Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #294Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #294
Title: “From out of the night comes… Boomerang!”
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Art: Sal Buscema and Gerry Talaoc
Colors: Bob Sharon
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Boomerang rockets through the night sky to meet with his new boss. He thinks to himself that it would be highly unprofessional for a paid assassin to be late. He spots the penthouse apartment and thinks to himself how he likes his bosses rich. He reminds himself that this boss is getting his services for free since he was the one that sprung him from prison. Boomerang thinks about how he was in prison for killing a federal informant, and how he owes the man one. Boomerang announces his presence. A old man sitting in a chair says that he still has eyes. Boomerang says that he is the one that got him out of jail and that he wants to know why. The old man says that he has a job for a man who has nothing to lose. Boomerang says that is him and that he would be on death row right now if it wasn’t for him. Boomerang says that his gang busted him out. The old man says that they have had a lot of practice at that since the days when he was Max Stryker the Kingpin of Crime. Boomerang says that he has heard of him and that he was big in the days before the Kingpin. Stryker says that he is on top now, but asks Boomerang who he thinks taught Kingpin. Boomerang keeps his skepticism to himself. Boomerang says that he wants to know what Stryker wants from him. Stryker says that he is an old man with cancer. Boomerang says that it sounds like he needs a doctor instead of a hit man. Stryker says that he has tried doctors and that nothing has worked. He says that he isn’t going to die easy. Stryker says that there is a genius scientist that is using gamma radiation to cure human disease. Boomerang asks why he doesn’t just pay him. Stryker says that he offered to, but that the doctor told him that it was too new and untested. Stryker says that he needs time to perfect it, but that he is running out of time. Boomerang says that he understands and that he wants him to convince the scientist to cure him. Boomerang says that should be no problem. Stryker says that it should be so easy. Stryker says that the scientist he is going after is Dr. Bruce Banner. Boomerang says that Stryker can’t mean the Hulk.
At Northwind Observatory in New York’s
Catskill Mountains, Bruce Banner asks Kate if she has prepped the
dog. Kate says that she did just as he instructed. 
A family is
waiting at the door. The little girl asks if Sirius is going to
be okay. The mother says that if anyone can save her pet that it
would be Bruce Banner. Bruce tells the dog that its family puts a
lot of faith in him and that he hopes he is as good as his press.
Kate tells the family that Dr. Banner is going to activate the
Gammascope and that they can watch from behind the lead-shielded
windows. She closes the door. Bruce wonders aloud if they are
going to be watching his greatest triumph or his biggest failure.
Kate says that they know the risks, but that they took them
because no one else could even give them hope for a cure. Bruce
lifts the dog onto the specially conductive couch beneath the
Gammascope. Bruce tells the dog to relax and says that he will
try not to add to the dog’s suffering. Bruce asks Kate if
she is aware of what they are about to do. Kate says that they
will see the first effective cure of mammalian cancer. Bruce says
that she makes it sound so easy. Kate says that she knows that it
isn’t and that Bruce is finally going to put into practice
the theories that Bruce developed years ago. Bruce says that it
was before fate turned him into a monster. Kate reminds Bruce
that he has triumphed over that fate and that he is about to
claim his future. Bruce wonders if it is arrogant of him to dream
of curing cancer when everyone else has failed. Kate says that it
is never arrogant to dream. She tells him that she has faith in
him and that the Gammascope is ready. Bruce tells her to point it
at the heavens then so it can draw enough power to cure the
animal. Bruce says, “Let history be made… now!”
Bruce pushes the button. The gamma radiation is gathered together
and shot into the lying dog. The family watches on. Kate realizes
that if something happens to the dog that not only would it break
the children’s hearts, but Bruce’s too. She thinks of
her admiration for his genius and his compassion. Bruce cuts off
the power. Sirius gets up off the table and runs around barking.
The father notes that Sirius’ fur is now green, but the
mother asks who cares about a harmless side effect when the dog
is obviously cured. Kate lets the family in. The mother asks if
Sirius is really going to be all right. Bruce says that he will
have to conduct some tests later, but that the dog seems to be
cured. Mr. Douglas says that he doesn’t know how to thank
Bruce, but Bruce says that the looks on their faces is enough,
and that further reward will come when the success is placed
before the scientific community.
Bruce waves goodbye to the family and reminds them that he needs to run some tests on Sirius in the next few weeks. Kate says that the computers monitored all phases of the experiment, and that preanalysis seems to indicate an unqualified success. Kate puts her arms around Bruce and says that he is going to be very famous. Bruce says that he has been infamous for years and that famous might be a nice change of pace. Kate asks if he is actually joking about having been the Hulk. Bruce says that he is finally starting to accept that his days of being a monster are behind him. Bruce says that he is starting life over right after breakfast. He asks Kate if she wants to join him. She says anytime and anywhere. Bruce tells her to meet him in the “incredibly romantic commissary” in a half hour. He says that he will feel much more amorous after a shower. Kate smiles and says that Bruce seems happy at last and that he has finally put the curse of the Hulk behind him. Boomerang flies overhead.
Bruce is in the shower. He thinks how his
notion that gamma radiation could be used to cure became a
reality today. He says that all his theories that were
interrupted when he became the Hulk have finally been proven out.
He says that he did more than just reclaim his scientific
reputation… he says that he has reclaimed his soul and his
existence as a man. Bruce relaxes and gives in to his exhaustion.
A large figure stalks through the steam of the hot water toward
the shower. “hulk smashes through the glass. He grabs Bruce
by the throat, Bruce shouts that this is impossible. He shouts
that he is the Hulk. Suddenly the beast is gone. Bruce reassures
himself that he is in control, but then suddenly he hears Kate
scream. Bruce says that she is in danger and that his genius
won’t help. 
He says that he
needs the power of the Hulk. Bruce changes into the Hulk. Hulk
shouts that he is coming to Kate. He grabs his purple trunks as
he runs by them.
Boomerang says that he had hoped to grab her without any fuss, but that now he is going to have to deal with her boyfriend. Boomerang says that he almost beat the Hulk before, but that almost doesn’t count so he’ll do it now. Boomerang throws. The boomerang circles around and around Hulk’s head. Bruce clutches his ears as the boomerang emits a ultrasonic wailing. He says that he can’t lose consciousness when Kate is in danger. He swings his hand out and destroys the boomerang in flight. Boomerang throws his “reflexrangs”. They hit Hulk on just the right spot of his knees and Hulk falls over. Boomerang throws again and Kate asks how Boomerang can strike at a man when he is down. Boomerang asks her what better time there is. The boomerang he threw was a gravity-rang. It lands on Hulk’s back and pins him against the floor. Boomerang says that Hulk might just be a shadow of his former savage self, but that judging from the hatred in his eyes he thinks he is still capable of homicide. Bruce struggles against the gravity-rang. He says that he is going to have Boomerang’s head. Boomerang throws another boomerang and brings down a mountain of machinery on top of the Hulk. Kate says that Boomerang has killed him. Boomerang tells her not to be naïve. He says that Hulk has survived worse. Stryker is rolled into the room. He tells Boomerang to take Kate away to ensure that Banner will do as he tells him.
Boomerang flies out of the observatory with Kate.
Stryker tells Dr. Banner to hurry and get out. He says that he is a man of little patience. Hulk breaks free. He shouts for Kate. Stryker says that she has been taken away, but that she will be safe so long as he does what he is told. Bruce asks what he wants. Stryker says that he wants a cure and a new lease on life. Bruce changes back into his normal self. He says that he remembers him now. He is Max Stryker, the gangster. Bruce says that he turned him down before because the gamma cure has never been tested on a human being. Stryker says that Banner will test it on him now. Bruce says that he is mad. Stryker says that he is only a scared old man with nothing left to lose.
Bruce readies the lab as Stryker lies on the couch. Bruce says that he has only worked with vegetables and animals so far. Stryker says that for the sake of his lady friend that he hopes he is as successful with him. Bruce says that it is for her that he does this, and that Stryker’s bodyguard certainly doesn’t scare him. Bruce looks into the Gammascope looking for gamma radiation. He sees the energy surge in space again. Bruce thinks to himself that with Kate’s life on the line that he can’t stop to investigate it now. Bruce activates the Gammascope. Stryker is bathed in gamma radiation. Bruce stops the machine and asks Stryker how he feels. Stryker says that he is invigorated. He says that he feels like a new man. Bruce changes into the Hulk. He says that he trusts Stryker wants to stay feeling healthy. The bodyguards shoot at Hulk, but the bullets bounce right off. Stryker tells them that there is no need for that and that Banner has done as he demanded.
After hearing the address to Stryker’s penthouse, Hulk leaps out of the observatory towards New York. Hulk lands in Central Park near Stryker’s apartment. He walks by the adamantium statue of himself. Suddenly, Bruce spots a strange alien glow. He walks over to the strange construct. Hew walks in through what seems to be a door and disappears.
No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10
Still a good read, still good foreshadowing. Bruce seems to have finally gained it all. His cure seems to work and he has a woman that loves him. He no longer seems to live in fear of becoming a monster… and then he seemingly dreams while awake and his girlfriend is kidnapped. Love the direction and love the fact that there is a new Gamma People around. Sal and Gerry continue to work well. Gerry seems to compliment Sal’s pencils without taking away from the power or style.
Review and pictures by The Leader