Tuesday, August 17, 2021

T-Bolt Ross pulls something readers might've wanted for years here.

I wonder if I started reading this book for John Byrne, because I've had it for years, but it would've been a slightly unusual one to start with: from 1986, Incredible Hulk #319, "Member of the Wedding" Story and art by John Byrne, background inks by Keith Williams.
Byrne might've done this a few times before, but this issue is told in almost split-screen: half following new Hulkbusters LaRoquette and Saunders versus the mindless Hulk; half with the separated Bruce Banner about to marry his longtime, long-suffering love interest, Betty Ross. They greet their old friend Rick Jones, who drifts in for the nuptials, and maybe get a bit of his guilt over the creation of the Hulk assuaged.
Saunders hesitates mid-fight, afraid to take a shot since the female member of their team was basically fridged the issue prior in a fight with Doc Samson, when Samson returns, still hellbent on stopping the Hulk. LaRoquette opens fire on Samson as well, leaving himself open to the Hulk; and Saunders has to talk the reluctant Samson into saving him. In the best soap opera tradition, as the minister gives the "speak now or forever hold your piece" bit, former general "Thunderbolt" Ross shows up, with a gun, intent on keeping his daughter from making a terrible mistake. Ross is a disheveled wreck of a man, since he had committed at least a little light treason with M.O.D.O.K. in his lengthy war against the Hulk. Rick attempts to stop Ross, and gets gutshot for his trouble. Fed up over years of his overbearing orders, Betty lets him have it, with a verbal slapdown that seems to crush what was left of him: Bruce is impressed, Betty isn't: "A tired, foolish old man. And I crushed him, as he tried so many times to crush me. Quite a triumph!!" It wasn't seen very often, but Betty seems to handle the gun she takes away from her father quite handily: he did train her, up to a point, then seemed to just think of her as something to be married off and maybe produce some sons with a good Army type.
Although badly injured, Rick refuses treatment, until the wedding is completed; it had been put off far too long already. Meanwhile, Samson rescues LaRoquette, then slugs him, claiming the Hulk as his, and they and Banner should back off. Once he loses sight of everyone, the mindless Hulk promptly forgets about them, and jumps off. 

Thunderbolt Ross might not have been seen since appearing with his gun to his head in Hulk #291; Betty and Bruce had suspected he was dead prior to this. We mentioned his treason some time back, and I know he would be killed off fairly soon after this, yet somehow return and get recommissioned much, much later. And that's even outside of the Red Hulk stuff!

2 comments:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

"Please don't hit me" Abomination is pretty hysterical to see in action, but also kinda fucked up & sad as well.
He got better since then though, up until dying. But then isn't he back again albeit in a new, monstrous form? I didn't read ALL of Al Ewing's Hulk run, but I'd definitely put it on par with Peter David's as being a bit of renaissance for that book, tweaking the Hulk's origins to be from pure evil rather than being simply due to a gamma bomb and childhood trauma. Oh that too, but far more...mystical & religious I guess since gamma radiation now comes from the One Below All, meaning it brings out the worst in people (generally) whereas cosmic radiation is good(?)

Give it a read if you haven't already. I know I myself have to catch up, but October marks Ewing's 50th & final issue of his run. I definitely feel for the poor bastard that has to follow him.

googum said...

That Marvel game I play has had both Immortal Hulk and that creepy Abomination as playable characters; which is going to seem weird as hell in a couple years after Marvel rolls all that back...

I wonder if Ewing could help with the rollback; kind of sweep everything under the rug, but to the effect that all that scary stuff is still there, if you really look for it. Next book is straight up gonna be Hulk-smash; and that will be a thankless job.