World War Hulks #1 — Nick Peron

Mar 16

Mar 16 World War Hulks #1

Game Face

Ulik the Troll is on the loose, having gone on a multi-state drinking binge, and has now caused a train derailment out of Telluride. Only A-Bomb and his wife Marlo Chandler, the Harpy, can assist. The former tries to move the live electric wires away from everyone else; even surviving a huge jolt. He then quickly tosses a hit tanker into the sky, where it explodes harmlessly. While he clears more rubble, he has a side talk with Marlo, considering the recent mutations they went through. Marlo tries rationalizing that maybe fate brought them back together. A-Bomb retorts that fate has caused misery for Bruce Banner.

Suddenly, Ulik grabs Marlo. A-Bomb cloaks himself to get close enough to punch Ulik across the face. As they leave the scene, they consider further reconciliation before kissing. However, Harpy tells A-Bomb that the Leader blew up their house, with all their things.

Recurring Characters

A-Bomb, Marlo Jones, Ulik

Continuity Notes

This story states that Asgard is located in Oklahoma. At the time of this story, Thor recreated his home over the city of Brixton, Oklahoma circa Hulk Vol 3 #2. It is later destroyed in Siege #4 until Odin recreated it in its proper dimension in Fear Itself #1.

Marlo and Rick mention the following events:
- Marlo's recent transformation into the Harpy, as seen in Incredible Hulk #604.
- The accident that created the Hulk, which happened in Incredible Hulk #1.
- The death of Betty Ross in Incredible Hulk #466. At the time of this story, Rick and Marlo were unaware that Betty was resurrected by the Intelligencia, as seen in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1.

Nobody Dies Forever

Ms. Marvel finds Bucky researching Glenn Talbot. Though he was presumed dead after his last encounter with the Hulk, Bucky claims otherwise. Some years ago, during a mission in Russia, Glenn was captured and interrogated by Bucky, as the Winter Soldier, under orders from the Gremlin. He spent fifteen days interrogating him to find out anything related to gamma mutations, mostly adventures Hulk was related to. By the end of the interrogation, Glenn concluded Bucky's real name before escaping. When reminded of his past life, Bucky prevented Glenn's escape. He was then subdued by the Gremlin and mindwiped.

Recurring Characters

Glenn Talbot, Betty Ross, Gremlin

Continuity Notes

This story takes place after the events of Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1.

Captain America recounts how Glenn Talbot was captured by the Russians years ago. This happened in Incredible Hulk #166. He was ultimately freed in Incredible Hulk #188. Talbot was killed battling the Hulk in Incredible Hulk #260.

Captain America recounts back when he was a Russian operative known as the Winter Soldier. During World War II, when he was Bucky, Cap was seemingly killed in a drone plane explosion as seen in Avengers #4. He was actually recovered by the Russians and brainwashed into their soldier he was eventually restored to normal during the events of Captain America Vol 5 #8-14.

The man who Captain America recognizes as Glenn Talbot is actually a Life Model Decoy as revealed in Hulk Vol 2 #22.

Ram

Glenn Talbot shows Betty Ross around a facility that is building weapons he says will protect the future. Betty finds it hard to believe that Glenn is still alive, after years of being supposedly dead. He explains that he faked his death in order to protect her but now they are together.

He shows her the Cosmic Hulk robot that is in his possession. Before he can reprogram the robot it is struck by a missile that is accidentally fired off. It activates the robot, and it goes on a rampage. Glenn struggles with the robot and manages to insert the reprogramming key through a special slot in the robot's mouth, deactivating it. In the aftermath, Betty says that she needs someone to trust, and that is why she has come to Glenn.

Recurring Characters

Glenn Talbot LMD, Betty Ross, Cosmic Hulk

Continuity Notes

This story takes place after the events of Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #1.

This is the Glenn Talbot LMD.

Heroic Efforts

A man named Bill Davis underwent the procedure to make himself a Hulk, using the captured She-Hulk to intensify the process. But Davis goes berserk from his transformation. Doc Samson manages to snap his neck, ending his rampage.

Recurring Characters

Doc Samson, Intelligencia (Leader, MODOK, Red Ghost), She-Hulk

Continuity Notes

Samson recounts a number of events from his past:
- The experiment that gave him his powers in Incredible Hulk #141.
- His battle against the Hulk from Incredible Hulk #314.

Object of Desire

On the Intelligencia Hellcarrier, the Leader finds Red She-Hulk musing over what Bruce Banner had to go through as the Hulk: so much power and guilt. The Leader tells her that she's nothing like him and that she should embrace this power. As he tries to hold her hand, Red She-Hulk recoils, citing how she killed Jennifer Walters. However, the Leader admits that what she killed was an LMD. The real Walters is alive on the Hellcarrier. Growing angry, Red She-Hulk grabs him by the throat, demanding to know why he lied to her. The Leader admits that the idea was entirely Doc Samson's, to evaluate her psychological condition. Red She-Hulk goes below deck and smashes her way past the Mad Thinker's Gammadroid. But once she reaches Walters, she is stopped by Samson, who had guessed what the Leader had done. He plays mind games with her until the Leader subdues her.

Recurring Characters

Red She-Hulk, Intelligencia (Leader, Mad Thinker, Doc Samson), Gammeroid, She-Hulk

Continuity Notes

She-Hulk was captured by the Intelligencia in Incredible Hulk #600. Red She-Hulk was tricked into thinking that she had killed She-Hulk in Incredible Hulk #606.

Stupid Champagne Room!

Deadpool has racked up a hefty tab at a strip club and when the owners demand he pay his tab, he realizes that he doesn't have any money. This leads to a gun battle, but Deadpool manages to escape unharmed. Needing money to pay off his debts, Deadpool decides to look for the Red Hulk, as he owes him money.

When he finally found the Red Hulk, he convinced Deadpool to accompany him on an attack on the Hellcarrier. It was during this mission that the Red Hulk was captured and confined in a bio-tank by Samson. When Deadpool tried to rescue the Red Hulk, he smashed the tank and was doused in the gamma-irradiated water, transforming into Hulkpool.

In this transformed state, Hulkpool becomes determined to destroy his alter-ego. Crashing through the facility, he comes across an AIM agent and approaches him. Recognizing the man's voice, Hulkpool discovers that this is his old sidekick Hydra Bob, who joined up with AIM because they offered a better benefits package. When Hulkpool explains his plan to kill Deadpool, Hydra Bob tries to explain to Hulkpool that he is Deadpool. Instead of stopping this insane scheme, Hulkpool decides to try and find a time machine so he can go back in time and kill his past self. He then grabs Hydra Bob and leaps out of the Hellcarrier.

This story is continued in Hulked-Out Heroes #1...