Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #456Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #456
Title: “War and Remembrance”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Adam Kubert with Joe Kubert
Inker: Mark Farmer
Colors: Digital Chameleon
Editor: Bobbie Chase
In New Orleans, Rick and Janis Jones stare stunned as the Absorbing Man stands before them swinging his ball and chain around. He welcomes Rick to the Big Easy and says that he has his southern hospitality right there. Rick and Janis leap from the car as Creel’s ball smashes through the windshield. Rick says that is the last time he rents a car and skips the insurance. He says that anyone else gets to save a few bucks, but that he gets attacked by the Absorbing Man. Janis says to let them see if he can absorb this. Janis blasts Creel in the shoulder and smashes his metal shoulder. Rick says that actually he can. Creel snatches Janis’ staff and says that they are lucky that he isn’t there to fight. He says that he, and some friends of his, is there to do them a favor. Rick asks what favor and why he of all people would be there to help. Creel says that he was the unlucky one that happened to be in the area when Rick was coming through. Creel says that the Hulk has gotten mixed up with a major player named Apocalypse, and that reports are that Apocalypse is messing with his mind to send out a nastier Hulk at them. Creel says that they figured if anyone could get through to him that it would be Rick. He asks if Rick is in. Rick says that he doesn’t know, but Creel tells him to hurry and make up his mind.
In Egypt,
Apocalypse is choking Hulk with the cables that extend from his
arms to his back. Apocalypse tells Hulk to stop fighting. He says
that he is the first non-mutant that he has honored with his
attention in a millennium, and that he expects obedience and not
arrogance. Hulk says to let him go. Apocalypse does so, but warns
Hulk, that though they can be of use to one another, that there
will be no more warnings. Apocalypse says that a new day is
dawning. He tells Hulk to watch so that he can understand.
Hulk and Apocalypse stand on the Sphinx. Apocalypse says that he still sees the ghosts and asks Hulk if he can. Hulk says, “Ghosts?” Apocalypse says that Hulk thinks that he has known torment, servitude, and being feared, but that he knows nothing of such things. Apocalypse tells Hulk to look. He tells Hulk that the crack of the whip made him strong. He says that, in a way, it weighs as heavily on him now as it did then. He says that it cuts through your soul assuming that he has a soul. Hulk asks if Apocalypse is showing him this so he will trust him. Apocalypse says that Hulk’s trust is immaterial. He says that Hulk will do as he says because he is the one saying it. Apocalypse says that trust makes one weak and points out a young woman. He says that she betrayed him, and that when one is betrayed that it forever taints future loyalties. Apocalypse says that if he were human that it would be most tragic. He tells Hulk that he has shrapnel in his skull and ghosts in his past. He says that he can remove these vulnerabilities so that not even “she” could hurt him again. Hulk asks how he knows that there is a “she”. Apocalypse tells Hulk that he is transparent.
Gyrich comes out to Betty and tells her that her father would like to see her. Betty says, “An empty grave” and Gyrich asks what she is saying. Betty says that she has been putting flowers on an empty grave. Gyrich says that to be blunt that she is the Hulk’s wife, and that nobody wanted to tell the Hulk’s wife that they are sorry that they lost her father’s body. He says that an angry Hulk is bad enough, but one being egged on by his angry wife would be worse. Betty says that they can’t believe that they covered this up. Gyrich says that they’re the government and that’s all they do. Betty says that she held him in her arms as he died and that he has no idea what she went through. Gyrich tells Betty that his father died of Alzheimer’s. He says that he took off work for a year so that his father wouldn’t be cared for by strangers that he couldn’t afford to pay anyway. He says that his father’s dying words as he held him were, “Who in heck are you?” He tells Betty that she has been given a miracle and to get in there and stop whining him.
Ross stands as Betty enters again. He says that it is understandable that she ran out so quickly. He says that it must be quite a shock. Betty says that is an understatement. She asks him if he remembers Zzzax and his accident. Ross says that it was all confusing. He says that he remembers something green and maybe fighting the Hulk. He says that the next thing he remembers is someone bringing him there. Betty asks how he feels. Ross says that he feels like “pre-war dollars”. He says that he can’t wait to get back in the saddle. Betty asks if he is going to go off and chase her husband again. Ross says that he may be young at heart, but that even he can only beat his head against the wall for so long. Ross says that all he wants is for her and Bruce to live happily ever after. He says that if anyone deserves it that it is her. Betty starts crying and hugs her father.
In flight, Janis asks Rick why they went along with Creel and why they didn’t fight him instead. Rick says that first of all they would have lost. He says that Creel goes head to head with Hulk and Thor. He says that he may have lost to Daredevil, but that it was because of a bad head cold. Rick says that he has been around these types long enough to know when something is different. He says that Creel is covering, but that something has shaken him and that he is interested in knowing what it is.
Creel checks in with the New World Order. He says that they are en route. He says that he has kept it vague, but that if this is going down the way they said it would that it doesn’t sit right. One of the hidden New World Order asks if Creel is saying that he and their other contact can’t handle the situation. He says that when Creel was asked to join that they thought he was made of sterner stuff. Creel says that he can handle it, but that he better be in on the inner council. He says that this trip better be worth his time. Ozymandias comes out of the back with the New World Order. He assures Creel that it will be. He says that no one knows Apocalypse better than he does and that he has handed him to them. Creel says that he doesn’t trust that either and asks why he is doing it. Ozymandias says that it is a fear of a being so powerful that Creel can scarcely believe it. He says that Creel will meet him and then he will understand.
Apocalypse continues with his work. He says to imagine all this trouble for a non-mutant, but that his technology, that was taken from the Celestials, tells him that the energy that the Hulk generates will be instrumental in the coming. He says that he must control that energy because it may be power over the Celestials themselves. Apocalypse says that the Celestial’s technology has told him that they are coming, and that their coming foretells a test for all mankind. Apocalypse says that the New World Order will be good guinea pigs to test the substandard non-mutant material.
Brian’s ghost floats around Hulk. He asks Hulk if he thinks that he can really get rid of him this way. He says that he is wrong and that he will never leave him be. He asks Hulk if he is hoping that Apocalypse will kill him. He says that if that happens that then Hulk will be there with him and he still wins.
Apocalypse says that he has dampened the Hulk’s healing factor enough to do what needs to be done. He tells Hulk to prepare for the first day of the rest of his life.
A laser fires into Hulk’s head. Brian says that he knows that Hulk hopes to be alive, but unable to remember him. He says that it will never happen and that he is too deeply ingrained.
Apocalypse says that the laser is destroying the shrapnel without damaging any tissue.
Brian shouts that Hulk is still looking for approval from a father figure. He says that first it was him, then Ross, and now Apocalypse. He says that he won’t get away with this and that this is war. A second laser fires into Hulk’s head.
Hulk says, “This is… war…” Apocalypse says that it will be, but not yet. He says that this will be a conflict unlike any seen before in human history.
Brian says that it is a war, and that he will win. He says that it is a war that he has been fighting since he first killed him. A helmet descends down to the Hulk. As Brian shouts, the helmet fits into place on Hulk’s head. The yammering of Brian stops and Hulk says, “Ahhh… peace.”
Colonel Cary St. Lawrence welcomes Betty to Washington. She says that she hears the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. Betty says that it would seem so. She asks if Cary still thinks of them as sisters. Cary says that she doesn’t know what to think. Ross enters and tells Cary that he has heard good things about her. She thanks him. Ross says to tell him everything about the Hulk, and that he wants to know and understand the Hulk. Cary says that she wasn’t expecting a kinder, gentler Ross. Ross says that maybe it will lead to a kinder, gentler Hulk. Cary says that stranger things have happened and thinks back to the kiss that the future Hulk gave her.
As they drive
along past the pyramids, Rick tells Creel that he wants to see if
he has this straight. He says that a bag guy named Apocalypse has
grabbed Bruce and is performing an experiment on him in order to
turn him into a Horseman. Rick asks how hokey you can get. Creel
says that guys a lot weaker than the Hulk got a serious boost in
power after Apocalypse got through with them. He says that
considering the power level that the Hulk is starting at he is
glad that they have reinforcements coming. Rick asks how they
know all this. Creel says that a guy close to Apocalypse told
them. Rick says that this has “set-up” written all over
it. Creel says that they don’t know that. Suddenly he
realizes that they are driving in a giant shadow all of a sudden.
Creel, Rick, and Janis leap from the vehicle just before one of
the pyramids lands on half of it. Janis asks “Gramps”
if he is all right. Rick says that he would be better if she
stopped calling him “Gramps”. Creel says that
“set-up theory’s looking more solid”. Rick, Janis,
and Creel look over. Rick stares in shock and says, “Bruce!
What’s he done to you?!” War stands there holding a
giant sword and a long whip extending from the glove in his left
hand. War says, “Bruce… Bruce… isn’t…
here… now.” Rick says that he has to snap out of this
before it is too late. Janis leaps and saves Rick from
decapitation from War’s whip. She says that he isn’t
“scanning” Rick. Creel says that maybe Hulk will listen
to power. He absorbs some sandstone and charges. Creel grabs
War’s sword. War says that Creel has confused him with
someone else. He says that his name isn’t Hulk, “The
name… is… WAR!” Creel starts to glow and blows
into pieces. Rick says that it isn’t possible. He says that
he overloaded Creel like it was nothing. He says that
Creel’s reinforcements had better get there fast or they are
dead. Juggernaut arrives and says, “Don’t need more
than the one reinforcement, kid… not when it’s…
the Juggernaut!”
No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10
I’m kind of conflicted over this one. As a villain fan I’m excited about the inclusion of Absorbing Man and Juggernaut, but as an X-Men hater I’m not really all that happy about Apocalypse being there. I’m unclear about whether Apocalypse is responsible for Hulk’s power increase or if it is just a manipulation of the Hulk’s power. Kubert’s art, or rather Adam Kubert’s art seems to lag in this issue and his father Joe Kubert has to step up to the plate to help out. Joe, while a master of the craft, lacks the style of his son and having the two styles back to back in the same book just highlights that.
Review and pictures by The Leader