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- "Whatever you were back there...If I had you on my side..."
"It isn't on anyone's side." - ―Rick Jones and Bruce Banner[src]
Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a computer hacker who discovered the plans of the secret organization Enclave. Rescued by Hulk, Jones became an ally and helped him in his subsequent fights to defeat the organization and the multiple enemies coming after Hulk.
Biography[]
Meeting the Hulk[]
- "Look. I'm as good as dead on my own. So if you wanted me to die, you shouldn't have wasted the effort saving me in the first place."
- ―Rick Jones to Bruce Banner[src]
An Enclave legionary uses a Mind Control Device on Jones
Rick Jones discovered information that the Enclave wanted to keep hidden, prompting them to target him. The Enclave sent specialists in artificial intelligence after Jones, who located him and brainwashed him using a Mind Control Device. They brought him to the top of a tall building and ordered him to jump off the edge to his death. As he was about to go through with this action, Hulk spotted them and intervened. With his captors defeated, Jones came back to his senses and introduced himself. Hulk then turned back into Bruce Banner, whom Jones was familiar with. Jones explained to Banner that the Enclave was using Manhattan as a giant test site, and Banner agreed to help Jones defeat the Enclave despite his insistence that Hulk was not on anyone's side. Jones gave him a transmitter to place in his ear so that they could contact one another. He also warned Banner to watch his back, as the United States Army was in the city.
Jones continued investigating the Enclave and found a lead on a lab they ran, so he contacted Hulk and told him about it, asking him to destroy it. Hulk destroyed the building, attracting the Army's attention. As Hulk fought the Army, Jones warned Hulk that he might not be able to fight an activated strike team. He suggested that Hulk escape the Army using the subway. Hulk followed Jones' suggestion and avoided the Army, so Jones congratulated him.[1]
Hunted by the Enclave[]
Jones stole a tank from the Ceres sector of the Enclave, prompting them to chase him. He called Bruce Banner for help, telling him that he needed a safe house and acknowledging that he should avoid trouble. Hulk fought through Enclave's soldiers while Jones fired from the tank and hummed Ride of the Valkyries. Once they arrived, Jones thanked Hulk and explained that he was following a lead and that he would tell Hulk when he knew more.[1]
Stopping the Earthquake Bombs[]
- "Why don't we leave it alone?"
"We can't - they're too dangerous and people could get hurt." - ―Bruce Banner and Rick Jones[src]
Jones got information about Vulcan, the Enclave's weather manipulation division, making Earthquake Bombs and called Bruce Banner about it, asking for help getting to them in time to disarm them. Banner suggested they leave it alone, but Jones insisted that they could not and threatened to do it alone, causing Banner to hesitantly agree to help. Jones met with the Hulk, who carried Jones to the first bomb. Jones disarmed the bomb while Hulk fought off the Enclave soldiers and then moved on to the next one, disarming that one as well. Jones then told the Hulk that the bombs came from a specific research facility as they went to the third bomb.
Once the third bomb was destroyed, Jones and Hulk went to the Jupiter Research Base where the bombs were made. Jones noticed a shield around the base being created by generators, so Hulk destroyed them. With the shield down, Hulk was able to destroy the lab. Jones investigated the rubble and noted that there was nothing to help them determine what the Enclave were planning.[1]
Finding the Kyklops[]
Jones called Bruce Banner to tell him he found a large robot, but the call cut off before he could give any more information. Hulk brought the monster down, impressing Jones. The robot initiated a self-destruct sequence, so Hulk picked Jones up and ran away. Jones thanked Hulk and offered help if Hulk ever needed it as Hulk walked away.[1]
Helping Bruce Banner[]
Rick Jones alerted Bruce Banner that the United States Armed Forces were heading to Utrecht Laboratories to arrest Simon Utrecht due to his experiments with atmospheric energy. Jones informed Banner that the building was experiencing a massive radiation spike from its unstable antennae and that the side effects would be very bad. Hulk destroyed the antennae and the building, but Utrecht and his comrades Ann Darnell, Michael Steel and James Darnell emerged from the wreckage as the superpowered U-Foes. Hulk promptly fought and defeated them, though they vowed to kill him if he interfered again.
Samuel Sterns sent Hulk to retrieve nanites to create a delivery mechanism for the cure he was working on, so Jones informed him that the nanites had been loaded into a garbage truck somewhere in the city and that the army was looking for them as well. Hulk located the nanites and delivered them to Sterns at Empire State University.[1]
Missile Strike[]
When Major Glenn Talbot ordered a missile strike on Hulk, Jones alerted Hulk and advised him to move to a less populated area. He then instructed Hulk to destroy the satellite which controlled the missiles, but more missiles were sent. Jones suspected the satellite to have been a repeater, so he found the source, a radio tower which he told Hulk to destroy.[1]
Enclave Plots[]
Jones heard that the Enclave had placed Energy Consumption Engines around New York City, so he met with Bruce Banner to tell him. He warned Banner to be careful, since they would draw energy from people who got too close. Once Hulk destroyed the engines, Jones contacted him and explained that the operation seemed aggressive for the Enclave, speculating that something was starting. The Enclave then set up several chemical bombs, so Jones told Hulk to drop them in salt water and prevent them from catalyzing.
However, Jones informed Hulk that while he was getting rid of the large bomb, the Enclave planted dozens of smaller ones throughout the city. Hulk attempted to clear the contaminated areas of Enclave forces, but Jones advised him to get out of there as there was nothing that they could do until they figured out how to clean up the contamination. Jones soon alerted Hulk that the Enclave had once again occupied the contaminated areas of the city and set up Energy Consumption Engines there. After Hulk got rid of them, Jones informed him that Sterns had promised to build a device that could clean up the contaminated sections of the city.
Jones let Banner know when the Scrubber was ready. Hulk collected it from Empire State University and brought it to each of the contaminated areas, clearing them of contamination. After the Scrubber had absorbed the toxic gas, Hulk returned it to Empire State University where Sterns placed it in a containment device where it exploded.[1]
Mass Mind Control Device[]
Jones contacted Bruce Banner again to let him know that the Enclave had created a mass Mind Control Device from which their troops were shielded. Jones said that they needed the Enclave's data to make countermeasure and that he would need his help to get it. Once they arrived at the Enclave base, they saw that it was heavily guarded by Barbaria and protected by a force field. Jones suggested that Hulk fight against the Barbaria so that they would lower the force field and send out reinforcements, at which point Jones infiltrated the building. The plan worked and Jones recovered that data.
Jones with Hulk
The Enclave attempted to get the data back by sending more Kyklops after Jones. While Jones escaped in his car, Hulk protected him from the attacking Enclave forces and smashed the roadblocks that they had set up. Jones hid the data at a safe house, but the Enclave found it and attacked. He contacted Hulk, who came to his rescue once again.
They traveled to Empire State University where Sterns gave them the completed countermeasure. Jones informed Sterns and Banner that the Enclave was using a mind-controlling antenna to lure civilians into an Energy Consumption Engine and that Hulk needed to put a stop to it, suggesting he scare them away. The Enclave set up another antenna in Times Square, placing the Bi-Beast in charge of their troops. Jones informed Banner that this one was powerful enough to cover all of Manhattan. Hulk destroyed both the antennae and the Bi-Beast.[1]
Captured by the Military[]
Jones discovered that the military attacks on the Hulk were not the work of General Thaddeus Ross, but Major Glenn Talbot. Jones suggested that they use the press against Talbot. Hulk then got the attention of a news helicopter by causing damage, though Jones warned him not to hurt anyone or their plan would backfire. Hulk led the helicopter to an army barracks in Central Park, where Talbot mistook it for an enemy chopper and ordered that it be fired upon. The missile barely missed the helicopter, and word soon spread of Talbot's blunder.
Jones is held hostage by Glenn Talbot's forces
His reputation sullied, Talbot went into hiding. Jones advised Hulk to track Talbot's transport helicopter and discover the location of his base. However, Talbot spotted him and called in a defense team, who distracted Hulk while he escaped. Talbot then captured Jones and ordered Banner to surrender. Hulk fought his way through Talbot's forces and rescued Jones, taking him safely to a hiding place. However, the first to hiding spots were discovered, prompting Jones to discover a tracker on him. Jones broke the tracker and they went to a third safe place.[1]
Further Enclave Plans[]
Jones located equipment that had been stolen from Samuel Sterns and that the Enclave was using the chemicals to power up the Barbaria. Jones made his way to each of the devices in a helicopter while Hulk protected him from the Enclave's forces. Jones then assisted Hulk in getting rid of the Earthquake Bombs that the Enclave had placed in midtown New York. When the Enclave began targeting Hulk with their Lightning Satellite, Jones advised him to destroy the dish that was linked to it. The satellite then fell out of orbit and landed in Central Park, and Jones told Hulk to retrieve it so that it did not fall back into the Enclave's hands.
When Ross' Hulkbusters was attacked by the Enclave, Jones told Hulk to stop the Enclave from taking their armor, as it would give them a huge advantage. Banner agreed that the enemy of his enemy was the lesser of two evils. Hulk defeated the Enclave forces and brought the Hulkbusters to safety.[1]
Stopping Glenn Talbot[]
Jones learned that Thaddeus Ross was transporting an experimental weapon himself since he did not trust Glenn Talbot to do the job, and advised Bruce Banner to steal it while it was being transported. However, Talbot's troops swarmed in and stole it as soon as Hulk arrived, shocking Jones. Hulk chased after them and retrieved the weapon, delivering it to Jones, who destroyed it.
Banner introduces Jones to Betty Ross
Once he had rescued Betty Ross from Talbot, Banner introduced her to Jones. Jones then gave Banner the news that General Ross had cornered Talbot. Banner agreed it was time to end his conflict with Talbot. When Hulk battled Talbot, Jones warned him that Talbot's Hulkbuster armor was powered by a mini nuclear reactor that could destroy the entirety of New York City if detonated. Once Talbot activated his armor's self-destruct sequence, Hulk grabbed him and threw him into the air, preventing collateral damage and killing Talbot.[1]
Personality[]
- "Shouldn't you be avoiding trouble instead of seeking it out?"
"Yeah... maybe I should try that." - ―Bruce Banner and Rick Jones[src]
Jones is an intelligent man with strong investigative skills. However, his investigative spirit often got him in trouble as he would take them too far. He would often act recklessly, such as stealing a tank from the Enclave which was already out to get him. He is a very trusting person who met the Hulk and immediately trusted him to help fight the secret organization. While empathetic towards Hulk's conflict with the United States Army, Jones was a driven person who was willing to interrupt Hulk's conflicts with the Army to ask Hulk for help dealing with the Enclave. Despite this, he was willing to make jokes during missions, such as asking if the tank he stole had a horn.
Abilities[]
- Expert Investigator: Jones' investigative skills led to him learning many of the Enclave's secrets, including secrets regarding the Hulk and the locations of their bases.
- Engineer: Jones was able to diffuse several Earthquake Bombs in a row, diffusing all three planted by the Enclave in under four minutes.
- Expert Hacker: Jones was able to hack military databases in order to find the source of a tracking system which sent missiles after the Hulk.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
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Enemies[] |
Gallery[]
