Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Rampaging Hulk, The / The Hulk! #24 Synopsis by
Barry Harter
The Hulk is ambling through somewhere in the mid-west when he discovers Chief John of a Cherokee tribe holding a soliloquy with his ancestors at a burial ground. Chief John believes the Hulk to be a creature of myth of his people. During their talk, the Hulk makes a friend, but is attacked by the National Guard under orders of Gov. Carl Carruthers. While Chief John rails against the Guard for attacking on the sacred burial ground, the Hulk puts up a fight, all according to Carruthers plan. What the governor hadnt counted on was the Hulks new friend advising him to escape when the gas bombs begin to weaken the Indian chiefs new ally. But, not before Chief John can bestow upon the Hulk a talisman. The Hulk does escape and hides away until the National Guard can pass by him. The inactivity and gas combine and he transforms back to Bruce Banner to be found by a member of a religious sect much like the Amish. In the mean time, readers learn of Carruthers plans to become president of the United States using what he describes as an unsafe dam as his platform. Bruce awakens and meets Wiseman Klaggert and his wife ,Emma, who are caring for him. While an outsider, their faith will not allow them to turn away a fellow human in need and Bruce is allowed sanctuary for a time. Meanwhile, Chief John has been invited to Carruthers office where the governor persuades the old Indian to unwittingly help him on his way to the oval office. Chief John is to organize a demonstration at the dam as a publicity stunt. Bruce is re-introduced two pages later as the National Guard move into the small village where he is hiding. They are acting on orders from the governor to bulldoze it to the ground and move the sect out on the pretense the area will soon be flooded because of the dam. Wiseman Klaggert moves against the guard, but Bruce is able to convince him violence will solve nothing. As thanks, Klaggert secrets Bruce away in the caravan from their home. Before the displaced people can go far, they encounter the demonstration and Bruce spies Chief John. Recognition dawns on him and the wisp of memory from the Hulks encounter with the chief causes him to turn himself over to the authorities to help defuse the situation. Carruthers escorts him into the dam where Bruce learns of the governors plot to blow open the flood gates and send tons of water crashing through the valley. Of course this means the loss of thousands of lives will be lost, but Carruthers reasons the loss will be acceptable in his journey to the White House. His platform of the unsafe dam will sweep him into the presidency. Bruce, feeling all will be well when the Hulk makes his appearance, suddenly realizes that he is expecting the change which allows him to remain calm meaning the transformation wont take place. Not until the fateful switch is thrown and the waters begin to cascade unimpeded into the valley does anxiety trigger the change. Chief John tells the Hulk what he must do to save the lives of those present and below and with his gamma-hued muscles, closes the gates before the disaster can happen. But, he is unable to stop the drowning of Chief John who dies in his arms. Wondering why the water flow has stopped, Carruthers and the other onlookers finally see Bruce emerge carrying the chief. As the television news cameras roll, Bruce knocks Carruthers to the ground with a roundhouse to the jaw and continues to beat him while berating him for the governors evil plot. Carruthters screams at Bruce as he walks away claiming his supporters will not allow the governor to be treated so shabbily, but the truth is out and he is left alone while the voice of one of the crowd echoes in his ears that it wasnt Bruce who turned them against Carruthers, but he himself.