Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #455Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #455
Title: “Waiting to X-Hale”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Adam Kubert
Inker: Dan Green
Colors: Digital Chameleon
Editor: Bobbie Chase
CONTINUED FROM INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 2 #-1
On the doorstep to the Xavier Institute in Westchester, New York, Wolverine is carrying the Hulk along on his shoulders. Wolverine asks Cannonball what is the matter with him and asks if he has never seen the Hulk before. Cannonball asks Wolverine if he is out of his mind and says that Hulk will wreck the mansion. Wolverine tells him to stop whining and says that Cannonball asked for a souvenir from his trip to the Savage Land. He says that Hulk won’t wreck the mansion.
Upstairs, Cyclops looks up suddenly as Wolverine is dragging the Hulk past his door. Cyclops asks Wolverine if he is out of his mind and that the Hulk will wreck the mansion. Wolverine repeats that he won’t wreck the mansion.
Storm is doing laps in the pool. She sees the Hulk go by. She says that she is either losing her mind or she just saw the Hulk walk by. She can’t decide which would be preferable. Storm flies out of the pool to see what is going on, but by the time she gets there Wolverine is already telling Cable, “…won’t wreck the flamin’ mansion!” Cable asks if Hulk agreed to that in writing.
In Virginia, at the X-Factor headquarters, Forge gets a call from Storm. He says that he thought they were keeping matters on the “Q.T.” Storm asks him if he has something that can deal with the Hulk “with ‘finality”. He says that he doesn’t, but that he can whip something up. He tells Storm that he can bring it there to her.
Cable asks Storm if he is working on it. Storm says that he is, but that she hopes they won’t have to use it. Cable says that he doesn’t think that they will have to, but that he tries to anticipate everything.
Wolverine sits with Hulk’s motionless body.
In New York City, at the apartment of Betty Banner, Betty is crying over the end of the book she wrote. She says that every time she thinks that she is out of tears that “he” helps her find more. Betty answers a knock on the door to find Henry Gyrich there. Gyrich apologizes to her for the intrusion, but that there is something that requires her presence. Betty says that she has too much work to do preparing to release her book, and that she isn’t going anywhere with him. Gyrich reaches into his case and says that it is in regards to her father. Betty says that she puts flowers on his grave every month. Gyrich tells her to look at the picture. Betty looks. She tells Gyrich that if this is a joke that he is going to burn in hell for this. Gyrich says that he thinks that’s already been attended to.
Hulk sits alone in the graveyard. He quietly says that it isn’t true. He repeats that it isn’t true. Finally he shouts that it isn’t true as he smashes his fists against the ground.
Wolverine tells Cyclops that he is making a mistake as he is restraining Hulk. Wolverine says that they should let him wake up unbound. Cable says that the last time they went head to head was enough. Wolverine says that no one has fought the Hulk more than he has, and that if they treat him with respect that everything should be fine. Cyclops says that they can’t take that chance. Hulk looks over at them. Cable tells Hulk that they know that he has been tearing around the countryside, but that they can’t allow that. Hulk smashes through his restraints. Wolverine says that they are going to need another plan.
In Orlando, Florida, two cops come across Janis. One of them recognizes her from her part in the “Hulk Island” thing and tells her to come with them. Janis says that she can’t and that she is waiting for someone. They tell her to keep her hands in view. Janis says that they are cruising from some “serious breakage”. Rick pulls the car around and asks what he has gotten himself into this time. Janis leaves the two unconscious cops as she leaps into the car and tells “Gramps” that he took his time pulling the car around.
Hulk leaps at Wolverine, but Wolverine leaps
over him. He says that they didn’t want to hurt him and asks
him to reconsider his actions. Wolverine runs off. Hulk goes
after him and tells him to get back there. Hulk is hit by
Cyclops’ optic blast. Cyclops says that Wolverine was just
leading him into an ambush. He says that if Hulk would just trust
them that he would see that none of this is necessary. Hulk says
that to him it is. He says to let him see what they’ve got.
Hulk walks into Cyclops’ optic blast streaming into him.
Hulk asks if that is it. He says, “The mighty mutants! The
next stage of humans! The ‘next stage’ is punier than
the one we’ve already got!” 
Cable tells
Cyclops that he has softened him up, and that a psi-blast should
put him down. Hulk says, “I remember you! You got into my
head before! Never again! No one ever hurts me again!” Hulk
claps his hands and sends Wolverine, Cable, and Cyclops flying.
Wolverine tells Hulk to listen to him. He says that he could have
killed him when he was out, but that he brought him there because
enough of them have died. He says that Hulk is one of them and
that they are all the world has left. Hulk says that the world is
in trouble then.
Hulk charges through the wall and calls them idiots. He says that they’re pretending to want to help him, but that no one can help him. He laughs at the idea of trusting them and that they are on his side. Hulk says that they all judge him. He sees a deer and cups its face in his hand. The birds perch on his shoulder and Hulk says that they don’t judge him. Hulk says that he is tired of being judged and that he is just tired. Hulk sits and starts to sleep. Suddenly his eyes blink open. He says, “No! It was… too easy, it… of course!” Hulk leaps into the sky and smashes through the “moon”.
Storm says that they tricked Hulk into the danger room. She says that they fought with him just enough to make him think they were trying and let him believe he had escaped. Forge, carrying a case, says that it was clever of them to then fill the room with sleeping gas. Cable says that now they just need some kind of “sleep teaching” device to reprogram Hulk while he sleeps. Forge says that shouldn’t be too difficult. Cable asks Scott to repeat what he just said. Cyclops says over the radio that Hulk figured it out. He says that Wolverine is trying to stop him, but then suddenly Hulk and Wolverine come smashing through the floor. Forge aims his gun at Hulk. He tells him not to move and that this gun can even kill him. Hulk says that he recognizes the gun and realizes that it was the Maestro’s gun from the future. Forge says that he doesn’t know who the Maestro is, but that he isn’t bluffing. Suddenly, Hulk’s eyes slam shut. He says, “The TK witch from X-Factor! Gotta be!” Jean says that she isn’t with X-Factor anymore, and that she doesn’t appreciate the witch comment. Cable tells Hulk to listen to reason now. Hulk starts to charge. Forge fires the weapon. It seems to hit Hulk and he disappears. Storm asks Forge if he didn’t have any other settings and that they didn’t want to murder him. Forge tells him, firstly, that it was self defense, but that he wasn’t responsible anyway. He says that the gun might have killed the Hulk eventually, but that it couldn’t zap him into oblivion. Wolverine asks where Hulk is then. Forge says that he wishes that he knew.
Betty stares in
amazement. Ross says that he can’t believe it. He says that
she is even more beautiful than he remembers and that he likes
how she has let her hair grow out. He asks if she is going to
just stand there or if she is going to give him a hug.
Hulk looks up at his “rescuer” and asks who he is. Apocalypse introduces himself. He says that it isn’t necessary for Hulk to trust him, but that he is going to help him anyway. He says that together they will give the world what it deserves.
No Excuses rating: 9.5 out of 10
I love this issue with Hulk against the X-Men. Hulk handles the X-Men as he should. The bit with Wolverine dragging Hulk through the mansion was hysterical. And last but not least… the return of a staple in Hulk lore, General Thunderbolt Ross. Kubert continues to astound. It seems there was a learning curve with Hulk after all. His work was excellent right away, but now it’s downright outstanding. 5 out of 5 for the art.
Review and pictures by The Leader