Incredible Hulk Annual 1997
Sins of the Father
Doc Samson is in his office going over old audio tapes of Bruce Banner. Hector and Atalanta of the Pantheon show up and tell Samson that they need his help in trying to find Bruce's illegitimate son, David. This is the first time Samson has ever heard about Bruce having a son.
Meanwhile, the Hulk has been growing more and more despondent as of late. Snatching the futuristic Janis Jones in his arms, he power leaps across the state, landing near a nuclear plant.
Elsewhere, Gladiator and Oracle of the Imperial Guard are looking for a shape-shifting refugee named Elamron. They know that the Hulk was the last person to have contact with him. Everyone eventually groups together at the nuclear power plant. The Hulk fights with Gladiator while Janis tries to protect David Banner. Gladiator tries to flies with Hulk into space, but Hulk realizes his intentions and thunderclaps onto his head, causing both of them to fall. It becomes obvious that there is no such being as David Banner.
It is merely Elamron in disguise. An enraged Gladiator blasts a hole in the Hulk's chest with heat vision, but the Hulk grabs Gladiator about the face forcing the eye beams back on him, knocking him out. Hulk then throws him into the reactor, causing it to explode. He then begins pounding on Gladiator, but seeing the frightened expression on the child's face, he stops. Reminded of his childhood, he screams in exasperation and disgust with himself. In the confusion, Elamron escapes.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Janice Jones, Doc Samson, Pantheon (Atalanta, Jason, Hector, Cassiopeia, Prometheus), Gladiator, Oracle
Continuity Notes
Doc Samson reviews previous sessions he had with the Hulk wherein he talked about the time his father, Brian Banner, murdered his mother. Those events were recounted back in Incredible Hulk #377.
Gladiator mentions how the Imperial Guard had been recently stationed on Earth. This happened during the events of Imperial Guard #1-3.
Doc Samson mentions how it is impossible for the Banner child to still be alive since Betty Banner had a miscarriage. Betty discovered she was pregnant with Bruce Banner's child in Incredible Hulk #340 but had a miscarriage in Incredible Hulk #360.
Doc Samson remembers the time that Prometheus once ran him over. That happened in Incredible Hulk #370.
Reference is made of the Troyjan War which occurred in Incredible Hulk #413-416.
This story is ambiguous in confirming if this was really David Banner or the alien known as Elamron. However, "David Banner" is depicted as an 8-year-old boy, which would be impossible due to the fact that the Earth-616 universe operates on a Sliding Timescale. Incredible Hulk #360 was published in October 1989 which places it in "Year Eight" of the modern age. Whereas this story was published in May 1997. This places it in "Year Nine" of the modern age. That said, less than a year has passed between the two stories, as such, if Betty hadn't had a miscarriage the baby wouldn't have even been a year old at the time of this story.
Where the Wild Things Are
At the Biosphere on the Xavier Institute, little Franklin Richards suffers nightmares of a horrible green monster. His roommates, Artie and Leech grow concerned and decide to help Franklin out.
They track down Franklin's "monster", which turns out to be the incredible Hulk. Artie projects an intimidating hologram of the X-Men, but the Hulk easily smashes through it. Then they assault him with various vegetables, rocks and women's undergarments.
After complaining about "getting his butt whupped by midgets", the Hulk grabs the two kids and tells them that he is not Franklin's monster. He would never, ever hurt a child. Meanwhile, Franklin continues to have nightmares.
Recurring Characters
Franklin Richards, Artie Maddicks, Leech, Generation X (Banshee, Chamber Jubilee, M), Hulk
Continuity Notes
Franklin's nightmares are based on the fact that his Fantastic Four and the Avengers were seemingly killed during the battle with Onslaught in Onslaught Marvel Universe #1, however, Franklin subconsciously saved their lives by transporting them to another dimension where they have been living reborn lives in Fantastic Four (vol. 2) #1-13, Iron Man (vol. 2) #1-13, Captain America (vol. 2) #1-13, and Avengers (vol. 2) #1-13. The connection between both worlds is because the Hulk and Bruce Banner were separated in Onslaught Marvel Universe #1 and Banner was transported to Franklin's dimension. This connection is first established in Incredible Hulk #350. Ultimately, Earth's lost heroes are returned to Earth and Banner merged with the Hulk again in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4.
