Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #357

Title: “Possibilities”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Jeff Purves

Inker: Jim Sanders III

Colors: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Bobbie Chase

As they shoot pool, Cloot tells Glorian that he likes his plan. He says that it is elegant, stylish, and sneaky. He says that all creatures want affection and that the Hulk is no different. He says that is all he has ever sought in one form or another, and that if they disrupt what he has now that he will be forced to seek it elsewhere. He says there Glorian will be there to offer counseling and guidance. He says, “Glory Hallelujah.” Cloot hits the cue ball which bounces off the side, off a ball, and into the side pocket. Cloot says, “Argh! Scratched it. Old Scratch, that’s me eh, Glorian?” Glorian says that he will attend to Hulk’s friends and associates. As he leaves, Glorian says that the Maggia’s job will be to find someone or something that can pose a physical threat to the Hulk more than his dream creations have done. With Glorian gone, Cloot says, “We’ll attend to that. Don’t you worry, son… you see, you might have the dream… but we have the drive.” Cloot cracks the cue ball apart in his hand. Cloot says that Glorian is a good lad, wanting to help a creature like the Hulk see the light. He says that if Glorian hadn’t met him that his life would have been filled with infinite possibilities. Cloot presses a button and the cylinder in the center of the room leading into a table disappears revealing a glowing light that leads to a pentagram on the table. He says that as it is that Glorian will still go far, but that it just won’t be where he ever expected. Cloot steps onto the pentagram. He says that he can find an opponent for the Hulk, and that it is just a matter of knowing where to look. Cloot descends into the table.

Hulk smashes the wall down and shouts for Banner. Bruce says that last time he saw Hulk that he was building that wall. Bruce asks if he has tired of it already. Hulk hears the Hulk, but he doesn’t see him. Hulk says that he is sick of these mind games. Hulk asks Bruce if he was really there last night… if that mannequin really looked like him. Hulk says, “I can’t tell what’s real and fake anymore, and it’s your fault! I’m going to…” Bruce asks Hulk what he will do. Hulk sees Banner leaning against a car. Hulk says that he is going to kill Banner. He says that he is going to break him in half. Bruce tells Hulk to hold on and that his glasses are dirty. Hulk asks if he is nuts. He says that he is going to pull out his intestines and ram them down his throat. Bruce tells Hulk to go ahead. Hulk asks if this is a trick or something. Bruce says that they have done these mind confrontations before. Bruce says that he has always run and allowed Hulk dominance, but no more. Bruce tells Hulk to “make his day”. He tells him to hit him, kill him if he can…  if he dares. Bruce says that when Hulk was mindless that he might have, but that now they both know what’s at stake. Hulk says that Bruce doesn’t know what he is talking about. Bruce says that he has always been one to know his mind. Bruce says that maybe Hulk can kill him, but that maybe he will destroy the part of his own mind that allows him to reason. Bruce asks if Hulk is willing to risk all the marbles and possibly wind up a grunting imbecile. Hulk says that he has a good thing going on in Vegas and asks Bruce what it will take to keep him from screwing it up. Bruce says money for starters. Hulk says that there is a wall safe behind the painting. Hulk says that it is unlocked and that no one would dare rob him. Bruce tells Hulk that he wants him to stay away from Marlo. Hulk says, “Forget it! She’s mine! Y’know maybe it’s worth taking a chance of losing my mind just to get you off it!” Bruce thinks to himself that he should have quit while he was ahead. Hulk hits Bruce just as the change.

Bruce lies on the ground. Bruce thinks about the dream like confrontations with the Hulk that occur when they change are so clear. He wishes everything else was so easy to remember. There is a knock at the door. Bruce asks who it is. Marlo asks if that is Bruce. Bruce says that it is morning, so yes. Bruce tells Marlo that he is not at his best this morning. Marlo says that she wants to see him and Joe together right now. Bruce says that he is afraid that is impossible. Marlo asks if Joe is in there. Bruce says, “Only in spirit”. Marlo tells Bruce that she is tired of being jerked around. She says that until she, Bruce, and Joe can sit down together and talk it out that she isn’t interested in seeing either of them again. She asks if that is clear. Bruce says that it is crystal.

Bruce walks out of the Coliseum to go get some breakfast. He thinks that encounter with Marlo was the best thing that could have happened. He thinks about how he will go after to buy some clothes, and then he can return the ones he borrowed. Bruce sees Glorian getting out of a limo and seems to vaguely remember Hulk having a run in with him. He says that at least he doesn’t seem any worse for the experience. Bruce realizes that he keeps calling it borrowing, but that he stole the clothes he was wearing. He says that making excuses has become second nature to him, but that it makes sense considering who his second nature is. He says that he has to be careful and that he would hate to think of where a lifetime of rationalization would get him.

Cloot walks through the underworld. He sees two feet sticking out of what seems like a tar pit. He says that he seems like a likely specimen. Cloot pulls the man out by his feet. He says that he remembers him and asks if his name wasn’t Dennis. He says that he was one of the most feared hit men Dennis “the Menace” Malloy. He says that it was said that he spiritually, if not literally, feasted on human flesh and that they called him ‘The Ghoul”. Cloot asks the Ghoul if he would like to earn his freedom. Ghoul asks what he has to do. Cloot says that all he has to do is follow the stairway to the top. Ghoul says that there has to be a catch, and that this place is one big catch. Cloot says that a fairly large gray demon, who is very territorial, will doubtlessly harass him, but that there is a possibility that he will survive. Cloot asks what he says. Ghoul starts running and says that he is going to get out.

Glorian walks into Berengetti’s office and Mike tells him to get out. Mike calls for Tony, but Glorian tells Mike that Tony is indisposed at the moment. Glorian introduces himself as Thomas Gideon and says that he is with the Maggia. Mike says, “Oh, not again.” Glorian says that he intends him no hostility. He says that he is there out of concern for him and for Mr. Fixit. Glorian says that Mr. Fixit is a very unstable individual and that he is worried that he might hurt Mike and all of Las Vegas in one of his rages. Mike tells “Thomas” to consider him warned. He is about to tell him to get out, but then suddenly Mike hears Fixit shouting his name. Hulk breaks through the door and shouts that his bath water was tepid. Fixit smashes the wall and Mike asks if he has lost his mind. Mike hides under his desk. He tells Joe to say something, but when he sticks his head out he realizes that it was a dream. He says that is what you get when you study ledgers all day. He says that Joe didn’t go berserk, but then adds, “…this time.”

The salesman looks at Bruce and thinks to himself that he doesn’t have any money. He asks Bruce if he can help him. Bruce says that he needs some clothes… a jacket and some pants… something decent. The man says that they have some slacks at half price. Bruce looks and says that they are all purple. The man says that is why they are on sale. He says that Bruce doesn’t seem the type, but that people with weight problems seem to love them. He says that they are made from a special stretchable material. He says that the give in the knees is less than in the waist. Bruce says that it isn’t his color. He says that perhaps a bit of green will convince him that he wants to change his image. Bruce flashes the money. Bruce walks out in a suit. He says that now he is going to answer the ads for a used car and the other for the job at the Yucca Flats Radiation Research lab.

Ghoul is still climbing and says that it feels like he has been going forever. He says that he hasn’t seen any gray demons and that maybe it was all a big lie. Suddenly, a gray demon identical to the Hulk stands above Ghoul. He asks him what his name is. Ghoul says that his name is Dennis, but the demon shouts that is wrong. He throws Ghoul to a little island off to the side and says that his name is mud. Dennis says that he is getting back on the stairs and getting out of there. He says that he can’t stop him. The demon says that Ghoul has nerve and that he has to hand it to him. The demon grabs Ghoul’s hands and cracks them until Ghoul has long distended claw like fingers. Dennis says, “Oohhh, My G…”, but the demon cuts him off and says that there is no swearing.

Marlo is playing racquetball with the somewhat heavier Mrs. Nussbaum. Marlo says that she can’t believe that she missed that. She slumps on the floor and says that is it for her today. She says that Mrs. Nussbaum says that is what she loves about Marlo… she can’t lie worth beans. As Marlo and Mrs. Nussbaum walk out of the court, Glorian asks her for a minute of her time. Marlo says, “Mr. Dead-or-Alive! How did you find me?” Glorian says that he needed to so he did. He says that he wanted to tell her to stay away from Mr. Fixit. Marlo asks what else is new. Suddenly Hulk smashes through the wall. Marlo asks Joe what is the matter with him. Fixit says that she thinks that it is all a game. He asks if she thinks she can bounce him around. He says that they will see how she likes it instead. Marlo shouts, “Nnnoooo!”, but then Mrs. Nussbaum shakes her awake. She says that Marlo came out of the court and that seconds later she was yelling at empty air. She asks what is wrong. Marlo says that a thought just hit her… or was about to.

At the Yucca Flats Radiation Testing Center, Ms. Cunnane tells Bruce Bancroft that his personal history is a bit sketchy. Bruce says that he has had a series of small jobs, and that it is nothing worth discussing. Ms. Cunnane tells Bruce that he is lucky. She says that they are short handed since people are skittish about working with radiation. She asks if it bothers him. Bruce says that it doesn’t. She assures Bruce that they use all the latest safety features, and that if he has radiation problems that it isn’t from them. Bruce says, “That’s very likely.” Ms. Cunnane asks Bruce if he has any family to speak of. Bruce says that he doesn’t. Cunnane says that she is hoping that he can work the midnight to 8 am shift. Bruce says that is out of the question. She asks why but says that she does have a day shift opening. Bruce says that he isn’t himself at night.

Ghoul is sweating unbelievably. He crawls up the stairs and says that he will make it himself just like he always has. He says that the stairs go on forever, but that at least his fingers stopped hurting. Instantly, the gray demon bounces on Ghoul’s back. He says, “Not hurting? Well… I’ll have to do something about that.” Ghoul shouts to leave him alone. Hulk’s doppelganger says that he was going to give Dennis some clues, but that he can wing it. The demon takes giant handfuls of Ghoul’s back and pulls them out creating large wings on his back. Ghoul screams in pain. He gets up and wants to know where the gray demon is. He says that he will kill it for this. He says that he will kill him, but that first he will make him suffer.

Bruce changes into Hulk. Hulk says that it is time for him to do the unexpected. Fixit calls Mike and tells him that he is coming down there to talk to him. Mike says, “No! Don’t!” Fixit asks him what is eating him. Mike says that he was just going out and that they will talk tomorrow. Mike hangs up on him. Hulk wonders what that was all about.

Ghoul can see the opening at the top. It takes him a moment to remember what light is. The demon asks Ghoul if he remembers him. He grabs him by the ankle. Ghoul says that he will give him whatever he wants to let him go. The demon tells him to shut up. He cracks Ghoul’s feet until claws shoot out of his toes. The demon asks if he is crying now and says that for a guy that used to be called the Ghoul that he is a washout, and that he screams too much. The demon grabs and squeezes Ghoul’s face.

Marlo is walking home wondering what is wrong with her when she hears a loud boom. Joe calls out to Marlo and says that he wants to talk to her about her precious Bruce. Marlo backs away from Joe and falls over some trash cans. Fixit tells her to be careful and that she will hurt herself. Marlo says that the only one who will hurt her is him. Marlo tells him to stay back and that she doesn’t want to see him anymore. Joe yells for her to get down there and asks if everyone has gone crazy. He follows her into her building. Marlo says that it is over, but Joe says that it isn’t over until he says so. Marlo slams her door. Mona tells Marlo to lock the door and that she is calling the cops. Hulk smashes through the door. He walks up to Marlo and asks her if this is something she can Brucie cooked up. He says that Bruce has tried to shut him out for years, but that he can’t. Joe says that Marlo is his and asks if she understands. Marlo says that she is hers. She says that she isn’t his or Bruce’s. She says that this is her place and tells him to get out. Joe and Marlo glare at one another. Marlo sits on the ground as Fixit leaves. Mona hugs Marlo and asks if that is what her dream was like. Marlo says that he didn’t stop in that one and that he just kept coming and coming.

In the Maggia office, the pentagram has been opened to reveal a burning fire. Ghoul’s disfigured hand reaches out of it. He climbs out of the pit and says, “Where… is… he? WHERE HE IS?”

No Excuses rating: 6.5 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

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