Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #411
Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #411
Title: “Liberation Day”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Gary Frank
Inker: Cam Smith
Colors: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Blood drips from Hulk’s nose as he clutches his ears to protect him from the sonic blast.
Hector is still dodging the SHIELD jets in pursuit. The pilot’s radio to Fury that they are still trying to catch him. Fury says that he doesn’t want it tried… he wants it done. Fury radios Banner. He says that he knows where he is coming from and that he isn’t entirely unsympathetic, but that you have to respect the rules. He says that you can’t just break people out of jail because you think they got stiffed. Fury gets no response and figures that the sonic blasts probably put him down. Banner radios back.
Bruce stands in the dark and talks into Ulysses’ wrist radio. He says that it has been real enchanting, and that he promises that they will do it again real soon. Bruce says that they have to be off now and that he doesn’t want them triangulating on him.
Fury asks what the blazes happened. The SHIELD agent says that he dropped off their radiation detector. Fury says that makes his day and asks if she minds telling him how. She tells Fury that he must have found a buffered area. Fury asks if he is shielding himself from SHIELD. She says, “Yessir.” Fury says that is just peachy. He tells the woman, Jonesy, to prepare for a ground assault.
On the ground, they go to where the Hulk and Ulysses were and see a large tunnel. Fury says that is pretty much what he figured. Jonesy says that he dug his way out. Fury says that he still has one eye left and that he isn’t blind. Another agent asks if they are going in after them. Fury asks them if that seems like a smart choice. The agent says that it actually sounds kind of dumb. Fury asks if he looks stupid. The agent says no.
Ulysses sings the seven dwarfs’ digging song as Hulk continues to tunnel. Hulk tells him to shut up and hold his shield higher. He says that he doesn’t have night vision. Ulysses says that they are under the nuclear fallout shelter and that it is blocking their detection devices. Hulk asks which way it is to command central. Ulysses says his guess is 45 degrees left and up 320 yards.
Mr. Secretary asks Tarkington if he is sure it is the Hulk. Tarkington says that he is. Mr. Secretary says to find and eliminate him. He says that this behavior can’t be tolerated. Tarkington says that he has a problem, but he is told not to offer excuses but to do it.
The SHIELD jets finally hit Hector’s ship. They radio him and tell him that he is disabled and to surrender. Achilles and Atalanta arrive in Pantheon ships and tell SHIELD to surrender. He says that the Pantheon doesn’t roll over for anyone.
Mr. Secretary asks Fury what kind of military operation he is running there. Fury says that they have great dental and that they don’t give gays any grief. The Secretary tells Fury to listen, but Fury tells him to listen. He says that they were hot wired enough to get a tip on this so that they got there in time. He tells him to remember that, and that he will remember that the whole Susan Jacobson spy business stinks. He says that if she were one of his people instead of CIA that he would be making sure she wasn’t rotting in this place. He says, “And you know why, Oliveris.” Oliveris asks what that is supposed to mean, but just then Hulk bursts out of the ground.
Rick calls the Avengers. He tells Black Widow about his upcoming wedding. Widow says that they will be looking for the invitations. Rick asks if they’re coming. Widow says that Rick knows how things can get. She says that with emergencies than it is difficult to commit. She says that they will do what they can and offers her congratulations. Marlo asks Rick if he knows how sometimes people look at phones after someone has hung up. Rick says that he does. Marlo says that it looks weird in real life and to stop doing it. Betty asks if there is a problem. Rick says that he isn’t sure. He says that the Black Widow sounded kind of cool to him. Betty says that maybe they’re having a rough day. Rick says that he just called the Avengers West a few minutes before and that USAgent sounded the same way. Rick asks if he should be paranoid or not. He says that just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that someone isn’t after you.
Hulk and Ulysses tear through the SHIELD agents. Hulk grabs Tarkington and asks where he moved Susan to. Tankington tells him to keep away. Fury has a gun aimed at Hulk and suggests that he do what the warden says. Fury asks Banner what it is like being a mere Pantheon stooge. Ulysses says that he is actually the Pantheon stooge. He says that Banner is the head stooge now. Fury says that he always preferred Curly over Moe. Fury tells “Moe” to listen. Fury says that the gun has a duranium-tipped exploding bullet. He says that it will penetrate his eye, enter his brain, and then explode. He says that the laser sighting has him locked, and that it won’t be pretty. Hulk has the warden’s head in his hand and says that what he does to the warden won’t be pretty either. Fury says that he would like to think that Banner wasn’t a cold blooded murderer. Banner says that is big talk considering he is the one holding the gun. Fury says that he will use it if he has to. Bruce says that if he dies his muscles will involuntarily squeeze at the moment of impact and the warden will be pulp. He says that Fury can call him a murderer, but that he won’t be alive to hear it.
Atalanta
calls for help. A SHIELD jet has locked on her. The SHIELD jet fires, but before
Atalanta is hit, Achilles flies his jet in the missiles’ path. His jet crashes
against the ground and explode.
The pilots radio in to Fury that one of the Pantheon is down. Fury tells Hulk that one is on his head and asks how it feels.
The SHIELD pilots say that he intercepted that shot. He says that the Pantheon may be rogues, but that one of them had guts. Achilles’ hand emerges from the wreckage. He stands up and says that they picked the wrong member of the Pantheon to shoot down. He says that they picked Achilles, and that now he is picking them… off. Achilles uses a giant weapon and shoots down one of the SHIELD jets.
Rick and Marlo are looking through pictures, They find the
picture of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s wedding. Marlo says that Rick was
right and that her dress was gorgeous. Marlo asks who she is. Rick says that she
is MJ Parker. Rick says that the groom is Peter Parker, a photographer. Rick
says that Spider-Man recommended him once to do some publicity shots for him.
Betty says that maybe Marlo can get a dress like that and asks how they contact
the designer. Rick says that they would need a Ouija board and that Willie Smith
died a while back from AIDS. Marlo says poor guy and that it stinks. Rick say
that reminds him that he should give Jim Wilson a call and see how he is doing.
The phone rings and Rick says that he will get it. Betty says that is a shame
about that designer. She says that there is all this “awareness” and red ribbons
as fashion statements. She says that they don’t need political awareness… they
need a cure. Rick asks what Jen this is. Rick asks She-Hulk what she is up to.
She-Hulk says that she is working on her tan, but that she thinks it is a lost
cause. She says that she is on the left coast on business, and that once she
wraps there that she thought she would swing by and see Rick and Bruce. She says
that she would love to know what Bruce is up to these days.
Fury asks “Moe” what he is hoping to accomplish. Bruce says to forget it. He says that he is tired of debating his actions to everyone with a costume and a self-righteous attitude. He say that he is sick of being defensive. Fury says that instead he is going to be offensive… like the one guy on the planet that has a conscience. Fury’s pilot says that in the ship they shot down that the pilot was uninjured. He says that he just shot down Santos. He says that they think Santos is alive, but that there is so much smoke. Bruce says that would be Achilles, and that this people don’t die as easily as Fury’s may. Bruce tells Fury to listen. He says that he wants Susan Jacobson freed and turned over to him. He says that he wants them to be allowed to go on their way. Fury says that he doesn’t negotiate with terrorists. Bruce tells Ulysses to put him comm. link unit on line so he can be heard. Ulysses says that it is on, and that if it doesn’t work out that it was nice working with him. Bruce tells the Pantheon ship that if they do not hear from him in two minutes to go to Plane Prime Alpha. Atalanta confirms. Bruce tells Fury that Plan Alpha means that in two minutes they are going to drop tactical warheads on this installation. He tells Fury to go ahead and shoot him and that he may even get lucky and kill him, but that in ninety seconds his corpse is going to have plenty of company. He says that he wanted to do this with a minimum of force, but that if he wants to cost everyone in this place their lives to go ahead.
Oliveris tells Fury that he will have his job for this. He says that he let him walk out with that spy. Fury says that if he wants his job to take it, but that there are two things he should know first. Fury says that first is that the last thing this administration needed was a fiasco that would have made Waco look like a boy scout jamboree. Fury helps himself to one of Oliveris’s cigars. He says that second is that he has been studying the Jacobson affair. Oliveris asks what he means by “studying”. Fury says that Jacobson’s crime was that a year before Desert Storm she learned about Saddam’s gas attack plans. She told her bosses in the company and that word came down not to tell the Israelis. He says that instead of endangering them that she told them anyway. Fury says that when CNN showed Israelis prepping for gas attacks that it was her doing. He says that her crime was saving lives. Fury says that Oliveris pushed her big time, and asks if that is because he is tight with high powered lawyers who in turn have very powerful Arab clients. Oliveris asks what he is saying. Fury says that he is just practicing for his press conference when his resignation is announced. Oliveris walks out. Fury says that he forgot his resignation. Fury thinks to himself that Moe’s bluff wasn’t very good. He says that they cracked the Pantheon code long enough ago to know that Prime Alpha meant “maintain current status”. Fury tells “Moe” to choose his bluffs carefully and that he may not cut him slack next time.
Bruce and Susan sit together on a couch. Susan has her head resting on Bruce. Bruce tells her that they are going to move her around for a bit, relocating her to one of their facilities abroad. He says that they are notifying her family and that they will reunite there. Susan says that this is all so insane. She says that she is out of that place and that she can’t believe it is really him. She says that for what it is worth that she is sorry she dumped him back in college. With a tear in his eye, Bruce says that it all worked out for the best. He says not to mention to anyone that she dumped him and that it’s bad for the image.
No Excuses rating: 7.5 out of 10
And we’re back to the “not much happening” theme. Hulk tunnels and holds the warden’s head. It’s a nice ending, but there isn’t much of a story here. Rick Jones is getting the cold shoulder and is wondering why. I won’t comment on the dirty politics mentioned in this issue… especially considering the “way too close to reality” mentions of Saddam Hussein… sometimes he’s an axis of evil… sometimes it’s just good business… Gary Frank does a good job making what was essentially a stand off for an issue interesting to look at. 4 out of 5 for the art.
Title: “Ulysses part 5: Dead Meat”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Cam Smith
Colors: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Ulysses uses his shield to protect them from the rioting crowd. Ulysses has Nathan over his shoulder and fires his blaster into the crowd. Ulysses radios in and asks what is taking so long. He is told that they will be there in two minutes. Ulysses says that they don’t have two minutes. Walter calls out for Ulysses, but Ulysses tells him to shut up. He says that he has enough problems. He says that he is going to get his hands on Agamemnon for this. Walter tells the people to stay back or he will start using more than tranq darts. Walter says that they have a path clear where they can hole up. Ulysses tells him to fall back with the kid and that he will cover for him. Ulysses lays into the crowd. He asks if they think they know destruction. He says that they know nothing. He tells them that he killed his first man a century before they were born. Ulysses is taking people down with his sword, but then out of nowhere he is hit in the head with a bat. Walter hits the man, that clubbed Ulysses, in the leg with a dart. Ulysses yells at Walter that he could have handled him. He says that he told him to get to cover. A high tech weapon is fired and hits Ulysses in the head. Ulysses is mortally wounded. Walter shouts that he wants to know who did it. Ulysses barely stammers, “Charles… you… you are such a jerk…” Ulysses dies. Lightning comes down and the crowd is blinded. The Pantheon ship flies away with Walter and Nathan.
No Excuses rating: 7.5 out of 10
Ulysses is killed and things look more than a little suspicious. Ulysses is sent in instead of Achilles and is killed by a weapon that is a little too high tech for a crowd rioting with bats and chunks of wood. Pelletier does another good job with the art. 3.5 out of 5.
Review and pictures by The Leader