Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #328

Title: “Piece of Mind”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Dwayne Turner

Inker: Tony DeZuniga

Colors: Petra Scotese

Editor: Bob Harras

Bruce Banner sits uncomfortably on a rock in the middle of a sweltering desert. His jeep is off in the background and Banner thinks that he should really go home and tell Betty and the others that he is all right. He thinks how they still think that he is a captive of the Hulk. He thinks that they must never learn that the new Hulk is Rick Jones. Bruce wonders how this happened and thinks about how he wants to help Rick, but wonders how he can help others when he still can’t help himself. He thinks about how the only solution to his problem seemed to be suicide, but that he even failed at that. Bruce thinks about how he has been feeling death on his shoulder for the past several weeks. He thinks about how when he and the Hulk were separated that he had hoped for death, but that they denied him that and remerged him with the Hulk. Bruce recalls the disgust in the eyes of the SHIELD agents as his face was bursting out of the Hulk’s chest. Bruce wonders why they didn’t listen to him and that a human being can’t stand month after month of torture. Bruce thinks about the fact that he doesn’t eat or sleep. He thinks about how short a time he and Betty have been married and that they are already drifting apart. He thinks about how Betty is his anchor to the real world. Bruce wonders how long it will be until he goes mad… if he hasn’t already. Bruce figures that maybe he should stop pitying himself and start thinking about Rick out there all alone and how he can sure him. Bruce thinks that maybe Rick can be cured because their accidents were different. He thinks about the lifetime that he has been searching for a cure and how just when a normal life seems within reach that it is taken away from him. Bruce decides that maybe he is insane after all. He ponders that maybe he is really strapped to a bed and that this is all a hallucination, but decides that he isn’t that lucky.

Bruce comes across and oasis. He thinks about how unusual it is, but that it is excellently timed since he was feeling dehydrated. Bruce looks down into the water and sees the Hulk looking up at him. He says that he should have known and that Hulk won’t leave him alone for a moment. He says that Hulk isn’t getting a rise out of him though and that he just doesn’t care anymore. Bruce reaches for the water, but finds that it was all a mirage after all. He thinks how symbolic that is. Bruce really starts feeling the heat. He decides that he had better get back to the jeep or his death wish might happen anyway. He walks quickly but calmly back to the jeep and thinks about what a genius he is. He realizes that he came out there with no canteen or salt tablets. He sees the jeep and hopes that isn’t a mirage.

Bruce climbs in and decides to head back to Gamma Base, but wonders what he is going back to. He knows that he seems to have the Hulk subdued for now, but that he is like a terminal patient and that any time he could go into remission and be right back where he started. Bruce wonders what happened to quality of life and says that no one should have to live like this. He says no one… except Bruce Banner. Bruce says that it feels like he has been driving for hours, but the clock in the jeep says that it has only been ten minutes. Suddenly Bruce realizes that he isn’t sure that he is heading toward Gamma Base. Bruce’s vision starts to waver and he puts his head into his palm to focus for a minute. Bruce looks up and sees a man sitting in the middle of the street. Bruce frantically swerves to avoid the man and winds up dumping his jeep over on its side. 

Bruce climbs out of the Jeep and sees that the man is still sitting in the middle of the road. Bruce tells him that he really shouldn’t be there, but the old man doesn’t even respond. Bruce starts yelling at the guy. He says that he turned his jeep over and that the least the old man could do was reply. He catches himself and says that he can’t get angry. He thinks to himself that is the Hulk’s way… not his. Bruce asks the man why he is out there. The old man says that he came there to die. Bruce says that he can’t just sit there and die. The old man asks why not. Bruce says that it is crazy. The old man says, “But a crazy world demands crazy solutions, doesn’t it, Doctor Banner?” Bruce asks how he knows him. The old man says that “how” he knows him is better than Bruce knows himself. He says that he has followed Bruce’s career for a long time. The old man says that maybe Bruce can sympathize with his plight. He says that he has a disease of the cells. He says that it is inoperable and the disease is terminal. He says that he has reacted the way terminal patients usually do. He went through fear, denial, rage, and finally acceptance. He says that he has decided that if he is going to die that it will be on his terms. Bruce asks what he means. The old man says that for a smart man that Bruce asks a lot of dumb questions. He says that he has hired a man to kill him. Bruce says that he really is insane and grabs the old man’s arm. Bruce says that he is taking him to Gamma Base. The old man pushes Bruce off and says that he won’t be pushed around. He says that he would rather be the “captain of his own fate” and do the only thing he can by ending it all. The old man says that it is too late anyway and that the killer is coming now.

A bolt of energy hits and sends Bruce flying. He looks up a second later and sees a large blue man standing before the old man. Bruce wonders if the energy is natural or coming from the large man’s suit. The blue man starts to encase the old man in a cage made of the energy he controls. Bruce shouts for him not to hurt the old man. The blue guy says that he won’t hurt him he is just going to kill him. Bruce tells him to stay back and says that he is warning him. The blue guy is amused by this and tells Bruce that he is a funny guy and that he never knew how funny he could be. He asks Bruce if he is ready to die laughing. Bruce tells him to stay back again. The blue man asks if that was another warning and says that he loves warnings. He says, “Ask anyone. They’ll tell you, ‘Fragment, he loves to be warned by jelly-spined scientists.” He asks “Doc” if he is scared of him and says that he is shaking like jelly. Fragment grabs Bruce by the shirt and lifts him into the air. He says that he knows a great way to put him at ease and says that he will show him something familiar. In Fragment’s shattered glass eyes, Bruce sees the original gamma bomb explosion that turned him into the Hulk. Fragment asks Bruce how he lived with himself. He says that Bruce made a bomb, and that he knew what bombs were for. He knew that it would change and twist innocent people, but that he isn’t innocent. Bruce watches the transformation into the Hulk on Fragment’s eyes. Fragment tosses Bruce to the ground. He says that he is no challenge and that he folds like a house of cards. Fragment says that Banner stinks of fear, but that he will give him a chance to redeem himself. Fragment says that he will spare the old man if Bruce goes in his place. Still freaked Banner says to take the old man and that he is the one that hired him.

Bruce hears Hulk in his head mocking him. Hulk tells Banner to show them all that he is made of jelly. Hulk says that he should be in charge all the time, and that while Banner will never be rid of him that maybe someday Hulk will be rid of Banner. Banner says that he denies the Hulk and will never let him out. Bruce gets up and tells Fragment that he denies him too. He says that he doesn’t believe that any of this is happening. He says that Fragment can’t play his mind games with him because he won’t allow it. Suddenly a large hole appears beneath Bruce and swallows him whole before filling back up. Fragment says that it was a nice speech, but that he forgot to applaud.

Bruce realizes that he is underground, but knows that he shouldn’t be able to breathe. He realizes that his mind is his greatest weapon and that he has to think this through, but then Bruce sees Rick walking toward him. Bruce tells Rick not to look at him that way. He says that he had to build that bomb. He says that it was just one aspect of other non-weapon related research and that the army was calling the shots. He says that he didn’t have the power to fight them. Rick turns into the Hulk before Bruce’s eyes and says Bruce did this to him. Bruce shouts that this isn’t happening. He sees Betty and goes to touch her, but she shatters like a broken piece of glass. Betty tells Bruce that she needed stability, but that he took it away. Bruce drops to his knees. He says that this can’t be all there is. He says that there has to be more to his life than misery, suffering, and death.

Fragment shouts down to the ground that Banner is wrong. He says that Banner is the Hulk and that he will always be the Hulk because that is what he deserves. He says that he will never bring anything but unhappiness to the ones he loves. Suddenly, Hulk’s hands come out of the ground. As he rises out of the ground he says, “I… have… had it… with… you!” Fragment says that at last he has a decent fight. He asks “Doc” what if he doubles his mass to make hand to hand fun. Hulk tells Fragment not to call him that and that he isn’t Banner anymore than Banner is him. Fragment says that isn’t what it looks like from there. Hulk asks how it looks from down there and knocks Fragment to the ground. Hulk says that it is easy to pick on Banner, but that he is the Hulk. He says that mind games don’t matter to him and that only strength does. Hulk looks down at the smoking crater he beat Fragment into and says that when it comes to strength that no one can touch him. Fragment hits Hulk from behind and says, “Touched you! Touched you! Nyah! Nyah!”  Hulk says that he doesn’t know how Fragment did that. Fragment says that he is the big brained scientist and that he can figure it out. Hulk hits Fragment again and says that he is doing it again. He says that he will kill him for that and that he isn’t Banner. Hulk says that Fragment told Banner that he was like him, and told him that he was like Banner. Hulk says that Fragment must have been trying to get him angry. He says that it worked and smashes two large boulders against Fragment. Hulk tells him to dig his way out of that, and that if he does that he will pound him down again.

Hulk walks over to the jeep and says that Banner might have to take what is dished out, but that he is the Hulk and does the dishing out. Hulk flips the jeep back upright by grabbing the bottom and palming the top. He says that no one pushes him around and smashes the jeep down. Hulk smirks at the fact that Banner would have been stuck there, but that he left a handprint in the jeep when he turned it back over. He says that Banner is afraid of him and that he should be. Suddenly Hulk is hit from behind. Fragment stands over Hulk and tells him that he is nothing. He tells Hulk that he is one man’s dark side. He is a little piece of his mind that he keeps around for unsavory thoughts. Hulk tells Fragment to shut up. Hulk leaps into the air as Fragment shoots a blast from his hand at him. Fragment says that Hulk is Banner’s power trip… his guilt trip… and that he would be nothing without Banner. Hulk hits the ground and knocks Fragment on his back. He tells him to shut up again. Fragment says that Hulk isn’t even alive. He says that he doesn’t laugh or cry or love. He says that he just destroys and that he is nothing more than a state of mind. Hulk leaps at Fragment and says that he told him to shut up. Hulk shatters Fragment’s body into pieces, leaving only his head. Fragment laughs. Hulk says that he knows what this is. He says that Nightmare is behind this and that he has done it before. Fragment says that is wrong and to try again. Hulk guesses the Leader. Fragment says that is wrong too. He says, “Ain’t nobody here but us chickens!” Hulk stops Fragment’s head and the only thing left of him is his shattered glass eyes. Hulk turns to the old man and says that he has one second to tell him what is going on. The old man asks if it isn’t obvious. He says that Fragment is just a creation of his own mind. Hulk swipes at the old man and asks him how he knows. Hulk pulls the old man’s beard off. Rick Jones pulls the wig off and says that he knows because he is a creation of his mind too. Rick says that they have gone through fear, disbelief, and rage. He says that only acceptance remains. Hulk turns back into Bruce. Rick tells Bruce that he has to accept that now and forever that they will be the Hulk. Bruce says that he can’t. Rick tells him to choose the alternative then. He hands Bruce a gun and says to end his life now the way he wanted to before. Rick says to accept that he will be the Hulk forever or end it all. He tells Bruce to decide quickly or the choice will be made for him. Bruce says that he has the Hulk under control. Suddenly his feet become large and gray. Rick says that he doesn’t. He says that Hulk is coming out. Hulk tells Banner to give it up. He says that he had his chance and that now it is his turn. Bruce tells Hulk to get out of his head and puts the gun to his temple. Bruce tosses the gun aside and says that he refuses to accept this. He says that he won’t give up his life or his existence. Hulk tells Banner that he doesn’t have the strength to fight him. Bruce says that Hulk is right, but that Hulk has it. He says that he will draw strength from the greatest source of it there is. He says that he will fight Hulk with his own strength. Lightning bursts as Hulk shouts at Banner to let him out. He says that it will happen sooner or later. He says that he is the power and that Banner is just the shell. Hulk screams to let him out as the rain starts. Bruce tells him to forget it. The rain pours down and Bruce says that he never thought that he would see this. He looks in a puddle on the ground and sees his own reflection.

The rain is gone and Bruce walks back to the jeep. He sees that he is alone and wonders if anyone was ever really there. He sees the jeep turned upright, but then notices the Hulk sized hand print on the roof. He says, “The devil with it. I’m a physicist, not a psychiatrist.” He says that the one thing he does know is that no matter how tough things get that suicide is no longer an option. He says that maybe he never will find a cure. He says that maybe as long as blackness of the soul is around that so will the Hulk, but that he will never crave death and that where there is life there is hope. Bruce drives away. Two shattered glass eyes lie on the ground. Fragment says, “Doc, that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard!” and laughs.

No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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