Issue(s): Hulk #293
Cover Date: Mar 84
Title: "Assassin!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Gerry Talaoc - Inker

Review/plot:
A man whose town was destroyed by one of the Hulk's rampages in the past tries to assassinate Bruce Banner at the airport. But since he's the Hulk, that doesn't really work out.

Still, Banner feels for the guy, and spends the rest of the issue moping about it. In the end, he hires Matt Murdock to get him out of jail, and decides to go and rebuild the guy's town.

Kate Waynesboro gushes over him obsessively, but Banner still doesn't feel like he's made up for his past.

More interesting to me is that Banner is staying at the Baxter Building to use some of Mr. Fantastic's equipment. Reed isn't actually living there anymore, but the Thing says he's happy for the company.

Banner needs to use the equipment to investigate a cosmic energy surge that he detected before heading to Mexico. Reed had also detected the surge but hasn't had time to investigate. This is building up to Secret Wars.

Banner's whining and Kate's sappy encouragement is all a bit maudlin, but that's typical for Mantlo. Also, i like Sal Buscema's art, but i'm pretty sure that's no way to put a roof on a house.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The Hulk and Kate Waynesboro begin this issue on a plane flight back from Mexico, so they shouldn't have any appearances between issue #292 and this one. Mr. Fantastic also investigates the energy surge in Fantastic Four #264, and is able to trace it to Central Park. There's no clear indication as to which issue should come first - neither references the other - but it makes more sense for the Fantastic Four issue to come later since Reed has pinpointed the location.

References:

• Reed and Sue moved out of the Baxter Building in Fantastic Four #260.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The Hulk rebuilding the town is pretty silly but I wonder if it was ever followed up on. Some writers love that stuff -- revisit the town from this forgotten story and find out the guy has set himself up as a dictator or something. Chances are that as soon as Hulk left, all the houses collapsed anyway. Banner's a scientist not a carpenter.