At this point Exodus emerges into the hallway. He brings the other two up to speed on their situation. Hulk had taken up residence with the aborigines and smashed apart their Darwin forces. Now it looks like he’s working with AIM and might come to Sydney to confront them. Vanisher wants to know if Magneto is aware of all this. Exodus tells him that he is and doesn’t care. He told them to stay away from the aborigines. Still, there is a lot of territory between them and the Hulk and they’re watching to see if he approaches; searching air sky and sea. The only alarm they’ve had so far on sonar turned out to be a large whale off the coast.

Under the water that large whale they picked up is being hauled on the back of the Hulk and being used to shield AIM’s sub from sonar. Dr. Monica Rappaccini watches their progress from within the ship. She’s impressed. Doctor Issacs might be also were it not for his son Adam being taken prisoner last issue. Monica could not care less about Adam’s situation. She calls him a glorified toaster oven and says that her daughter makes more of a contribution as Scorpion.

Later, Dr. Rappaccini has dinner with their newest ally Bruce Banner. She asks about his tattoo and is informed about its signifying change. This is amusing to the doctor as Banner’s most famous change is hardly a welcome occurrence. Banner furthers this by saying that it’s impossible to coexist with the Hulk as he represents his own repressed rage. Monica wonders if it’s more than that. The Hulk is no nonsense and gets direct results. She wonders if Banner doesn’t in truth admire him. Banner tells her know but notes that she seems to be impressed. The conversation now turns to the aborigines; another topic that interests Monica. He thinks his situation with them is simple. He came to them and was accepted. She merely wonders why a scientist like Banner doesn’t think to further question his situation with them

Scorpion bursts into the room and tells them both that the ship has been hit by sonar. Banner tells the girl to take the ship near a pod of whales. Once there, they should kill the engines. He changes to Hulk. With that persona now in charge Hulk is once again, as the doctor said earlier, no nonsense and quickly tells the doctor that he knows she is up to something. He doesn’t care if she screws with Banner. He doesn’t care for Banner but if she screws with him, the boat is scrap. With that understanding, Hulk leaves an amused Doctor Rappiccini behind.

Back is Sydney Vanisher Pyro and Exodus stand over a table where Dr. Issac’s son Adam is being dismantled on a table top. The boy is an android created by Issacs. Exodus tires to make Adam’s situation seems like that of Prometheus and Frankenstein. Adam thinks the mutant only likes to hear the sound of his own voice. Exodus asks the boy how they came to work for AIM. Adam tells him that their base was destroyed by a mutant fringe group and AIM dug them out of the rubble. Exodus isn’t aware of any such groups. He wonders if the attack didn’t just serve AIM’s needs.

A proximity alarm suddenly goes off signaling the coming of a missile. Exodus decides to take care of this himself. He uses his telekinesis to detonate the bomb in the air. The result is a downpour of tiny pieces of paper that read:

“AIM and Bruce Banner request a summit to settle matters peacefully. We suggest you do not make us angry.”

Under water Issacs, Banner, Rappiccini and Scorpion discuss the fact that Australia has accepted. Scorpion thinks it’s a trap. She thinks they should just go in with the Hulk and smash everything. Banner doesn’t like this idea. He thinks that the Hulk lives just to prove his superiority to Banner and that violence will only get them more violence, not an end to human oppression. Dr. Rappiccini disagrees with Banner. He thinks the Hulk is there to prove that Banner is superior to everyone else. Still, she agrees with his plan. Scorpion, Issacs and Banner will go in. If they don’t return, she’ll blow them all to hell.

Sure enough it is a trap. Exodus has no intention of talking. He takes advantage of the fact that Hulk isn’t there and he uses his telepathy to attack Banner. Pyro does not think this will end well. Bruce, and his two companions writhe in agony on the streets below but Issacs still manages to contact his son. In the nearby lab he’s being held in, Adam reassembles himself and proceeds to destroy the lab, bursting out onto the street below. The resulting explosion distracts Exodus enough that Banner is free of his influence. As the Hulk now, he moves in to smash the governor. He tries to defend himself with a psionic blast but it’s no effect. Pyro was right after all.

Down below this exchange, Scorpion is ready to have her mother go along wit hher plan to destroy the place. But, the fight is soon over. Hulk stands triumphant on a balcony, being engulfed in thunderous applause.

Review: Well there was no more from the aborigines this issue, which I thought was a shame. I hoped they would figure more prominently into the arc but this issue doesn’t give me that impression. I hope they are not just there to remind the reader that reality is messed up because I already got that. I would hate to think that these issues have no greater consequence to the larger HOM story. That would be a shame.

That aside, still a very enjoyable read. Vanisher is used very sparingly and Pyro, despite being resurrected for this arc has nothing to do either except complain and worry. And, by the end of the issue he may as well be dead again. I hope he’s not finished and we see him again before reality goes back to normal. David’s use of Exodus in this issue is still as an overconfident leader who highly underestimated the Hulk. This makes the last few pages with him come off as rather comical. I kind of liked the effect but I can see how other fans, particularly fans from when the character really evoked fear, may not appreciate.

I still really like David’s use of Adam and Scorpion as they seem to be really contributing additions to the cast unlike their mutant antagonists. I also liked that David’s adding on the idea that AIM may have an ulterior motive. (even though I guess I could have expected this since their AIM)

So, issue ends and seems to move the arc into a second phase where Hulk is now the much loved liberator of the people and ruler of a foreign land. Could be good. It’s not a role I’ve seen Hulk in before, but then I don’t usually read Hulk. Still interested. I hope The Dreamtime figures more into the story next issue.