Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #18Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #18
Title: “Dogs of War part 5”
Writer: Paul Jenkins
Penciller: Ron Garney
Inker: Sal Buscema
Colors: Steve Buccellato and Joe Rosas
Editor: Tom Brevoort
The Professor leaps along and lands behind a fence. Bruce Banner steps out of the fence coughing. Bruce gets the feeling that Ryker is always watching him. Bruce knocks on a steel door. A voice from inside says that he is coming. The door opens and Hack is standing there. Hack has crutches as he has polio from when he was a kid. Hack says that he better invite Banner, as he looks worse than he does.
Benny sits there saying it was all a lie. Angela Lipscombe asks Benny what makes him think that. Benny says that even cornfed country folk know when they have been taken for a ride. Benny says that when you’re in training that you believe anything that they tell you. If a general says that he has an important top secret mission for you that you don’t look into his eyes to see if he is lying. He says that you can lie to yourself and think that the radiation they are exposing him to is low level. Benny says that if they say enough of the right things that they can get you to do whatever they want. If they tell you that it is for your country or your mother for example. Angela asks Benny why he thinks they would tell him that, Benny says that he just wants his mother to be proud of him. Samson sits listening and writes “relationship with his mother” on a notepad. Angela asks Benny if he doesn’t think that his mother is already proud of him. Benny says that he guesses, but not enough of a hero. He says that to her second place in second best. Benny’s head starts to bubble. He catches himself and apologizes. Angela says that it happens all the time.
As Hack leads Bruce inside he says that he has a million questions for him. Bruce says that he does too, and says they should trade. Bruce tells Hack about his ALS, and Hack tells Bruce about his polio. Hack asks about the different incarnation of Bruce’s and asks if there is any truth to the rumor that the gray Hulk is the father of Madonna’s baby. Bruce says that he wishes. Bruce asks Hack who Ryker is. Hack says that to him Ryker is every conspiracy theory rolled into one. Hack shows Banner a picture of Ryker posing as a police officer after JFK was shot arresting three “hobos” that are far to clean to be homeless (though I thought Fury says that they can’t prove he was in the country at the time). Banner says that he needs to know how to use this and needs to know where Ryker is vulnerable. Hack says that he can’t help him there. Hack says that there is a rumor that Ryker killed his own wife because she discovered something top secret. Hack says that Ryker isn’t working for the government and that he is really working for aliens. Hack shows Banner a picture of Groom Lake where Ryker is supposedly.
Groom Lake is Area 51, and does not officially exist. It is a series of underground corridors. Two miles in a concrete room is guarded by a man whose family thinks he is dead. The man isn’t officially guarding anything. Inside the room Ryker stands looking at a large orb. He says to the being inside the orb that they are close to a breakthrough. He says that he will be bringing Bruce Banner to this facility soon, and that he is certain that Banner is the key to what they need to know. Ryker says that in a few hours that they will have everything they’ll need.
Samson sits
shirtless at his computer writing about Benny. He notes that
Benny seems more comfortable with males, like himself, over
females, like Angela because of a lack of a mother/child bond. He
writes that Benny tries to please, but not pleasure, his mother
suggesting an Oedipal complex. Angela appears over Samson’s
shoulders in a robe with a towel wrapped around her wet hair. She
says that Benny couldn’t have both an attachment disorder
and an oedipal complex. Samson asks her what she proposes. Angela
says that she proposes that it is time for bed and walks out.
Samson is left sitting at his computer wondering if that was an
invitation.
Hack starts rambling on about aliens when he turns around and sees that Bruce is holding a gun to his head. Hack asks what he is doing. Bruce says that he is proving a point. Bruce says that the first point is not to trust anyone, even him, and that point number two is that when you are playing the game that it is not a game. Bruce disobeys point number one and hands Hack the gun. He asks Hack if he still wants to play.
Benny is strapped to a chair. He catches a rifle butt to the face. Angela and Samson are standing in restraints and special restraints respectively. Angela tells Ryker that if he does that again she will rip his lungs out. Ryker tells Benny that he is disappointed in him. He says that he could have had a real career, but collapsed at the first sign of trouble. Benny tells Ryker to go to hell. Samson tells Ryker that he is overstepping his bounds. Samson says that they have constitutional rights as private citizens. Ryker tells Samson to shut up. Ryker says that “private citizen” has become an oxymoron. Ryker plays back Samson’s conversation for him about Benny’s case. Ryker says that everything they do goes on a file somewhere. Ryker says that nothing is private, and Samson says that is what Mussolini said as they strung him up.
Professor lands outside the house Samson and Angela are staying at. One of Ryker’s men stands outside with a sign that says “Doctor Bruce Banner”. He tells Hulk that Ryker wants to see him inside immediately. Hulk smashes down the wall. Samson warns Hulk that it isn’t what it seems. Ryker tells Hulk that he is going to use his compassion against him. Ryker says that fifty hostages have been taken at random in eight different cities, and that unless Ryker returns with Hulk at 02:00 hours that one will die every hour. Hulk asks Ryker how he found him, how he knew he would find him there. General Ross interrupts and says, “He didn’t know, Banner. I told him.”
No Excuses rating: 7 out of 10
Well the story advances a little. The interaction between Bruce and Hack is compelling unitl Bruce decides to "teach" Hack about not trusting people- I don't see what this has to do with anything. The interactioin between Samson and Angela is well done, and Ryker's move to bring the Hulk to him is a sound one if not a bit cliche. Ryker comments to the Hulk that he does things and because he is lying to everyone that nobody will ever know the real reason, but I wish somebody would explain what the reasons are to the readers.
Artwork is of high quality, but of fairly average stock scenes.
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