Hulk Proves His Mind is More Terrifying Than His Muscles
Warning, this article contains spoilers for Maestro #4
Hulk is known for his incredible strength but he has just proven that when his body fails, his mind can get the job done. During the Maestro run, Bruce Banner had finally come to terms with his strange and incredible powers. He had found the happy medium between being Bruce and The Hulk and had complete control in his big green form. Bruce had a home and family. For once things seemed to be going perfectly for Marvel's angriest Avenger but alas what is Hulk without trauma?
Maestro sees Hulk at his most brutal. But how did Bruce go from completely mastering his powers to becoming a dystopian dictator? The simple answer is the human race. Hulk awakens one day finding himself in an entirely different time period. He discovers that he was being kept in stasis in an A.I.M. facility for many years. M.O.D.O.K. and A.I.M. scientists housed beings like Hulk and the Abomination in their facility because of their abilities to withstand Gamma radiation.
M.O.D.O.K. informs Hulk that he was taken because mankind had started World War III. The nuclear war killed 60% of the Earth's population. To make matters worse a terrorist organization used lethal methods to commit even more mass-murder after the war. The result was a dystopian world poisoned with radiation. The Hulk refused M.OD.O.K.'s invitation to use his abilities and help rebuild the world, instead, deciding that humankind was too stupid to be saved. He had now formed the opinion that mankind was meant to be ruled by something superior, like himself. In Maestro #4 by Peter David, Dale Keown, and German Peralta, Hulk takes his first-step towards ruling mankind.
Hulk's travels lead him to Dystopia, a civilization ruled by Hercules who now refers to himself as Maestro. Hulk uses his intellect to build a mechanical army called the Dogs of War to overthrow the Maestro but he is easily defeated. After Hercules allows him to leave, Hulk regroups and returns to Dystopia with a friend and a sinister plot. He uses Hercules's lust against him by having former-foe Vapor seduce and kill the demi-God by filling his lungs with toxic gas.
Hulk then double-crosses Vapor and secures Dystopia's throne for himself. This new Hulk is the deadliest iteration thus far because he combines Bruce Banner's genius intellect with the incredible strength of The Hulk. When his strength is not enough to become The Maestro he uses strategy and cunning to overcome his powerful adversary. Hulk recognized his opponent's greatest weakness, used his kindness against him, and was resourceful enough to manipulate one of the few beings capable of killing Hercules. Smashing might be Hulk's tactic of choice however his mind can conjure up a million and one ways to defeat an enemy before his fists make an impact. The Hulk's most intimidating muscle isn't a bicep, it's his brain.