WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Immortal Hulk #44 by Al Ewing, Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose, Belardino Brabo, Paul Mounts, and VC's Cory Petit, on sale now.
The Immortal Hulk has been through some truly incredible transformations over the years, many of them more horrific than whatever came before it. The horrors that have most recently been unleashed throughout the Hulk's world haven't just been relegated to him personally, and one of his oldest allies has just gone through a gruesome transformation of his own.
And in Immortal Hulk #44, Rick Jones has become a monster in his own right, and his shocking new form calls back to a classic Hulk villain, the Bi-Beast.
Rick Jones has been the Leader's puppet for a very long time now. At least, he was until the Leader revealed himself to Doctor McGowan of Shadow base under the expectation that she would join him in his efforts. McGowan let the Leader down pretty hard by cutting Rick Jones in half, leaving his body to be forcibly fused with Delbert Frye, another victim of gamma experimentation. This grotesque new being of twisted limbs and burning radiation is far less deadly than it looks, though.
After burrowing to the surface, Rick Jones finds himself face to face with Puck, Shaman and Doc Samson, who is currently in the body of Alpha Flight's Sasquatch. Samazon goes on the offensive when Rick first appears, understandably shaken by what he is seeing and under the belief that the Leader is still in there. It's an easy assumption to make, especially when this isn't the first double-headed nightmare beast to show up in the Hulk's life.
First appearing in Steve Englehart and Herb Trimpe's The Incredible Hulk #169 in 1973, Bi-Beast was a massive android created by the Inhuman subspecies known as the Bird People. When its creators died out, Bi-Beast was left alone to its own devices. Eventually, the double-faced menace would capture the Hulk and Harpy, only for its plot to be undone by M.O.D.O.K. Rather than be captured itself, Bi-Beast destroyed itself and its home, though that wouldn't be the end of the villain. A second, duplicate Bi-Beast had been created in secret which would go on to torment the Hulk, as well as the likes of Thor and Iron Man.
Bi-Beast has always proven itself to be a formidable opponent beyond the fact that it can feel neither pain nor fatigue. The android is well versed in the arts of Avian warfare, but the two faces that come with two minds often end up fighting with one another to the detriment of their dastardly plans.
As imposing as Bi-Beast is, the villain has never come close to the horrifying new visage being sported by Del Frye and Rick Jones. Sasquatch unleashes a torrent of blows on the perceived threat, tearing into it with his claws. Rick pleads with Sasquatch to stop as best he can between his broken new body and the beating in progress. Thankfully, Puck and Shaman notice that Rick isn't fighting back, and with a little help from Doctor McGowan herself they are able to prevent Rick from being annihilated completely.
The two-headed motif might not be anything new to the world of the Incredible Hulk, but the titular character's Immortal era has finally put the properly gruesome spin on the concept that it has long deserved. With as much of an impact as Rick's new body has left in such a short amount of time, it's hard to imagine anything topping it any time soon.
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