Warning: contains spoilers for Immortal Hulk #48
To say that Bruce Banner and the Hulk have a complicated relationship with the Red She-Hulk Betty Ross is an understatement. Though Bruce has always loved Betty, and she has mostly returned his affections, his alter ego as Hulk has provided tension. Further making things difficult was when Betty gained Hulk powers of her own and became the Red She-Hulk. Now, their relationship is at its strangest point ever after Betty cheated on Bruce Banner with the Hulk.
Though the Immortal Hulk series has definitely been tough on its titular character lately, Bruce Banner has had things even worse. Throughout the series, Betty has remained incredibly cold toward her husband, refusing to change into a human anytime Bruce was in the room. This eventually led Betty to abandon Bruce altogether, though unfortunately, that was the least of his problems. Later, as a result of the Leader's machinations, Bruce Banner was captured and tortured in an eldritch hellscape. With only Joe Fixit and the child-like Hulk in control, they found themselves in increasingly hot water, culminating in a fight with the Avengers. Betty returned to help Joe in the fight, which ended with Hulk and his group escaping. Unable to help themselves, Joe and Betty immediately start making out.
Now, in Immortal Hulk #48 from Al Ewing and Joe Bennet, readers see the fallout of everything that has happened between Hulk and Betty. The two wake up in bed together, and Joe immediately asks about the status of their relationship. Though Joe is serious, Betty is uncharacteristically evasive, joking that they're an old married couple. Joe rejects the idea by stating that he and Banner are different. Things turn much more serious when Betty learns that the Hulks left Bruce to be tortured. When the topic turns back to their relationship and how careless Bruce can be, Joe tells her that he's trying to be better and that he loves her. Joe asks if she thinks he could ever be fully good, but when he turns around to face her, she's gone. Though his wife may have left, her conversation clearly meant something, as Joe immediately announces that he and his team need to find Bruce.
While Betty leaving Bruce might initially seem harsh, given the entire history of their relationship, it makes sense. There's almost a commentary on the nature of superheroes in there. Joe promises that he's changing, and available evidence even supports that, with Joe acting less selfish than ever. Despite this though, the desire to return things to status quo will have to make readers wonder how long it will take for some writer to have Joe, Bruce, and the other Hulks slip into old habits. Though the comic heavily implies that Betty left, the letters section states that Betty will reappear in the upcoming Defenders series, meaning it's possible that Doctor Strange teleported her away.
Regardless of the specifics of what happens next for these characters though, the most interesting thing about Betty and Joe's conversation is how it reflects their present. Joe's language is constantly separating him from Banner, coming across almost like a defense mechanism for Banner, as though Bruce is blameless for Joe's selfish actions. In contrast, Betty wastes no time establishing that Joe is a part of Bruce, and therefore inseparable from him. The comic seems to side with Betty, as Joe never corrects her and doesn't argue with her. Joe Fixit may think Red She-Hulk cheated on Bruce Banner with Hulk, but the truth is much more complicated.
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July 12, 2021 at 12:14AM
