The Incredible Hulk has had many strange transformations over the years. Thanks to the gamma bomb explosion and Bruce Banner’s multiple personality disorder, Banner has routinely transformed into a wide variety of Hulks, each with a unique personality and occasionally even different powers.
In one alternate universe, however, Bruce Banner never became the Hulk – but did go through an equally bizarre transformation that led him to take on the mantle of Spider-Man. Tragically, however, this role eventually led to a horrible death.
In the Marvel Comics limited series Bullet Points, readers learn about an alternate universe where Peter Parker’s uncle Ben Parker is one of the military policemen guarding Dr. Abraham Erskine, the creator of the Super Soldier Serum. When a German spy opens fire on Erskine, both the doctor and Parker are killed in 1940 before Erskine can administer his serum to Steve Rogers and turn him into Captain America. Without Erskine, Project: Rebirth is cancelled, starting a chain reaction where familiar faces assume drastically different roles.
Although Steve Rogers doesn’t become Captain America, he does become a candidate for a different program – Project: Iron Man – and becomes bonded with an early version of Iron Man armor. The one who would arguably be changed the most from the universe’s point of divergence, however, is Peter Parker, who grows into a surly delinquent without the guidance of his Uncle Ben. Seeking thrills, Peter goes joyriding in a stolen car and accidentally wanders onto a military test site where he’s hit by the rays of a gamma bomb. Mutated by the blast, Peter becomes his universe’s version of the Incredible Hulk.
This new Hulk becomes a menace and draws out Steve Rogers from retirement, leading to a very different Iron Man vs Hulk clash. Meanwhile, Dr. Bruce Banner decides to experiment on some of the insects irradiated in the bomb blast and gets bitten by one of the mutated spiders. Instead of just developing miraculous spider-powers, however, Banner goes crazy and lives on the run for years. Eventually, however, he’s brought in, regains his sanity through treatment/, and decides to use his spider-like abilities as the SHIELD agent Spider-Man.
Outfitted in a silver version of Spider-Man’s costume (similar to the “Spider-Armor” Peter Parker developed for himself in the mainstream universe), Banner becomes a superhero, although he needs to be monitored constantly lest he become feral again. History continues moving in a twisted path (with Reed Richards becoming a version of Nick Fury – even losing an eye – after the rocket that would have turned his friends into the Fantastic Four is sabotaged, killing his family). Eventually, this distorted Marvel Universe must face off against Galactus – and ends up getting unexpected help from Peter Parker’s Hulk and the Silver Surfer.
This would not be the end of the story for this world’s Bruce Banner, however. During the Spider-Verse event, which saw dimension-hopping Inheritors travel the multiverse to feast on the life forces of Spider-Totems, several Spider-Men from different parallel worlds fought back. The Spider-Man from the Bullet Points universe was recruited by the Superior Spider-Man to fight in the war and fought bravely alongside alternate versions of himself. Unfortunately, on a mission to recruit the Spider-Man clone Kaine, Banner was killed by the Inheritor Daemos. His life force was drained and he fell long before the Spider-Army could regroup and ultimately take down the Inheritors.
Although he had very little time in the spotlight (appearing as Spider-Man for only three issues), Bruce Banner’s Spider-Man was a unique take on the character. Unlike most Spider-Men, Banner was a fully grown man when he acquired his spider-powers (which was one of the main reasons his body reacted so violently to the changes, unlike a teenager’s which could supposedly adapt to them). His spider-powers were both a gift and a disease as he had to constantly stay on medication or lose control – showing that even when he became a different hero, Bruce Banner’s life is just as tragic as his existence as the Incredible Hulk.
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