In Sunville, Florida, Bruce Banner (as the Hulk)—still living under the alias Bob Danner—rescues a homeless, pregnant girl named Kate Shappe from being hit by a car after a local man shoves her into traffic. Betty Ross, moved by Kate’s situation, accompanies her to a nearby clinic where Kate considers terminating her pregnancy. But the clinic is under siege by anti-abortion protestors, and the tension escalates into violence.
A brick shatters the window. A fire breaks out. And in the chaos, Kate is shot and killed by one of the protestors.
When Hulk arrives, he’s consumed by grief and fury. Chief James Largo, the town’s mysterious and increasingly suspicious sheriff, confronts him. To Bruce’s shock, Largo withstands Hulk’s blows and retaliates with surprising strength—hinting at a deeper, possibly superhuman nature. As Hulk begins to lose control and risks reverting to the Savage Banner, he flees the scene.
Back home, Betty calms the Hulk, allowing the Professor Hulk persona to reassert itself. But peace is short-lived. That evening, the Danners are visited by Max Christiansen, Kate’s estranged father. He knows Bruce’s true identity and offers money to find the person responsible for his daughter’s death.
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Hulk #429 – “A Little Death” shifts the tone from swamp horror to social tragedy, placing the Merged Hulk in the crosshairs of moral chaos and emotional collapse.
This issue, written by Peter David and drawn by Liam Sharp, is a gut-punch of moral ambiguity and emotional weight. It explores themes of identity, grief, and the limits of heroism in a world where not every tragedy can be punched away. The confrontation with Largo adds a layer of mystery, while Kate’s death forces Hulk to reckon with the fragility of human life—something even his strength can’t protect.
