- "Who sent you? CIA? DEA? Our own spineless government?!"
"Please don't make me angry. You wouldn't—"
"I won't make you angry! I'll make you dead!" - ―Espinoza and Bruce Banner[src]
The Attack on Espinoza's Cartel was a brief battle started when Bruce Banner came across members of a cartel led by Espinoza, who threatened to kill him and then triggered his transformation into Hulk.
Background[]
Bruce Banner was running an experiment with the United States Army, trying to recreate the Super Soldier Serum made by Abraham Erskine before his death. Running out of time and funding, Banner tested their attempted serum on himself, turning him into the monstrous Hulk, causing his girlfriend, Betty Ross, to get hurt. Betty was sent to the hospital and her father, General Thaddeus Ross, tried to convince Banner to be studied. Instead, Banner escaped disguised as a janitor and fled, while the military searched for him.
While trying to flee the United States, Banner stowed away on a supply truck headed to Quebec, Canada. However, he was discovered by Border Patrol agents when they searched the truck and taken into custody. In response, Hulk emerged and went on a rampage, destroying the truck and causing a wreck in the border station before fleeing. Ross investigated the scene and realized Banner was responsible.
Months later, Banner was in the jungles of South America when he came across a young boy named Miguel, who had gotten lost. Not realizing that he was the son of one of the members of Espinoza's cartel, Banner offered to help Miguel find his way home. He spotted fresh tracks and used them to help Miguel reach Espinoza's compound, but Banner was then captured by members of the cartel, who believed him to be a spy. Espinoza interrogated and beat Banner, threatening to kill him, despite Banner's pleas not to anger him.[1]
Ambush[]
As Espinoza continued to beat Bruce Banner, the Hulk eventually took over his and Banner's shared body and began attacking the cartel. He picked up the members who were holding him down, throwing them away. Hulk then picked up a vehicle nearby and threw it, where it nearly killed Emil Blonsky, Greg Pak, and Bill Mantlo, who were on their way to capture Espinoza. While Blonsky, Pak, and Mantlo searched for the origin of the thrown vehicle, Espinoza's cartel's members rushed inside the building.
The rest of the cartel heard explosions and ran to help, believing an army had attacked their base of operations. Instead, they found the Hulk, and Miguel watched as people were knocked away and thrown great distances. With everybody in the cartel rendered unconscious except Miguel, Hulk walked away from the base.[1]
Aftermath[]
Emil Blonsky, Greg Pak, and Bill Mantlo found the base of operations of Espinoza's cartel in ruins, with Espinoza and the rest of his men incapacitated, with the exception of Miguel. A traumatized Miguel told Blonsky what had happened, but Blonsky had difficulty believing his story. Thaddeus Ross eventually heard of the incident and used it to continue tracking Bruce Banner, who had fled to Brazil and gotten a job at the Pingo Doce Bottling Plant.[1]
Banner continued to work at the plant until he accidentally let some of his blood spill into one of the bottles, and a man drank the soda, being exposed to gamma radiation. This alerted Ross to Banner's location and he recommenced his search for him.[2]