Incredible Hulk, The (1968 series) #393

Igor Drenkov, AKA Igor Starsky, once a minor footnote in Bruce Banner’s origin, returns with a haunting confession. As Banner’s assistant and a covert Russian spy during the G-Bomb test, Drenkov had a clear mission: kill Banner and steal the gamma bomb plans for the Soviet regime. But his failure to stop Banner from saving Rick Jones—and his indirect role in triggering the gamma explosion—left him with a legacy he never intended: the creation of the Hulk.

Now tormented by guilt and fear, Drenkov reveals that the Hulk has become his living nightmare, a monstrous consequence of his espionage. His confession reframes the origin story, adding layers of Cold War paranoia and personal tragedy to the mythos. Drenkov didn’t just fail his mission—he unleashed a force of nature.

Meanwhile, the Pantheon faces off against the formidable Russian Supersoldiers, a state-sponsored team of enhanced operatives. The battle is brutal and ideological, pitting the Pantheon’s globalist idealism against the Supersoldiers’ nationalist loyalty. The clash echoes the lingering tensions of the Cold War, with superhuman might standing in for geopolitical agendas.

This arc deepens the Hulk’s legacy—not just as a product of science gone wrong, but as a symbol of unintended consequences, betrayal, and the ghosts of war.