The plot of the issue pauses
periodically for a definition of Hell: it is the place of God's
absence; humanity has ruined the world God made and God manifests his
anger by turning his face away, “leaving us alone with what we've
done.” The Tree of Life has a dark side: Qlippoth, meaning shells,
which is also what “hulk” means; there may be a Hell below all
others under a single ruler....
The emaciated Hulk is in Hell with
Jackie McGee; he asks her why she wants to be like Hulk. She responds
that she wants to know what it feels like to be allowed to feel such
rage; when Banner becomes Hulk the world takes notice and superheroes
respect and try to treat his rage while Jackie's anger is dismissed
or ignored. How can she be where Hulk is? Hulk likes that she isn't
ashamed of her anger. They are met by the empty shell of Rick
Jones....
Puck finds the repentant Absorbing Man
and informs him that he was used by the One Below All to open the
Green Door and Puck is going to make him help close it. How does Puck
know all this? A vow when he was a child to live and interesting
life....
Hulk tries to talk to Rick Jones but he
is only an empty shell. Jackie's father appears, also a shell;
Jackie explains he died of the stress of their encounter with Hulk
years ago. Then General Thunderbolt Ross appears, odd since he isn't
dead, and turns into a twisted version of the Red Hulk and the two
Hulks battle until Hulk tears his crimson counterpart in half. Hulk
is now mad with blood lust and Brian Banner appears, smirking at the
predicament....