Fantastic Four #25 continues

Hulk sees that Thing is heading for a bridge and leaps up to the bridge to wait for Thing. Thing chucks pieces of the bridge up at Hulk. Seconds later they are fighting each other while holding onto the side of the bridge. Hulk tells Thing to say his prayers because it is a long way down. Thing says that he isn’t going anywhere. Steadily Hulk’s strength forces Thing further and further back. Thing says that he has been conserving his strength until now. Thing uses all his muscles and flips Hulk onto the catwalk. Before Hulk can get upright, Thing wraps Hulk up in suspension cable. Thing says that this cable will hold a twenty ton tank. Hulk says that Thing is a fool, and that he is no tank. Hulk says that nothing can hold him, and that he will snap the cable like a matchstick. Thing thinks to himself that he has the advantage for now because the Hulk can’t use the muscles he would need to break the cable, but that even at this disadvantage he is starting to bend it. Thing thinks that he can’t hold on much longer, but that the Hulk is stronger than ever. Thing wonders how Hulk does it. Hulk increases the pressure, and Thing thinks that he has to let go and wonders how he is going to stop him when he gets loose.

Sue returns to the Baxter Building with a doctor and finds Reed out of bed. Reed says that he has to help Ben, but the doctor says that he is in no condition to be helping anyone. Sue tells Reed that she is so worried because he is sick, Johnny was taken to the hospital, Ben can’t hold out much longer, and she feels so helpless. Reed says that he must do something if only he could clear his head and stop the room from spinning. The doctor says that Reed has an unknown virus, and that he can’t do anything for him. He says that Reed needs rest, and that he warned Reed about working with those viruses. Sue says that Reed was just trying to find a way to let Thing become Ben Grimm at will. The doctor says that he has given Reed a sedative and tells Sue to keep him calm. Sue says that she never realized how much she loves and needs Reed. The doctor says that he had better get going because with the Hulk in town there is no telling where he will be needed next. Sue says that she had almost forgotten and turns on the television. The reporter says that though Thing is valiantly fighting that he seems to be weakening. They say that the Hulk has broken free.

Thing thinks to himself that he just needs to rest for a minute, but the second he relaxes the Hulk shatters the cable. Hulk says, “And now to finish what I started!” Hulk pummels Thing over and over, but Thing refuses to give up. Hulk hits Thing again and says that Thing will never defy him again. He hits Thing again and says that he is growing bored with this fight, and that Thing is too weak to even fight back. Hulk says that he doesn’t have anymore time to waste with Thing. Hulk says that he is going to tear this city apart brick by brick until he finds the Avengers. Hulk says that now nothing can stop him.

The soldiers stand by ready to strike at the Hulk if he leaves the evacuated area.

The people watch on in horror as they wonder what will happen to the city now. They realize that the army’s small arms won’t hurt the Hulk, and that they can’t use bigger weapons without destroying half of the city.

Hulk shouts to bring him the Avengers before he tears this entire town apart. He says that he wants his revenge and he wants it now.

Invisible Girl says that the Avengers aren’t in New York, and that they went to the southwest to look for the Hulk. Reed is awake again and asks what happened to Ben.

Thing struggles to his feet and says, “He beat me! That big, brainless, muscle-bound creep beat me! It… it… never happened before!” Thing thinks that maybe the defeat is just what he needed and says that he was starting to believe that he was undefeatable. Thing scoffs at the idea now. Thing says, “Well, like my dear ol’ Aunt Petunia used to say…’you can only die once!’ and that’s the only way he’ll stop me now… by killin’ me!”

First Family rating: 10 out of 10

As it says on the cover “The Battle of the Century!”, and that’s just what it delivers. There seems to be a definitive answer as to who is stronger the Hulk or the Thing. Jack Kirby draws an epic battle that was, before this date, never seen before. Hulk and Thing rage across New York and establish themselves. Hulk becomes the strongest one there is, and Thing becomes the courageous to a fault hero that will never give up no matter what the odds. We’ll even overlook the fact that Bruce Banner became ‘Robert Bruce Banner’ here because Stan seemingly forgot Bruce’s name. Action packed and exciting from cover to cover.

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