Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #353

Title: “Down and Out in… Las Vegas”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Jeff Purves

Inker: Terry Austin

Colors: Petra Scotese

Editor: Bobbie Chase

Bruce Banner wakes up in Mr. Fixit’s bed to the sound of loud banging. Bruce gets out of bed and says that it is hard to think. He says that everything is fuzzy… like the carpet and robe. He notices how big the robe is. Bruce says that he needs his glasses. He calls out to Betty, but then he falls down. Banner hears voices outside the door saying that they heard someone talking inside. Bruce gets up and falls again. He says that it is as if his body was out of practice. On the floor he sees a note for Mr. Fixit to call Marlo. He wonders who Marlo and Mr. Fixit are. Suddenly bullets fly through the door. Bruce figures that it must be SHIELD coming to kill him. He hides under the bed. The men kick in the door and call out to Mr. Fixit. They look around. One of the men is going to check under the bed, but one of his fellow hit men stops him. He says that he thought that the Maggia didn’t hire idiots. He says that Fixit is built like a brick outhouse, and that there is no way he could fit under the bed. The man says that he won’t look, but that he isn’t an idiot. The hit men leave. Bruce sticks his head out from under the bed. He remembers that he was outside Middletown and that the gamma bomb was going to go off. Two of Berengetti’s men see the mess made and wonder who would have the nerve to do something like this and where Mr. Fixit is. Bruce wonders to himself if Mr. Fixit could be the Hulk. He doubts it, but says that he has to find out. He thinks that he knows who to ask. Bruce looks at the paper with Marlo’s name and number on it.

Marlo is teaching one of her aerobics classes and gets lost in thought about why she can never find a good guy. She thinks that she is gorgeous and in great shape, but she only gets in relationships with guys like Joe Fixit that will only call and see her when he wants to. Harry asks Marlo if this isn’t her 45 minute class. Marlo says that it is and Harry tells her that she has been working them for an hour and a half. Marlo apologizes to the women and says that is it for the day. Harry asks if something is on her mind. Marlo says that she is fine, but that she is knocking off early. She asks Harry to cover for her. Harry struggles to put Marlo’s dumbbells back.

At the Sands casino, Benny, the man who shot the slot machine at the Coliseum, stands with his last silver dollar again. He tells the machine to pay off or he will do to it what he did to the other machine. A man with golden skin and blonde hair asks Benny if he has been at this long. Benny says that he has been doing it forever, and that just once he would like to hit it big. Suddenly the machine hits. The man puts his head on Benny’s head and tells him, “All the riches will be yours.” Benny stares at the growing pile of silver dollars. The golden man walks away and says that he will see money and glory forever. Benny tells everyone to stay back and that it is all his. People look over at Benny kneeling before a machine with no coins coming out of it. Benny says that it is all his. One guy asks what is wrong with that nut.

Mike Berengetti gets a call at home regarding the casino. He tells the person on the other end that he will be there as soon as he finishes lunch. Mike tells Jake to tell Stephen to get the car ready. Mike tells Suzy that someone tried to put a hit out on Mr. Fixit, but that luckily he wasn’t there. Suzy says, “luckily or unluckily”. Mike says that is a good point. He says that word is getting around that Fixit has vanished and that people are getting too nervy. He says that they are going to have to do something fast. Outside, Stephen is reminding himself to ask Mr. Berengetti for the night off since it is his anniversary. He starts the car and it explodes. Suzy says that they have to get the driver out, but Mike says that it is too late. Mike says that he needs to call Stephen’s widow. Suzy asks what is happening. Mike says that it was a warning. He says that it could have been worse. Suzy asks how. Mike says that they could have been in the car. He is about to say that they could have bombed the house as well, but then the house explodes.

Marlo gets a call from Bruce Banner. Bruce Bancroft says that he is a friend of Mr. Fixit. Marlo says that Joe isn’t the type to pal around. Bruce says that they are close friends. Marlo asks what color Joe’s skin is. Bruce thinks to himself that there is only one way to find out if it is the Hulk. Bruce says that his skin is kinda gray. Marlo asks Bruce where Joe’s birthmark is. After Bruce gets done choking he tells her where it is. Marlo says to assume that she believes him and asks him what he wants from her. Bruce sets up a meeting, but realizes that he can’t go out in the giant robe. Bruce wonders what Hulk has gotten him into this time as he puts on a giant pair of pants and a giant shirt. He pokes a new hole in the belt, but he can’t do anything about the shoes. Bruce gets on the private elevator. Bruce pushes the button for the first floor. Bruce gets off the elevator and realizes that he is in a casino. He thinks that he is in Atlantic City. He starts to walk out, but two of Berengetti’s men spot him coming out of Fixit’s private elevator. They shout out to Tiny to stop him. Bruce comes face to chest with Tiny. Tiny asks Bruce if he would like to explain why he is stealing Mr. Fixit’s clothes. Bruce says, “Not… especially.” Bruce makes a run for the door across the craps table. Bruce grabs the stick used to retrieve the dice and hits one of the men in the face with it. Bruce runs outside. He says that he feels terrible and that he was just aiming for the gun. Marlo calls out to Bruce. Bruce says that she looks sturdy. Marlo asks what Bruce is doing in Joe’s clothes. Bruce sees security emerging from the Coliseum. He says that he will tell her later and that they had better get going.

The golden man with blond hair stands behind an old couple that is sitting on a bench. He says that he imagines that they have been married for a long time. He says that he has been watching them for an hour and that they don’t speak or even look at one another. The old man says that it isn’t any of his business, but that they have been married for 53 years and that they know the view by heart. The golden man says that maybe they should look into their hearts, and that maybe the view has improved. The old man, Sidney, looks over at his wife Sylvia and she looks young and beautiful. Sylvia looks at the young Sydney and the two start kissing. A man walking by sees them making out and says that it is nice to know that there is life after 80.

The police tell Mike Berengetti that it is his life on the line and asks him who did it. Mike says that they are the clue boys and for them to figure it out. Another detective says that he has heard that the Maggia is moving into town, and that Mr. Fixit has disappeared. He says that Mike has been doing a lot of expanding since Fixit and that now it might be slipping away. The first detective says that it is hard to make house rules if you don’t have a house. Mike asks if he is free to go. They ask if he doesn’t want police protection. Mike says that he will be fine and walks out with Suzy. Suzy asks if they are going to the casino. Mike says that is what they would expect, but that he would rather not stay at a hotel. Suzy comes up with something.

Marlo takes Bruce back to her and Mona’s place. Marlo asks Bruce where he knows Joe from. Bruce says that it might sound farfetched. Marlo says to try her. Bruce says that they are half brothers. Marlo says that he is kidding, but Bruce says that it is true… a lot more true than either of them would like to admit. Marlo asks why he wanted to know if this was Atlantic City. She asks if he doesn’t know where he is. Bruce says that this will sound farfetched too, but that he has memory lapses. Marlo guesses that Bruce is a politician. Bruce picks up the newspaper and sees the date. He says that this can’t be today’s paper. Marlo says that of course it isn’t and that it is last week’s.

Moments later, Marlo says that Bruce is lucky that Mona is a pack rat. She says that she holds onto magazine forever. Marlo says that they don’t have anything to eat. She says that she is going to go out and get stuff while Bruce refreshes his memory. She says that after that he can tell her everything that is going on. Bruce wonders how Hulk managed to keep him bottled up for three months and what this Mr. Fixit persona he adopted is. He wonders about Betty, Rick, and Clay. He wonders how he gets in touch with them without bringing SHIELD down on his head. Suddenly Bruce finds the magazine with the title, “Middletown Gone”. Bruce sees that the gamma bomb exploded and that five thousand people died. He shouts out “Nnooo” and throws the paper away. He says that it was his weapon and that he killed them. He says that he Leader did it, but that he made the bomb. Bruce’s head starts to pound. He worries that maybe he is changing back into the Hulk when he gets upset. He runs to the bathroom and takes all the sleeping pills in the cabinet. He passes out.

Marlo walks through the grocery store. She says that she has to be a special kind of stupid to take Bruce in, but that he is like a lost puppy. She decides that maybe if he does have a link to Joe that he can get him to start treating her better. She thinks about how Mona is going to kill her.

Mike and Suzy are getting into Marlo’s place with the key under the doormat. Suzy tells Mike that Marlo is Fixit’s girlfriend. Inside, Suzy asks what they do now. Mike says that he is getting a little tired of her asking that, but apologizes for snapping at her. Mike says that they have to be ready for anything. Mike hears moaning coming from the bedroom. Suddenly the front door is kicked in. Mike is confronted with three Maggia members. He tells them to get out, but they tell him that he isn’t in a position to give orders. Mike tells them to tell Tony Gold that no matter what he does to him that he is still a no account bum.. The one man tells Mike that Mr. Gold is unemployed… permanently. He says that his superiors to that, just like the saw to Mike being a message to all the other power men in town. The man tells Mike to say goodbye to Vegas. Suddenly two giant grey arms come through the wall and palms the hit man’s head. Mr. Fixit says, “He prefers ‘Las’ Vegas.” Fixit says that he takes a vacation and everything hits the fan. He asks the hit man if he can’t breathe and says that he should get that checked. The other two men fire at Hulk, but the bullets bounce off him. Hulk throws the first guy into the other two. Hulk says, “Hello. I’m Mr. Fixit. And you need repairs.” He clubs the guy in the stomach with his own gun. Hulk puts his foot on one of the hit men’s necks. He says, “Bad news. In the history of Las Vegas… you’re about to be a footnote.” Mike tells Fixit to stop. Hulk wants to know why. Mike says that it is wrong to kill someone that is helpless… or because it will ruin the carpet... he tells Fixit to take his pick. Hulk says that this “mercy” stuff is going to get him into trouble. Mike says that what is going to get him into trouble is Fixit’s unreliability. He asks where he has been for the last week. Mike says that no one has seen him since he ran out after Spider-Man. He asks if he has been cozying up with his girlfriend. Suzy asks if she can say something. Fixit and Mike both shout, “No!” Fixit tells Mike not to push it. He says that he is taking out the garbage and then they are all leaving. He asks if he has a problem with that. Mike says that fine. Hulk says fine. Mike says okay and then so does Hulk. Hulk grabs the goons and leaps away with them. The golden man watches and says that there goes someone who needs to have some happiness brought to him. He says that he needs to see the light and that he is the one to do it.

No Excuses rating: 6.5 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

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