Bruce Banner: The Hulk Appreciation 2020

[Intothevoid]

What an insane issue, Bruce Banner, strangest man of all time. Also that revelation at the end... all this time Brian Banner was.... WOW!!! I did not expect that, also Rick... poor Rick... i hope he is in there somewhere.

[Random name]

The fate of Dario agger almost made me feel sorry for the captain planet villain man bull

[Intothevoid]

The fate of Dario agger almost made me feel sorry for the captain planet villain man bull

Nah he deserved, if anything i wish it was Hulk who turned him into a sausage or something lol.

[PlatinumThorns]

I have too many thoughts about this issue, but one of the biggest aspects is the fact that Hulk can now "summon" his alters without having to be forced to do it. Imagine a Hulk who can use Devil's regeneration, Green Scars massive strength, Professor's intelligence, and Joe's craftiness all at once.

[Jness]

The moment I read "if he only knew" I was like "oh man". This issue did not disappoint =)

[Anonymousmc]

Incredible issue. The revelation at the end makes me wonder if the manipulation was fairly recent, or happening for quiet some time. My question after this issue is: if you control the green door, do you essentially control the Hulk/Gamma creations?

[Jness]

Kudos to Al: I didn't catch what was happening around the time of "isn't it fascinating to see all the permutations" but in hindsight that was a pretty big flag as to what was up. Like others, I wonder how long this has been going on for!

[PlatinumThorns]

Incredible issue. The revelation at the end makes me wonder if the manipulation was fairly recent, or happening for quiet some time. My question after this issue is: if you control the green door, do you essentially control the Hulk/Gamma creations?

Potentially but it's likely Leader hijacked Rick's body when he was taken out of the Abomination husk/revived.

[Intothevoid]

Potentially but it's likely Leader hijacked Rick's body when he was taken out of the Abomination husk/revived.

I think the manipulation has been happening since Rick was freed from Abominations husk too, but i think the manipulation of Brian Banner has been going from the start, i don't think that was ever Brian Banner, i think Leader was doing this purposefully to trick Bruce and TOBA is also aware of this obviously. I think next issue we find out how it all happened since next issue will focus entirely on Leader.

Also i think Green Scar is the one that locked up Devil Hulk and Joe Fixit, Savage Hulk kept smelling something being off and it was weird how Joe was inside amber, almost like someone didn't want him to talk at all. I dunno why exactly Green Scar is doing this though, he is the more "heroic" Hulk so it wouldn't be like him to be manipulative like this, so i am wary a bit, Al has been great with the characterization so far of each personality, so i don't think he will make Green Scar evil or anything like that.

[Intothevoid]

Ok yea it's 100% confirmed now that Green Scar is the one that chained/locked Devil Hulk and Fixit but for what purpose we are yet to find out...

[Cth]

Note when Bruce is talking about killing his dad, his eyes/eye area gradually turn gray. Joe was always the part of Bruce he was ashamed of. It was him trying to be tough.. well, the one time he stood up to his dad and acted tough would be a very Joe-like moment.

Ok, so onto the retrospective..some of these are just my initial thoughts and may be reaching admittedly.

Remember in Jenkin's run (which this run draws heavily upon) Leader was dying and had encountered .. something. It could have been the Great Beasts who have ties to gamma.. it could have been TOBA.

In retrospect, it should have been obvious. From issue 3, we have the Leader's creations from Middletown return from obscurity. Seems obvious the Leader would punish those who failed him.

Maybe that scene when Bruce returned from the Heroes Reborn universe might shed some light. Brian, the Leader and Maestro working together to torment Bruce.

Issue #5 - "Who brought you back? Who opens the door?" Maybe the Leader ascended and met TOBA and pledged servitude to it. So, he controls the door, who to bring back, etc. He has some control over gamma minds hence wiping their memory before they can return.

Issue #9 - "It's wearing the face of Banner's father.. [..] We need to get it out of us" So, the Leader should know Bruce inside and out by this point. He manipulated him from the inside so all of Bruce's actions have to be suspect from that point. Just how much influence did Sterns have?

Issue #10 - Straight out of Leader's MO. Another gamma bomb explosion with the Hulk at Ground Zero.

Issue #11 - Rick and Ross return. Two people Leader has controlled/been linked to.

Issue #13 - "Gamma radiation IS science. It's measurable, predictable, it has rules.. until it doesn't. Until it makes Hulks and Sasquatches and Leaders." Clearly Leader is on Ewing's mind \:\)

Issue #15 - "We thought it might be the Leader again" Oh really?

So, my thoughts are, Brian is indeed real. In other words, Brian is real. OBA is real. It's just Leader is acting as an intermediary between them. Leader had a stint where he was in Hell as well if you'll remember.

EDIT:
Oh, also, it's nice to see Hulk's metamorph ability hinted at. Scar growing spikes to reflect his alter was a nice touch. Also worth noting, being able to call up particular alters when needed could be a game changer.

Another thing worth mentioning, Savage smelling something. Scar acting weird. Has Scar been compromised by the Leader? If Bruce has to fight from within, can that explain why he eventually becomes what we see in #25? Will the tragedy come from Bruce having to kill parts of himself to save the whole system?

EDIT 2:
Waitaminute.. what if Scar was Brian instead of Sterns? He does specifically call out his name at one point, and with Sterns in Rick, it'd make more sense for it to be Brian instead. With the way Ewing teased Leader throughout the run, and specifically this issue has a LOT of Brian nods (even appearing in the sky) The size difference kinda lends itself to the idea of an adult (Scar) walking a child (Hulk) throughout the mental plane. He also is quite pissed at Devil (I'd imagine being beat by him earlier in the run is why) And Fixit killed Brian (if the gray coloring is any indication) so that would be why Fixit looks pissed at Scar since he knows the truth.

[Intothevoid]

More bad news, not only am i convinced Green Scar is the one behind locking up Devil Hulk and Joe Fixit, if you look at when Savage Hulk is trying to break the chain the chain cracks but then Green Scar lifts his finger and the finger glows and the part of the chain that was broken also glows and heals.

But the biggest shock yet is i don't think thats actually Green Scar, not only did Leader know Green Scar was coming out, but there is a piece of dialogue where Green Scar says to Savage Hulk he is YOU, you moron, i mean he is US, this is the classic slip of the tongue trope when someone forgets that they assumed someone elses identity for a moment. Which means this is all Leader... how did Leader get inside Hulks head? Did he assume the appearance of GS or is he simply controlling him?

This comic has so many twists and turns and so many questions i have no idea whats going on anymore,you can't trust anything or anyone.

[Hulkbanner12]

I have too many thoughts about this issue, but one of the biggest aspects is the fact that Hulk can now "summon" his alters without having to be forced to do it. Imagine a Hulk who can use Devil's regeneration, Green Scars massive strength, Professor's intelligence, and Joe's craftiness all at once.

Reminds me of legion from x men

[Ptrvc]

This Arc has been weaker. This ending though! Everything I've been missing.

Really hope this won't end with bvb the Green Scar being evil though. Or "gone" it's been a decade since we seen him last.

[Cth]

More bad news, not only am i convinced Green Scar is the one behind locking up Devil Hulk and Joe Fixit, if you look at when Savage Hulk is trying to break the chain the chain cracks but then Green Scar lifts his finger and the finger glows and the part of the chain that was broken also glows and heals.

But the biggest shock yet is i don't think thats actually Green Scar, not only did Leader know Green Scar was coming out, but there is a piece of dialogue where Green Scar says to Savage Hulk he is YOU, you moron, i mean he is US, this is the classic slip of the tongue trope when someone forgets that they assumed someone elses identity for a moment. Which means this is all Leader... how did Leader get inside Hulks head? Did he assume the appearance of GS or is he simply controlling him?

This comic has so many twists and turns and so many questions i have no idea whats going on anymore,you can't trust anything or anyone.

I thought that initially, but then that'd mean Leader would have to be in two places at once. And "Rick" is fascinated by the new transformation, which if he was inside he'd know it was coming.

Also, keep in mind the talk he has with Savage. (paraphrasing) "That's the childhood he wanted, but he got you." And Scar directing him to destroy that childhood would be a metaphor. Finally, when Savage asks about the hole in the TV he says, "Go get him, kid".. could be fun doublespeak.