Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #394

Title: “Cold Storage”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Andrew Wildman

Inker: Chris Ivy

Colors: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Bobbie Chase

Atalanta, face covered by a scarf, walks into the snow storm in the Himalayas. She tells her toes to feel something. Atalanta hears something and hopes that it is the wind whistling or a rescue vehicle, but when she sees the ship that emerges she shouts for Trauma to leave her alone. She fires energy arrows at the ship and nails it. The ship crashes. Atalanta celebrates until she realizes that the crashed ship just created an avalanche. She shouts that it isn’t fair and the snow drifts over her head.

Trauma gets out of his ship. He says that it isn’t over yet, and that they still have to dance the dance. He walks.

Hulk stands on a peak looking through binoculars. He says that this is ridiculous. He says that she could be right under his nose and that he would never find her.

Back at the Mount, Ajax says that they should have sent him to look for her. Paris says that he isn’t suited for the mission. Ajax says that he means that he is too stupid. Paris says that he is too heavy. He says that can’t tromp though the Himalayas. He says that there are crevices, avalanches, and icefalls. He says that he would wind up at the bottom of a glacier and they would have to find him too. He says that he won’t help Atalanta getting himself trapped. Ajax says, “Ooohh, I’m useless. I hate me.” Paris says, “Yes, well we all do.” Ajax asks what he said, but Paris says that it was nothing. Paris says that Ajax’s vision is also lousy. He says that they will depending on visual sightings. He says that it is too bad Prometheus is laid up from his Trans-Sabal injuries and that he is their best tracker. Paris tells Ajax that it is all right and that they have a dozen people out looking for her including Ulysses, Hector, and Dr. Banner. Ajax stomps his foot and spills Paris’s mug.

Hulk hopes that Atalanta is all right. He says that she looks so unimpressive, but that most of these Pantheon people keep turning out to be more than they seem. Hulk spots a ship. He thinks how Atalanta was returning from a mission when she went down in the Himalayas. He thinks that maybe the ship is hers, but it doesn’t look like a Pantheon ship. Hulk looks inside and sees a language that he has never seen. He asks whose vehicle this is. Trauma stands behind Hulk and lets off two blasts, one for each ear. He says that it is his. He say that if he isn’t a friend of Atalanta’s that he apologizes, but that he can’t take the chance. Trauma sees Hulk already getting up and says that he is a tough one. Hulk weakly says that he is the toughest one around. Trauma hits him and knocks him over. He says that he doesn’t think so. He says that in another time and another place that he might have even given him a fair shot at him… made a show of it, but that he hasn’t the time. Trauma steps on Hulk’s back. A weapon scrolls around his head over his eye. He says, “Good-bye, whoever you are.” Trauma blasts a hole in Hulk. He says that if he had his pulser on full that it would have blown a hole out the other side of the planet, but that he has nothing against whoever might be on the other side. He says that this setting was plenty to kill him. He says that he is sure that he had the best of intentions, but that Atalanta will be his. He says that he owes her and that there is no way that he is going to let her, or her blasted relatives, interfere. Trauma walks on.

Rick sits emotionless in front of the TV. The news is talking about Trans-Sabal setting up a temporary government after the mysterious death of Farnaq Dahn… allegedly at the hands of insurgents. The CIA and SHIELD both deny ousting Dahn. The new government has instituted democratic elections to be held next week. Earlier that day chaos broke out at Dahn’s funeral when citizens pulled the body from the coffin and ripped the clothes off the corpse… seemingly as souvenirs. Marlo and Betty knock. Marlo tells Rick to open up or she will use her key. Marlo uses the key and both are disgusted with the mess is Rick’s apartment. Betty opens up the drapes to let the light in. Marlo asks what happened to him. She says that he and Bruce vanished for days, and come back with no explanation. Marlo says that she keeps calling and getting the machine, but that he doesn’t return her calls. She tells him that whatever is going on his head to snap out of it. She says that things have happened and that they have to talk. She says that this woman called up and claimed that she was his mother. Marlo says that she wants to see him. Rick just stares ahead not moving. Betty says that she knows what he said about his parents dying in a car crash. Marlo says that the woman seemed real convincing. She had documents and files. She says that the people who died in the crash were his adoptive parents. She says that she is his real mother and that she wants to talk. Marlo stops and drops her head. Rick stares straight ahead. Suddenly, he opens the can he is holding and says, “Who called up?”

Ulysses tries to contact Banner. Hector says that the tracking system is coming up empty. He says that either means that they are no where near her or that they are being jammed. Ulysses says that there is an hour to go until they are supposed to rendezvous with the other search teams. Hector asks what happens if they don’t find her by then. Ulysses say that there may not be anything to find. Hector says that he doesn’t want to tell Ajax that because he doesn’t want to be around for that.

Hulk gets up. His jumpsuit has a hole in the front where Trauma’s beam passed right through him. Hulk sees Trauma’s tracks and decides to follow them hoping that he has a better idea of where Atalanta is than he does, and that he hasn’t killer her before he catches up.

Atalanta breaks out of the snow that buried her. Trauma is waiting for her. He says that she used her bow to heat and melt the snow away. He says that she is as clever and beautiful as ever. He says that her arrows downed his crash cart, but that it takes more than that to stop him. Atalanta asks Trauma when he will leave her alone. She says that she was minding her own business when he shot her down. She says that this has been going on for years, and that every time she thinks he has given up this stupidity that he comes back again. Back to attack her, push her to the brink, and then vanish. She says that if he wants to kill her to just go ahead and try. Trauma says that if that was his intention that he would have killed her years ago when she killed his brother. Atalanta says that he was trying to kill her. Trauma says that is a minor detail. He says that he didn’t just want to kill her. He wanted her to make her suffer… to always be watching over her shoulder knowing that sooner or later the final strike would come. He says that after the years of cat and mouse that it has come to mean something more to him… more than his brother did. He says that he never liked him much anyway. Atalanta asks Trauma what he wants after all these years. He says that she doesn’t understand. He says that he loves her. Atalanta starts laughing. He says to stop laughing at him. Atalanta says, “Up yours!” and fires arrows at him. Trauma dodges or blocks them and says that he could have accepted any answer, but that one. He grabs Atalanta and says that she gets her wish. He says that they will dance the final dance. Trauma holds Atalanta over his head. Hulk plows into Trauma from behind causing him to drop Atalanta. Hulk and Trauma slide over the edge of a cliff.

Trauma says that Hulk is a sturdy one. He says that he will give him a fair fight and that he has earned it. He says that he is quite valiant and that it is a shame he has to kill him. Trauma claps his hands and sends out a bolt of electricity. Hulk dodges. He says that he will try not to shame him then. Hulk also mentions that he never promised him a fair fight. Hulk grabs some snow and tosses it into Trauma’s face. He hits Trauma. Trauma’s eye cannon comes over his head, but Hulk tells him to aim that somewhere else. He punches him in the face. Trauma catches Hulk on the ears again. Trauma says that he has so many means of offense that it is hard to keep track of them. He fires his eye cannon, but he only catches Hulk’s shoulder. Hulk says that he does find him offensive. Hulk pulls Trauma’s helmet off as Trauma kicks him off. Trauma tells him to give that back and that it is expensive. Hulk asks with his strength and technology where on Earth he comes from. Hulk looks up and sees Trauma’s face. Trauma asks what made him think that he was from Earth.

Ulysses says that they are going to have to pack it up and hope someone else had better luck. Hector looks through the binoculars and says that he thinks he saw a flare or something three miles south, Ulysses asks if it could have been one of Atalanta’s arrows. Hector says that even on full power that she couldn’t do that. He asks who is searching there. Ulysses says that it is Dr. Banner, and that he hopes he is okay. Hector says that he of course he is and asks what could hurt him.

Trauma shoots blasts from his hands and hits Hulk. Hulk says that Trauma’s blasts aren’t getting stronger, but that he is. He grabs Trauma in a full nelson and says that sooner or later that he will get him. Trauma blasts Hulk in the face. He says that “later” won’t matter if he kills him “sooner”. Hulk says that better men that him have tried, but that then again he isn’t really a man. Trauma says that by their standards that he is a hideous freak. He says that at least he wasn’t born on this planet and asks Hulk what his excuse is. Hulk knocks Trauma over. Hulk starts to walk toward him, but Atalanta arrives. She asks him not to hurt Trauma. Trauma says that her attraction is revealed at last. He says that she does love him after all and doesn’t want to see him hurt. Atalanta says that she just wanted him for herself. She fires an arrow and hits Trauma in the face. He falls backward, but catches the edge before he falls off the cliff. Hulk slams his hands together. Trauma’s hold falls loose and he topples. Atalanta tells Hulk to hurry and that his clap is causing the whole icefall to collapse. Hulk grabs Atalanta and leaps off.

On the Pantheon’s ship, the doctor says that Atalanta is suffering from frostbite and exposure. He says that if she were normal that he would have to amputate three of her toes, but that since she is one of “you people” that he figures that she will be healed up by the time they get back to the Mount. Hulk asks Ulysses what they are anyway. Ulysses says, “Touched by godhood. And very hard to kill.” Atalanta looks sad and says that they aren’t the only ones.

Trauma’s fist emerges from the snow that buried him.

No Excuses rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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