Incredible Hulk (2023 series) #26

Hulk has a vision of several people, including his son Skaar, burning before a flaming door, hearing a voice calling, “This door will be opened. If none of you have the strength, I will find the one who does….” Hulk broods on this as Charlie stands amazed that a deer will eat out of her hand. Hulk wanders off and encounters Winter Soldier in the woods. Bucky says he just wants to talk but Hulk attacks. Bucky fires his gun containing cosmic-irradiated bullets and then Hulk steps on a mine that creates a time-disruption field, slowing him down long enough for Bucky to say his piece. But Bucky is attacked by Charlie, demanding they be left alone—and then she recognizes him as her hero Bucky Barnes (second only to Captain America). Bucky tries to talk to her about her powers but the time mine has worn off and Hulk seizes Bucky who starts to tell him about how four Gamma people have vanished, including Doc Samson…and Skaar. Bucky wants to talk to Bruce Banner but Hulk tells him Banner is gone; he releases Bucky and tells him to leave. Charlie follows him, telling him she and Hulk are friends and he keeps her safe. Bucky warns her to leave him before there is real danger….

Late that night, Charlie broods over Bucky’s words and she asks to see Banner. She is then transported into the Hulkscape. She hears Banner’s voice telling her to get out while she argues that Hulk isn’t really a monster. She enters a cave and what she sees (that we don’t) terrifies her. She turns and runs, pursued by goblins and the ground collapses under her, dropping her into the mouth of a giant Hulk. Her face burning in the campfire awakens her in a panic. What she saw has convinced her that she and Hulk really are monsters and she transforms into her winged wolf form and flies off, screaming, “I don’t want to be like them!” Hulk watches her go….