Fantastic Four #166Fantastic Four #166
Title: “If It’s Tuesday, This Must be the Hulk!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciller: George Perez
Inker: Vince Colleta
Colors: Phil Rache
Editor: Roy Thomas
The Fantastic Four are flying on a commercial 747. They are sitting in the lounge area when Thing tells a kissing couple to make like lovebirds somewhere else. Reed tells Thing to calm down and says that this isn’t a private plane. Sue tells Thing that there is no excuse for bad manners. Torch says that with Ben there isn’t any alternative either. Thing sticks his finger under the man’s chin and asks him if he is a spy. The man’s wife tells Thing to leave him alone unless he wants to prove how tough he is by taking on her next. The woman tells her husband and child that they should go before Thing starts beating on his chest like a gorilla. Thing tries to apologize, but slumps down and realizes that they are right. He says that he is just in a bad mood because he had a date with Alicia and then he got called away to Washington. Thing sees a plate of pastries pass before him and realizes that means that a stewardess must be on the other end. He closes his eyes and puckers up. He asks, “Hey, Honey… how’d you like ta say you kissed a real live super-star?” The steward says that he would love to, but that he doesn’t let anyone call him “honey” until the second date. Thing asks what the world is coming to with male flight attendants. Torch says that he understands Thing is upset because they’re all too busy to lead normal lives. He says that he had a date with a great girl named Frankie, but that then she found out he was a freak and he is alone again. Sue sits next to Johnny and says that she understands. Torch asks how she could. He says that she and Reed have one another and Franklin too. He says that he doesn’t have anything. He says that maybe they should quit and let the Avengers or one of the other 37 super-teams do all the world saving. Sue tells him not to even think that way. She says that they were the first, and that they are still the best. Reed says that is why they are flying to the Middle-West of the country to prove. Torch asks what they are doing. Reed pulls up a suitcase and says that it involves the psi-amplifier. Thing asks if that isn’t the thing that wound up switching he and the Hulk into one another’s bodies. He says that if it is that Reed can count him out. Reed tells Thing not to be too hasty. Reed says that was before he perfected it, and that Thing and Bruce were using it on their own. Sue asks if the little thing in the suitcase is the psi-amplifier. Reed says that the miniaturization was the final step and that the machine is ready now. Sue asks why they are going to Nebraska. Reed says that the authorities are keeping it quiet, but that the Hulk is in the area. Reed says that with his mental power and the psi-ami that he can make it so that Bruce Banner will never become the Hulk again. Torch says that first they have to catch him. Thing says that he is tired of chasing after the Hulk every time the military is in trouble. Thing asks what Hulk has ever done to them when they weren’t the ones bugging him anyway. Reed says that Thing knows that isn’t the point. He says that this is the best thing for everyone including the Hulk. Sue asks how Reed will find the Hulk this time.
Just then the Hulk is leaping by. His path takes him right through the right wing of the Fantastic Four’s fight. Hulk says that it was just a puny human plane and that it was nothing that could hurt him.
The plane starts to spiral down. The people start to panic. Reed tells the flight attendants to get the people back in their seats. He says that they will pull the plane out of its spin. Torch lights his finger and says that he is ready. Reed goes to Sue and says that this will be her biggest test. He asks if she is ready. Sue says that she has to be. Thing asks Reed what he can do. Reed tells him to do what he can in the plane. Reed tells Johnny to make a hole in the plane. As Torch does it, Thing watches and says that he is useless there. Reed and Torch slip out the hole. Reed forms himself like a parachute. Sue seals up the hole with a force field. She tells Ben that the strain is almost unbearable. Ben says that she can do it. He thinks to himself that all he is, is a one man rooting section.
Outside, Torch welds the wing shut and tries to keep the plane balanced. Reed’s parachute is slowing down the plane, but Torch sees a car on the road where they will have to land. Torch fires a fireball down on the road in front of the car. The passenger looks out and sees the plane coming toward them. He tells the driver to pull off the road. The plane comes in and lands. On the ground, Reed is rubbing his arm and tells Torch that he is fine. He says that they should see about the others. Reed stretches and grabs Sue out of the plane. He asks if she is all right. Sue says that she is just dizzy. Thing apologizes. He says that he wanted to help, but that he couldn’t do anything. Reed says that Thing has saved them plenty in the past and not to let it bother him. Reed tells Sue and Johnny that they did great. Torch says that it was Reed’s show. Suddenly Torch spots a helicopter coming down to them. A soldier comes out on landing and says that they were expecting them so they naturally came when trouble occurred. Reed says that there are probably injuries on the plane. The soldier says that ambulances are on the way, and that they have a schedule to keep. Reed says that he doesn’t like the preferential treatment. He says that they are just four more passengers. The soldier says that to the big brass that they aren’t. He says that they’re getting the special handling if they like it or not.
Minutes later, the Fantastic Four are meeting with Colonel Sellers. Thing tells Sellers that he could so without the giant pin up of the Hulk though. Reed tells Sellers to remember that if they can manage to change the Hulk back into Bruce Banner that Banner will go free to be allowed to work with Reed. Sellers says that he will remember. Thing tells him to make sure that he does. Thing says that he doesn’t have much love for the Hulk, but that there is a man inside somewhere and that he is in a position to know. Sellers is telling Thing not to talk down to him, but then Hulk shows up on their radar. He says that the Hulk is in sector B and moving toward them fast.
As they rush to the helicopter, Thing asks what the place is anyway. Reed says that it is one of the president’s underground fortresses that the president might go to in case of a nuclear war. Reed says that it is built to withstand an atomic attack, but that since the Hulk’s power has never been measured that there is no way to be certain that it could withstand him. Thing says that he was just thinking the same thing about them. Reed asks how the military detected the Hulk. Reed says that the Hulk emits gamma radiation at unpredictable times.
Hulk sees the helicopter coming at him. He says that he should have known. He says that even miles away from anyone that the puny humans won’t leave him alone. Hulk says that he was happy here, and that it reminded him of the desert. Hulk says that now the ship will land and that men will get off and hunt him. Hulk says that maybe this time he will strike first. Hulk tears up a tree and throws it at the helicopter.
Thing asks what that was the helicopter is smashed to pieces. Torch asks Reed if he wants to help Sue down. Reed says that he will take care of her and forms another parachute. Sue says that Ben needs more help than she does and creates an invisible pole for him to slide to the ground on. Torch flies at Hulk. Hulk smashes Torch, but unknown to the Hulk, Torch stopped short and sent a fiery image of himself which is what Hulk actually hit. Torch hits Hulk from another direction and sends Hulk head over heels. Reed tells Torch that was good, but not to get over confident. Thing says that after all it is only four against one. Thing says to let him at Hulk. Reed tells Ben no. Torch says that Reed is right and that they have to gang up on him. Reed wraps Hulk up and has Sue place a force field bubble around Hulk’s head to cut off his air supply. Sue says that she managed to catch him while he was out of breath. She says that she hopes they don’t kill him. Reed says that they won’t. Reed tells Thing that he can’t hold Hulk much longer and to go hit him. Thing asks if he is just supposed to sucker punch the Hulk. Reed tells Ben to just do it. He says that the Hulk is going wild and that he can’t hold him for more than a few seconds. Thing rushes the Hulk and says that if he has to that he has to. Thing makes it clear that he isn’t enjoying this as he hits the Hulk unconscious. Reed outs his hand on Thing’s shoulder and tells him he did good work. Thing says, “Just getcher hand off’a me an’ shuddup. Okay?”
After they take the Hulk back to the
military base, Hulk is hooked up to Reed’s psi-ami which is
also hooked up to Reed. Thing stands apart from his teammates.
Reed says that if this works that Ben will see that this was all
worth it. Thing says that just keeps telling himself that or he
would be losing his lunch. Sellers asks Reed if he is going to
use his machine or not. He says that he doesn’t understand
all this sentiment for a monster that tried to kill them. Reed
tells Sellers that he is never going to know. Reed says that he
has to wait for Hulk to start to revive so his mind can meet
Hulk’s waking mind. Thing says that ought to be a fair
fight. Hulk starts to wake and Sellers tells Reed to begin. Reed
hesitates for a minute, but then pushes the button. Reed
struggles, but Hulk is reverted back into Bruce Banner. Bruce has
slipped out of the Hulk’s restraints and is lying on the
floor. Ben asks if Bruce is breathing. Sellers says that
breathing or not that he isn’t taking any chances. He orders
Banner sized shackles to be put on. Thing says that this
wasn’t part of the deal they made with Sellers. Sellers says
that he will honor the deal when he is good and ready. He tells
Thing that there is nothing he can do about and to let go of his
arm. Thing looks at Bruce chained up. Bruce weakly says,
“help… h-help me…” Thing says, “Like
hell there ain’t! When yer built like me and ol’
green-skin, you can always do… this!” Ben smashes the
psi-amplifier. Now broken the psi-amplifier can no longer hold
the stored gamma radiation. The radiation flows back into Bruce
Banner and changes him back into the Hulk. Reed asks Ben if he
realizes what he has done. Sue says that Thing has to help them
restrain Hulk before he gets back to full strength. Torch says
that they can’t do it without Thing. 
Thing says,
“Correction, junior… you can’t do it at all!
‘Cause I just figgered it out… I been on the wrong side
all these years! The Hulk an’ me… you and the
rest’a humanity’s had us at each other’s
throats… when we should’a been fightin’ on the
same side… right, Hulk?” Hulk says that he isn’t
sure, but that what Thing says does make sense to him. Hulk says
that he and Thing are the same and that they will fight together.
Thing says that from now on it will be the Thing and the Hulk
side by side.
First Family rating: 8 out of 10
As a fan of the Hulk this is a great issue as far as I’m concerned. Thing has the potential to be a great monster, but he has always been held back by his “regular guy” attitude. Hulk and Thing together makes almost more sense than the Hulk/Abomination team-up that happens directly after this continuity wise in the Hulk’s own book (195 and 196). My eyes lit up when I saw that George Perez was the penciller for this issue… this has nowhere near the style of Perez. Vince Colleta must not work very well with Perez because the end result isn’t as impressive as one would think. 3.5 out of 5 for the art still.