8:31 PM
Brad
Cover Date: November 1962
Plot Overview: Betty Ross details how she met Bruce Banner and how he was involved in the gamma bomb explosion. She recounts how the Hulk first showed up around then too. She realizes that there's a connection between Rick Jones and both Banner and the Hulk. She goes to her father and asks him to find Rick Jones.
Rick Jones sends the Hulk away before the military captures him. The Hulk wanders about until Rick Jones summons him back to rescue him from the military. Rick takes the Hulk to a secret lab where he uses a gamma ray device to turn the Hulk back into Bruce Banner. Banner has devised a way to turn himself into the Hulk and retain his mind.
Banner becomes the Hulk and saves a family in a burning cabin. He flees the scene when the sheriff opens fire on him. The new Hulk/Banner combo seems to be getting more wild and savage. The Hulk returns to the lab and turns himself back into Banner. Banner retires to bed worrying about if he can continue to control the Hulk.
In the second story an alien named Mongu arrives on Earth. He challenges the mightiest creature on Earth to face him in a battle. Banner changes into the Hulk and arrives to face Mongu. Mongu reveals himself to be a trap set by the Communists. They want to capture him so that their scientists can study him. Hulk defeats the Communists with relative ease. Meanwhile, the general public blames the Hulk for the Mongu hoax as the issue ends.
My Take: This book has really been in a tailspin the last 2 issues. Stan Lee seems to be in panic mode as he's now changed the direction of the book in a serious way yet again. He seems to be throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks to save the book. I know Marvel was really new at this point but they probably could've given the book a couple of years and give audiences a chance to attach to the book. Not everything can grab enough of an audience long enough to survive.
So with those frustrations aside let's get down to a review. The art was a little weaker than last issue. It seemed a little more rushed and they seemed a little lost as to where to take the Hulk in this issue. So they threw us a reboot and a second story where he fights some bad guys. I personally don't like this direction for the Hulk. I feel the combination of the two personalities runs counter to what Stan Lee was going for in the first place. Banner is still struggling with the monster within, just in a less direct way. I kind of liked the nocturnal Hulk.
The stories themselves were solid enough. It was nice to see the Hulk in action again this issue. The second story was mostly action and was enjoyable. Regular people are nice for really showing off how powerful the Hulk is supposed to be.
This book historically is in a lot of trouble at this point and gets cancelled with issue 6. The book really reeks of the desperation to keep it afloat right now and that's hurting the overall product.
I'd give this issue **1/4 out of *****
Notes: There was nothing of note in this issue.
Next Issue: Strange Tales #102
Posted in: Betty Ross,Hulk,Incredible Hulk,Rick Jones,Thunderbolt Ross
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