Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #450

Title: “Hurray for Hulk”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Jeff Rebner

Inker: Tom Wegrzyn

Colors: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Bobbie Chase

In Hollywood California, the police and the army are arguing over jurisdiction when a giant “O” comes rolling down the hill at them. Hulk roars as he has transformed the “Hollywood” sign to read “Hulk”. Janis asks Hulk if he will stop making a scene. She says that she understands he is angry, and that she knows he wants to keep his word about striking back when they attack him, but that was before he collapsed after fighting the Thunderbolts. Hulk says that he didn’t. Janis says that she was there. She asks what he wants anyway. Hulk grabs Janis and says, “I want… more.” Janis says that it isn’t that she doesn’t love the way he is scaring the snot out of her, but that they have company. A helicopter approaches and Janis asks if he thinks they are there to talk. Hulk tosses Janis aside and says that he hopes not. The bullets bounce off Hulk’s chest as he leaps up. The helicopter comes crashing down.

In Los Angeles Airport, “Mr. Goldfarb” walks up to the man holding his name on a sign and introduces himself. They shake hands and the driver asks if he checked any luggage. “Mr. Goldfarb” says that the only way they will get his luggage is from his cold dead hands. The driver says that he hears him and asks if he is ready to go to the hotel. As they drive, the driver tells Goldfarb that they have to go a round about way. He says that they have closed off sections of the freeway because of the Hulk’s rampage. He says that he picked a lousy time to come to town. “Goldfarb says that it is actually a perfect time. He grabs the driver by the throat.

The real Mr. Goldfarb stands outside the airport on his phone. He is yelling at the distributor from the limo service.

Alex Wildman gets back in the car and leaves the driver by the side of the road in his underpants. He says that Hulk is the man that can stop the voices in his head and that all he has to do is die.

Citizen V is answering the media’s questions. He says that he has answered enough questions and that the Bolts will be working until the people of this town are recovered from the Hulk’s destruction. Cary tells Citizen V that he is bigger than “Must See TV”. Citizen V says that he should have known she was here and that the winged monkeys overhead were a dead giveaway. Cary asks V if they know one another. V says that he makes it his business to know people, places, and things. Cary says that her orders are to find out what they did in fighting the Hulk. Learn what worked and what didn’t. Citizen V says that is nice and excuses himself. Cary says that the Thunderbolts have painted themselves as the town’s saviors, but that they started the fight. Cary asks what they want. V asks what anyone wants.

In Universal Studios, a group of people are riding the train past King Kong. A kid tells his mother to look at that. He says that he is even uglier than the ape. Hulk hangs off one of the buildings. He hears the people laughing and having a good time… it sickens and infuriates him. It strikes at the emptiness that eats away at him. Hulk leaps at the train and knocks it off its overhead tracks. The people’s joy is replaced by terror and Hulk takes some comfort in that… but not much. The emptiness remains and all victories seem hollow. Hulk feels weariness. When he drew the line in the sand he had hoped they would cross it, but now the futility of taking revenge hangs over him like a shroud… and the ache grows.

Alex Wildman is driving to the highway exit to Universal Studios.

Janis tells Hulk that she loves major wreckage as much as the next guy, but that he has to try and figure out why he fell apart. Hulk says that he doesn’t have to do anything. Hulk drops to one knee. Janis asks if he is feeling weak again. Hulk says that he feels stronger, but that there is pain. Janis asks if there is anything he wants. Hulk says, “Yes… I want… more.”

Wildman zooms toward the Hulk as the people run the other way.

Janis asks what he wants more of. Hulk says that he doesn’t know. Wildman announces that he is there. Hulk and Janis look over to see Wildman standing on the tops of two of the scale model buildings. He says that he hopes it was worth the wait. Janis blasts Wildman and knocks him from the building tops. Janis says that was easy. Wildman phases his hand into Janis’ forehead and then partially hardens them again. Janis drops to the ground. Hulk hits Wildman which sends his head hurtling backward though his body remains where it is his neck stretches to stay attached to his head. Hulk swings, but Wildman leaps over it. Wildman lets off a blast from his hands that hits the Hulk. Wildman leaps onto Hulk’s back and fires another blast right into his head. Wildman says that they are connected somehow. He says that he has a bazillion voices in his head and that they are all shouting for Hulk’s head. He says that when he shuts him down that he can get some peace and quiet. He asks if that sounds like a plan. Hulk swings at Wildman, but Wildman shrinks down to mini size. Wildman blasts Hulk again, but this time below the belt. Hulk blasts through the wall into the theater showing the 3-D Terminator movie. Hulk thinks to himself that Wildman’s powers seem very familiar. Wildman leaps at Hulk. Hulk grabs Wildman by the throat, but then Wildman dematerializes. He then blasts Hulk through another wall. Hulk looks around and sees his destruction. He sees the army and police. He hears the children crying and people moaning. He sees another enemy coming at him. Hulk says, “I… want… more!” Wildman asks him what he wants more of. Hulk says to forget it. He grabs Wildman’s head and smashes it against the ground. Suddenly a rainbow hits Hulk and he disappears. Wildman says that it is forgotten. He sees Hulk gone and says that he isn’t getting away that easy. He leaps after Hulk, but then realizes that his powers are gone. He’s happy.

Janis gets up. A voice asks how she can be alive. He says that she is from the Maestro’s time and that he saw her die. Janis asks who he is. She turns and sees a long haired Hulk. The Hulk says, “They call me the Hulk.”

No Excuses rating: 6 out of 10

The art is nothing to write home about, but it does a decent enough job. Wildman is really kinda lame. Maybe I had unfair expectations of the character since he was mentioned by the Maestro as being so heroic, but I don’t see anything heroic about this guy at all. A smart ass maybe, but heroic? I’m guessing that Wild Man absorbs the powers of any super heroes near him and that being near the Hulk caused him to access all the powers of the Heroes Reborn universe heroes. This guy may be my least favorite Peter David character since Lazarus. I did however like Hulk and Janis’ interaction. 3 out of 5 for both writing and art.

Title: “A Little Leeway”

Writer: Peter David

Penciller: Mike Deodato

Inker: Deodato Studios

Colors: Glynis Oliver

Editor: Bobbie Chase

In Los Angeles, Dr. Strange had been investigating a coven of demons. He had just returned when suddenly he is blasted back by the Orb of Agamotto. Strange says that he had only wanted to see if anything of mystical significance had occurred while he was in another dimension. He says that these energies are unlike anything he has ever seen. He says that there is something artificial about it. A green orb floats in the center above the Orb of Agamotto while a white orb circles it. Strange says that they seem intertwined somehow. He sends them to their source so that he can follow them and solve this mystery.

Hulk says to forget it as he is hit with the light. Suddenly he is trapped within the green orb. Strange sees Hulk and says that he might have known he would be involved and that green is his calling card. Strange says that there are matters here beyond Hulk’s understanding, and that they may be beyond him as well. He says that they must work together. Hulk shatters out of the green orb. Hulk falls to the ground. The white orb follows him down and encompasses him as Hulk lies face down on the ground. Strange tries to get through the orb physically, but cannot. He goes through it in his astral form. Strange says that he can sense a virtual vortex of dimensional power within the sphere. He says that maybe this wasn’t the best course of action. Strange is sucked into the vortex. Images of the Marvel Universe heroes appear before him though they look different.

Strange hits the ground and remarks how he felt that. Strange looks around and sees that he is in a disaster area. A voice from a helicopter announces that all citizens are warned to leave the area. It says that special forces are moving in to contain the situation. Strange asks what situation, but then he sees a giant, long-haired and naked Hulk. Hulk asks where Liz is. Strange says that he doesn’t know who he is talking about. Hulk says that Strange is either lying to him or he is of no use to him. He says that he is going to smash him either way. Hulk hits some rubble. The rubble strikes Strange’s astral form. Strange realizes that his astral form has substance in this world. Strange falls to the ground. Hulk says that he doesn’t care about Ghost Man’s words. He says that words don’t matter and that only strength matters. Hulk raises his fists to smash Strange, but a long rubbery arm pulls Strange out of the way as Hulk hits the ground. Mister Fantastic tells Strange that whoever he is that he suggests he let the professionals handle this. Reed tells Thing to wait and that they must act as a team. Thing says to forget it. He says that he has been waiting for someone big enough to cut loose on. Thing hits Hulk and says that it is clobberin’ time.

Strange says that he is tangible even though he is only a projection of his own mind. He theorizes that maybe in this world that thought becomes reality. He decides to see if he can conjure up the thought of the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak. Hulk is bound around the arms, neck, and legs twice. Reed asks how he is accomplishing this. Strange asks if none of them recognize him. He says that he is Dr. Strange. Thing says that he is Professor Peculiar. Reed tells Thing to be quiet. He asks Strange how he knows about them. Strange says that he has fought by their side. Strange says that he doesn’t understand this, but that with Agamotto’s Mystic Eye that he will. Strange beams onto the Fantastic Four. Strange says that he thought they were duplicates, but that they are the genuine. He asks what they are doing there. Torch says that he has had enough of this and tells Strange to point his billion watt flashlight at someone else. He fires some fireballs at Strange to send him fleeing. Hulk says that Ghost Man thinks he can trap Hulk, but that Ghost Man is wrong. Hulk shatters the Bands of Cytorrak. Strange says that it is becoming clear that the Hulk is the source of this business. He says that he will check his true nature. Hulk knocks Strange to the ground. The Eye of Agamotto flashes on Hulk and drops him to his knees. Strange says that this cannot be. He says that within that behemoth is Bruce Banner, but that he is leaking energy like a reactor without control rods. Strange says that it is causing disruptions at an atomic level, crossing barriers and breaking down everything.

Back in the real universe, Hulk shouts for Strange to let him out and starts pounding on the white orb that surrounds him. 

Iron Man flies past Strange. He tells him that whoever he is and whatever he is doing to keep doing it. Strange says that it is Iron Man. He says that he is likewise very different. Torch hits the Hulk with a flame and Reed tells him to pour it on.

Back in the real universe, Hulk smashes out of the white orb. The fragments swirl around. Strange is sucked out of the alternate dimension. Strange says that he hasn’t learned what he has to yet. Strange’s astral form in reconnected with his body. Strange tells Hulk to listen to him. Hulk says that he is tired of lies and emptiness. He says that he wants more. Strange says that the “more” he wants is the rest of himself. Strange says that there is another universe and that Hulk is connected to it. He says that he has become a walking anomaly. He says that more and more energy from the pocket universe and others will focus through him. He says that he will get stronger and stronger, but that sooner or later the strain will tear him apart. Strange says, “You’ll die and…” With a tear in his eye Hulk interrupts, “good”. Hulk leaps away. Strange tells Hulk that he doesn’t understand. He says that it won’t just be the end of Hulk, but the end of everything.

No Excuses rating: 9 out of 10

Review and picture 3 by The Leader

Picture 1 and 2 by Captain Nate

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