Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #428
Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #428
Title: “Swamped”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Liam Sharp
Inker: Robin Riggs
Colors: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Bruce stands completely still in the swamp. He is trying to get acclimated to his surroundings and hoping that doing so will allow him to hear something that will lead him toward the killer. He hears a gentle lapping, but isn’t sure where it comes from. He stands there knowing that all he knows is that he hates the swamp. A large alligator bites down on Hulk’s arm. Hulk holds his arm up and pulls the alligator out of the water. He tells it to let him go or he will personally stock an entire Kinney’s Shoes with his remains. The alligator looks at Hulk glaring at him, lets go, and swims away. Hulk says, “Gawd, what a night.”
Skip pleads with Albert not to let the Man-Thing get him. He says that he will do anything, but Albert is no longer paying attention. Albert is thinking about his own childhood… and the dark figure that was chasing him down. He tries to remember what his transgression was. He figures that it must have been a fearsome sin to evoke such fury. He thinks about his own screams and then finally hears Skip’s screams from the approaching Man-Thing. Albert pushes Man-Thing off. He says not to hurt him and that he is an innocent boy. He says that he should be protected. Albert tells him to back off.
Hulk stands in the swamp thankful for the moonlight. Suddenly, he hears screams. He is about to go check it out when he is grabbed by the returning alligator, but this time he has brought two of his friends. Bruce thinks about Betty telling him to go find the killer and sarcastically thinks to himself that it was a great suggestion.
Largo asks Betty if she minds if he smokes. Betty says that depends on if he minds that she vomits. He says that he will take that as a hint and Betty says that she thought he couldn’t take a hint… like her wishing he’d leave. Largo says that her husband is still a suspect as the child killer. Betty asks how they could change that. Largo says that he could confess and asks if there is any coffee about. Betty says that if he wants coffee to go suspect Mrs. Folger.
Albert tries to put the shoe on again, but they never fit. He tells Skip that he knows that they can’t go back, but then Albert hears a splash outside. He walks out and sees the Hulk there. Hulk asks him who he is. Albert introduces himself and asks who he is. Hulk says that he is the lead singer for Green Day. Hulk says that he is looking for a young boy. He asks if Albert has him stashed in his cabin. Albert says that he does and that the boy is quite alive for the moment. He says that things change however. Bruce asks him what kind of monster he is. Albert says that he is no different than him and that not all of them can be lucky enough to wear their monsters on the outside. Hulk grabs Albert and Albert asks if he is going to beat him up now. He asks if he is really going to beat up and old man. He asks if he doesn’t see. He says that he wasn’t hurting him… he was helping him. Bruce says that he is murdering them and that he is every parents’ nightmare. Albert says that every child’s nightmare is their parents. He says that parents are capricious and hurtful. He says that they just reproduce so they can have someone to lord it over. Hulk stands over Albert and tells him that he is sick. Albert says that some species kill and eat their young. He says that he admires their honesty instead of being like humans hiding killing impulses behind words of love. He says that all of it is bull and says to tell him that the parent-child relationship isn’t the most twisted power struggle in all nature. He freezes and for one moment he hears his father yelling at him and beating him up. Albert says that he can tell that Hulk understands that he is changing the rules of the child-parent game. He says that he is protecting the children that the authorities would “rescue”. Hulk tells him to shut up. Albert says that he is sending them to Heaven and that Hulk would send them back to their parent’s domain of Hell. Hulk yells for him to shut up and charges Albert, but Man-Thing steps forward.
Skip, tied to a chair, hears the commotion outside and tries to call out to them. He tries skipping his chair over, but he falls over and knocks the lantern off the table. The lantern hits the ground and starts the cabin on fire.
Largo asks Mrs. Danner why she needs the cane. Betty says that she got hurt having a shootout with an annoying police officer. Largo smiles and says that she has many amusing answers. He gets angry and says that perhaps she would like to give them down at the station. Betty says that he can’t do “tough cop, nice cop” solo and that it is weird. Largo says that he knows and that its personnel cutbacks. He says that they have to make due.
Hulk sees Man-Thing and says, “Oh, not you again.” He says
that he knows Man-Thing is too stupid to know what is going on, but to stay out
of his way. Hulk pushes Man-Thing aside, but as he walks by, Hulk’s hate causes
Man-Thing to act out and hit Hulk from behind. The mud beneath his feet goes out
and Hulk falls to the ground. Albert says that God is on his side and that He
knows that he is right. Albert says that Hulk knows it too. Hulk stops for a
moment and his mind goes back to his own childhood… to the anger and brutality
of his father. It’s only for a moment, but it feels like an eternity. Bruce
tells Man-Thing to get out of his way. He says that the lunatic is going to jail
and that the boy is going home. Hulk grabs Man-Thing and shouts that he is going
back to whatever pit vomited him up. Hulk feels a momentary triumph as he rips
Man-Thing apart, but it stops when he feels it reforming around him and trying
to absorb him. Albert turns and sees his cabin on fire. Hulk rips free and has
become furious. As the Man-Thing reforms, Hulk can feel the savage Banner
demanding release. He had managed to convince himself that it was a fluke, but
now he knows that if he loses control that he will become helpless and the swamp
may become his resting place.
Hulk
sweats as Brian Banner tells him that he always knew he would end up a mindless
slobbering brute. He says that he deserves to die here after everything he has
done. He hears the savage Banner shouting that he wants to smash them all. In
that moment, the Hulk knew fear and whatever knows fear burns at the touch of
the Man-Thing. Hulk’s head burns.
Flames roll and Skip says that they aren’t going to make it. Albert has him over his shoulder, carrying him out, and says that they will. He tells Skip to shut up and not breathe.
Hulk leaps back instinctively and both he and Man-Thing drop into the cool swamp waters. Hulk breaks free from Man-Thing and swims to the surface. He sees the cabin burning and says, “No… please God… no.”
Skip and Albert sit in the boat. Skip asks Albert why he saved him and says that he was just going to kill him anyway. Albert doesn’t hear him. He is thinking about how his father yelled at him for wearing his new church shoes out to play. He remembers his father hitting him with the shoes… the blood, the broken tooth, his bruises and welts. Skip frees himself from the ropes and hits Albert. The boat capsizes. In the water, Albert says that he treated him nicely and asks if this is how he repays him. Albert is about to attack Skip, but an alligator pulls him down. Skip stares ahead numb and watches as the alligator comes for him, but Hulk pulls him out of the water. Man-Thing surfaces and walks away.
Largo asks Skip, who is wearing his hat, if the killer was really an old man. He asks if he wasn’t a big powerful fellow. Skip says that there was a big guy, but that he saved him from the alligators and brought him home. One of the cops with Largo says that he would swear that he was making it up, but that the kid has his brother’s sneakers filled with swamp water. He says that if Danner was involved that he was a hero. Largo says that he isn’t sure. He says that they are hiding something and that he is going to find out what it is.
Bruce sits on a chair as Betty, wrapped in a towel herself, dries his short hair. She thanks him for making it so that they don’t have to leave town. Bruce says that it is just for the moment and that he makes no long term promises. He says that he wonders if he is that different from that sick creature. Betty says, “Of course! He was a berserker who preyed on… on… “ Bruce finishes, “Puny humans?” Betty tells him to stop it. Bruce says that he thinks about all his hardships and difficulties and that he can’t help but feel “that there, but for the grace of God… go I.”
No Excuses ratings: 7.5 out of 10
Bruce hearing Brian Banner in his head again is a good sign. The story again is chilling. Poor Albert was granted the gift he was trying to bestow on all his victims. I like Chief Largo as a character, but I have to say he doesn’t turn into much. Sharp remains constant in his fluxuation. Literally sharp in some places and just sloppy in others.
Review and picture by The Leader