Synopsis
At Pantheon headquarters in the Nevada desert, “professor” Hulk is working on some extensive calculations on the computer when a sudden energy spike causes him to lose all his valuable data. The astral form of Dr. Strange appears before him, revealing that the sorcerer is dying and requesting his help. Hulk leaves a note to his assistants to check the computer and heads for New York in a Pantheon jet, just missing the virus warning on his screen. Arriving at Dr. Strange’s office, Hulk is greeted by a surprisingly lighthearted sorcerer. Dr. Strange explains that the sorceress Salome split him into two beings, the other one being the masked “Strange” and now he desires Bruce Banner’s help in re-merging the two. A suspicious Hulk realizes that this man is an impostor: he is another aetheric energy being known as “Vincent Stevens” searching for a host body to inhabit. Unmasked, this magical “virus” possesses Hulk’s body.
The story jumps back two days to the real Dr. Strange, confined to the Forge Canal in his Sanctum Sanctorum, seeking healing from the Salome’s Dance virus. He sent out a mental call to the Hulk but aborted it not wishing to involve another innocent in his struggle this soon after Rick Jones’ wedding to Marlo Chandler. Unfortunately it was this aborted summons that led “Stevens” to the Hulk and “Strange” to Rick Jones. Now a desperate “Strange” appears at the Coliseum casino in Vegas, disrupting a wedding and melting Suzie Berengetti into a pile of protoplasm. Later, as Rick is relaxing in the honeymoon cabin while Marlo is out shopping, “Strange” bursts through the wall and begs Rick to become his host body. Rick refuses, just as the possessed Hulk appears to battle “Strange,” throwing a punch that lands his foe on the beach nearby. Rick is confused that both Hulk and Dr. Strange are acting out of character. “Hulk” tears “Strange” into little pieces and scatters him over the sand but the far-from-defeated doppelganger blasts him back. Exulting in the power and sensation of his new green body, “Stevens” challenges his foe to even greater heights of combat.