Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #51Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #51
Title: “Killing Season”
Writer: Bruce Jones
Penciller: Mike Deodato Jr.
Inker: Mike Deodato Jr.
Colors: Studio F
Editor: Alex Alonso
Nadia greets Bruce with breakfast in bed. Bruce puts on his glasses and says that it has been a long time since he had home cooked food. Bruce says that she will spoil him to distraction. Nadia says that his eyes don’t seem at all distracted. Bruce asks if she isn’t having any. Nadia says that she is just having one of the vitamins since doctors are few and far between out there. She tells him to help himself. Nadia says that the shower is down the hall. She says that the store is closed on Sunday if he had something in mind for later. Bruce repeats that he will spoil him. Nadia tells Bruce to let her and that it has been a long time for her as well.
Some other nowhere, an old lady walks into a store called “Sex Shop”. She starts calling everything filth and knocking it over with her cane. The clerk says that he has to pay for that. The old woman says that the law ought to get rid of the filth. The clerk says that he has a license for that. The old woman goes behind a curtain looking for more filth. The clerk calls the police and says that some old lady he has never seen before is wrecking the place. The old lady starts smacking the head of a man watching a porno. Two officers walk in and tell the old lady that will be enough. The old lady asks the cops if they are the only law in town. One of them says that they are. She says that she thought so and then takes a machine gun out of her purse and blows them away.
Bruce is showering up. Nadia walks into the shower with him. She smiles and says that he forgot his vitamins. Bruce grabs her. She tells him to be careful and that she just dried her hair. Bruce tells her to dry it again.
The clerk looks at the old lady. He nervously says that he didn’t see anything and that she should go on shooting anything she wants. The old lady says, “Thank you” and then shoots the clerk. From behind the door comes a whimper. The voice says that he has never come into this store before today. The old lady says that there is always a first time and then fires through the door.
Nadia says that she doesn’t want to hear from Bruce until he has had her vitamin C. She says that she wouldn’t want him falling down on the job. She puts a pill in his mouth and asks him if it is all better. Bruce says that now it is better and kisses Nadia. Nadia looks at Bruce as he does so.
S-3 shows Emil a tape of him fighting the Hulk. She asks where they were before Emil had his tantrum. She recalls and says that he and Hulk always fight, but that the outcome is always the same and Emil loses. She says that they have determined that the Hulk triumphed by default and that his defeat is possible, but that it is possible through Abomination’s hands only. She says that once he has destroyed him that they guarantee the removal of the dart and that reunion between he and his wife Nadia. She says that otherwise she fears that there is a different future awaiting her. S-3 asks Agent Emil Blonsky if they understand each other.
Nadia looks down at the unconscious Bruce Banner on her shower floor. She asks him if they understand each other. Nadia drags Bruce out of the shower and puts him back in the bed. Nadia opens Bruce’s bag and takes out his laptop.
The old lady walks down the hall into room 8. The “old lady” takes off her gray hair and neck wrinkles. The old lady was a man. He removes a DO NOT SMOKE sign and opens a DVD tray. The tray is empty. The man makes a call. He says that the store’s owner and all the regulars were operatives. He says that it was messy but necessary. He says there is no sign of their man and that the opposition now has the DVD. He says that it is probably still in the vicinity. He walks out of the store and turns the OPEN sign to CLOSED. He says that he will find him and that it is a small town. The man walks into a bar. The woman behind the bar asks what he will have. He says that he will take anything cold. She asks if he had a rough day. The man says that he has and that no one seems interested in Victoria’s Secret’s fall line. The woman says that it is a farm town. She says that she could use a new bra and that she has a break in five minutes.
S-1 tells Nadia that she has done excellent work. He says to Mrs. Blonsky that he knows that she has sacrificed much, but that it will all be worth it when she is reunited with her husband. S-1 says that her skills in handling Banner in all respects have contributed immeasurably to their cause. He says that because of her perseverance that they have grown another step closer to their purpose. Nadia says that he hasn’t said what purpose Banner plays in their plans. S-1 says that it will all happen in time. He says that he is essential to reuniting her with Emil. He says that she has to continue entertaining Banner until further notice. Banner starts to wake and calls to Nadia.
S-3 says that
she is holding a simple remote device that will free him for a
brief moment to show him proof of their intentions. S-3 asks if
she has his word that he will cooperate. She says that she
understands if the years have made speech difficult. She says
that a nod will suffice. Emil nods. S-3 says that they are in
agreement then. She pushes the button and Emil is released. S-3
smiles and says, “now then, Agent Blonsky…” Emil
grabs S-3 in his right hand.
The woman bartender says that they will have to make this fast and that she only gets a half hour for lunch. They sit on her bed and look at the merchandise. She holds one up and asks if he thinks this one looks nice. He says that he thinks he needs a model. She tells him to sit tight and goes into the bathroom. While she changes she takes the lid off the tank of her toilet and takes out a gun.
Bruce sits up in bed. He says that his head hurts and asks if she was talking to someone. She hides the laptop behind her back and says that she was talking to herself. Bruce asks what happened. Nadia drops the laptop onto Bruce’s bag behind her. She says that it was his fault and that he slipped on a bar of soap in the shower. Bruce says that he doesn’t remember that. She apologizes and asks if there is anything that she can get for him. Bruce says that he has some aspirin in his duffel. Nadia shouts, “NO!” She covers and says that she has something stronger in the store next door. She tells him to lie down and says that she will be right back. Nadia grabs the duffel and says that she will get the bag out of the way. Nadia runs to the store, but finds that she is out of headache remedies. Nadia starts to feel guilty over what she did to Bruce. She tells herself to stop feeling guilty and that he is only a pawn.
Abomination
holds S-3 inches from his face. S-3 says that she can’t
complete their deal if he bites her head off. She says that he
must remain there until her people are ready to put their plan
into action. Abomination releases S-3. The manacles are put back
into place.
The woman bartender walks out in the new bra. She asks him what he thinks. The man is undressed and under the covers of her bed. His legs are up and the sheet runs across his legs. He says that it is nice and asks her if there is anything else that she likes. She says that she doesn’t think that there is going to be enough time for the rest of the fashion show. She reaches behind her pants and starts to pull out her gun. She smiles, but suddenly there is a shot from between the man’s legs in the bed. Blood runs down the woman’s head. She falls over dead and the man gets up from the bed. He starts tearing the place apart. He looks over at the bed and then looks at the woman’s dead body. He walks over and takes the disc out of her bra.
Nadia leaves
the store. She sees the shed and figures that there might be a
box of aspirin in storage. She walks inside and spots the box on
a shelf. As she reaches for the box the ground starts to shake
with a loud “BOOM! BOOM!” Nadia walks out the door and
looks up at an enormous Hulk standing before her.
No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10
Another incredible job by Deodato. His art is really adding a lot to this book. My only critique is that I would like to see his Abomination out of the darkness. 4.5 for the art. Well one of my questions from last issue was answered, but now I have another query. Nadia it seems is being led along by “Home Base” being led to believe that they are helping her find her long missing husband Emil Blonsky. Here is what I don’t get. S-3 seems to be holding Abomination at the base until her people are ready. Her people are ready. Instead of freeing Abomination for two seconds why didn’t she just check in with S-1 and send him off to fight? We’re two issues in and I’m a little concerned that the only interaction between Hulk and Abomination will be in the fifth and final part. I have another concern as well. Why exactly have the years made it difficult for the Abomination to speak? He spoke quite eloquently in issues #24 and #25. I’m hoping this isn’t an actual integral part of the storyline because it doesn’t make any sense.