TITLE: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2, Issue 326
YEAR: December 1984
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
Story & Layouts: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Rick Parker
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
We know the story of how Bruce Banner saved Rick Jones life in the very first issue which led to Banner becoming the Hulk.
But in issue #324, in an effort to save Bruce from Ross, Rick falls in a vat of gamma ray chemicals and has now become a green Hulk, while Banner was supposedly rescued from being a Hulk.
As for Ross, he is put under experimentation once again and becomes a lighting monster known as ZZZAX (who first appeared in issue #183 back in 1975).
But as Rick saves Bruce from being captive and experimented on, as the two shake hands, Grey Hulk comes out and Rick Jones turns into a green Hulk and both fight it out.
With two Hulks, the fight was cool to see! But of course, it gets ruined because ZZZAX comes out to fight them both.
In a way, this is one thing I dislike about Hulk battles. Especially with Hulk vs. Thing, you want an epic battle between these two Marvel powerhouses but far too often its ruined by someone interfering. That drives me nuts!
And once again, we see this interference between grey Hulk (Bruce Banner) vs. green Hulk (Rick Jones). Just when things were getting good, they bring ZZZAX out of nowhere.
General Ross has always been an antagonist in “The Incredible Hulk”, I get it. Bruce and Rick grew to become friends, I get it. Comics were targeted towards children and heroes shouldn’t fight heroes. I do get it!
But I just wished the fight between grey vs. green Hulk lasted a bit longer. But it is what is.
And the “be careful what you ask for” rings true, considering how much comic books have changed today vs. back then.