3:07 PM
Brad
Cover Date: September 1962
Plot Overview: The issue begins with Hulk locked in the secret cave room that they discovered previously. Rick heads off to get some sleep but gets picked up by the military. General Ross meets with Rick and tells him that they need the Hulk to test a rocket. Rick mulls it over and decides that it's his civic duty to help the United States.
Rick releases the Hulk and leads him into the cockpit of the rocket. The rocket blasts off and General Ross reveals that the rocket is to make sure the Hulk never returns to Earth. Rick overhears this conversation and looks for ways to get Banner back to Earth.
Meanwhile in space the Hulk reverts to Bruce Banner and the ship heads into a radiation field. Banner is once again bathed in radiation. At the same time Rick hits the button to make the rocket return to Earth. Rick gets a shot of the radiation and it creates a link between him and the Hulk.
The rocket crashes back to Earth and the Hulk emerges and chases Rick. Rick begs him to stop and the Hulk does. Rick realizes that the Hulk has to follow his mental commands now. Rick and the Hulk head to Banner's cottage and Rick decides to sleep. When he wakes up he realizes the Hulk is gone. The Hulk has begun rampaging in a local town and the local state troopers can't stop him. Rick arrives on the scene and gets the Hulk back under control.
Rick takes the Hulk back to the cave so he can get some sleep. While the Hulk is locked up Rick goes over the origin of the Hulk in his head.
The scene shifts as two FBI agents arrive at a small town. All of the inhabitants are frozen like statues and the agents comment that several towns have suffered similar fates. One agent finds a poster for the circus. The scene changes to the circus as the Ringmaster hypnotizes the crowd and has his minions loot the entire town.
Rick wakes up and takes the Hulk to the town where his Aunt Polly is. Rick stops in to wash up and get some food before hitting the town. Rick sees the circus and decides to attend. The Ringmaster begins to hypnotize the crowd but Rick manages to call for the Hulk. The Hulk arrives and knocks the Human Cannonball out of the tent. He approaches the Ringmaster but several minions use a fire hose to stun the Hulk. They lock the Hulk up and since Rick is hypnotized the Hulk can do nothing. The Ringmaster muses to himself about turning the Hulk into a special attraction when Rick and the FBI agents arrive. The Hulk springs to life and captures the Ringmaster. The military arrives and Rick has the Hulk grab him and make his escape. Thunderbolt Ross vows to capture the Hulk as the issue comes to an end.
My Take: Finally, some action in the Hulk. I had been waiting for two issues to see the Hulk battle some bad guys. The battles were pretty short in this book but at least I got to see the Hulk in action. The art was really good in this issue. The best art for the series so far. The story felt more like two stories tied together but I liked both stories for the most part. I've always had a soft spot for the Circus of Crime. They are lame as villains but I find them to be fun.
I'm not sure about how I feel towards the end development that Rick can mentally control the Hulk. I don't like it because it defeats the purpose of the Hulk but at the same time it's interesting. One thing that is starting to bother me is the constant retelling of origins. I know why they're doing it but it just gets old. I understand that they had a lot of new people checking out the books so they needed to do this. I hope that they slow down on that as 1963 hits and the books start taking off more.
I'd give this issue *** out of *****
Notes: This is the first appearance of the Silver Age Ringmaster and the Circus of Crime. A Ringmaster appeared in Captain America #5 as a Nazi agent and this Ringmaster is supposed to be his son. The extra dose of radiation has made it so that the Hulk is always the Hulk. Rick Jones also has mental control over the Hulk. Betty Ross was absent from this issue. There really wasn't a place to fit her in.
Next Issue: Fantastic Four #7
Posted in: Circus of Crime,Hulk,Incredible Hulk,Rick Jones,Ringmaster,Thunderbolt Ross
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