Bruce Banner might be a complex character, but part of the Hulk's appeal is the simplicity of his limitlessd strength. Still, Hulk's gamma radiation coupled with his anger makes him an unstable creature. In Immortal Hulk #36 that instability comes out more than ever before... when Hulk's rage literally becomes infectious.
Hulk has been having a tough time throughout the Immortal Hulk series, but things were finally starting to look up. After saving a small town, Hulk was participating in a publicity event with the town's mayor. Finally feeling validated and respected, Hulk basks in the townspeople's' iration for him. However, one touch from Rick Jones (who is being controlled by the Leader) causes the Hulk to flare with gamma radiation--paving the way for his new power to be revealed.
Rick Jones becomes a twisted monster after absorbing so much radiation. The remorseful and confused Hulk has little time to grieve however as he is attacked by the group of villains Gamma Flight. The problem is: something is off about the group. Composed of Absorbing Man, Titania, and Puck the group is far nobler than most other villain groups and typically tries to avoid hurting innocent people when possible. Their only reason for attacking Hulk is because they believe he has gone out of control. When a reporter tries to tell them that the destruction wasn't Hulk's fault, this seems to make Titania irrationally angry, to the point where she almost assaults the reporter. When Absorbing Man restrains Hulk, the green brute merely rips his arm off and flings him aside. As the battle devolves more and more into a brawl, the team of scientists monitoring the Hulk remotely comes to a startling realization. Psychologist Doc Samson says that no one in the fight is in control of themselves and concludes that Hulk's anger must be spilling out.
While Samson concludes that Hulk's anger is becoming infectious, it is also possible that the out of character behavior from Gamma Flight could be caused by a mixture of things. It seems significant that the mutated Rick Jones being controlled by the Leader says "Let's stir the pot," in the middle of the fight. The Leader does have a level of mind control, so this could be him indicating that he is amping up everyone's anger.
Regardless of how or why Hulk's anger became infectious, it will undoubtedly serve to make Hulk feel even more guilty than he already does. While Immortal Hulk has predominately been a horror comic, it has also gone a long way to make the Hulk sympathetic, making his string of misfortune throughout the run all the more tragic. Immortal Hulk #36 shows that much like all great Marvel heroes, Hulk's powers are both a gift and a curse.
