In the Below-Place, the Leader introduces himself to Brian
Banner desiring to take his place as the conduit for the hideous One Below All.
So, Leader extends a tentacle from his face to Banner’s face, sucking him into
himself; the One Below All tells Leader “You bear my mark.” Leader promises
that he can capture the Hulk for this master, breaking down his defenses, entering
into his Mindscape….
In the Mindscape, the Leader, in World Breaker’s body, is
being brutally beaten by Devil Hulk; Leader tries switching to Brian Banner’s
appearance and challenging Devil Hulk. Bruce Banner tries to stand up to his
father but Savage Hulk can’t do it through fear. Leader, in a hybrid monster
form, seizes Bruce Banner and carries him off; Devil Hulk pursues but Savage
Hulk holds him back, crying to him not to hurt his father but just to love him.
As Devil Hulk is immobilized, Leader rips him open and tears out his heart and
rewards Savage Hulk by telling him “I love you,” before vanishing through the
Green Door with Bruce. Joe Fixit berates Hulk who can only cry helplessly….
Outside Bruce Banner’s mind, we see that Puck and Gamma
Flight have the wounded Hulk prisoner (see issue #37). As Joe continues to
scream at him, Bruce, now the blind trunk of a tree growing out of Devil Hulk’s
corpse can only moan, “I think I killed the Hulk….”