The Incredible Hulk #72-124

In "Banished to Outer Space," a desperate Rick Jones finds himself caught between loyalty and survival when General Ross manipulates him into sending the Hulk into space aboard an experimental rocket. Once launched, Rick discovers the truth—Ross never intended to test the rocket, but to exile the Hulk for good. With the capsule hurtling through space and the Hulk now permanently transformed, Rick must confront the consequences of his actions as the only one who can keep the rage-filled giant under control—while the sun’s radiation traps him in his monstrous form.

When Rick Jones escapes his Hulk-sitting duties for a night at the circus, he stumbles into the Circus of Crime, where the hypnotic Ringmaster and his troupe of performers use mind control to steal from their audience. The Hulk arrives to rescue his friend, only to be captured and forced into the act—trapped in a ring with no way to call for help. With Rick under the Ringmaster’s spell and the FBI on the way, the Hulk must find a way to break free and turn the act around.

In "Later...Another Kind of Change Occurs...", the Hulk—still wrestling with the instability of his transformations—faces a new threat when the alien Metal Master invades Earth. With Banner’s mind now deeply entwined in his form, the Hulk discovers his body no longer shifts when he activates the gamma ray machine, leaving him vulnerable as he confronts the alien’s overwhelming power. Captured and imprisoned by General Ross, the Hulk’s struggle takes a surprising turn when Rick forms the Teen Brigade, setting the stage for a daring breakout and a bold stand against one of the most formidable foes the Hulk has ever faced.

When Bruce Banner completes an indestructible robot capable of surviving a nuclear blast, the strain triggers his transformation into the Hulk—leaving the powerful machine unattended. A foreign spy seizes control of the robot and takes flight, forcing the Hulk into a desperate pursuit. Exhausted, he reverts to Banner, only to be found in the desert by Thunderbolt Ross and Betty Ross. Determined to reclaim what he’s created, Bruce vows to build an even greater machine to stop the first.

In a tense twist of deception and gamma-powered chaos, the Hulk is captured—only to slip free when he reverts to Bruce Banner. Rick Jones, hearing the news, abandons Captain America’s side to aid his old friend, while the newly introduced Leader dispatches the Chameleon to uncover the fate of a missing agent. Disguised as Banner, the Chameleon infiltrates the base, using Betty Ross as leverage to steal a gamma grenade, but the Hulk stands ready to stop him.

In a tense, high-stakes journey across the rails, Bruce Banner travels under guard with Glenn Talbot as Thunderbolt Ross watches from afar, suspicion hanging thick in the air. When the Leader’s monstrous Humanoid attacks the train, the Hulk must fight to protect his comrades—only to be framed when the nuclear device vanishes and Banner is found in ruins, exposed and accused.