Bruce Banner, The Incredible Hulk Appreciation 2022

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #396
“Frost Bite”
Cover Date: August 1992
Sale Date: June 16th, 1992
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Dale Keown
Inker: Mark Farmer
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Supporting Cast: Hector, Ulysses, Paris, Punisher, Rick Jones, Betty Banner, Marlo Chandler, Jackie Shorr.
Villain: Sam Striker
Synopsis: The issue opens with a very grumpy Dr. Octopus causing a ruckus in the Coliseum, after recent events in the adjectiveless Spider-Man series. Security is called and “Mr. Fixit” arrives. Ock scoffs at having a “two-bit Vegas enforcer” called to handle him, until he brings up his fight with the Hulk. One hand clap and a finger-flick later, Ock is hauled to jail. Across town, Paris and Striker are in discussions over various topics, mainly with Paris wanting to join his outfit and he can help bring “Fixit” down. In Reno, Rick and his band are playing at a local tavern with Marlo, Betty and Jackie in the audience. Some harsh words by Rick are exchanged and is quickly turned into sympathy and an agreement to get to know Jackie. Later that night, “Fixit” and company are at a storage warehouse in the midst of a deal and busted in the exchange by Striker and his gang. The Hulk starts to lose his cool when a joke is made about Berengetti’s final words. Before anything can happen, the LVPD arrives and demand that Striker surrender for admitting to Berengetti’s murder. The so-called drug deal was actually a setup and the supposed drugs was actually powdered coffee creamer. Shots are fired between the police and gangs as the Punisher tries his luck against Frost. The Hulk follows and during their struggle, is nearly frozen in place. A closer look puzzles Banner as he sees bullet holes but no blood. Frost believes he’s won, but the Hulk breaks free. Afterwards, the police have rounded up Striker, Frost mysteriously disappears in a snowy pile of frost and the Punisher is able to slip away before the detective can positively identify him.
Commentary: The PAD/Erik Larsen was starting to heat up here. And drags on for years afterwards in these pages, CBG columns, and in Savage Dragon letter column (more SD than anything). I didn’t mind the walloping the Hulk received in the Larsen issue. Adamantium arms, a thinking Hulk, and he had him in an awkward position. Frost of the Headmen makes his debut here but we won’t see them for another three years. If I remember correctly, they were to play a bigger part in the title but because of the chaos the comic book industry was in, Marvel’s ever-shuffling editorial and the upcoming “Onslaught” event, it was all condensed and tossed aside.

[Vordan]

Joe definitely grew as a character in Immortal Hulk. I'm just trying to remember if Joe was this civil during his Las Vegas days. I thought he was more surly back then.

He wasn’t completely amoral but he was definitely more of an *******.

[The Cool Thatguy]

In the eternal feud between Erik Larson and Peter David, there is no other choice than PAD.

It really takes effort to be as terrible as Larson

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

In the eternal feud between Erik Larson and Peter David, there is no other choice than PAD.

It really takes effort to be as terrible as Larson

Depending on the response, I was rooting for either one. That letter in SD #20...good grief.
Looking back on it now, it's like two kids on the playground fighting over a toy.
Did not. Did too. Did not. Did too.

[nj06]

Gotta disagree. The setup in Future Imperfect was flawless.

"Persecution. Betrayal. Hatred. These thing don't change."

That is an epic setup for anything story.

But instead, all we have is the Maestro stabbing people in the back and not really building his kingdom

I always liked Maestro and the Futire Imperfect story-line, but these more recent Maesto minis have been very underwhelming and downright boring. I was definitely let down by them.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #397
“Welcome Home”
Cover Date: September 1992
Sale Date: July 21st, 1992
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Dale Keown
Inker: Mark Farmer
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Supporting Cast: Ulysses, Hector, Paris, Rick Jones, Betty Banner, Jackie Shorr.
Villains: The U-Foes, the Leader.
Synopsis: The Hulk and company are returning back from Las Vegas and are stunned to find an enormous hole in the side of the Mount during their approach. As the others question whom and why, the Hulk is able to deduce the damage as being caused Vector of the U-Foes. The foursomes make their presence and intentions known…as they want the Pantheon leader Agamemnon. Back in Reno, Jackie and Rick are getting acquainted at a restaurant when Rick suddenly passes out after drinking a tainted coffee. Jackie drags him to the parking garage and loads him into her car. Outside, Betty and Marlo are “casually” watching when they see Jackie peel out of the area. Betty, who had been suspicious of Jackie initially, orders Marlo to follow her. Back at the Mount, a battle ensues between the Hulk and Pantheon against the U-Foes. Most of the issue deals with the fight until the Leader arrives and creates a break in hostilities with his demand to see Agamemnon. The issue ends with a shackled Rick waking up in a basement next to a row of corpses in the same manner.
Commentary: The U-Foes are BACK! Recapping what I said way back in issue #305, the U-Foes have faced every incarnation of the Hulk at this point…EXCEPT the Gray Hulk. Missed opportunity. Much like an FF/U-Foes confrontation that STILL HAS NOT HAPPENED! Maybe in 2030, 50 years AFTER they were created something will happen…
Keown’s doing some great stuff here, and we’re one issue away from his abrupt exit…which still chaps my butt. I’ll admit, I was hoping for a happier ending to the Rick and Jackie subplot. It would have been nice to get a backstory as to what happened with Rick and his childhood (and have it shy away from an abuse angle), but it’s been an ambiguous issue since he was created. Is his Aunt Polly still around???

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #398
“Betrayals”
Cover Date: October 1992
Sale Date: August 18th, 1992
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Dale Keown
Inker: Mark Farmer
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Betty Banner, Rick Jones, Marlo Chandler, Jackie Shorr, Agamemnon, various members of the Pantheon.
Villains: The Leader, the Riot Squad, Rock, Redeemer and U-Foes.
Synopsis: Betty and Marlo have followed Jackie to her home, in the belief that something has happened to Rick…which is true. Their intent is to subtly ask her if anything is going on without letting on that they’re suspicious. Back at the Mount, the Hulk has his hands full with the U-Foes and minions of the Leader. Flip back to Reno, where Marlo and Betty confront Jackie. Things are smoothed over for a little bit, but Marlo makes an odd comment about the TV being loud…which is to drown out Rick’s cries for help. At the Mount, the Leader has been able to work his way into the depths of Agamemnon’s quarters as the battle intensifies above. Reno; where Betty and Marlo’s suspicions are tamed until Marlo accidentally unplugs the TV…and hears Rick’s voice. Betty is in the other room leaving a message on the answering machine (oh those were the days!) and is stunned to see a crazed Jackie standing over the body of a bloody Marlo with a very large knife. At the Mount, the battle between the Hulk and U-Foes reaches its climax, with Vector literally sheering off the Hulk’s skin and mass. Unbelievably, his healing factor is able to restore his body in mere seconds, after which Agamemnon appears and orders that all hostilities must cease. Meanwhile, Betty and Jackie duke it out but Betty is able to overpower her and knock her out. The issue ends with a flabbergasted Hulk failing to understand the deal the Leader and Agamemnon have made and Betty holding the body of her dead roommate….
Commentary: Dale Keown leaves Marvel for Image. I actually read an old interview with Keown in Wizard Magazine (had to be @1997 or `98) that he offered to stay until issue #400, but editorial said not to worry, they wanted a smooth transition. The hell????? Not only is that a gaff on Bobbie Chase because of who we get the next few issues, but based on how long it took Keown to get issue #2 of Pitt out…he could have penciled another 6 issues of the Hulk for Marvel!
I didn’t know what to make of Marlo’s death – was it going to be a permanent one, would she be brought back in a hokey comic book way, maybe as a new Harpy? At this point, it felt like PAD was giving Rick more grief than the Hulk.
As far as the Hulk’s regenerative powers, why wasn’t this displayed in their last encounter in #305? Well, it could be several reasons; Mantlo and Buscema played nice with the Comics Code, or Mantlo didn’t describe it the scene as a bloody mess; Vector was holding back; the Merged Hulk has far greater healing capabilities than his previous incarnations (I see it as it was a merging of the green and gray Hulks, it’s only fitting that this new one gets BOTH of their healing abilities) or it was the `90’s and wanted to make it look “kewl”. I say it’s a little bit of everything.

[Kolwyr]

Issue 9 has been pushed out another 3 weeks, so the next few issues are looking like this... for now.

Hulk #8 - August 17th
Hulk #9 - October 5th
Hulk #10 - November 2nd

[Vordan]

Issue 9 has been pushed out another 3 weeks, so the next few issues are looking like this... for now.

Hulk #8 - August 17th
Hulk #9 - October 5th
Hulk #10 - November 2nd

…do we think this run is going to end at issue 12? I can’t see sales enduring after all these delays.

[Mantis-Ray]

What the Hell is going on with this run?

The behind the scenes stuff must be incredible.

[Kolwyr]

…do we think this run is going to end at issue 12? I can’t see sales enduring after all these delays.

Ryan Ottley's contract ends with issue #12, but I don't know if Donny Cates is sticking around after that or not.

[Kolwyr]

What the Hell is going on with this run?

The behind the scenes stuff must be incredible.

It's a combo platter of paper shortage, printer availability, and transport issues.

[ChrisIII]

Marlo did briefly become a Harpy during the "fall of the Hulks" storyline when Banner was briefly depowered.

Rick's "mother" reappeared in Captain Marvel where she tried to go after Marlo again but was stopped by Moondragon and Lorraine.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Incredible Hulk #399
“A Convocation of Politic Worms”
Cover Date: November 1992
Sale Date: September 15th, 1992
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Jan Duursema
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Guest Stars/Supporting Cast: Rick Jones, Betty Banner, Wong, Dr. Strange, Jackie Shorr, Johnny Storm, Reed Richards, Hank Pym, Scarlet Witch, Ulysses and Atlanta.
Villains: The Leader, Rock, Redeemer, the U-Foes.
Synopsis: A grief-striken Rick Jones breaks into Dr. Strange’s “sanctum sanctorum” and recaps the events of the last six hours of his life; dealing with Marlo’s death, Jackie being a loon and asking Strange to bring her back to life. Elsewhere, a contemplative Hulk is walking amongst the ruins of the original gamma bomb test site and dealing with the ghosts and memories his own past in the form of General Ross, Betty and Banner himself. Meanwhile, Dr. Strange is trying to tell Rick that bringing Marlo back to life is impossible; she’s dead. Rick isn’t buying it, and counters by asking if he and Wong have come back from the dead…to which they both reply yes. Sadly, there is nothing that Strange can do to help and Rick storms away into the night. In Reno, a grieving Betty has the horrible task of letting Marlo’s mother know what has happened and we then see Rick at Four Freedoms Plaza talking to the Human Torch and Mr. Fantastic about his situation. Again, the answer is “no” to Marlo but Reed offers a genetic test to confirm and put to rest the notion of Jackie being Rick’s mother. Rick sternly denies the test and begins to walk away when the Torch loses his cool. There’s some exposition about the whole Johnny/Alicia/Lyja drama that went down in the FF comic and Reed offers to contact Henry Pym of the WCA. In Reno, we see that the hospital morgue has lost Marlo’s body and then back to New York where Pym also breaks the news that bringing Marlo back to life isn’t possible. Cut back to New Mexico, where the Hulk starts grumbling about what happened off-panel at the end of last issue and we’re treated to a flashback of how the Leader and Agamemnon have come to an agreement about using Pantheon resources to help the Leader thwart an upcoming attack by Hydra. Ulysses and Atlanta strongly object but are scolded for their stance. The Hulk has no such worry and leaps away in frustration. In New York, a grieving Rick has rented a hotel and is placing all the blame on himself for Marlo’s death. He’s interrupted by the Leader and Redeemer, who explains his connection to Rick after being cured of his Hulk condition, and offers what his heroic friends could not do; bring Marlo back to life. Rick isn’t buying it, but the Leader counters with ordering Redeemer to remove his helmet as proff…and the issue ends.
Commentary: Bleh. Like Purves after McFarlane, Duursema after Keown was a bad taste in my mouth. She’d been around since 1979, but wow…not what we’re used to. Gary Frank would have done wonders for this issue, but well…not yet.
Artwork aside, I liked the Rick story. Grief, being unable to process death because of being associated by heroes who have come back to life. The Hulk portion was a little weak. And honestly, I had no idea who the big reveal for Redeemer was going to be. I thought it was going to be a mangled-mouth Saunders, or even Half-Life. That would have been a twist.

[ChrisIII]

Not Jan's best work, really. She's done a lot better with her other stuff, such as her Star Wars work (although it's occasionally a bit too reliant on photo references, but not to the extent of Greg Land and some of Salvador Larocca's work).