Incredible Hulk (Vol. 1) #610

Background

The Leader has captured Bruce Banner and the remaining smartest men on the planet to prevent them from interfering with his current plan for world conquest. This involved turning AIM mercenaries into an army of red hulks and taking over.

The super-geniuses were saved and Banner came face-to-face with the Red She-Hulk. Skaar appeared and ran her through with his sword, causing her to revert to her human form - Betty Ross.

Story 'Unbound'

Banner frantically tries to stop Betty from bleeding out after Skaar ran her through with his sword. He tries to convince her to turn back into the Red She-Hulk, but she refuses. She confesses that she became swept up in the power that comes with being a hulk. She knows that if she remains in that form, she'll eventually kill him. Samson appears and somehow triggers her transformation. She attacks Samson full force until Amadaeus Cho arrives.

Cho has been turned into a red hulk as well, but this has only granted him augmented mental abilities. Cho learns from Samson that the Leader combined Samson's Cathexis Ray with cosmic energy. When creating A-Bomb, and the Red Hulks, Leader used caution to ensure they would survive the process. For this phase of his plan, he removed all safeguards. This unchecked energy will ultimately destroy the individuals. Banner and the remaining super-geniuses begin work to save those exposed while Skaar and Red She-Hulk defend the White House.

Banner and his allies encounter the Leader and M.O.D.O.K. Cho uses his new powers to fight M.O.D.O.K. while the Leader teleports away. Cho uses his mental powers to revert MODOK to his human form of George Tartleton while the super-geniuses prepare to absorb the hybrid energy and return everyone to their previous state.

When the Cathexis machinery activates it draws in more energy than it can absorb. Claiming he's the only one that can absorb the excess, Banner is one again exposed to massive gamma radiation. When one of the containment cells ruptures, Samson does likewise but is soon consumed by the the energy. His charred body quickly falls to the ground. Once all the energy has been channeled back into Banner, he advises everyone to run for their lives. Richards and those remaining on board the stolen helicarrier escape and watch as it crashes into the ground.

The original Hulk emerges from the wreckage. Skaar pulls out his sword and prepares to kill his true father.

General Comments

Leonard Samson is dead. Or maybe it was another LMD. Who can keep track at this point?

Since Banner was purged of his gamma radiation by the Red Hulk in Incredible Hulk (Vol. 1) #600 we knew that eventually he would transform back into the Hulk. At the very least he did so in a heroic manner.

Overall Rating

4 webs. Pak & Pelletier are on a roll.

I will admit that I want to see the battle royale between Hulk and Skaar. We know neither one will die, but I am curious how the story will turn out.