Incredible Hulk #131
A Titan Stalks the Tenements!
The Hulk, separated from Bruce Banner, decides that he needs to find a place to hide out before planning his next attempt to destroy Banner. Meanwhile at a nearby military base, General Ross, Bruce Banner, and Betty Ross are also determining how to deal with the now unrestrained Hulk. Although Ross believes that they should destroy the monster, Banner refuses this as an option, theorizing that killing the Hulk would, in turn, kill him because they are still linked.
As they argue this point, in the ghettos of Los Angeles young Jim Wilson snatches a purse in his desperation to get money for food. He happens to hide out in a condemned tenement where he is ashamed of the lengths he has to reduce himself to in order to survive. He happens to pick a tenement where the Hulk is hiding out. Initially afraid of the Hulk, when Sam realizes that the monster doesn't intend to harm him the two become friends. Jim even offers the Hulk the last of his food, a single chocolate bar. The Hulk and Jim decide to figure out what the army is planning and so the Hulk sends Jim out to spy on Banner and the others.
Jim manages to sneak into the military base where he overhears Banner talking about re-merging himself with the Hulk being the only way to ensure that people will not get harmed by the Hulk. Jim however is spotted by a military police officer and is brought to General Ross and the others and explains his situation. They manage to convince Jim to help them in peacefully getting the Hulk to re-merge with Banner. Just then, they are also visited by Iron Man, who heard of the problem the military is having and offers his services. They brief the Armored Avenger on what their plan is and build a new Gammatron device that will merge Banner and the Hulk into one entity once more.
Parking the device in a disguised truck, the army sends Jim back to the Hulk, who is already growing suspicious of Jim's prolonged absence. Jim gets the Hulk to exit the building, and once they are outside Iron Man appears with the Gammatron. The Hulk is furious at being betrayed and attacks Jim, while Iron Man springs into action to save the boy from the Hulk's clutches. The two battle in the streets until Iron Man manages to weaken the green giant by causing a portion of the condemned building to fall onto him.
Ross has his men fire the Gammatron at the Hulk, weakening the monster long enough for Banner to get close enough for another blast. With Banner in position, General Ross orders another more concentrated blast which causes the Hulk and Banner to combine once more. When the dust clears the only being left is the Hulk who passes out. The military is then quick to restrain the Hulk and cart him off, but all present can't help but wonder if Bruce Banner will ever return again.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Bruce Banner, Betty Ross, General Ross, Major Talbot, Iron Man, Jim Wilson
Continuity Notes
Iron Man mentions how General Ross called on the Avengers for help recently, that happened in Incredible Hulk #128.
The Hulk and Banner were separated during the events during last issue. The Hulk and Banner are not separated again until Incredible Hulk Annual #10.
