Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #11Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #11
Title: “Role Reversal”
Writer: Jerry Ordway
Penciller: Ron Garney
Inker: Sal Buscema
Colors: Steve Buccellato
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Bruce Banner sits alone in his cell. The police judge him guilty because he has slept well every night of his trial. The courts agreed and Bruce Banner was found guilty of 368 counts of murder. All the time Bruce Banner never once uttered a word in his own defense.
Outside from an observation window, Doc Samson and Jennifer Walters watch Bruce Banner in his cell. Samson says that his testimony didn’t help Bruce at all, and that without saying a word the jury found him guilty. Jen says that it isn’t that simple. She says that people look at them and see a psychiatrist and a lawyer, but when they look at Bruce they see a monster. She adds that the president wanted a guilty verdict anyway. General Ross, Sheriff Tolliver, Reed Richards, and Captain America all spoke well of Bruce in their testimony for the case, but also felt that somebody had to be held responsible for the deaths. Archer says that when he was with the Hulk he watched a man take Bruce’s power from him. He wants to know why nobody has talked about that. She-Hulk says that in a sane world Archer’s story makes no sense, but She-Hulk says that Samson knows how their life works. She points out to Samson that on the tape of Hulk destroying the plane that the Hulk has no ears. She tells Samson to take Arch and try to talk to Bruce. She says that she has an appeal to start. Samson thinks to himself that he thinks it is probably more likely that Hulk killed, and that stolen powers seems like wishful thinking.
As Fury walks Arch and Samson down to Banner cell Fury explains that this falls under the category of personal favor. Fury says that he is doing this because he doesn’t think Banner got a fair trial, but he warns Samson not to provoke Banner into transforming. Fury says that they are ready for the Hulk. Archer repeats himself that there is no more Hulk inside Banner. When Banner sees Archer he says “Archerleopold” which is what the subterraneans called him. “Banner” says that he is tired of waiting to die. Archer asks why he doesn’t tell them that he is innocent. “Banner” explains that he is the one who caused the plane to crash. He says that he enjoyed feeling big for once. Banner says that for the good of the many that one must die. Samson asks if Bruce is in a cult now. Arch starts to laugh and says that they should have let him see “Banner” long ago. Suddenly the ground starts to rumble. Archer guesses that they must have changed their minds. A big hole opens in the ground. They all fall in. Samson looks up and in the distance is a green glow. Samson sees hundreds of little Hulks. The little Hulks create a rockslide to block the way. Samson starts pounding his way through.
On the other side a large green figure waits. Samson makes it through and is exhausted because he didn’t get a good breath before he dove into the rock. The figure says, “You never give up, do you?” The green figure throws Samson over his shoulder and runs in the direction that the others went in.
Nick Fury stands looking down at the giant hole in the cell. Colonel Cary St. Lawrence calls Fury. She says that she was against the idea of SHIELD having custody of the Hulk and now they’ve lost him. Fury says that he thought she had just called to gloat. Fury tosses the phone over his shoulder and says that he hopes this plan works out.
Samson wakes up and turns to Banner for an explanation. The figure that carried Samson there says that isn’t Bruce Banner. He takes the glasses off his body and puts them on his current body inside the body of a transformed subterranean. Archer says that he knew something was off. Bruce says that if Samson is confused to blame Tyrannus. He says that all the destruction in Faulkner was the Hulk being controlled by Tyrannus. Bruce says that when he proved too resistant that they just took his power and gave it to one of their own. Samson realizes that the earless Hulk was a transformed subterranean. Bruce says that the subterranean was willing to die for the people it killed and Bruce almost let it happen. Bruce opens up a wall of rock revealing some machinery. Samson asks Bruce what he is doing. Bruce says that he is doing what he has to. He says that he is taking his life back. Bruce moves back into his own body. Samson notices that Bruce’s hand is shaking. Bruce says that it will pass as it always does. Samson asks what happened to Tyrannus. Bruce points out an angry little subterranean being held prisoner in a cage.
Samson looks over and sees that Bruce is
working on some machines. Bruce says that he is taking back the
curse of the Hulk, and that Samson ought to know that he
can’t get along without the Hulk. Samson says that this is a
gift, and that he can try to live a normal life now. Bruce
activates the machine and says that normal is a relative term.
All the gamma flows back into him. 
Bruce says as
he changes into the Hulk, “This is normal for me!”
Samson tells Banner to tell them to reverse the process. Hulk
says that there is no Banner there, only Hulk. Hulk starts
smashing up every piece of machinery around. Samson goes to check
on Archer. Archer notices a camera on Samson’s shirt.
Back at SHIELD base Fury is handed a recording of the conversation Bruce Banner had with Samson.
Hulk smashes Samson with a huge chunk of machinery. Archer tries to calm down Hulk. He says that nobody is trying to hurt him. Hulk smashes the wall right next to Archer. Hulk takes off smashing his way away. Nobody else moves for about ten minutes.
Samson wasn’t too injured from the fight, but Archer’s hurt came from inside. He thought that he had really befriended the Hulk. Samson tells him that friends of the Hulk usually wind up dead anyway. Samson heads back to the surface, but Archer decides to stay behind. Jennifer got the appeal going, but the case is on hold until Banner is back in custody.
Bruce is seen hitchhiking towards Roanoke Virginia. Samson thinks to himself that he needs to put his practice on hold and to go looking for Bruce as a friend. Samson says that it might take a while to do, but he will find him.
No Excuses rating: 7.5 out of 10
The story itself in still pretty lame, but at least it’s over. The extra half point comes from the very cool “curse of the Hulk” references at the end. Bruce’s attitude feels like Bruce to me, and it had not in quite a while.
The art is still excellent, but there is no real action to speak of and the story isn’t good enough to showcase the art.
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