Warning: Major spoilers for The Immortal Hulk #45!
Rick Jones, a former ally of the Hulk and erstwhile partner of Captain America, has once again entered the green goliath’s world, though not without suffering a slew of consequences that will have lasting effects on the character for years to come.
Writer Al Ewing and series artist Joe Bennett’s The Immortal Hulk for Marvel Comics may be coming to an end, but Ewing is making some alterations to a vital Hulk character before his run is up. With this turn, Ewing is breaking down Rick Jones, who has suffered quite a bit throughout the run and making him even more of a tragic figure. The latest development features Rick merging with the gamma experiment Del Frye, forming a monstrous amalgamation of their two bodies. The newest issue of The Immortal Hulk saga sees Rick still merged with the gamma villain Del Frye, found in New Mexico by a group of obscure heroes. It’s clear that this Rick is not the same plucky adventurer who once assisted Captain America and the Avengers.
In The Immortal Hulk #45, Gamma Flight member Puck arrives in New Mexico’s Shadow Base along with comrades Shaman and Dr. Jackee McGee to investigate a mysterious spike in gamma energies. It’s here where the trio encounters Rick merged with the body of gamma Del Frye. As Shaman and McGee possess the ability to view beings beyond their own world’s capabilities, Rick’s current state of brutality is displayed in full horrifying detail. Rick and Del Frye are not only in conflict but sharing a body with two completely dissimilar souls. While the supernatural Shaman makes it his mission to attempt to separate Rick and Frye, the hero is aware of the potential damage it could do to both entities.
Rick was not only the cause of Dr. Bruce Banner’s original transformation into the Hulk, but the young adventurer has found himself amongst the ranks of several Marvel superhero forces from the Avengers to the Genis Vell incarnation of Captain Marvel. Following the assumed death of Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America’s young WWII sidekick Bucky Barnes, Jones would become allied with the star-spangled man in the modern-day, leading to Jones willingly suiting up as a temporary new Bucky. Though Jones’ stint as Bucky would end prematurely, there was a bond formed between himself and Rogers that would last for decades. While there were previous Barnes impersonators (such as Jack Monroe) in the past during Cap’s time on ice, Jones is the first modern partner Rogers attained before the arrival of Sam Wilson a.k.a. the Falcon.
Jones is no stranger to being endowed with gamma radiation capable of granting superhuman abilities and alterations to his physical makeup. After years of being a Hulk/Captain America sidekick, Jones became the blue-skinned superpowered being A-Bomb following a run-in with the highly intelligent group of supervillains aptly named the Intelligencia. Though Jones’ new gamma-driven lease on life may not reach a complete resolution in the remaining issues of The Immortal Hulk, the character and his current state is already a lock for Ewing and artist Lan Medina’s upcoming Gamma Flight spinoff book, which is set for release this June.
