Issue(s): Hulk #277, Hulk #278, Hulk #279
Published Date: Nov 82 - Jan 83
Title: "What friends are for!" / "Amnesty!" / "Acceptance"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Joe Sinnott / Greg LaRocque - Inker
Ann Nocenti - Assistant Editor
Al Milgrom - Editor

Review/plot:
The U-Foes cut into prime time television in order to broadcast the death of Bruce Banner.

The Fantastic Four, Defenders, and Avengers, and just about every other super-hero are unable to track the signal.

I was wondering why Daredevil was talking about Bruce Banner like he was a "creature" but then i remembered he was blind.

Even Dr. Strange is somehow prevented from tracking things mystically, and Professor X similarly finding his mental powers blocked. It's apparently an ability of Vector's to deflect all forms of detection. Seems a bit iffy.

Especially since Bereet is able to track them down with her weirdo toys. Her toys attack the U-Foes and free Banner.

This time, Hulk smashes the U-Foes.

The Hulk then heads to New York to get the Fantastic Four's help in clearing his name now that he's got Banner's mind. Bereet flies the Hulk there in her spaceship, and Rick goes with, but Betty opts to stay behind, and Doc Samson soon shows up to console her. After a quick misunderstanding fight...

...the FF agree to help the Hulk. Soon, every super-hero in America shows up on the White House's lawn to petition for amnesty for the Hulk.

Click to crowd-size

Conveniently, a fleet of UFOs show up to attack the crowd of heroes...

...and the Hulk leads the way in destroying them.

Bereet recognizes the UFOs as being an illusion from one of her movies, but no one listens to her. The illusions are in fact generated by the Leader, who acquired some of Bereet's discarded technology.

The Hulk's heroics and the support from the other heroes (although several of the heroes, including the X-Men and Spider-Man, could probably use amnesty of their own) force the president (Reagan) to grant the Hulk amnesty.

Next, a parade is thrown for the Hulk in New York...

Click to, er, parade-size.

...and he's given the key to the city...

...and presented a giant adamantium statue of him created by Alicia Masters. The idea of Masters creating a giant statue (apparently over a 'few days') out of the hardest material on the planet is ridiculous, of course.

Everyone (and i mean everyone) shows up to well-wish the Hulk.

Betty does not join in, however.

Certainly a momentous occasion, and it was probably pretty cool at the time to see so many heroes in one book, but there's no denying that the writing is just terrible.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - Hulk is granted amnesty

Chronological Placement Considerations: Takes place a short time after Hulk #276. The U-Foes have taken Bruce Banner to an undisclosed location to broadcast his death. The Thing is in his rocky form, placing this after Fantastic Four #245. The Avengers shown are Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and the Wasp, but that doesn't preclude this occurring at a time when there are additional members. The Defenders shown are Dr. Strange, Beast, Gargoyle, Hellcat, and Hellstorm. The MCP places this between Fantastic Four #248-249, Avengers #226-227, and Defenders #117-118. Must also take place after ROM #35. Takes place after the X-Men return from their trip in space, so after Uncanny X-Men #167 (in Hulk #277 Xavier makes a reference to the X-Men still being in space, but then all the X-Men show up for issues #278-279. That's difficult for me because i have the X-Men appearing in Contest of Champions after they return from space, and the Hulk is still "dumb" at that time. The MCP make it work by placing Contest of Champions during X-Men #161 instead of after #167, but i'm going to cop out at least for now and say that the X-Men are just briefly back up in space talking to the Starjammers during Hulk #277)(Xavier is still in a wheelchair, which also might suggest pre-#167 placement due to the fact that his mind is transferred into the body of a non-crippled clone in #167, but it's shown for several issues after #167 that he still has trouble walking in the new body, so it's safe for him to still make guest appearances in the chair).

References:

• The Sub-Mariner is too busy overseeing the rebuilding of Atlantis after the events of ROM #35.
  
• Apropo of nothing, Daredevil remembers how he once defended the Hulk in a court of law in Hulk #152-153.
  
• Sasquatch was the first super-hero to know that the Hulk now possessed the mind of Bruce Banner, since they met right when the Hulk returned to Earth with his new intelligence in Hulk #272.
  
• The Soviet Super-Soliders remember that the Hulk fought alongside them in Hulk #259.
  
• General Ross tells Doc Samson that he blames the Hulk for the death of Glenn Talbot in Hulk #260.
  
• The Leader learned that the Hulk had gained Banner's intelligence when his agent Jackdaw sent Megalith to fight him in Hulk #275.
  
• The U-Foes recount their origin from Hulk #254. The re-telling reminds me that the U-Foes were basically defeated because their powers went wild, and they don't really have any legitimate reason to pursue a vendetta against the Hulk.
  
• The Hulk unwittingly freed Ironclad in Hulk #274.
  
• The Fantastic Four are still doing some repairs after the attack from Terrax in Fantastic Four #243.
  
• The Thing utters one of his Aunt Petunia exclamations and there's a pointless reference to her on-panel appearance in Fantastic Four #239.
  
• There are references to Hulk #1 and Avengers #1 during the ceremony in New York.

Cross-over: N/A

Continuity Implant? N

Reprinted In: N/A

It was at this time that the Machine Man mini-series was first announced.

A Hulk Graphic Novel by Shooter/Blevins/Colletta was announced at about this time.

Pretty funny how between issues the Hulk just leaves Betty with the U-Foes. Vapor wasn't even defeated - hope you'll be fine, Betty!