Fantastic Four #25Fantastic Four #25
Title: “The Battle of the Century, ‘The Hulk vs. The Thing”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: G. Bell
Reed is chasing after Thing. He tells Thing to stop acting like a kid and let him explain. Thing tells “Rubberhead” to keep away or he’ll clobber him. Torch says that he will get Thing for Reed, but Sue tells him to stay out of it and that it is between them. Reed says that Thing has to drink this formula. He says that he discovered it accidentally and he may never be able to duplicate it. He says that he knows that it will turn Thing back into Ben Grimm permanently. Thing asks how many times he has to tell him that he won’t do it. Sue tells Thing to think and that if he drinks it they will be losing a member, but that Reed still wants him to drink it. Reed says that if he doesn’t drink it soon that it could lose its potency, and they may never get another chance like this again. Thing swats the potion out of Reed’s hand breaking it. Thing says that Alicia loves him this way, and he asks how he can know what she would feel about him if he was plain old Ben Grimm. Reed freaks and says, “You mule-headed nitwit! It isn’t your ridiculous appearance she loves… it’s you! Although I can’t see why!” Thing tells Reed that his personal life is one thing that he doesn’t want him butting into. Thing says that if he ever discovers a formula that will allow him to change back and forth from Ben Grimm to the Thing that he will drink it, but that he doesn’t want to give up being the Thing. Thing tells them to knock it off as Alicia arrives. Thing asks what she is carrying. Alicia says that it is a newspaper, and that she was hoping that one of them might read it to her. Reed says that he could have told her since the news just came over the radio. Thing tells Reed to go polish a test tube. Sue takes the paper and says that it is about the disappearance of the Hulk. Human Torch says that Captain America has taken his place in the Avengers. Sue says to imagine that the combined powers of the Avengers wasn’t enough to stop the Hulk. She says that just reading about him gives her the shivers.
In New Mexico, a truck comes to a stop as a giant boulder is blocking the road. The drivers get out and wonder how that big a rock got there in the first place, and how they are going to move it. Suddenly the rock tears into two pieces. Hulk says that he will move it like this. Hulk grabs the two guys and says that if they give him a ride in their truck that he will let them live. The two men nervously agree. Hulk says that there is too much junk in the back and tosses it all out. One of the men says that it take s a hydraulic an hour to do what he just did in seconds. As the truck starts driving the driver asks Sam what they should do if they come to a road block. Sam says to worry about that when it comes and that for now he should drive as if they have an atom bomb back there because they practically do.
In the back of the truck, the Hulk says that he is feeling different. Suddenly he feels weak. He says that he doesn’t want to change. “Can’t stop myself! Too late! I… I’m becoming Bob Banner again… my limitless strength… it’s leaving me!”
A short time later, the truck comes to a road block. The police say that the Hulk is in the area. They asks the drivers if they had seen the Hulk. The drivers says, “Wh… who… us? Pass the Hulk?” One of the cops sees a man jump out of the back of the truck and run away. One shouts for him to stop, but another cop tells him to forget about it and that he is probably just a bum. He says that he isn’t what they are looking for.
Bruce walks along and says that he has to get back the underground shelter and find Rick. He says that Rick can help him. Bruce gets exhausted walking. He asks what is wrong with him and wonders why he has been changing so much. He asks why he can’t control the changes. “Bob” says that this maybe the last time that he is Banner. He says that the changes are coming more often and that each time the Hulk gets stronger. Bob says that he feels himself changing right now. Hulk says, “I know it now… The Hulk is the master… the dominant one! And that’s as it should be! No one on Earth is as strong as the Hulk…! No one!” Hulk leaps into the air and is soon at the underground cave.
The Avengers are following the trail of destruction left by the incredible Hulk. Captain America says that the Hulk can’t be far away. Thor wonders why Hulk would have thrown these crates all over the road. Iron Man says that they should get back to the helicopter while the trail is still warm. Rick Jones says, “He must be heading for his secret underground lab!” Captain America says that Rick makes him sound like a scientist. Rick says that he can’t say anymore and that he has sworn never to reveal his secret.
In the underground lab, Hulk is smashing up all the machine. He says that he hates Bob Banner, and that he never wants to change back into him again. Hulk asks what good all his science and work is when his strength can destroy it all. Hulk says that nothing can stand up to his fists. Hulk starts emptying out his pockets to get rid of every last trace of Bob Banner. Hulk says, “Banner is dead! Long live the Hulk!” Hulk looks at a newspaper clipping from his pocket. Hulk reads that the Avengers have replaced him with Captain America. Hulk says that is why Rick isn’t here, and that he has deserted him too. Hulk says that no one does that to him. Hulk says that he is going back to New York and destroy the Avengers. As Hulk leaps by he doesn’t even know that he is only a mile away from the Avengers who are headed in the opposite direction.
Twenty-four hours later, the Hulk arrives in New York. Hulk says that now is his time for revenge against the Avengers.
At that moment, Sue shouts for Johnny and
Ben as Reed collapses. Thing says that Reed is in a coma and
burning with a fever. Torch says that Reed was working with
viruses and wonders if they infected him. Sue tells Torch to go
call a doctor. Thing tells Reed not to scare them like this.
Torch takes off in the Fantasti-car to go get a doctor and bring
him back. Torch notices that an old building is falling down.
Looking closer Torch sees that the building didn’t just fall
down, but that the Hulk smashed it. Torch says that Reed would
want him to go after the Hulk first. Torch flames on and blasts
the Hulk, but Hulk’s skin is so strong that he doesn’t
even feel the heat. Hulk tears up a lamppost out of the ground.
Hulk tries to hit Torch with it, but Torch melts it down. Before
Torch melts it all, Hulk smashes what’s left into the ground
and creates a shockwave that catches the Torch off guard. 
Hulk leaps and
grabs Torch with his bare hands. Hulk looks down at the now
unconscious Johnny Storm and says that he is just a kid. Hulk
says that he isn’t worth wasting his time on, and that he
has to find the Avengers. The police start evacuating the area
and summon the Fantastic Four.
Thing says that they can’t come now because Reed is sick and he needs them. Reed says that Thing must forget him and go. Thing says that the commish told him that the Hulk knocked out Human Torch. Sue is worried, but Thing says that Torch is fine and that the Hulk is after something else. Reed says that his life isn’t important compared to the threat of the Hulk. He says that the city needs them, and that it is their duty. Before they go, Reed says, “One thing more… be careful, Ben! We know the extent of your strength… but the Hulk’s has never been measured! I’m afraid he’s far stronger than you, old friend! You’ll need your wits… don’t let him grab you…” He tells Sue to remain invisible and not to take any chances.
A squad car drives Thing and Sue to the area. He says that they don’t want to use atomic weapons if they can help it, but that if the Hulk is too much for them that they should back off and they will wait for their signal. Johnny is awake again and trying to flame on, but he can only get his arm to go. Hulk sees the others coming and grabs Johnny to throw at them. Sue puts a force field around Johnny so the Hulk can’t hurt him. Hulk is pressing down on the force field trying to get at Torch. He realizes that something he can’t see is stopping him, but says that invisible or not he will find a way to smash it. Hulk picks up the entire force field and leaps into the sky with it. Sue can’t maintain the field as Hulk leaps out of her range. Sue faints from the strain.
Thing hands Sue off to a soldier and says
that he has a job to do. Hulk lands with an again unconscious
Johnny Storm. Hulk recognizes the Thing. Thing says that Hulk
remembers him, but that this time he is going to make sure he
never forgets him. Hulk says that Thing means nothing to him, and
that it is the Avengers that he wants, but that if he has to
smash him first that he will. 
Hulk and Thing
collide. Hulk says that Thing is a fool. He says that Thing is
just a muscular freak, but that he is the Hulk. Thing says that
will look good on Hulk’s headstone. Thing gets in the first
punch and knocks Hulk through the wall of an abandoned warehouse.
Hulk shrugs off the impact and says that now it is his turn.
Thing thinks to himself that he should try and wear the Hulk out
before tangling with him again. Thing hides behind an empty bus.
Hulk asks why he is running because sooner or later he will get
him. Thing says that it’s for Hulk’s protection. He
says that he might clobber him too hard and ruin his handsome
features. Hulk tears the bus in half. Hulk says that Thing is
making fun of him, and that he will pay for that. Hulk grabs the
tires off of the bus and throws them at Thing at near the speed
of sound. Thing ducks the first one and then punches Hulk through
the hole in the other. Hulk quickly snatches Thing’s wrist
and forces him to his knees. Hulk asks Thing where all of his
wise cracks are now. He asks where the strength Thing is always
bragging about it. 
Thing says that
he left them in his other suit. Thing tells Hulk to let go. Hulk
leaps into the air and “let’s go” by hurling Thing
into the air. Thing is able to grab the edge of a roof he is
speeding by. Hulk says that Thing saved himself by grabbing the
roof, but that he will shake him off like a rotten apple of a
tree.
Hulk starts shaking the building back and forth. Thing says that he is going to get air-sick like this, and decides that he had better get off the building before the Hulk wrecks the whole thing. Thing leaps at Hulk and says that if he wants him to just stay where he is at. At the last second, Hulk steps out of the way and grabs Thing by his ankles. Hulk says that he has other plans for Thing. Hulk opens a manhole cover and forces Thing inside the hole. While he is down there, Thing grabs a handful of electric cables and pulls them out. When Hulk feels that Thing has had enough he starts pulling Thing out so he can finish him off. Hulk feels something pressed against his hand, but by the time he realizes that he has been trick Hulk is shocked by millions of volts.
Reed crawls out to the television where the reporter is saying that Hulk was only slowed for a minute by the electricity. Reed says that he has to help Ben, and that Ben can’t beat Hulk alone. Reed crawls to the window hoping that the air will help him regain his strength. Reed tries to reach down and create a diversion, but he slips into a coma .
Thing makes it back to the surface. He asks the Hulk if he is still here, and says that he would have figured that they would be carting him away already. Hulk asks if Thing really thought a few electrical wires would stop him. Hulk says that Thing isn’t going to get a chance like that again.
A few blocks up the road on Yancy Street, the Yancy Street Gang has a medium sized truck they start backing down the street. They say that Thing needs this diversion, and that even though they needle him that they aren’t going to let anyone else pulverize their favorite whipping boy. The gang manages to knock the Hulk into the back of the truck, but they accidentally cause the Thing to come along for the ride. As the truck drives past the soldiers, the soldiers don’t fire at the Hulk because they might hit Thing. The van drives all the way off a pier, and Hulk and Thing fall into the water. Thing realizes that the Hulk is holding him under because he knows that his lungs are stronger than Thing’s. Thing gives Hulk a judo punch and breaks the Hulk’s grip. Thing swims the to the surface and climbs into a motorboat. Hulk says that Thing can’t escape that way. As Thing motors away, he says that he is just giving Hulk a chance to surrender. Hulk leaps into air at the boat. Thing manages to turn and avoid the Hulk. Thing looks around and thinks that he lost the Hulk. Suddenly Hulk’s fist comes up through the bottom of the boat. Thing starts swimming away, but Hulk calls him a coward and tells him to come back and that they will finish this now. Thing says that they will finish it, but that he will pick the location and that it won’t be the water.