Incredible Hulk #85

The INCREDIBLE Hulk #85

Date: October 2005
Title: Terra Incognita Part 3
Writer: Peter David
Penciler: Jorge Lucas
Inks: Jorge Lucas
Letters: Randy Gentile

Colorist: Javi Montes
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Cover Artist: Andy Brase

This issue of the Hulk is a House of M tie-in

Late at night, two soldiers grab a civilian who says he didn't do anything. One of the soldiers asks where the girl that was with him is. The man says that Australia is supposed to be free now that the Hulk is running it and one of the soldiers says that it is and that's why the man is "volunteering" to help keep it that way. As they drag the man off, a woman is floating in the water below and hopes that the Hulk will save him.

Cut to a scene of the Hulk smashing a desk saying "Hulk smash puny paperwork!" It's actually just Bruce in bed, explaining a dream to Monica, who is in bed with him and she thinks the dream is funny. Bruce doesn't think it is too funny since he worries about losing control over something small. Bruce doesn't think that Monica understands and when he keeps asking her, she just leans over and kisses her. He tells her how comfortable he is with her as if they have known each other longer than just a few weeks and Monica replies that they actually have. She tells him they had a fling in college which Bruce thinks is ridiculous. She recounts how she was visiting a friend of hers, Susan Jacobson, who had just dumped Bruce because he was a little too rough. She was young and stupid and after drinking too much at a frat part, they hooked up. Bruce says that they never met and the only fling he had in college was with an undergraduate named Nicky. She reminds him that Nicky can be short for Monica. Bruce starts to apologize but Monica says it is okay. She reminds him that they have turned Australia in a refuge for any persecuted humans in the world. She reminds him of all the things they are accomplishing plus having some fun on the side so don't worry about the past.

The girl who was in the water before finds a latter and climbs up to a pier. As soon as she steps up, two soldiers arrest her. She calls out for help and Scorpion hears her from a nearby boat she is on. The first soldier doesn't recognize her and makes a rude comment when the 2nd soldier reminds him who she is. They tell her the girl is a security risk and they need to take her in. Scorpion mentions that her security clearance is higher than hers so she will take the girl in and raises her fist, glowing, to convince them. Scorpion takes the girl back to the boat where the girl tells her how the soldiers told how they were looking for subjects for medical tests for good pay plus room and board. When people started disappearing, her and Jonny decided to get out before they were next but Jonny got taken before they could get away. The girl asks her to find Jonny, who has a Captain America shield tattoo on his arm, and Scorpion promises she will.

Bruce is sitting in his office having a meeting when he is told that there is not enough housing for all the people coming into the country. Instead of putting a cap on how many people come in, he says that the immigrants can start building new homes. Bruce is told that they would need to import raw materials and that other mutant controlled countries do not want to deal with them. Bruce is surprised by this and calls for Adam. He tells Adam to take down the following message "To whom it may concern, from the government of Australia. Cooperate with us on all business matters...or Hulk will smash" and to circulate it to every nation government he can think of. One of his staff members then brings up the subject that it would be good for the people to see the Hulk as he is a symbol of strength and power. Bruce says that the Hulk is not a party trick and leaves the room. Bruce walks down a hallway, past a statue of an Aborigine when he hears the voice of the old Aborigine from his tribe telling him that the dreamtime can do great damage and that people are disappearing. Bruce is startled when Scorpion comes in and says there is a situation.

Bruce and Scorpion go in disguise to volunteer for medical experiments. Scorpion grabs the soldiers hand and knocks him out. They look around the room for evidence and Bruce finds a button under the desk which opens a secret door. They go down some stairs and walk through an underground tunnel and come out in a room full of a large amount of doctors working on turning humans into cyborgs. Someone notices them and sends cyborgs after them. Bruce jumps over a balcony and turns into the Hulk as he lands where all the doctors are. Scorpion is fighting the cyborgs when one sneaks up behind her with a Captain America shield tattoo on his arm. The cyborgs surround the Hulk and start firing on him, which he takes as a joke. Suddenly, Dr. Isaac comes running out and tells the cyborgs to stop and asks the Hulk why he is here. Dr. Isaac explains how they are building an army to take back earth for humans and the Hulk asks why he was not told of it. Dr. Issace replies that Monica thought it would be best if the project was kept confidential. Monica watched the whole incident on a monitor and realizes she has a problem.

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