whoever they want, and that he will smash
them all. Amphibian says that there is no denying that Hulk has
the power they need. Torgo says that they would have faced the
foe themselves again if he didn’t. Dark-Crawler says that
they were lucky to get out alive last time. Hulk says that he is
waiting for Empress. A light from above blinds the Hulk. The ship
that was outside the atmosphere has descended. Walking down on a
beam of light is the gray-skinned woman. She introduces herself
as Empress Daydra from the Sagittarius System. She apologizes
about the misunderstanding regarding her hunters. She says that
they only came to get Hulk’s help. Hulk says that he
remembers the gray-skinned girl. Daydra says that she was a girl
when they first met. She says that she was just a girl watching
her empire in the thrall of a being more powerful and evil than
any other in the cosmos… the Galaxy Master. She says that he
destroyed world after world until he went up against Hulk. Hulk
says that he destroyed Mouth-Monster forever. Daydra says that it
was only for a time. She says that he has risen again, and that
he is scourging the galaxies preceded by a champion that no one
has been able to stand against. Torgo says that just as they were
defeated by the Hulk so were they defeated by Galaxy
Master’s champion. Hulk asks who his champion is. Daydra
says that no one knows his name. She says that they only know
that his skin is the same color as the Hulk’s, and that he
is as strong as him in every way. Hulk says, “No one is as
strong as Hulk, girl… in any way!” Daydra asks if Hulk
will help them against Galaxy Master and his champion then. Hulk
says that he will come see who is supposed to be as strong as him
and smash him. Hulk, Daydra, and the others go up the beam of
light to the ship. The ship departs.
Down in the lab, Rick screams as the gamma rays hits him. Betty continues banging on the window.
No Excuses rating: 9 out of 10
Let me get this out of the way. I hate Bereet, always have. I’m also finding Betty’s pushy whining annoying, but I guess I’m supposed to. Other than that this issue has tons that I like. Returns of the Amphibian, Night-Crawler, and Empress Daydra. Plenty of fighting and the promise of a great fight to come. Sal does a really nice job with this issue. His storytelling is as strong as ever and his fight scenes are awesome.
Review and picture 1 by The Leader
Pictures 2 and 3 by Captain Nate