Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #316

Title: “Battleground”

Writer: John Byrne

Penciller: John Byrne

Inkers: John Byrne and Keith Williams

Colors: Andy Yunchus

Editor: Dennis O’Neil

She-Hulk barges through the doors to the hospital. She demands to know where Bruce Banner is. She says to tell her where he is or she will put the whole lot of them in the hospital. The doctor says that is a redundant statement. He points out that this is a hospital and asks if she is supposed to be the president of the Bruce Banner fan club. She-Hulk says that she is Jennifer Walters and that she happens to be Bruce Banner’s cousin. She asks if that isn’t obvious. She says that she received an urgent message telling her that Bruce had been brought there. The doctor says that he hasn’t authorized any messages. Betty Ross appears and says that she sent it. She-Hulk asks if she is “the” Betty Ross and says that she isn’t what she pictured. Betty asks if Bruce mentioned her to She-Hulk. She-Hulk says that he did, but only in every letter he ever wrote her. Jen says that she is pleased to meet Betty and asks how is “Doc… I mean, Bruce?” Betty says that Bruce isn’t well at all. She says that she contacted her because she is Bruce’s only living relative and that there is a life or death decision that only She-Hulk can make.

Diane Bellamy is reporting live from Stoneridge, New Mexico where the Hulk has been destroying the entire town. As Diane speaks, the news copter gets a shot of the Hulk throwing a bus at a building. Diane says that the loss of lives may yet mount into the hundreds and that property damage is into the billions. She says that this is just the latest attack of the last two days when Doc Samson successfully managed to separate the Hulk from his alter ego Dr. Bruce Banner. Diane says that Banner still lies in a deep coma at La Paloma medical center. She adds that the Hulk escaped from a SHIELD transport that was taking him to a “disposal site”, but that it is unclear how he managed to do so. Diane sees something and asks the helicopter for confirmation.

Iron Man and Wonder Man fly by the helicopter. Iron Man tells Wonder Man to hang back a bit since he has tangled with the Hulk before, but that Simon hasn’t. Iron Man tells Hulk that the party is over. He swoops down and then pulls up right into a left uppercut into the Hulk’s jaw. As the Hulk is sent reeling, Iron Man blasts  him with repulsor rays and knocks him into a building. Hulk leaps at Iron Man, but he is caught from behind as Wonder Man snags Hulk’s ankle and flips him head over heals. Hulk lies on the ground and tosses a car at Wonder Man. Iron Man flies over. He says that the car probably wouldn’t do more than shred Wonder Man’s shirt, but that he can save him the expense of buying another. Iron Man blasts the car into two as it hurls through the air. Wonder Man asks how they are supposed to stop the monster. Iron Man says that they have to remember what they are up against. He says that both of them have been pulling their punches as if Bruce Banner were still inside the Hulk, but that it is no longer the case. The Hulk leaps at the two of them. Wonder Man asks how anything that big could move that fast. Hulk grabs Iron Man in the palm of one hand and punches Wonder Man to the ground with the other. He then steps on the back of Wonder Man’s head and drives his face into the ground.

Doctor Fisher and the She-Hulk sit down in the doctor’s office. Fisher apologizes for them getting off on the wrong foot. He says that he and Betty had talked about contacting Banner’s next of kin, but that he didn’t know she had done so. Jen says that even if he knew that she had that he probably wouldn’t be expecting a seven foot tall green lady. She-Hulk says that all if forgiven, but that she wants to be filled in on this life or death decision. Fisher says that it is life and death. He says that Samson had Banner brought to him because he knew of his work in psycho-stimulation. He says that he has a new generation of medicines used for the treatment of withdrawing catatonic patients. Fisher says that She-Hulk should know that Banner’s life has been hell the last few years. He says that since his transformation that he had been unable to maintain any kind of normal existence for more than a few days. He says that part of his psyche adjusted as a defense mechanism, but that now that he has been physically removed from his living prison that his mind has responded to the trauma by shutting down. Fisher says that his treatment could bring Banner out of it, or that it could send him even deeper into his coma. He says that She-Hulk has to decide what to do.

Hulk stands over Iron Man. Iron Man’s chest plate was damaged by the pressure of the Hulk’s squeeze. He says that it would only take seconds for him to fix it, but that the Hulk isn’t going to give him those seconds. Suddenly Hulk is flattened as Hercules lands on him. Iron Man says that Hercules can’t fly. Hercules says that Namor can and motions to the Sub-Mariner flying above. Namor says that it seems like they showed up just in time and that the West Coast Avengers don’t seem to be doing so well. Wonder Man asks Namor if he thinks he can do better. Namor says that of course he can. He says that Iron Man and Wonder Man possess incredible power, but that they are only mortal. He says that he and Hercules are much more than human. Hercules says that it seems that the Hulk is as well as Hulk lifts up the ground that Hercules is standing on from below. Namor flies right into the Hulk’s face, but Hulk just swats him off and into a nearby building. Hercules says that it might take the greatest power on Earth to put the Hulk down, but that fortunately he possesses that power. Hercules grabs a large, cable-filled, pipe and hits the Hulk with it. Hulk is driven through a pile of rocks and into another building. Hulk gets up and plows right into Hercules. Iron Man says that this is ridiculous. He says that they are the biggest guns that the Avengers have. Namor says that Hulk is just a mass of mindless muscle. Wonder Man says that they need to finish this fast. A voice says, “No!”

Betty walks up to Jen and asks her if she is all right. She-Hulk says that she isn’t and asks how she possibly could be. Jen says that Banner is more than just her cousin and that he is the best friend she has ever known. She says that they lost touch for a few years, especially after his accident, but that he is someone that she could always count on. Jen recalls for Betty how Bruce saved her life from a gun shot by giving her a transfusion of his blood that turned her into the She-Hulk. She says that now they want her to make a decision that could cost Bruce any kind of life, but that she doesn’t know if she can make that kind of a decision.

Iron Man, Wonder Man, and Namor all look behind them to see where the voice came from. Doc Samson hits Iron Man and Namor and the same time. He tells them to get away from the Hulk and that he is his. Wonder Man flies into Samson and tackles him. He says that he doesn’t know who he is, but that the has a serious personality problem. Samson decks Wonder Man. He says that Simon may be stronger than him in peak condition, but that he was just in a battle with the Hulk. Iron Man recognizes Doc Samson and wonders why he is attacking. Namor says that it doesn’t matter. He says that he dared to lay his hands on the prince of Atlantis and must be punished. Iron Man says that he agrees with Namor’s intent anyway. He says that they need to shut Samson down before he starts.

Hercules is battling the Hulk, but then he sees his allies in a fight with an opponent that “fights with mind as well as might”. Hercules decides that is a fight more worthy of him. He leaps off the Hulk and into the fight. Hulk stands there confused and then starts walking off. As the four of the Avengers are dog-piling on Samson, Wonder Man sees the Hulk leaving and says that they have to get after him. Samson knocks all four of them off him and says that the Hulk is his responsibility. Iron Man says that Samson keeps saying that, but that they haven’t seen anything to back that up. He says that Samson only has a fraction of the Hulk’s strength. Namor says that they are best suited to deal with the Hulk. Samson asks if that is so and then tells Namor to look around. He says to look at all the destruction they caused and then decide who is best suited. He says that they are very powerful, but that is why it is insanity for them to continue pursuing him. He says that the Hulk alone destroyed so much that it will take the town years to rebuild, but that with the five of them that they would level half of New Mexico. He says that it should be only one of them and that he should be the one. Iron Man says that he makes sense, but asks why it should be Samson since all of them have more power than he does. Samson says that if it wasn’t for him that none of this would have happened. Samson tells them that he freed the Hulk. Wonder Man gets angry at Samson, but Hercules tells him to hold back. He says that he understands and that this is an affair of honor for Samson. Samson says maybe it is that or vindication. He says that he messed up badly and wants to put it right. Iron Man says that Samson has his chance, but that they aren’t giving him an open ended schedule. He says that they are going to be watching, and that if Samson doesn’t deal with this quickly and completely that the Avengers will be back in full force.

Fisher tells She-Hulk that she made the right, and really the only, decision. Jen says that she hopes so. She says that if anything she did ever hurt Bruce that she doesn’t know if she could forgive herself. Fisher says that he is sure that won’t be necessary. He says to take a more positive outlook and that in the long run they are doing him a favor. They walk into the room and say that Jen is freeing him from this. Betty asks if Jen has decided. Fisher says that Jen has signed the necessary papers and that they are going ahead with the test. Betty thanks Jen and hugs her. Jen asks if they should leave the room. Fisher says that isn’t necessary. He says that all he is doing is injected his Formula 87 into the intravenous feed and that hopefully it will chip away at the blocks that Banner’s mind has erected. He says that it will happen quickly. Banner’s face opens in shock. He reels and Fisher wonders if Banner is accepting the help or fighting it. Betty begs Bruce in her mind not to fight it. She says that God knows how much she needs him. Jen thinks that Bruce has been a fighter all his life, but not to fight this. Fisher hopes that Banner doesn’t sink him since he has gone out on a limb for him like this. Banner’s body convulses. Betty rushes to his side and asks him to speak to him. She says that he has to be all right. Bruce opens his eyes and weakly says, “B- Betty.” Jen says that he is okay and tells Fisher that he did it. Fisher says that it seems the experiment has been a success and that for the first time in a long time that Bruce Banner has a chance at a normal life.

No Excuses rating:  7 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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