Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #300Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #300
Title: “Days of Rage!”
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: Gerry Talaoc
Colors: Bob Sharen
Editor: Carl Potts
SHIELD planes fire at the Hulk who is standing on top of a building a ripping down a billboard. Below the people run in panic. A small boy sits in the middle of the street crying. Hulk growls. The people remark how wrong the newspapers were about the Hulk not being a monster anymore.
Daredevil is perched on a building not far from the action. He wonders to himself if this is New York or Beirut. From all the other sounds Daredevil pinpoints the child crying. He says that there is abandonment in his cries and that his parents must have forgotten him in their fear. Daredevil swings down just in time to snatch the boy off the street before a wave of panicking people would have trampled him. Daredevil thinks to himself about the hundreds that will be hurt through hysteria though they are far from the front of the danger.
SHIELD planes try to swoop in on the Hulk, but Hulk rips the billboard in half and throws it at them causing them to dodge out of formation. Gabe tells the others to maintain their distance from the Hulk and strike from a height that he can’t reach. He wonders to himself if any height is beyond the Hulk’s reach. A command decision has been rendered to put aside the conventions of civilized warfare to deal with an unconventional enemy. SHIELD planes drop a rain of chemical fire onto the Hulk. Hulk waves his arms and rages at the planes.
People trying to watch the battle are held back by a police line. One asks if this is a movie, but another tells him that they are really trying to kill the Hulk. One says that he must have gone bad again, but another says that he never believed he could be anything but a monster.
Kate thinks to herself how much she loved Bruce Banner. She says that she was a fool. She says that despite his temporary triumph that Bruce carried a curse with him… a curse that made him forever a Hulk. Kate walks away.
A police van arrives and a bunch of armed officers rush out and take their positions. One asks what they are doing. He is told that they are there as back up in case SHIELD can’t kill the Hulk. Another cop says that he hates to tell him, but that if SHIELD can’t stop the Hulk that they have no chance with riot guns.
Hulk stands on the roof. The napalm burns the tar beneath his feet and even manages to char his near-invulnerable flesh. Hulk could leap away, but he wants revenge on the ones that have caused his pain. Hulk rips up the legs of a water tower. The pilots don’t see the tower flying right at them because of the fire and the tower smashes into the planes. The pilots are falling to the ground unconscious.
Below the falling agents, a web is spun between two buildings. The web opens up into a net and the three agents are caught safely. Spider-Man crawls out onto the web to check on them. He senses impending danger. He spins a protective web bubble that shields them from the showers of scalding hot water that was heated up by the napalm. Spider-Man says that water will sizzle any living thing it touches.
The water pours down all over the Hulk. The impact of the thousands of gallons of water, combined with the weakening from the napalm, causes the roof to collapse and the Hulk falls into the warehouse he was standing on.
Gabe asks if any of the pilots can spot the Hulk. He is told that there is far too much steam coming out of the building to see in. The pilots adds that he thinks there is far too much fire and scalding water for him not to be cooked.
Dr. Strange rests on his stairs and watches the stream of steam rise into the air. Strange thinks how this is all Nightmare’s doing since he is the one that tried to strike at him through his friends and ruined any chance Bruce Banner had at being normal. Strange thinks about the fact that the shock of the savage Hulk’s revival has caused Banner’s persona to go into psychic retreat. Strange says that Nightmare’s plot to get at him failed when Bruce Banner chose to become the Hulk in Nightmare’s own realm. Strange says that it wasn’t until Bruce chose that path that he realized that the decision was irrevocable. Strange says that by becoming the Hulk in his own mind that Banner gave himself over into becoming the Hulk completely. He says that afraid of having to share his existence with the Hulk that Bruce chose to cease to be. Strange says that by shining the light on Banner that he unwittingly aided in Bruce’s decision to die with dignity. He says that he is then responsible for the consequences of a mindless and savage Hulk now menacing mankind. Strange says that he must intercede before mankind and the monster destroy one another. A gust of wind whips up and sends Strange’s cape billowing.
The SHIELD planes are coming in for a landing by the warehouse. One asks why they are bothering and that surely the fire finished off the Hulk. Gabe says that they have to know that for a fact. Gabe says that as soon as they get some heat resistant suits that they are going in there to prove that the Hulk is dead. Suddenly, the wall with the door to the warehouse blows off. Fire spits out everywhere and the Hulk steps out holding a flaming hunk of wood and lets out a scream. Gabe can’t even hear himself, but he orders everyone to open fire on Hulk. All the agents open fire and shoot streams of energy into the Hulk.
The nearby police listen to the horror. They
say that they must be killing the Hulk. Another asks how anyone
can be sure of what it takes to kill the Hulk. Another cops says
that no one knows and that is why they have to stay there on the
firing line to find out if it is the Hulk or SHIELD who “bit
the bullet”. He says that it is the waiting that makes him
nuts and that he can’t tell if the thunder like sounds are
the beatings of his heart or the approaching footsteps of the
Hulk. Suddenly a wall collapses on the panicking cop. The other
cops stand there gasping as the Hulk emerges through the smoke. 
Hulk tears up
the street and creates a wave that sends the police flying. The
Hulk, no longer a misunderstood monster attacking only when
attacked, continues to tear up the street. The police fire into
the Hulk’s chest. Hulk quickly smashes the SWAT team and
goes on his way. The SWAT team commander calls in and says to
alert the mayor that the Hulk is coming.
Inside the Mayor’s office, the mayor already knows. He is making a call to the Governor’s office. He tells him that he is declaring a state of emergency and ordering an evacuation of Manhattan. He adds that he would like the Governor to call out the National Guard. He says that it is that serious and adds that the had high hopes for Banner as well this time. The Mayor hangs up the phone and says that they have no choice but to destroy him before he destroys a city of eight million people. One of the other men in the room says that the National Guard isn’t going to be able to do anything against the Hulk. The Mayor says that he knows and that they are just going to help police the evacuation. He says that against a monster like the Hulk that they are going to need much more power than the National Guard. The Mayor picks up the phone. Across town at the Avengers Mansion, the phone rings.
In Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, Strange looks for a final solution to the problem posed by the Hulk. Strange gazes into his sphere and asks to see all worlds adrift in time and space. A mystic curl wraps around Strange, but all existence lays before Strange. Strange says, “Those worlds I seek are worlds apart, safe from the fury in a monster’s heart! World’s wherein the Hulk might dwell, if but sent there by my spell!” Strange looks over the array of worlds as he seeks a world to ban the Hulk to.
The Human Torch hits the Hulk in the side of
his head with a flame. The Hulk growls. Torch tells Hulk to stay
back so he won’t have to hurt him. Torch knows that in the
times that he has fought the Hulk, both alone and when with
Fantastic Four, that it was luck that allowed him to survive.
Torch thinks about how SHIELD told him that there was no trace of
Bruce Banner left in the Hulk and that he is now dealing with a
monster that would just as soon kill him as look at him. He
thinks how Reed and Sue are out of town, and that the Thing is
still on another world. Torch says that he just has to hold the
fort until some other heroes arrive. He thinks that he could go
nova, but that he would wind up destroying the city he is trying
to protect. Hulk slams his hands together. The rush of air from
the Hulk’s hands is enough, not only to snuff out the
Torch’s flame, but it also knocks Johnny Storm unconscious.
Torch falls into the arms of Luke Cage, Power Man. Iron Fist
tells his partner that he will tackle the Hulk. Cage tells him to
be careful. Iron Fist says to himself that the only way he is
going to survive this is if he hits the Hulk with the power of
the Iron Fist. Fist’s fist glows as he tries to strike the
Hulk. Hulk palms Iron Fist’s glowing fist and holds it
there. Fist screams and falls to his knees. Cage puts Torch down
and rushes to Iron Fist’s aid. He plows into the Hulk’s
back and says that he had better not have hurt Danny. Iron Fist
just slumps there on his knees. He says that he gave it all he
had, but that the Hulk contained it so that Fist absorbed the
impact of his own blow. Hulk turns and looks back at Power Man. 
Hulk hits Cage
once and sends him flying into the air. Power Man breaks in and
out of four skyscrapers and then falls back to Earth. He lands on
a newsstand crushing it and lies there unconscious. Hulk walks
off leaving the fallen heroes behind him. Hulk then comes face to
face with the Avengers. Thor, Starfox, Scarlet Witch, Captain
Marvel Photon, Wasp, and the Vision stand in his way. Vision
tells the Hulk to surrender or die. Hulk stands there for a
moment. The word Avengers doesn’t mean anything to him
because he is not the Hulk he used to be. Hulk starts to advance
and Thor gets ready. Starfox tells him to hold on a second. He
says that there are easier more merciful ways to deal with a
beast. Photon asks Starfox if he is crazy as he approaches Hulk.
Starfox says that he will go crazy if he has to hear Vision talk
about how they should fight as a team. He asks why they should
fight when it is easier to soothe the savage beast by
overwhelming his anger with waves of pleasure. Waves of pleasure
radiate from Starfox… waves enough to cause any normal
creature to be overcome with ecstasy, but the Hulk is no normal
creature. Hulk growls. He hits Starfox and sends him hurtling
into Thor’s arms. Vision tells Wanda to hit Hulk with a
hex-sphere. Water and electrical conduits beneath the Hulk’s
feet and shock him. Photon flies at Hulk about to bombard him
with gamma rays as the Vision told her, but she wonders if it
isn’t gamma rays that created the Hulk in the first place.
She flies right through him as gamma rays and wonders if she
isn’t just increasing his power. Hulk seems to scream, not
in pain, but at the memories of the gamma bomb exploding. He
doesn’t understand the memories and rejects them. Wasp tells
Vision that it isn’t happening. Vision says that the gamma
rays should have caused the Hulk to revert back into Bruce
Banner. Wasp says that maybe there is no Bruce Banner for him to
turn back into. Wasp says that they might be in trouble and that
she has always suspected that Bruce Banner had some moderating
effect on the Hulk. Wasp tries to sting Hulk in the head, but
Hulk is little more than irritated. Vision steps forward. He says
that he has always wondered what would happen if an irresistible
force like the Hulk came in contact with an intangible object,
like he can become. Vision’s fist passes right through the
Hulk. The Hulk howls but keeps coming at Vision. Vision alters
his density and makes himself as hard as a diamond and as
immovable as a mountain. 
The ground
cracks slightly beneath Vision’s feet, but Vision forgets
that diamonds can still be cut, and that the mightiest of
mountain can be leveled with a powerful enough blow. Hulk slams
his fist into Vision’s head and drives him like a spike
about 35 feet into the ground. Thor begins swinging his hammer
around. He says that he stood by while the Vision named the order
of the battle, but that he will no longer yield to strategy or
past sympathy. Thor says that it isn’t an Avenger Hulk has
angered by harming an Avenger, but the God of Thunder. Thor
collides with Hulk and a bolt of lightning hits Hulk. The other
Avengers draw back from the battle.
Strange continues to search for a place to send the Hulk. A dragon like creature tells Strange to send the Hulk to him and that he will take good care of him. A shadow creature says to send Hulk to them and that they guarantee that Hulk will never trouble the Earth again. A snake like creature says that it is hungry and to send Hulk to him so that he may feed. Strange says that he knows all their dark desires. He says that the Hulk wouldn’t find a home or happiness on their worlds. He says that if he did send Hulk there that they would all find themselves faced with more than they had bargained for. Strange says that Hulk was once his friend and that he simply wishes to send him to a world where he can’t cause any harm nor come to any harm. He says that he is not trying to oversee his execution. Strange tells them to begone. He says that there worlds won’t do and so he must broaden his search. Strange keeps searching and searching, but he senses the battle outside. He says that he can’t let the Hulk destroy or be destroyed before he finishes his search.
Thunder and lightning crash as Thor and Hulk continue to collide. Thor hits a car at the Hulk, but Hulk just knocks it down and growls. Thor asks Hulk if he won’t fall. Thor hits Hulk with Mjolnir and asks what madness motivates him. He asks how much pain he must inflict on him before he admits that Thor has no equal. Hulk just growls at Thor not understanding. Hulk hits Thor. Thor says that the language of power is all Hulk understands and that he is truly a monster now. Thor says that he has laid many monsters low over the centuries. Thor tells Hulk to have at him until the death. Thor hits Hulk without holding back. Hulk flies through the air and hits the adamantium statue of himself and actually cracks the base. Thor starts to fly at Hulk. Hulk rips the statue from the ground and holds it over his head intent on using it as a weapon. Thor lands and recalls how even his hammer has proven ineffective against adamantium in the past. He says that in the hands of the Hulk that the statue is a weapon fit to destroy a thunder god. Thor throws his hammer and hits the statue. The vibrations from the hammer hitting metal hurts everyone’s ears. Dr. Strange flies onto the scene and tells the Avengers that there is no further need for battle. Hulk doesn’t understand what Strange is saying, but he recognizes the voice as the last he heard before Bruce Banner died within him. Strange tells Hulk not to fear him. He says that he knows what has happened to the Hulk and that he isn’t to be blamed for what he is doing. Strange says that what has been done is irrevocable, and that this world can’t abide such a monster. The Avengers watch on as Hulk seems to turn all his attention on Strange. Photon says that Hulk is a monster and that he has to be destroyed. Thor says that he could be exiled and that he wishes that he had thought of that before reverting to the blood-rush of battle. Hulk doesn’t understand any of it and leaps at Strange. Thor warns Strange, but Strange says that Hulk will never reach him. Strange opens a portal between them. Strange says that there were many worlds that were suitable habitats for Hulk, but that he doesn’t know if the choice he would make would be the right one. Strange says that he sought another solution. He says that he is sending him, not to one world, but to many. Strange says that there he can search for whatever happiness is for a monster without inflicting harm on others. Hulk disappears into the portal and Strange closes it. Vision says that Strange has succeeded. Photon says that the city and planet are safe. Starfox asks why, if they won, does everyone look so morbid. Thor says that the Hulk was once a man that Earth owed much to. Wasp says that he was a hero and an original Avenger. Vision says that it isn’t his fault that he became a monster. Strange says that banishing him is no cause for rejoicing. He says that greatness has passed from this planet and that the Hulk, as they knew him, is truly dead.
Hulk howls like an animal that has been abandoned. He floats through the space between dimensions toward a tree that points in many directions that lead to many paths.
No Excuses rating: 9 out of 10
The art gets a perfect 5 for 5. Sal and Gerry do an amazing job with this epic issue of the Hulk. Between the battles, to Strange’s search, to even the ordinary scene at the mayor’s office… all outstanding. As for the writing… well I feel that it is kind of a dodge. Sure it sends the Hulk in a new direction and the old direction is ended, but it seems like this issue was building to a monumental battle and we seem to get robbed of yet another Hulk/Thor conclusion. I am not a big fan of the Crossroads issues and this sets it all up.
Review and pictures by The Leader