Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #321

Title: “…And the Walls Come Tumbling Down!”

Writer: Al Milgrom

Layouts: Al Milgrom

Finished Art: Dell Barras

Colors: Michael Higgins

Editor: Bob Harras

The Hulk has picked up Samson’s unconscious body and has started using it as a battering ram. He slams Samson through a building and drags his body along tearing the wall open. Diane Bellamy is still reporting and wonders if Samson’s gamma powers have been able to keep him alive. Saunders continues looking for Hideko, but Hideko appears and says that she is quite well as she attends to LaRoquette. LaRoquette says not to count him out yet. He says that he may be down and out, but that he is still alive and kicking. Hideko says that at least their effort gave the people a chance to abandon their town. Diane Bellamy reports that the people fleeing their town is reminiscent of tragedies like hurricanes, floods, volcanoes and all elemental forces. She says that this time they flee a single being that may be more savage than any act of nature. Diane says that some of the people of the town however are refusing the evacuate.

A group of men are saying that they aren’t going to be driven off, but then suddenly Hulk uses Samson as a battering ram and smashes through the wall. The men all run for their lives.

Saunders asks Hideko if LaRoquette will be all right. Hideko says that he has some broken bones, but that the armor saved his life. LaRoquette says that this is nothing compared to what he is going to do to Banner for dropping out of sight when they needed him.

A medical helicopter lands on the dock. Betty calls to Bruce to speak to him. The medic tells Betty to back off. He says that they got Banner breathing again, but that he doesn’t look too steady. He says that they have to get him to the hospital. Bruce mutters to Betty that this is some honeymoon. Bruce tells Betty not to let them take him to the local hospital. He tells her to get him to Doctor Fisher and that this is no normal malady. Bruce tells the medics that they have to get her husband to the airport. The medic says that he doesn’t know if Bruce will even make it to the hospital. Betty says that she will take full responsibility and that they will charter a flight from the airport. The medic says that it is Betty’s, or rather Bruce’s, funeral. Bruce calls out to Betty. He tells Betty to get word to the Hulkbusters and that the Hulk must be killed.

Hulk continues punishing Samson. Martel wonders how much Samson can take and Hideko says that they don’t even know if Samson is still alive. LaRoquette says that they have to help Samson. Saunders tells Rock that he is in no shape to play hero. Martel says that he is. He picks up a weapon that wasn’t destroyed in the Hulk’s attack. Martel says that he can’t stand by and watch this slaughter. Hideko stops Martel and says that it would be an act of suicide. Martel says that they can’t let the Hulk just kill Samson. Hideko agrees and walks out toward the Hulk unarmed. Martel says that what he was doing may have been suicide, but that what she is doing is insanity. Hideko lets out a shout, “Kiiiiyiii!” that draws the Hulk’s attention. Hulk tosses Samson aside and starts charging Hideko. Hideko sidesteps the Hulk. She trips him and pushes the back of his head knocking him to the ground. Hulk gets up angrier. He charges Hideko again, but this time before he reaches her Photon flashes in front of him and blinds him temporarily. She takes human form and tells Hideko that the Avengers will take over from here. Photon turns herself into a bolt of lightning, but it doesn’t even slow Hulk down. She tries infra-red, ultra-violet, and cosmic rays, but each only angers the Hulk further. She thinks about trying gamma rays, but wonders if that wouldn’t simply make him stronger. She decides to wait for the rest of the team and ask one of the “science types” about it.

She-Hulk walks into Avengers mansion and sees Reed and Torch performing an experiment. She-Hulk asks Jarvis where their hosts the Avengers are. Jarvis says that they were called away on an emergency regarding the Hulk. Jen asks why no one told her or why the Fantastic Four didn’t go to help. Reed says that the Avengers felt that the Hulk was their business and that they stayed behind in case there were any other emergencies. Jen says that he may be their problem, but that she has to go too. She-Hulk says that it may have been a transfusion from Bruce that transformed her, but that now that they are separated that she can’t help but feel that in some way she is part of the Hulk as well. Jen asks Jarvis to tell Stingray that she is on her way to Hydrobase. Jarvis says that he will also feed the necessary coordinates into the flight computer. Reed asks Jen if she wants them to come along, but Jen declines.

Moments later, She-Hulk takes off in a quinjet from Hydrobase. She says that if she and the Avengers can’t take out the Hulk then she doesn’t think that the strength of the Fantastic Four would help.

Photon dazzles Hulk with a “light show” to try and distract him, but then the West Coast Avengers arrive. Iron Man and Wonder Man plow into the Hulk.

While they fight, Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and Tigra land the quinjet and jump out. Hawkeye asks the Hulkbusters who they are and then asks what the situation is. LaRoquette says that the Hulk beat them badly and destroyed their equipment. Saunders says that Hulk is nothing but a mindless monster now and that they should try to kill him if they can. Samson weakly says that they mustn’t kill the Hulk and that he still might be able to turn him into a force for good. Tigra asks Hawkeye if they should really try to kill the Hulk. Hawkeye says that it probably doesn’t matter. He says that their big guns don’t even seem to be able to dent the Hulk much less kill him.

Hulk leaps into the air. Iron Man grabs him by the wrist, but Hulk just grabs Iron Man and swings him into Wonder Man. Hawkeye hits Hulk with an explosive arrow to buy Iron Man and Wonder Man some time, but Hulk just starts leaping at Hawkeye. Hawkeye hits Hulk with another, but Hulk just keeps coming. Tigra and Mockingbird tackle Hawkeye to get him out of the Hulk’s path. Iron Man and Wonder Man each grab one of Hulk’s arms. Mockingbird asks Hawkeye what he was trying to prove. Hawkeye says that he just wanted to show that the West Coast Avengers could do as well as the originals. Tigra says that Hawkeye will be able to see how they stack up for themselves because the Avengers just arrived.

Namor flies out of the quinjet holding Hercules. Namor, Hercules, Iron Man, and Wonder Man all slam right into the Hulk.

Wasp, Captain America, and Black Knight run over to Hawkeye and ask what the status is. Hawkeye says that they can see for themselves. He says that it doesn’t look like the Hulk is having any more trouble with their guys than he was the West Coasters. Hawkeye says that he doesn’t think Wasp, Captain America, and Black Knight’s power is going to tip the scales in their favor. Cap asks if Hawkeye isn’t being overly pessimistic, but Hawkeye says that he doesn’t think so. He says that the Hulk just buried their guys under a building. Cap says that they have to distract him. Cap orders Photon to get the Hulk’s attention. Photon blasts Hulk. Cap orders Wasp to go next followed by Black Knight and Tigra. Wasp thinks to herself that Cap takes the mantle of leadership so easily that he forgets that she is the Avengers’ chairman, but decides to let it go until later. Wasp stings Hulk in the ear, but Hulk doesn’t seem to feel it. Black Knight wants to hit Hulk with his sword, but Hulk stomps his foot and shakes Black Knight off his feet.

Cap goes to check on Hercules, Namor, Iron Man, and Wonder Man. Hawkeye follows. Cap asks what their best chance at capturing the Hulk is. Hercules says that they have been trying to restrain the Hulk, but that they have been rebuffed. He says that they must kill the beast. Namor says that he has to agree. He says that restraining themselves puts them at a serious disadvantage. Iron Man says that he thinks that he may have been subconsciously holding back against the Hulk thinking about how he was a founding member of the Avengers, but that the Hulk has never been this brutal. Wonder Man says that no one holds life more sacred that he does since he sort of died once himself, but that they have other lives to consider. He asks what would happen if Hulk made it into a populated area. Cap says that he doesn’t condone killing anyone, and that the Hulk isn’t responsible for his actions, but that when he thinks of the lives the Hulk has destroyed that he doesn’t know what to do.

At La Paloma Medical Center, Ross has snuck into Rick Jones’ room and wakes Rick up. Rick says that he heard Ross was in the “loony bin” there, but asks how he got out. Ross says that he snuck out. He says that he came to apologize and that he doesn’t know what came over him. Rick tells Ross that he was nuts. He tells Ross to get out of his room and that he doesn’t want to hear from him. Ross walks out of the room saying that he is so sorry. Ross goes back to his room. He says, “I’m the sorriest old fool that ever lived! Lost my commission in the army… turned my own daughter against me! I… I’ve got nothing left to live for! Curse Bruce Banner! Curse the Hulk!” A shadowed figures comes toward Ross from the back of the room and says that is something to live for. Ross asks who is there. The man says that he is a friend who will help him attain the one goal he still has worth living for… revenge against the Hulk. The man asks Ross what he says. Ross says that he is interested.

Captain America orders the Avengers to attack, but to only use killing force as a last resort. They knock down another building. Iron Man tells Cap that they may have the sheer physical power to deal with the Hulk, but that the Hulk is out for blood while they are playing “Marquis of Queensbury”. Cap says that Iron Man may have a point.

Betty asks Doctor Fisher if he can help Bruce. Fisher says that he doesn’t know and that Bruce’s symptoms don’t seem to be from him bringing Bruce out of the coma. Fisher says that the tests he did reveal a disturbing indication. He says that he blames himself for telling Bruce to go on the honeymoon before he got the results from the lab. Fisher says that it seems that the separation from the Hulk was not as successful as it seemed. He says that he thought it was psychological, but that there were serious physical side effects as well. He says that being taken out of the Hulk has caused Bruce’s molecular structure to be incomplete or unstable. Fisher says that he expected the Hulk to show similar signs, but that there haven’t been any. Fisher says that Bruce is dying and that there is nothing he can do about it. Betty kneels by Bruce’s side and takes his hand sobbing.

Hulk swings a large chunk of wood at the Avengers and drives them back. She-Hulk’s quinjet lands and she gets out. She-Hulk sees the destruction and wonders if there is any of Bruce Banner left in the Hulk at all. She says that there is only one way to tell. She-Hulk rushes between the Hulk and the attacking Avengers. She shouts for them to stop. Once they’ve stopped, Jen says to let her try and reason with the Hulk. She says that they are a part of one another and that if anyone can reach him that she can. Jen tells Hulk to take it easy and that she isn’t there to hurt him. As she gets closer the Hulk lets out a low roar. Jen asks if Hulk remembers her. She says that she has green skin like him. She says that they are cousins and friends. Hulk looks into Jen’s friendly emerald eyes and then punches her. Jen lies on the ground in front of the Avengers. She says that the Hulk is nothing but a mindless beast. She says that there is no way to stop him except to kill him. Cap says that they have no other choice and that the Hulk must be stopped at all costs.

No Excuses rating: 6.5 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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