Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #368

Title: “Natural Selection”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Sam Keith

Inkers: Sam Keith and Kelly Jones

Colors: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Bobbie Chase

Six army guys stand in the doorway and shout to freeze. The paperboy says that he came to collect for the paper, but that he can come back later. Samson pushes past them and asks the Major if they aren’t overreacting a little. Samson pays the paperboy. The Major says that it could be a freak. Samson says, “Oh, come on.” The Major reminds him that he is still just a civilian advisor, but that he has been in a couple of military blowouts with the Hulk and that you can’t leave anything to chance. Samson says that he is right about that, but asks if that extends to paperboys. The Major says that it is better to be a live fool than a dead smart guy. Samson reminds the Major that it is the day time and that he is Bruce Banner right now. He says that if Bruce Banner returns to the house he is renting that he will be harmless.

Bruce watches from the bushes. Bruce thinks to himself that his money is in the house, his wife is 2000 miles away in Connecticut, and that he is on the run. He thinks about surrendering and hoping for the best, but then he watches a soldier panic and shoots a squirrel in the bushes. The soldier apologizes and says that he saw a flash of gray. Samson says, “Give me strength.” Banner decides that maybe he won’t surrender since he could wind up as dead as the squirrel.

Meanwhile on a train, a shadowed figure catches and eats a rat for lunch.

Elsewhere inside a large butte, a man walks down a hallway. He opens a door and tells Prometheus that he has a job for him. Prometheus says that is good and that he will get the car. A sleek car speeds away from the butte.

Bruce Banner is fishing through a clothes drop off barrel when a soldier shows up behind him. He tells him to come out of the alley way and not to make any sudden movements. He says that if the man is just some bum that he won’t be hurt, but that he isn’t taking any chances. Bruce grabs a shirt out of the barrel and swings it. The shirt knocks the gun away. Bruce grabs the soldier’s rifle and pins him to the ground under it. The soldier sees Dr. Banner and tells him that if he lets go of the rifle that he won’t hurt him much. Bruce growls. The soldier has a look of panic on his face. Bruce uses the panic and butts the man unconscious with the end of his rifle. Bruce quickly dresses in the soldier’s clothes. Another soldier shouts down and asks if it is clear down there. Bruce says that it is. The soldier says to come with him then because they are going to go look for Banner at the train yards. Banner thinks to himself that is perfect.

Bruce thinks to himself that something happened to him back there. He thinks that he knew he had to stop the soldier, but that he wasn’t afraid. He thinks about how he actually enjoyed it. One of the train men asks how long they are going to be. The soldier tells him to hold his horses and that they are almost done. Bruce climbs onto one of the cars while no one is looking. The train starts to move. A voice from the darkness asks, “Going my way?” Bruce asks who is there. The man in the shadows says that he is a simple traveler. He says that he is a stowaway like him and says that his name is Edward. Edward asks Bruce’s name and Bruce tells him “Bruce”. Edward asks if he is Bruce Banner. Bruce asks how Edward recognized him in the darkness. Edward says that he and darkness are old friends. Edward says that he has studied Bruce’s career for quite some time. He says that it is a hobby he finds fascinating. Bruce says that he doesn’t know if he would say fascinating. Edward asks how it couldn’t be. He says that the newspapers dubbed him the “atomic age Jekyll and Hyde”. Bruce says that newspapers tend to sensationalize. He says that he doesn’t like to think of himself that way. Edward asks why not. He says that it is an honor to become the Hulk. He says that he is a being infinitely superior to humanity. He says that he is the ultimate definition of glorious savagery. Edward says that he should revel in it. Bruce says that he is cracking up. He listens to Edward’s voice and says that he must be the Hulk. He says that no human could prefer the Hulk to humanity. He says that he must be imagining him and that he isn’t there. Edward tells Bruce to calm down and that they will be there a while. Edward says that the gun aimed at him is a little distracting.  A large hand reaches out and grabs the rifle. Edward snaps the rifle in half. He says that he will keep the bayonet if Bruce doesn’t mind.

Edward asks Bruce if he has ever read Jekyll and Hyde. He says that it is a fabulous book. Edward says that many people misunderstand the story and think that it is a tale of man and his evil side. Edward says that it is not. Edward says that in the book that Hyde is described as being smaller than Jekyll… almost ape like. Edward says that has been taken to mean that Hyde is evil, and that evil makes a man small. He says that view overlooks the work’s historical context. Bruce says that he thinks he is going to be leaving. Edward throws the bayonet and sticks it into Bruce’s leg. Edward says that the book was published barely fifteen years after Darwin’s “Descent of Man” where Darwin postulates that man descended from apes. He says that Stevenson obviously took that as his inspiration. Edward says that Hyde was not man’s evil. He says that he was man in the primacy of creation, at the point of existence when survival was a struggle… and only the strong were able to survive. Edward says that the problem with humanity is that somewhere along the line weaklings managed to slip through. He says that diluted the purity of man’s strength and savagery. Banner pulls the bayonet out of his leg. Edward picks Banner up and tosses him against the car’s wall. Edward says that man has always been afraid that God will notice this and correct it. He says that is why in the book that Jekyll kills Hyde, and that is why Bruce tries to kill the Hulk. He says that Bruce doesn’t want to recognize that the primitive, savage side of man is the way man has to be. He says that it is human weaklings like Banner that don’t deserve to exist.

Bruce lies on his back and reaches into his boot for the soldier’s gun. Bruce says that whoever he is that he is the one that doesn’t deserve to live. Bruce fires his gun over into the air and shouts that he deserves to live. Bruce puts his hand with the gun down and pushes up to look around. He doesn’t see Edward. Edward’s foot smashes Bruce’s hand and says, “The book’s main problem is the narrative point of view.” He says that they never got to see Hyde’s point of view. He says that is unfair and that Hyde deserved to be heard. Edward says that he wanted to listen, and that is why he created a formula to give Hyde life. He says that just as Bruce did creating the gamma bomb that gave birth to his own Hyde… namely the Hulk. Edward says, “Now in the book, there wasn’t enough room… for both Henry Jekyll… and Edward Hyde. And here, in real life… there is most definitely not room… for two Mr. Hydes!” Mr. Hyde grabs Bruce by the neck and slams him against the wall. Hyde says that they have entered a tunnel. He says that tunnels have so many meanings in dreams. They symbolize love, the act of birth, act of passage from birth to death… Bruce’s death. Bruce changes into the Hulk. Hulk says, “Like you said… in your dreams.” Hyde sees Hulk. He says that this is excellent and hits him. Hulk asks Hyde if that is his best shot, but then sees that the sun is still out. The light hits him and Hulk howls in pain. He says that the sun isn’t down yet, and wonders what he is doing there. Hyde says that the sun seems to be bothering Hulk. He asks Hulk if he is ashamed for people to see him. Hyde says that he has no fear of being Hyde in plain sight. Hyde jumps up and tears the roof off the boxcar. The sun hits Hulk. Hyde says that he revels in the screams that his face prompts from weaklings. Hyde looks down into the car, but finds the Hulk gone. Hulk rides along the car in the bottom. Hyde says that Hulk is under the car waiting for him to come down after him. He says that Hulk is a fool. Hyde says that he expected better. Suddenly, Hyde is pulled what is left of the car’s roof. Hulk hits Hyde and asks if he is supposed to be impressed with him, his clothes, his constant philosophical yammering. Hulk shouts that it is strength that counts. Hyde punches Hulk in the stomach and face and says, “Yes! Strength! My strength!” Hulk says, “Your strength.. is nothin’! My breath is stronger than you!” Hulk punches Hyde through the boxcar wall. Hulk thinks to himself that he is talking big, but that Hyde was so pumped up that it was like he wasn’t even feeling his punches. Hulk decides that he doesn’t care so long as he is gone. Hulk sticks his head out the hold to look. Hyde hits Hulk. He wraps his legs around Hulk’s neck. He asks Hulk why the sun bothers him. He asks, “Is it biological… or can Banner only stand the thought of your existing when night’s shadows can hide you?” Hyde starts to climb the ladder on the side and pulls the Hulk out of the car. He says, “That would be so like him. With him around you always have to watch your back. I’ll help you… by twisting your head around. Hear those screams, Hulk? The passengers in the caboose have spotted us. Aren’t screams wonderful?” Hyde kicks Hulk in the face. Hyde hits Hulk off the car. He says, “Scream, Hulk! Scream your jealousy of my perfection! And let your screams blend with the screech of twisted metal!” Hulk falls under the car and the wheels hit his neck. Hyde sees that the end cars are derailing and decides that maybe this was a mistake. Hulk climbs back up on the car and says, “Mister… you don’t know how big a mistake!” Hulk says that the sun has gone down and that Hyde is next. Hyde says that if only Hulk were dead that he could love him like a brother. Hulk lifts Hyde over his head and tosses him overboard. Hyde snags the caboose. Hulk thinks that he could let it fall and he would be rid of Hyde, but the people would die too. The coupling snaps and Hulk leaps over and catches the caboose and the car in front of it. Hyde says that he knew he was stronger. He says that he doesn’t care about weaklings, but that Hulk does. Hyde laughs. Hyde falls off the caboose and says, “You and Banner deserve each other.”

Hulk stands there holding up the train cars. He thinks, “He sure knows how to hurt a guy.” The trestle starts to collapse. Hulk says that there is no time to be jealous. He throws the cars back on the tracks. The trestle collapses and Hulk falls into the water below. Hulk washes up on shore. He says that was definitely an “E” ticket. Hulk mutters, “’Like a brother’ hah. ‘I’m the stronger’ hah. ‘Deserve each other’ hah. That’s how much he knew.” Hulk sees Hyde’s cap and says that it is nice. He puts it over his shoulder and walks away.

No Excuses rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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