{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Issue 194 - Thunderbolt Ross","description":" Issue 194 - Thunderbolt Ross Intro Captain America: Brave New World reaction coming to Patreon Background (1:38) General Thaddeus \u201cThunderbolt\u201d Ross created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962) Lieutenant General Thaddeus \u201cThunderbolt\u201d Ross oversees gamma bomb project that ultimately leads to the creation of the Hulk (Bruce Banner) Grew up in a military family, and was focused on serving his country from a young age - joined the Army Air Corps (later Air Force) and worked his way up through the ranks Bruce\u2019s growing relationship with Ross\u2019 daughter Betty was a source of frustration and anger for him, as was the recurring nuisance of the Hulk - Ross made it his personal mission to find and destroy the Hulk Several times he allied with villains to battle the Hulk, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the military Betty and Bruce get engaged, but the Leader turns Hulk savage, and the wedding is called off - Betty later marries Glenn Talbot, and Ross is satisfied that Banner will never be his son-in-law When Talbot was captured by the Soviets in a rescue mission to save Ross, his apparent death fractured his relationship with Betty, as well as a demotion at work because of his inability to capture the Hulk Betty divorced Talbot and revealed she still loved Bruce - enraged by this, Ross allied with MODOK to have the Abomination kill the Hulk, but Betty caught wind of the plan and accused her father of treason - he was discharged from the Air Force and nearly committed suicide When Bruce and Betty get married, Ross shows up at the wedding with a gun to stop the ceremony - Rick Jones intervenes and is shot non-fatally In a SHIELD experiment he merges with Zzzax, a being of sentient electrical energy - in a battle with a mutant, he expends his energy to save Betty, and dies His body was resurrected by the Leader, and he rejoins the Air Force After Betty is killed by the Abomination and Hulk is exiled by the Illuminati, Ross sinks into an alcoholic depression - when Steve Rogers is shot, he is visited by MODOK and the Leader and offered a chance to gain Hulk-like powers - he then becomes Red Hulk, and his first act is to kill the Abomination for murdering Betty Ross\u2019 identity as the Hulk is kept secret for over two years before being revealed during World War Hulks He later joins the Avengers, where he befriended an LMD named Annie that helped give him some perspective and understanding about things Temporarily bonds with both the Venom symbiote and the Spirit of Vengeance, becoming a being known as the Circle of Four - this is to defeat Blackheart, son of Mephisto Gets depowered by Doc Green, a super-intelligent version of the Hulk Issues - Theme is \u201ca small river flowing long enough becomes a canyon\u201d (7:10) When tradition becomes a trap Overprotective of his daughter (13:44) Oh yeah, the Hulk stuff (25:15) Break (29:06) Plugs for Play Comics & Geek Peak Treatment (30:19) In-universe -  Out of universe - (32:37) Skit (39:51) Hello General Ross, I\u2019m Dr. Issues. - Doctor, with all due respect, let\u2019s set the record straight. I didn\u2019t come here for treatment. I came here for a clean bill of health. I\u2019ve been involved in enough government missions, secret protocols, and super-powered expeditions that I should be the last one to hide from any flaws. I\u2019m not perfect, but I don\u2019t have to be. And that was before I learned about getting red in the face. Well, that is a hot start, General -I don\u2019t do jokes, if you don\u2019t mind. There are serious matters at hand. But you\u2026I\u2019ll keep that in mind. Sheesh. There are always serious matters at hand. That\u2019s how the world works. That doesn\u2019t mean they all have to involve you. -Agreed. I pick my spots. But those are enormous spots. I know my enemy better than they know themselves. That\u2019s what\u2019s lacking in battles nowadays. The foe has no concept of planning. So many people think being random makes you dangerous. It just makes you a fool. Well, not to sound condescending, but I doubt all of your plans go the way you want them to. -A plan is useless. PLANNING is indispensable. Do you know who said that? Dwight Eisenhower. So you enjoy the process necessary to reach goals, and not just the goal itself. -If I didn\u2019t then I would have stopped existing a long time ago. I think people get that wrong about me. They think I\u2019m some madman that wants to destroy the Hulk at all costs. And that was wrong\u2026how? -I was never a madman. I\u2019m calculating the whole way through. The heat thing says otherwise -Emotion in battle, Doctor. It\u2019s something you can\u2019t wrap your head around. Oh yeah, I get the rage, but in the fog of war, that can be the guide to see you through. No hippie woo woo love fest is going to save you when bullets are zipping and bombs are dropping. The only time you bring in God is to say \u201cThank God it\u2019s over\u201d and you\u2019ve won. You present more demure than expected. -You sound like one of those Gen Z types when you say that. You\u2019re a grown man. Act like it. So no social media memes; understood sir. But are you really past everything that\u2019s listed in your file? Banner? Betty? Intelligencia? Avengers? It says here your own likeness was killed! None of that sounds traumatic to you? -Of course it does. So what? We all have trauma. I used to let it eat at me, just shove it down my own throat, and let it all come out when the time is right. But with what I have now, there\u2019s no secrets. It\u2019s on my skin, in my veins, and radiating through the air. I finally found a way to have nothing to hide. My choices, my fights, my consequences. Anything to add to that? You\u2019re hitting the same note. What brings you enjoyment? How about sadness? Do you have any fears left? -You\u2019re breaking the cardinal rule; you\u2019re supposed to ask one question at a time. I\u2019m sad that too many people think too small for their entire lives. I find joy in being one of the few living creatures to destroy multiple so-called badasses because I can adjust tactically and not be held down by magical thinking. I fear that anything less than a perfect rating in this assessment will leave me with a permanent mark that will have me use your office as a rage room.  *pause* Didn\u2019t you shoot someone at your daughter\u2019s wed -*interrupting* RAGE. ROOM.  You don\u2019t have to be so pushy about it. -So, are you slapping the PTSD label on like everyone else? No, I\u2019ll think outside the box and go I-G-E-D. -What the hell is that? Intermittent Gamma Explosive Disorder -*Groans* Doc Samson was right about you. Ending (43:41) Recommended reading: World War Hulks Next episodes: DerpyCon panel, Colleagues on the Couch w\/ Dr. Ashley Zultanky, Shadowman Plugs for social & GonnaGeek Network References: Incredible Hulk episode with Popcorn Psychology - Anthony (2:00) \u201cCalm Down\u201d by Busta Rhymes & Eminem - Anthony (30:38) Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Twitter Facebook TikTok  Patreon TeePublic Discord   ","author_name":"Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling","author_url":"https:\/\/www.capesonthecouch.com","html":"