Fantastic Four #112Fantastic Four #112
Title: “Battle of the Behemoths!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: John Buscema
Inker: Joe Sinnott
In Central Park, the Thing is taking cover against the police’s fire behind a tree. Suddenly Hulk leaps at the Thing and says that this time the Thing is going to die. Thing grabs the tree he was using for cover and spins it around to hit Hulk in the face. Thing says that will be the day. He says that the last time they fought that he went easy on Hulk. He says that he didn’t know any better then, but that this time it will be different.
The cops hold their fire. One says that if they are lucky that the two of them will finish one another off. Another cop says that they need bigger weapons against the two of them anyway. The police then start pushing the crowd of cameramen and reporters back for their own safety.
Hulk charges at
Thing again. Thing says that if Hulk is looking for trouble that
he came to the right place. Thing pulls up a statue of
“General Forbush” and throws it at Hulk. Hulk asks
Thing if he thinks that he can stop him with that. Hulk catches
the statue and crumbles it into dust. Hulk says that he will
squeeze Thing this way.
Back at the Baxter Building, Torch tells Reed that the Hulk and Thing are trying to kill one another. Torch asks where the Hulk came from. Reed says that this is all his fault. He says that he contacted Bruce Banner to come and help him in the lab. Reed says that he didn’t know that Bruce would turn into the Hulk after the shock of seeing Ben again. Torch says that they have to go and help. Reed says that he can’t leave his work now. Torch asks what good the work will be if the Fantastic Four breaks up. J. Jonah Jameson is on the television. He says that the Fantastic Four has to be stopped. He says that nobody can take the law into their own hands. He says that the Fantastic Four, Hulk, and anyone with superpowers must be smashed. He says that the city can’t be a battleground for costumed killers. He then advocates ending the violence by killing them. Reed says that Jameson doesn’t understand and that they are trying to protect the city. Suddenly the lights go out. Reed says that without power he can’t finish his work and save Ben. Reed tries to call for help, but the Baxter Building’s owner just says that he told Ben that he would find a way to get him out of his building. Reed hangs up the phone and calls him a “blind, abysmal fool”. Torch says that Reed can stay and cry in his soup, but that he is going to help Ben. Reed tells Torch to come back and that he needs him. Torch says that Ben needs him more. Torch says that it might be okay to wait at Reed’s age, but that it isn’t his bag. Torch flies off, but Reed says that he said wait and meant it. Reed grabs some chemical foam and puts out Torch’s flame. He then palms Torch and pulls him back. He says that he is still the leader. He says that anyone can go blindly go into action, but that it takes more courage to wait until the right time. Reed tells Torch to look down on the people and see how they are all in a panic. The people are charging the Baxter Building. Reed says that the battle will be won or lost there, and that to win he needs Torch’s help. Torch asks what they can do there. Reed says that they need to find a way to make Ben normal again so they can reason with him. Reed tells Torch to ignite his hand a grab the circuit g. He says that Torch has to supply the power that has been cut off. Reed says that he must find a way to control Thing. Torch says that this had better work.
Hulk charges at Thing and says that he is bigger and stronger. Thing says that maybe so, but that he is quicker and no flyweight himself. Thing smacks Hulk and sends him flying through a tree. Hulk says that Thing can hit him a hundred times, but that he can’t hurt him. Hulk charges back at Thing and says that is why he always wins. Thing says that if he calls that winning. Thing grabs another tree, but Hulk’s hand smashes through it. Thing takes what is left and smashes it into Hulk’s face. He says that he is done kidding around. Hulk starts smashing up the remnants of the tree. Thing asks if Hulk doesn’t have any respect for nature and hits Hulk again. Thing asks what is keeping Hulk up and that his last punch would have flattened an army. Hulk says that the longer he fights the stronger he gets. Hulk says that Thing’s speed won’t help him if he tears the ground out from under him. Hulk rips the ground out and sends Thing falling to the ground. Hulk grabs a large statue and hits Thing with it. Thing grabs the other end and lifts Hulk off the ground. He says that Hulk had his fun, and that now it is his turn. Thing spikes Hulk onto the ground.
The police arrive with cannons.
Hulk sees the weapon. He says that he has learned in the past and that he will go where the big gun can’t shoot him. Hulk tenses his legs and leaps onto the top of a building. He says that sooner or later that the Thing will follow. Thing is left there and says that they are shooting at him. Thing runs to a merry go round. He spins it around and around, and then picks it up. He throws it at the police and says that it is more fun than “skimmin’ a paper plate.” The cops scatter, but the merry go round hits the cannons and breaks them. Thing says that Hulk is on top of one of the buildings. He says that no one tears into him like that and gets away with it. He says that he has to finish the Hulk so that he doesn’t have to worry about him anymore. Thing pulls down a tree which then shoots him into the air. As Thing flies towards the Hulk, Hulk says that he knew that Thing would follow.
The reporters sit on rooftops watching the fight.
Sue watches the news coverage with Agatha Harkness. She wonders where Reed and Johnny are and why they haven’t tried to stop this. She wonders if maybe they did try and that something happened to them. Agatha tells Sue not to torture herself with doubts. She says that they can learn the answer. Sue asks what she means. Agatha tells Sue to follow her into her ritual room and that she will show her. Agatha says that living on Whisper Hill has taught her many things. She tells Sue to watch the crystal ball. Reed’s face appears. Sue sees that he is working frantically. She says that he is trying to help in his own way. Sue says that she should help too. Agatha says that it is time for her to return to the Fantastic Four. Sue kisses the sleeping Franklin and says that she will be back at soon as possible. Sue flies off from Whisper Hill and says that it will take at least half an hour to get there and that she hopes she isn’t too late.
Alicia turns off her radio. She says that she can’t wait there any longer. She says that the Hulk is bigger and stronger and that someone has to stop them. Alicia rushes out into the street causing many cars to screech and honk. Alicia pushes forward through the mob of people trying to get away from the fight.
Hulk rushes at Thing. Thing smacks the building and sends bricks flying into the Hulk’s face. Hulk shouts that nothing can stop him. Hulk charges into Thing and the two of them go plunging over the side of the building. Thing says that a fall like this can stop him though. Thing grabs the side of the building and drags himself to a stop. Hulk continues to fall and Thing wishes him happy landings. Thing realizes that Hulk makes leaps like this all the time and that the most that will happen to him is a charley horse. Thing smashes through a window. He says that he will get down there before Hulk knows what hit him. Thing tears open the elevator and slides down the cables.
Hulk stands on the ruined streets. Hulk
wants to know where Thing is and that he won’t escape him.
Hulk says that he will find and crush him. Thing says that if
Hulk wants him that he has got him. Thing tries to hit Hulk, but
Hulk snatches Thing by his wrist. Hulk then grabs Thing is a
headlock and starts to choke the life out of him. 
Hulk says that
once he gets Thing in his grip that he will never break free.
Thing says that Hulk isn’t kidding and that his arms are
like vises. Thing begins to pass out, but he grabs Hulk by his
foot and flips him off of him. Thing says that he has to get his
breath and clear his head for a minute. Thing walks over to a
Department of Sanitation truck that seems to be filling up water
from a fire hydrant. Thing hears Hulk coming. Hulk shouts that
Thing is getting tired and weak. He says that he never gets weak
and that is why he always wins. Thing says that Hulk is all wet.
He rips open the truck and the water pours out on Hulk. Thing
says that he is ready now. Hulk says that he is ready too. Hulk
and Thing start punching each other. Hulk says that Thing keeps
forgetting that he gets stronger the longer he fights. Thing says
that he won’t be fighting much longer.
Alicia says that the thumping noises are getting louder and that must mean that she has found them. She wonders how she will get Ben to listen to her. She says that she has to get closer in order to make him see her.
Reed tells Torch to keep powering the dynamos. He says that they will be done in a few seconds. Torch asks what happens if it doesn’t work. Reed tells Torch not to even say that. Torch says that they wasted precious minutes up there when they could have been helping Ben. Torch says that if this thing doesn’t even work now. Reed says that at least they would have tried. Reed says that saving Ben isn’t enough. He says that Thing has gone bad and that he is a menace. He says that they have to cure him at the same time. Reed tells Torch to get back to work.
Alicia calls out to Ben, but one of the punches shatters the ground. A piece of gravel flies up and hits Alicia in the head. Thing turns when he hears Alicia’s cries, but as he does so the Hulk is throwing a punch. Thing is hit hard.
Reed says that he is finished. Torch says that they’ll never make it through the crowds. He has Reed hold onto a cable he drags behind as he flies over. Torch sees the demolished area and figures that must be where the fight is. He flies in and sees Alicia over Thing’s motionless body. Torch asks what happened. Alicia says that Thing turned his head at the wrong moment and that the Hulk finished him.
Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner. Bruce fades away into the night.
Torch shouts at Reed. He says that this is all Reed’s fault. He says because of his stupid machine that Ben is dead. Reed hangs his head.
First Family rating: 8 out of 10
Always love a good Thing/Hulk fight though I think Thing was given far too much credit in this outing. Jameson’s character seems oddly distorted. Not sure if he was under some sort of mind control, but Jameson is usually up for arresting Spider-Man instead of brutally slaughtering any superhuman. John Buscema’s Hulk, while not Sal’s, is still awesome. His storytelling and style are nice. 4 out of 5 for both.