Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #320

Title: “Honeymoon’s Over”

Writer: Al Milgrom

Layouts: Al Milgrom

Finished Art: Dell Barras

Colors: Andy Yunchus

Editor: Bob Harras

The Hulk tears tons of rock out of the ground searching for his prey. The Hulk finds the scorpion that it found and kills it. Hulk tosses the scorpion aside and walks on.

At Gamma Base, Betty asks Bruce to give her one good reason why they can’t have a normal honeymoon. Bruce says that he can giver her a hundred. Betty says that she doesn’t need a hundred. She says that she only needs one good one. Bruce says that they aren’t a normal couple. Betty says that she is a woman and that Bruce is a man. She asks what could be more normal. Bruce says that he is the inventor of the gamma bomb and is responsible for unleashing the Hulk on the world. Betty says that she knows that better than anyone. She says that he is free of the Hulk, but to be truly free that he has to start to live a life apart of the creature. Betty says that they are finally married and that they are still dressing up like toy soldiers. She says that she needs a real life for both of their sakes. Suddenly, LaRoquette’s face comes up on the screen and calls for Bruce. Bruce says that he is there. LaRoquette says that Banner’s new buggy is working out fine. He says that he just hopes that the armaments are as strong as Banner says. Banner says that they are, but LaRoquette says that it doesn’t look like he will get to test it anytime soon since the Hulk is no where to be seen. Betty tells Bruce that this is their chance and that they should take it. Bruce says that he doesn’t know. LaRoquette says that if he doesn’t see something soon that he is going to return to base. Bruce says that he guesses that is for the best. LaRoquette signs off. Betty says that settles it. She says that she has booked them passage on a luxury liner that leaves from San Francisco later that afternoon. She says that surely he deserves a week’s vacation after the years he endured chained to a monster. Bruce says that he just doesn’t feel right. He asks what if the Hulk surfaces. Betty says that it was his job to form the Hulkbusters and equip them with the best way he knew how. She says that he has done that. Bruce asks what about Rick. Betty says that he is recovering nicely from his bullet wound. She says that if he seems okay when they visit the hospital that they are going on a honeymoon.

Samson flies around in the copter and says that there is no sign of the Hulk. Samson is thinking about everything that happened when he spots a smashed car on the ground. Samson calls down to the people and asks what happened. The man says that a monster came out of the sky, wrecked their car, and then leaped away. The woman says that the monster was green. Samson follows the man’s finger. He spots a shattered bus and then spots a destroyed gas station. Samson finds s the Hulk flipping over another car. Samson says that he has to stop him before he gets to that town and that there is no telling how many lives may be lost. Samson sets the copter on hover and then dives onto the Hulk’s back. Hulk swats Samson off.

Saunders suggests heading back to base. Martel agrees, but LaRoquette wants to sweep the area one more time. Saunders says that LaRoquette has become obsessed since Carolyn’s death. LaRoquette points out a billowing smoke and says that he is willing to bet that where there is smoke there’s the Hulk. Martel asks if they should inform Banner. LaRoquette says that he guesses so and calls in to Gamma Base.

At Gamma Base, the phone rings on the hook.

At La Paloma Medical Center,  Betty and Bruce visit Rick. Betty says that she is glad to see Rick looking so well. She tells Rick how their honeymoon is contingent upon how Rick is feeling. Rick laughs and says that Bruce must be the only man on the planet who has to be given reasons to go on a honeymoon. Rick says that he is doing okay for a guy that just got shot. He says that he knew Ross could be a little loony, but he never expected him to try and stop the wedding by force. Rick says that must have been the first shotgun wedding where the father was trying to stop the proceedings. Rick laughs and says that laughing hurts. Betty says that she is so sorry. Doctor Fisher enters the room. He says that he is sorry to intrude, but offers his congratulations to Bruce and Betty. Fisher says that so long as Bruce is here maybe he could examine him. Bruce agrees.

Fisher asks Bruce if he has been having any ill side effects from being separated from the Hulk or from his psycho-stimulation drug. Bruce says that he has been rather tired and that his brain is a little foggy, but that he figured that would be expected. Fisher takes a blood sample. Bruce mentions that Betty has been pushing to go on a honeymoon, but that he can’t decide if the timing is right. Fisher says that if Bruce is looking for a medical opinion that he says to go. He says that a trip would do Bruce a world of good and take his mind off the troubles with his Hulk persona. Bruce says that he guesses there is merit in what he is saying. Fisher says that if he needs more incentive that his wife is a very attractive young lady.

Hideko hits the Hulk with a blast from the buggy. Samson thinks to himself that it was bad enough fighting the Hulk, but that now he has “those bumblers” in the way again. Samson hits Hulk and says that he has to end this quick before they get close enough to mess things up. Hulk bellows at a news helicopter. The copter lands and Diane Bellamy and her crew rush out. Diane says that she wants to get nice and close. Diane calls Hulk a monster-man and Samson a man-monster. She asks if anyone can stop them.

At that moment, in both New York and Los Angeles, both sets of Avengers are watching the news report and talking with one another. Iron Man tells Wasp that Samson has managed the Hulk the best as he claimed he would. Wasp says that there are people in danger, and that they have no choice. Iron Man says that Samson had his chance and that he told him they would be back in full force.

Samson hits Hulk, but once again Hulk punches him down. While the Hulk is looking down on Samson, the Hulkbusters roll up as close to the Hulk as they can for a full force blast at point blank range. The Hulk however hears them. He turns and punches the entire immense front tire off their buggy. Samson launches a punch into Hulk’s stomach, but Hulk punches Samson into the Hulkbuster buggy. Hulk then lifts the disabled buggy into the air and slams it against Samson. Saunders calls the hospital hoping that he could catch Banner there visiting Rick Jones.

Betty tells Rick that she doesn’t know what to do. She says that she thought being separated from the Hulk would free Bruce, but he seems more obsessed with the creature now than when they shared the same body. She says that it seems like she can’t get a hold of him and that every time she thinks she is getting close that he slips through her fingers. The phone rings and Rick picks it up. Saunders tells Rick that they are in bad shape there and asks if Banner is there. Rick looks at Betty. He tells Saunders that Bruce was there, but that now he is gone. He says that maybe he went back to the base. He wishes Saunders good luck and hangs up. Betty says, “Bless you, Rick.” Rick tells her to forget it, but that if she has any prayers to spare to save them for the people out there. Bruce walks back in and asks what they are looking so gloomy about. Rick says that it was nothing and says that Betty was just telling him about the two of them. He asks what the doctor said. Bruce says that he the doctor thinks that he just needs some rest. Rick says that has to be the understatement of the century. Rick tells Bruce that they have been friends for a long time. He says that Bruce saved his life and gave himself the curse of the Hulk in return. He says that Bruce is free of the monster now. He says that Bruce has lived with the Hulk and that now he has to go try living without him. Bruce says that he guesses Rick is right. Betty says that if they hurry that they can still catch the last flight to San Francisco and get on that cruise ship. Rick tells them to have fun as the phone starts ringing again. Bruce asks if he is going to get that. Rick says that it’s a wrong number.

The Hulkbuster buggy is upright again. It lets off a blast and hits the Hulk hard. As Hulk reels, Samson hits him with a right. Hulk recovers and hits Samson, but the buggy uses its grapplers to grab the Hulk. Hulk shreds the arms. Samson leaps onto the Hulk’s neck from behind. As she watches the fight, Diane Bellamy wonders where Bruce Banner is.

Bruce and Betty board their ship. Bruce asks her when she had the time to make all these plans. Betty says that it looks like she convinced him just in time and that they are the last ones to board. They are welcomed aboard. Betty asks Bruce if this isn’t wonderful. She says that she feels like all their troubles are finally behind them. Bruce says that despite all his uncertainty that he feels more assured now. He says that if the Hulk was up to something that he would have heard about it by now.

Hulk smashes the Hulkbuster buggy and forces the Hulkbusters to abandon the ship. Samson attacks the Hulk and says that he will keep Hulk off their backs. Hulk grabs Samson and Samson wonders to himself who will keep Hulk off his back. Hulk slams Samson into the wreckage of the Hulkbuster buggy. He punches Samson again and again until Samson loses consciousness. LaRoquette grabs Hulk from behind in a combat suit. He uses a hydraulic grip and gets the leverage advantage over Hulk. Hulk tears the suit’s arms off and LaRoquette says that nothing is that strong. Hulk uses the broken arms to knock LaRoquette down. Hulk goes savage on the ship and starts smashing it into scrap. Martel asks if anyone saw Hideko. LaRoquette says that he saw her leap clear, but wonders where Banner is after getting them into this mess.

Banner says that he has never known such peace. He asks if it has really only been a few hours since the set sail. He says that he feels like the last few years of his life never happened. Betty says that she is so happy for him and for both of them. Suddenly an ensign of the ship walks up to Banner with a message. Bruce looks at the note. He reads that Hulk is on a rampage in Jericho, New Mexico. He reads that the Hulkbusters are beaten and Samson has been badly injured. Bruce asks if he is never to be free and then collapses on the ground. Betty drops to his side. She tells the ensign to get a doctor and that Bruce isn’t breathing.

No Excuses rating: 4.5 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

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