Secret Empire #6

[laughing_tree]

Comments

[leoboiko]

So this Bruce isn't the one Hawkeye killed at all, but another Ultimate refugee? This even keeps piling questions; I'm starting to want some answers already.

[superboyprime]

That can't be Ultimate Hulk. If it was, has reply to Cap's speech about rockets and arrows would be, "What the fuck are you talking about?" Was Ultimate Hulk ever even in an organization called "the Avengers"?

[leoboiko]

His speech bubbles have the Ultimate Universe dimensional accent, though? (They use lowercase, like The Maker's; compare them to Supreme Commander's).

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Are there any other reasons they've used Ultimate font in a 616 book, though?

[thehood]

Don't see why that matters, when like they pointed out, Ultimate Bruce wouldn't be familiar with being shot into space or shot in the head with an arrow.

Besides, Ultimate Hulk is with The Maker, so this is obviously not him. Unless you think there are two Ultimate Bruce Banners.

[captainbellman]

I mean, there were the Ultimate Avengers later, so he could be the smart Hulk they created...

[scorntx]

Except he became a vampire and died.

[thehood]

He's alive in Ultimates Squared though, thanks to the Maker messing with reality.

[scorntx]

Spoilers, for goodness sake!

(Also, given the team recreated there, that wasn't Ultimate Nerd Hulk. Just Regular Ultimate Hulk.)

[captainbellman]

A well-known and infallible method for disposing of Hulks.

[thehood]

Except it's not. They mention being shot into space, which didn't happen to Ultimate Bruce

But no, he's not an Ultimate refugee, since Ultimate Bruce is over in the Ultimates Squared book working for the Maker and they're in space.

[leoboiko]

Thanks for the information. You guys convinced me this isn't Ultimate Hulk, but still I doubt they gave him that distinctive Ultimate font for no reason (I don't think any other Secret Empire character uses it, right?) Perhaps there's something like Ultimate/Maker technology involved somehow in Bruce's resurrection? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

[shadowpsykie]

I didn't even notice the font... maybe they didn't either... it's possible it might be the artists thing, as this art is similar to art I have seen in the Ultimates.

[coldfury]

It could just be to signal that Bruce is only partway alive... like he's barely talking.

[goattoucher]

Ben Grimm: Never an unwelcome addition to a story.

[shadowpsykie]

I really hate them making Bruce the whipping boy again... I think it's time for a new Planet Hulk because apparently they didn't learn anything last time....

[thehood]

I think you mean War World Hulk, Planet Hulk was when they exiled Bruce into space.

[shadowpsykie]

ah yes. that's what I meant. I just hate that they use the Hulk that way... I like how they treat him in the MCU better (though he needs to like himself more).

[burkeonthesly]

Yeah, but in space Hulk got to just go around and be awesome.

[mastiff]

What is it about the Hulk that makes people act like bloodthirsty savages towards him?

Maybe it's the fact that he levels half a city block every time he gets the wrong order at Taco Bell?

This is like asking why everyone is being so mean to tornadoes and forest fires.

[thehood]

Except Bruce doesn't transform into the Hulk for something petty like someone getting his order wrong.

And it's a valid question, since they act like savages towards Bruce in times when he has done nothing wrong, when it wasn't his fault. In case you're unaware, many of the times that someone blames him for a city being leveled, it's usually the Abomination or one of Hulk's other villains that is to blame.

And that's what bothers Banner, that the heroes always jump to conclusions with him and never listen to his side, even when he is trying to save them.

[starwolf_oakley]

A Marvel "Fumetti/photo comic" made a joke like that in the 80s, IIRC.

"I don't go on senseless rampages! My rampages always make sense!"

[mastiff]

Sure, it's usually someone else's fault. Except for all the times it wasn't.

[thehood]

If by "all" you mean none. I've read the Hulk books for years, the one constant is that Banner and the Hulk want to be left alone and never actively try to hurt anyone, especially not civilians.

It's usually villains or misinformed heroes that go out of their way to pick fights with Banner. And they always take away whatever happiness he's able to find.

[mastiff]

To be fair I've only read The Hulk since the 70s, but it appears you've missed a story or two. He's been a mindless monster, a brilliant tactician, a raging beast, a savvy thug, a noble leader, an evil tyrant... and yes, when he's
in mindless Hulkmode, he's easily manipulated to tear down cities. For the first twenty years every other story could be summed up with "The Hulk loses control when... chaos ensues." There have been dozens of storylines where Banner tried to kill the Hulk, kill himself, or some combination thereof. Bruce absolutely recognizes that he's a threat... which is why he created the arrow that caused his death, and why Steve's questions is so ridiculous.

It's really silly to pretend he's just been an unfortunate victim with terrible luck for 55 years, and regular humans have absolutely nothing to worry about the next time he rage-quits Call of Duty.

Just ask Vegas.

[thehood]

Vegas isn't really innocent and the civilians of the MU turn on the heroes at the drop of a hat anyway. They're hardly the best judges.

And even when he's mindless, the Hulk doesn't intentionally hurt civilians, nor does he attack first. Pretty much every Hulk incident starts with someone trying to pick a fight with the Hulk/Banner or Banner witnessing some injustice.

And it's not silly, Banner is a victim and you forget this all started because he save Rick Jones's life. Actually no, it goes back further than that, back when he was abused by his father, the same father that latter killed Bruce's mother. That's where Bruce's anger and self loathing comes from and i'm pretty sure he didn't deserve that, no one does.

And the arrow thing didn't make sense. First he was completely cured at the time, Second he has never trusted Hawkeye before, usually giving anti-Hulk weapons to Jen, Rick or Betty and Third, it was never explained what made that arrow so special. Either way, Banner didn't want to die going by his anger here.

Anyway, the whole point of the Hulk is that he's a misunderstood monster and despite that, he still tries to do good. There have even been stories where Hulk has been more heroic than Banner himself. Stories where Banner has been wrong about the Hulk.

[burkeonthesly]

As great as it is to see Ben Grimm consistently being an actual friggin' hero in these events, it annoys me to no end to see the way other heroes' characters get just demolished.

I did like Bruce's "yeah no, you're a villain now, not interested."

[remial]

"they shot an arrow into your brain."
"come on Steve, this is the marvel universe, it isn't like the brain is an important organ or anything, there are plenty of people who can live with out one. Just look at our writers."

[starwolf_oakley]

'Their fear dictates every action they take."

In the "Even a broken clock is right twice a day" category, Hydra!Cap makes sense here. Superheroes *do* act out of fear: fear that if they don't act, innocent people will die.

Spider-Man's whole "power and responsibility" thing is a fear that if he doesn't stop a criminal, that criminal will kill someone he loves and it will be all his fault. Yes, that isn't a very healthy way to live, but let's not open THAT can of worms.