Three teenage
hobos board a freight train for their next adventure. The girl, Gracie, spies a
harmless looking man at the other end of the car (it’s Bruce Banner holding the
porcelain doll that contains the soul of his companion Charlie Tidwell) and
gives him her stolen can of Smash. Gracie tells her friends that this is her
last ride; she has learned she has a sister living is Las Vegas and is planning
to move in with her for an ordinary life.
At this a
shabby demon called Patchwork Jack appears to Bruce, telling him that he (Jack)
is going to collect the “toll” from Gracie—and from Bruce. He notices the doll
in Bruce’s hand and takes that for the toll. Bruce turns into the Hulk and
smashes him. The kids jump off the train as the fight continues, tearing that
car to bits and spilling out onto the roof of the next car. As they smash their
way across the tops of the cars, heading toward the engine, each ruined car
detaches and is left behind. Atop the engine, Hulk hurls Patchwork Jack back
onto the tanker car which explodes in fury. Hulk continues his ride to Las
Vegas on the engine, the sole remaining bit of the train.
Reprint: “He’s
Back” from INCREDIBLE HULK #372.