Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #340

Title: “Vicious Circle”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Todd McFarlane

Inker: Todd McFarlane

Colors: Petra Scotese

Editor: Bob Harras

A woman’s hand holds a snow globe. She thinks to herself that she has spent her entire life between doing what she should do and what she wants to do. She thinks that no matter what she does that she can’t help feeling like the snow globe… going around and around. She wonders if “he” feels the same way and realizes that despite her resolution that she wonders where he is.

Hulk and Rick are riding in the back as Clay drives in a snowstorm. Clay says that he isn’t sure where they are, but that he thinks that they are going in circles. He says that they must have missed an exit somewhere and slams his head against the dashboard of the van. Hulk says that he wants out. Rick thinks to himself that with the weather blotting out all trace of moonlight that it makes Hulk act even nastier. Rick tells Hulk that he doesn’t think that is such a good idea. Hulk says, “I said I want out.” Clay says that maybe it will do him some good and opens the door. As Hulk leaps away, Rick asks Clay what happens if they can’t find him again. Clay asks Rick what happens if they try to stop him and he kills them. Rick admits that he has a point.

A flight tower in Houston is having serious problems with the snow. They manage to find an unidentified jet flying through their airspace. They contact the jet and tell them to depart immediately and that they are creating a serious hazard. Wolverine radios back that they don’t create hazards, they stop them. The tower asks them to identify themselves. Wolverine says that he wouldn’t believe him if he told him. He says that if they don’t get clearance to land that they will have a much bigger headache than a snowstorm. Rogue tells Wolverine that he is awfully calm considering that they have a busted turbine and that they can’t even land. Wolverine says that getting mad when it’s pointless is a waste of energy. He says that something always turns up. Havoc says that is pretty optimistic. He says that even if they do land, find Forge and Storm, and help Storm get her powers back that they still have the prediction to worry about. Psylocke asks if he means the one about the X-Men dying in Dallas. Dallas says not to worry about it and that if they do de that maybe it will be in a dream and that they will come back in someone’s shower. Psylocke says that she can’t believe that Dazzler is joking about it. Longshot says that as long as he is with them that they will have good luck. Wolverine tells Longshot to shut up and that something is coming at them.

Outside, Hulk just misses the X-Men’s wing. He wonders what he just missed. Suddenly, Hulk bounces off the jet of a Pan Am flight. The plane’s number one jet explodes.

Wolverine tells Rogue that he is picking up a mayday. He tells her to go on out there, rip the engine off, and help guide the plane to the ground. Rogue says that if she throws the engine away that it could land on someone. Wolverine says that he knows, but that there are probably hundreds of people on the plane. He tells her that when she drops the engine to look for someplace where there are no lights. He says that maybe it will be a lake. Wolverine says that if anyone is out there on a night like this that it is their tough luck.

Hulk stands on the ground. He says that he can’t find any food, and that now he can’t even find the van. He says that he feels like punching something, but that he can’t hit a snowflake. Hulk hears a whistling noise when he is suddenly hit by a flaming jet engine. Hulk gets up and asks if that was someone’s idea of a joke.

Wolverine stands out on the wing of the jet that Hulk hit. He thinks about all the strangeness in his life. He says that the weather, his leadership of the X-Men, but that he could always trusts his heightened senses. He says that now he can’t even believe his senses. He says that he smells that the wing was trashed by the Hulk. He says that his scent is familiar, but different. He says that he didn’t think that was possible. He thinks how he would like to check it out, but that he can’t leave the team. He thinks that as the loner it is funny that he is now the leader. He says, “I’m not laughing. Nothing’s funny when you’re the leader.”

Leader stands with Half-Life looking at a map of the country. Leader says that the entire country is breaking out in inclement weather in defiance of all weather patterns. Half-Life asks Leader what that means. Leader says that it means that the world’s situation is deteriorating faster than he anticipated and that he may have to take over things earlier than he had planned. Half-Life says that Leader will need a powerful weapon like the gamma ray bomb to do it. Leader says, “Ah Half-Life… in addition to being obviously pathetic, you’re pathetically obvious. You want vengeance for what the bomb did to you and are seeking poetic justice. Nevertheless… you raise a valid point.” Leader calls the Pentagon to General Hamilton’s office. Leader tells the General to give him a full report on the weather situation. General Hamilton says that they are sending troops into the largest disaster areas, but that their meteorologists have no explanation. Half-Life starts pestering Leader to ask about the gamma bomb. Leader tells Half-Life that he found him in the desert surrounded by limbs and radiation poisoned vultures. He says that if he doesn’t shut up that he will leave him in worse shape than that. Leader says, “Now, General… listen very carefully. The government is mass-manufacturing gamma ray bombs. Your Leader wants to know where they are.”

The feminine hand continues shaking the snow globe. She thinks that she is a slave to duty and a creature of habit. She is trapped by the dreary confines of her existence. “Stalled and unable to go forward, snow-blinded and unable to look back.” She says that she knows what she has to do, but that it has never helped. She knows that she shouldn’t think of him, but that once again she is.

All the cars are trapped in snow. There is a giant hole in the side of a “Patty-Time” truck. Sergeant O’Riley, of the National Guard, calls into the truck. He says that they are there to help. Hulk says, “No thanks. I help myself.” The soldier start firing. Hulk tells them to stop shooting. He says that they can’t hurt him, but that they might hit the gas tanks. The truck explodes. Hulk shouts that all his food is ruined. He lifts the tattered remains of the truck over his head and says that soldiers haven’t gotten any smarter, but that he has. Hulk says that he knows that they won’t leave him alone unless he steps on them like the bugs that they are. Hulk throws the truck at them and sends the soldiers running. Hulk shouts for them to let everyone know that the Hulk is in town, and that the next person that crosses him is going to get “fried”.

The winds bring Wolverine news of a fire. He tells the other X-Men to evacuate the apartments nearby as he goes to check the source of the fire. Wolverine looks at the blaze and wonders what “jerk” is responsible for this. The wind carries his words to Hulk’s ears, but doesn’t send Hulk’s scent to him. Hulk leaps at Wolverine. Wolverine hears a low animal growl. He pops his claws and swings around. He keeps his cool, but slashes Hulk’s arm. Hulk clutches his arm where it is cut and says that he will tear him apart for that. Wolverine’s lip curls up, but then he remembers what he has to do. He sheaths his claws and apologizes to Hulk. Hulk says that he has to be kidding. Wolverine says that he used to love a fight more than anything, but that he has more important things to do. He says that he won’t fight. Wolverine turns and walks away. Hulk leaps at Wolverine and says that he will die then. He lands next to Wolverine and says that he hasn’t forgotten the first time they met. Hulk says that all he wanted to be was left alone, but that he wouldn’t back off and that he had to have a piece of him. Wolverine leaps off Hulk’s face and says that he has changed since then. Hulk says that he has gotten smarter, but that Wolverine has only gotten gutless. Wolverine says that knowing when to walk away is more smarts than Hulk will ever have. Hulk swats some snow at Wolverine. He says that he thinks and talks too much. Hulk says that Wolverine is a “spineless wimp” that is looking for excuses to stay away. Hulk says that he might think he is something special, but that he is nothing. Hulk claps his hands together and really hurts Wolverine’s enhanced hearing. Wolverine dodges Hulk’s punch. Wolverine feels the fury, anger, and hatred washing over him. He is tired of fighting himself. Wolverine pops his claws and shouts, “All right!” Wolverine charges Hulk and stabs his claws through Hulk’s torso. Hulk falls to the ground. Wolverine howls at the non-visible moon and knows that the Hulk won. He made him like a wild animal, and that the worst part is that Wolverine feels glad of it. Wolverine turns and smiles as he walks away. Suddenly he looks back as his senses tell him something. Wolverine says, “He’s standing. He’s alive. He’s actually… getting angrier. He’s getting stronger.” Hulk clutches his chest as his hand is covered by green blood. Hulk says, “Let’s… let’s… try that… again.” His chest is all healed.

Clay says that he is glad that he tried the short-wave again. He says that according to a police report that Hulk is fighting somebody near exit 12. He says that if they hurry that they can get there before they level Dallas. Clay says that it is a good thing that he found the on-board guidance system or they would have been snowbound forever. He says that here they are risking their lives to find the gamma ray bombs that the government is stockpiling, and that their biggest ally is also their biggest handicap. Rick says that he hopes it is worth it and that the last thing they need is a weapon that can create more gamma guys for them to worry about. Rick asks Clay what he is holding. Clay says that it is just some personal effects that he grabbed from Gamma Base before he blew it up. Clay looks at a picture of Bruce with Betty. Betty is holding a snow globe in her hand.

The hand shakes the snow globe. She thinks back to happier times and wonders why she tortures herself by opening old wounds.

Wolverine hits Hulk with his claws again. Hulk says that his claws didn’t stop him before and that they won’t help him now. Wolverine thinks to himself that he just realized what is happening. He says that radiation gave Bruce Banner a strange kind of cancer called the Hulk. Wolverine cuts Hulk again and again, but Hulk keeps healing up. Wolverine says that he always thought that the Hulk’s skin was impenetrable, but that it is only that his cells reproduce so fast that it seems that way. Wolverine says that the madder he gets the more his system speeds up and the faster his cells replicate. Hulk slams Wolverine’s head onto the ground. Wolverine slashes Hulk’s back. He hacks and hacks until Hulk grabs his arm and throws him into a grouping of trees. Wolverine thinks to himself that when two dogs fight that you are supposed turn a hose on them, but that there is no one there to turn the hose on them. Hulk and Wolverine charge at one another. Hulk asks Wolverine where his big talk is now. He says that if he wants more that he will give it to them. Hulk smacks Wolverine. He says that for years they’ve all been laughing at him and taking advantage of him. Hulk says that he is going to start giving all of it back. He sees Wolverine getting up and says that is good. He says that he wants this to last a long time. Suddenly, Hulk is hit by a blast. Hulk and Wolverine look up to see Clay with a cannon on his shoulder. He says that is enough. He says that he doesn’t understand why every time two of the “muscle-bound bozos” get together they have to try and beat one another’s brains in. He says that he thought Hulk wanted to find the gamma bombs and stop the creation of more beings like himself. He says that he is wasting time beating on Wolverine. He asks if it occurred to him that since he found him that SHIELD could too. Clay tells Hulk that if he isn’t mindless anymore to start acting like it. Clay asks Wolverine if he doesn’t have something better to do. Wolverine says that he does. Wolverine says that he thought that he had come so far, but that no matter how far he gets that he is right back where he started. Hulk says that Wolverine is just like all the others that thought they were better than him. Hulk says that he is better than all of them. Hulk tells Wolverine to tell all the others that he is better than any of them. Hulk leaps away and says, “Yeah. Sure.”

Hulk picks the van up and leaps away. Rick asks Clay if they are headed to New Orleans where Betty is. Clay says that they have to go to Kansas to visit his brother Alan. Hulk thinks to himself that they are weaklings, and that if only he didn’t need them to watch after Banner. Clay says that they need his brother to help them find the bombs. Rick says that it may be hard to convince Bruce that the bombs are more important than Betty. Rick asks Clay if he thinks Betty has been thinking of Bruce since she ran off. Clay says that if she is smart that she hasn’t.

Betty holds the snow globe and says that she and Bruce are like two stars orbiting one another. She says that they are always drawn back together. She says that after they got married that they never connected emotionally. She says that they continue circling one another, and that it is a cycle that can only be broken at great expense. Betty throws the globe and breaks it.

No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10

First the good, Leader’s plans and foreshadowing are very cool. Leader and Hulk are both after the gamma bombs, and though Hulk doesn’t want it I’d love to see more Gamma People. Now, I really don’t like the X-Men. The British Psylocke, Dazzler, and Longshot? Even more weenie than the usual X-Men. Second, this is the issue that restarted the Hulk/Wolverine feud. The two had not met since Hulk #180-181 and that was fine with me. Peter David also introduced the notion that Wolverine was a suitable opponent for the Hulk. Wolverine went down with one punch in their first fight, but now that Wolverine is every fanboy’s hero he is suddenly more formidable. McFarlane does a really nice job with the art in this book. His style, while very unique (and disturbingly a little manga) really helps define this era of the Hulk. Look at the Hulk’s brow for crying out loud.

Review and picture 3 by The Leader

Pictures 1 and 2 by Captain Nate

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