Fantastic Four #167Fantastic Four #167
Title: “Titans Two!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciller: George Perez
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Colors: Phil Rache
Editor: Roy Thomas
Reed tells Thing that they came there to cure the Hulk not to harm him. He says that he has to come to his senses and help them capture him again. Thing tells Reed to get out of the way before he gets hurt. Hulk tells “Little Man” to step aside and that he will deal with it, but Thing says that Reed is his ex-partner. He says that if anyone is going to beat up on him, even gently, that it will be him. Thing tells Reed that he is sorry about this, but he whips Reed’s body off to the side. Torch says that does it. He says that he wasn’t taking Thing seriously till now, but that if he has hurt Reed that he will pay. Thing says that Reed is fine. He tells Torch to get back. Hulk says that Thing hasn’t saved a girl. He says that he has his own power. Hulk claps his hands and snuffs Torch’s flame. Sue asks Ben how he could do this. Sellers tells Sue that they have to get her out of the way so they can act. Sue erects a force field. She says that she knows that Ben will come to his senses at any moment. She says that he wouldn’t really hurt Johnny. Ben says that doesn’t extend to the bozos behind her. Thing and Hulk pound on the force field together until Sue falls. Sellers order the soldiers to fire. Bullets bounce off Hulk’s chest and he asks if they really thought they would hurt him. Thing tells Hulk to stand aside and that he wants equal time. Reed says that he is groggy, but that he can’t worry about that. He thinks to himself that enough high-powered bullets might chip away Ben’s natural body armor away. Reed apologizes as he takes the soldiers’ guns away. Thing turns to Hulk and says that they have done enough damage there. He asks Hulk if he is thinking what he is thinking. Hulk and Thing plow through the wall. Sellers says that wall was meant to withstand any natural disaster. Reed says that Hulk and Thing are a bit out of the ordinary.
On the other side of the wall, Thing and Hulk find three hovercrafts. Thing says that they are their ticket out of there. Hulk says that one of them can be, but that he is tired of being hounded. Hulk picks one of the hovercrafts and says that this time no one will follow. Thing says that he is with Hulk and that he just got an idea. Hulk sees that Thing is holding another ship. Hulk says that he sees. Thing and Hulk smash their crafts together destroying them. Reed shields his eyes and tells Ben that he has to stop this madness. Ben tells Reed to save his breath and that “human types” have been exploiting him long enough. Ben says that from now on they can change their name to the Fantastic Three. Ben flies the hovercraft out of the base. Sellers is shouting that the three of them didn’t do anything to stop this. Reed looks up at the ship and says that he knows that there is more to this than meets the eye. He says that he isn’t sure why he knows, but that he knows.
As Hulk and Thing fly along, Thing thinks to himself that might not have been the smartest thing he has ever done, and that he isn’t really sure why he did it. Ben thinks how Hulk isn’t the best conversationalist, but that they shouldn’t have trussed him up like that when they promised to set him free. Thing turns to Hulk and says that their fuel won’t last forever. He says that the whole air force is probably after them by now and asks if Hulk has anywhere that he wants to hide out. Thing says that maybe they should head for the desert where Hulk is from. Hulk says that he liked the desert. He says that there isn’t anyone around but lizards and sun. Hulk recalls for Thing a bridge that was made of rock where he liked to sit and try to think. Hulk sees something and says, “Wait! Look, Little-Man… down there!” Thing says that Hulk might have a few hundred pounds on him, but that he isn’t anybody’s “Little-Man”. Hulk says that doesn’t matter. He points at the Gateway Arch. He says that is like the rocks in the desert. He tells Thing to land there so he can try and think again. Thing says that is the Gateway Arch and that in St. Louis it is their pride and joy. He says that they won’t like him sitting on it. Hulk says that he doesn’t care what they want. Hulk says, “Just take ship down… now!” Thing is yelling at Hulk not to order him around when he starts feeling dizzy. Hulk asks if he is all right. He says that he doesn’t know if they are friends or not, but that he doesn’t want anything happening to him until he knows. Thing says that he is okay, and that it was just a passing phase. Thing starts landing the ship.
Sellers says that they have located the hovercraft in downtown St. Louis. Reed says that he can’t believe this. He says that he would have thought that Thing would have at least kept Hulk away from any populated centers. Sellers says that maybe they don’t know their bestial partner as well as they thought. Torch says that Sellers has three super-heroes right now. He asks if he wants to try for two and a fat lip. He says to just give them a fast ship. Sellers says that they can have one more chance, but that of they haven’t re-captured the Hulk by nightfall that they are going after Hulk and Thing with every non-nuclear thing they have.
As they fly along, Torch asks Reed if he thinks that the Hulk somehow hexed Ben. Reed says that he doesn’t. He says that Ben’s reaction was sincere, if misguided, but that it is what may happen next that worries him. Torch asks what he means. Reed says that he told them earlier about how the Hulk emits gamma radiation. He says that been has never been exposed to gamma rays for any great length of time. Sue says that their previous fights have been furious but short. Reed says that they have been together for hours now. They approach Hulk and Thing on a rooftop.
Hulk is holding
a big chunk of the roof over his head. He says that this is
Thing’s fault. He asks why Thing didn’t just land on
the arch like he asked. Thing tries to explain that they never
could have landed on a curve, but then tells Hulk to put the
concrete down. Hulk looks down at the soldiers and says that
there are too many of them around. Hulk asks why they won’t
leave him alone. Thing says that maybe it is because Hulk always
ends up acting like a bull in a china shop. Thing asks him again
to put the concrete down. Hulk says no again so Thing smashes the
concrete in Hulk’s hand.
The soldiers are dodging the concrete, which is now raining down on them in smaller chunks. The Hulk leaps off the building at the soldiers. Thing looks down at Hulk and says that he never realized it before, but that the Hulk makes him look like a pussycat. He says that if only Sellers hadn’t double crossed them. Thing starts feeling dizzy again worse than before. Thing shouts down to Hulk that they are going to have to whole army after him. Hulk says to let them come and that he is ready for anyone. Reed asks if that includes them. Thing says that he knew this would happen if they stayed in one place for too long. Thing says that this is a revolting development. Reed is standing on the top of the ship holding a weapon. He says that the only revolting development is when Thing turned on them and freed the Hulk. Reed says that they could have talked to the military into letting them help Banner, but that he got carried away and blew it. Reed says that Thing is in danger. Thing says that he would guess that Colonel Sanders is so fired up to get the Hulk that he would take all of St. Louis with him. Reed says that might be, but that isn’t what he meant. Reed says that there is no time to explain and that he has to just re-capture the Hulk. Hulk says that they are trying to take Hulk’s only friend and that he won’t let them.
The soldiers stand by and one officer tells the other that they aren’t going to fire or anything else that will endanger the general populace. He says that he has an aunt that lives near there. Hulk stands with Thing and pulls off a chimney. Hulk tells Thing that they are together again. He asks Thing if he is with him or against him. Thing says that he will let Hulk know in a minute and that his head is swimming again. Reed tells Thing that for his own sake he has to run as far away from that monster as possible. Thing shakes his fist at Reed and thanks him for making up his mind for him. Thing says that now he is just a monster and doesn’t even have a name. Thing tells Hulk to let her rip. Hulk throws the chimney, but Torch maneuvers the ship out of the way. Torch and Reed abandon the ship as it starts to fall down. Torch says that Sue will get rid of it so it doesn’t hurt anyone. Reed says that they have to get close to them, and that the tranquilizer device he adapted from the military’s model is only effective at very close range.
Sue crashes the ship into the water and surfaces in a bubble. She then walks along an invisible bridge back to land. She walks slowly since she can’t see the bridge.
Reed tells Thing to step aside. He says that
the gas weapon is adjusted for the Hulk, and that since he is
smaller that it might hurt him. Thing says that he is tired of
people referring to him as a 98-pound weakling. Thing tells Reed
to step aside and he will leave with the Hulk before sundown. He
says that otherwise they should watch out. Torch tells Thing to
watch out himself. Torch charges into Thing, but Thing smacks him
back. Torch hits Reed. Reed reels, but manages to grab the top of
the Arch. The gas falls to the ground. Torch bounces off one of
Sue’s invisible cushions. Hulk grabs Thing and leaps to the
top of the Arch where Reed lies struggling to remain conscious.
Sue manages to shield Reed with a force field, but with each hit
from the Hulk Sue grows more and more weary. Thing stands there.
He says that he is more dizzy than ever, but asks the Hulk if
that isn’t his buddy that he is trying to smash. 
Thing smacks
Hulk. Hulk is knocked off guard, but the impact of the hit knocks
Reed off the Arch. Thing shouts for someone to catch him. Sue
catches Reed in a bubble, but she is left too weak to do anything
else. Torch says that neither of them can do anymore. He says
that it is up to Thing now.
Hulk hits Thing twice. Thing hits back. The Fantastic Four watch with the people knowing “the awful, unspeakable truth: against the Hulk… the Thing cannot win!” The Arch starts to crack. Thing hits Hulk and says that he must have been out of his head to let the Hulk loose. He hits Hulk again, but then his head starts swimming. Thing realizes that he is turning back into Ben Grimm. Hulk hits Thing before he reverts. Thing goes flying off the Arch. Torch flies up to catch Thing, but Reed tells him that they can’t risk the impact of catching him in mid-flight. Torch flies around and creates a heat updraft so Ben lands softly.
Hulk stands up on the Arch looking down at the former Thing. Sue says that it is good that he landed softly and that it would have been bad if he hit in his human form. Ben turns and asks if she said he was human. Hulk looks down and says that they have done what they always do. Every time he makes a friend they take him away from him. Hulk leaps away.
Ben asks if he is really human again. One of the soldiers tells Ben to just make sure he keeps his pants up. Torch tells Ben that Reed figured out that it was the gamma radiation coming off the Hulk. Ben says that he doesn’t care how it happened. He says to point him to the next plane to New York, and that he wants to share his good news with Alicia. Sue says that Ben is so happy, but Reed wonders if this is the end of the Fantastic Four.
First Family rating: 8 out of 10
Well I suppose it is true to the character of the Thing, but I have to say that his mutiny being a by product of his extended exposure to Hulk’s gamma radiation is somewhat of a disappointment to me. Perez looks much better this issue with the different inker. 4 out of 5 for both writing and art.