Title - Asunder Part One

Issue - 1

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Marc Silvestri

 

Summary:

After separating from Bruce Banner, the Hulk seeks a life of solitude deep underground the Earth with only a tribe of Moloids for company. A band of technologically armed government agents arrive led by Amanda von Doom. Doom tells Hulks that they have come for his help. Bruce Banner has become a problem. 

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance

  • Amanda von Doom claims to not be related to Doctor Doom.

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

Title - Asunder Part Two

Issue - 2

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Marc Silvestri

 

Summary:

Amanda von Doom explains to the Hulk that she leads the "Mad Squad," a team which eliminates mad scientists. Their latest target is Bruce Banner who has been irradiating animals with gamma rays in an attempt to recreate the Hulk within himself. The mutated animals are becoming a menace. Doom wants Hulk's help to kill Banner. Hulk refuses and leaves. Elsewhere, a pair of mutated Boars visit the Moloid tribe that has befriended Hulk with the intention of finding and killing him.

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

 

Title - Asunder Part Three

Issue - 3

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Marc Silvestri

 

Summary:

Following an attack by a pair of Banner's mutated animals, Hulk decides to aid Amanda von Doom. His only condition is that he be allowed to take Banner personally.

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

 

Title - Hulk versus Banner: Island of a 1000 Hulks

Issue - 4

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Whilce Portacio

 

Summary:

The Hulk faces Banner. In a moments hesitation, he fails to kill him. Banner then unleashes his army of mutated animals to protect the island while he fights the Hulk.

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

 

 

Title - Hulk versus Banner: There will be Doom

Issue - 5

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Whilce Portacio

 

Summary:

Weeks ago, the Hulk meets Doctor Doom and asks for his help to separate himself permanently from Banner. Doom agrees, for a price. Doom performs brain surgery to remove all portions of Banner from the Hulk's body. Placing Banner's brain in a newly cloned body, he separates the two, giving Hulk his freedom. In the present, Banner outwits the Amanda von Doom and her teammates before engaging the Hulk in battle.

 

Notes:

  • Doom owns an adamantium chain saw!

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

 

Title - Hulk versus Banner: And Only One Shall Smash

Issue - 6

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Whilce Portacio

 

Summary:

Weeks ago, following the successful operation, Hulk observes Banner under sedation. Doom names his price as his keeping Banner. When Hulk asks what for, Doom avoids telling him by calling him out on his false sense of concern. Hulk leaves. In the present, while Hulk and Banner fight, Amanda von Doom arms the Gamma Bomb. In the distant past, a baby girl is delivered to a Latverian prison. Inmates talk of how cruel it is to let the baby live. One inmate believes she will endure however, she is after all a Von Doom. In the present, Amanda and Igor rush to escape the island before it blows. On her way out she warns Hulk to leave Banner to his fate. While Banner is distracted by this Hulk pounds him. In the past, Hulk returns to Doom's castle and liberates Banner as Doom awakens him. Back in the present, Hulk restrains Banner so that he cannot find the bomb. Hulk wants to watch Banner die. The island is then enveloped in a gamma explosion.

 

Notes:

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

Title - Hulk versus Banner: And Only One Shall Smash

Issue - 7

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Whilce Portacio

 

Summary:

Following the explosion, Hulk mourns Banner, seemingly unaware that Banner is now inside him again. Hulk returns to Latveria and accuses Doom of tampering with Banner's brain during the surgery which separated them. Doom denies the accusation and counters that Hulk had always been the outlet for Banner's rage. Once separated, Banner reverted to what he truly was: "petty, cruel, obsessive. Damaged beyond all repair." Back on the island, unknown to Hulk or Amanda von Doom, Doctor Doom has had his Doombots capture a number of Banner's gamma-irradiated animals.

 

Notes:

  • Doom has some knowledge of Banner's family history since he references Banner's abuse at the hands of his father.

  • Collected in Incredible Hulk: Vol. 1

Title - Alone

Issue - 7.1

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Jefte Palo

 

Summary:

Following the apparent death of Dr. Bruce Banner, Doom begins to experiment on the gamma irradiated animal army he created. Meanwhile the Hulk enjoys freedom for the first time, until the Red She-Hulk demands to know what happened to Banner.

 

Notes:

  • Cameo only.

  • Collected in The Incredible Hulk Volume 2

     

 

Title - Hulk: United Part 1

Issue - 13

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Jefte Palo

 

Summary:

Keeping the Hulk within him at bay, Bruce Banner manages to collect various ingredients from around the world and concoct a "cure" to the Hulk. Banner visits Latveria to confront Doom about why he operated on him. Ultimately he does not meet the real Doom, only Doombots. Through them he learns that Doom wanted to teach a Banner a lesson about his inherent weakness. Without the Hulk he went mad and proved to be a pathetic failure. Banner destroys several Doombots and warns that he will be back to stop whatever Doom is really up to. Finally, Banner unleashes the Hulk. Playing a pre-recorded message, Banner apologizes to the Hulk and asks for his help in defeating Doom. Amanda von Doom breaks into Banner's secret lab to find that Hulk and Banner are once more working together as one.

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance, only Doombots.

  • Collected in The Incredible Hulk Volume 2

Title - Hulk: United Part 2

Issue - 14

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Jefte Palo

 

Summary:

Doombots hire an assassin, The Vegetable, to kill Bruce Banner and the Hulk. Meanwhile, Hulk and Amanda von Doom become temporary allies once Amanda learns that his intent is to kill Doctor Doom. Together they attack the group of Doombots who are collecting animals in Africa to be turned into gamma-irradiated beasts. As the battle rages, Banner and Hulk realize that their mind is being attacked. As Hulk succumbs to the mental attack, the Doombots unleash their gamma-beast army.

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance, only Doombots.

  • Collected in The Incredible Hulk Volume 2

Title - Hulk: United Part 3

Issue - 15

Writer - Jason Aaron

Art - Jefte Palo

 

Summary:

A battle ensues in the mind of Bruce Banner, meanwhile the Hulk takes control of their body and continues the physical struggle to defeat the gamma-beasts. Amanda and her forces plow through the Doombots looking for the real Doom, but he is not there. Doombots try and lull Amanda to their side by teasing them with knowledge of who she really is, but Amanda becomes more determined to kill them all. Ultimately Hulk defeats The Vegetable and relinquishes control of their body to Banner. Banner, on the outside, uses his cure on the various gamma-beasts restoring them to their proper forms. With the Doombots destroyed, Banner/Hulk along with Amanda and co. return the animals home.

 

Notes:

  • Not an appearance, only Doombots.

  • Its hinted that Amanda von Doom is related to Doctor Doom after all.

  • Doom is said to be off-world during these events, see FF#14 - 16 for where he was.

  • This issue was released with a variant cover by Marc Silvestri
     

  • Collected in The Incredible Hulk Volume 2

 

Comments:

I enjoyed Asunder much more than I did Hulk: United. Of course, Doom is actually in Asunder and is absent from Hulk: United, so it is to be expected. My main reason for liking the first half of this story better is really the tone. Both stories are laced with humor throughout, however I think it was more subtle during Asunder. The scene between Doom and Hulk with the chainsaw I could handle. But when you have a Doombot 'wetting' himself, Doombots waiting on a phone call from Doom, etc...that's a little too much for me. I'm the first one to say that I hate decoy-class Doombots, but I would rather see their use stopped all together than be poked fun at. I wonder if perhaps Aaron originally wanted Doom to be present for the climax, but couldn't because of the character's on-going adventures in FF.

 

For me the highlight of Hulk: United was the art. Since seeing his rendition of Doom in Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural I was happy to see Jefte Palo get another shot at drawing the character. Hopefully we will see him draw Doom again in the future.

 

Of note is the character of Amanda von Doom. I'm not averse to the idea of Doom having a biological child (as opposed to Kristoff who is just adopted). However I find myself hoping Amanda isn't really his daughter. Either that, or I hope another writer develops the character beyond her current sex-obsessed self. In fact, the series' general pre-occupation with sex was a little distracting. But in any case, I do think that any scion of Doom needs a better presentation.

 

I can't say I really loved this storyline, however I am very grateful to Jason Aaron for one thing....Doom's character is in someway redeemed after he was horribly abused during the Fall of the Hulks storyline. Separating Hulk and Banner is certainly another victory for Doom.

 

Bottom Line: * * * out of 5

 

 

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