Fantastic Four #320Fantastic Four #320
Title: “Pride Goeth…”
Writer: Steve Englehart
Penciller: Keith Pollard
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Colors: George Roussos
Editor: Ralph Macchio
CONTINUED FROM INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 2 #349
Mr. Fixit lunges at Doctor Doom. He says that this must be his lucky night and that he has been dreaming about killing Doom. Doom tells Hulk to stay back and asks him if he thinks that he would bring him out there if he couldn’t answer all of his prayers. Hulk says that Doom must think that he is still stupid if he thinks that he can talk his way out of this. Hulk grabs Doom. Doom says that he is well aware of the changes to the Hulk, but since his belligerence hasn’t changed at all that he will let his neuro-space field from his armor speak for him. Hulk falls to the ground. He says that it hurts real bad, but says that pain is nothing to him after the life he has led and that he will never stop fighting. Doom says that Hulk can stop whenever he wants and that he has no need to prolong this. Doom stops his field and says that they both have long term goals and that they should work together. Hulk agrees but strikes the ground and sends Doom flying into the air. Doom says that his armor allows him to fly. He fires a beam into Hulk’s head. Hulk says that his pretty rays won’t stop him. Hulk starts freaking out and falls to the ground. Doom says that he has scrambled the nerve impulses in Hulk’s brain that allows him to use his strength. Hulk stares with a blinging hatred, but decides that he will listen to Doom. Hulk tells Doom to tell him what he wants, but to do it quickly. Doom says that was his intention from the start. Doom returns Hulk to normal. Doom explains to Hulk that when he was assumed dead that a child that he implanted with his mind and will, Kristoff, was activated to take his place. Doom says that he was not dead however and that when he returned to Latveria that Kristoff attacked him thinking that he was an imposter. Doom says that with all the resources of Latveria that Kristoff managed to drive him back. Hulk says that he hopes Doom brought a “hanky” because he is about to burst into tears. Doom says that he doesn’t expect sympathy, but that the Hulk knows him and that he will regain what is his. Hulk asks Doom if he wants him to go kick the kid’s butt. Hulk says that he would love to hear what Doom thinks that is worth. Doom says that if Hulk helps him regain Latveria that he will grant Hulk its full protection so that he can never be hunted again. Doom adds that now that Hulk has a brain that he will appoint him as a minister of his government so he will have status and respect. Hulk says that he doesn’t care who hounds him and that he already has status in Las Vegas. Hulk tells Doom to try again. Doom says that he was afraid of this and that Hulk’s increased mental ability has made him a coward. Doom says that he will just use the Thing instead. Hulk freaks and says that Doom has to be kidding. Doom says that he isn’t at all. He says that the Thing has always been smart and that his strength has been multiplied substantially. Doom says that he and Thing just worked together and that the Thing even leads the Fantastic Four while Hulk is just a minion in Las Vegas. Hulk tells Doom to stop trying to mess with his mind. He says that the Thing is nothing compared to him, and that every time they have fought that he has won. Doom says that was before and that he thinks that Thing has passed him by. Hulk says that he will fight Thing right now. Doom says that if that is what Hulk wants, but he thinks to himself how that is what he really wanted all along.
Johnny is telling Alicia about how Doom
never stopped scheming. Thing says that while they were falling
into the Crossroads of Infinity, Doom was trying to scheme Sharon
by claiming that he could help her condition. Ms. Marvel says
that she knew that Doom could be dangerous when he was trying to
take over the world, but now that he is trying to regain Latveria
he is positively chilling. Johnny says that he and Alicia are
going to head to the South Ferry for a picnic. Alicia asks them
if they want to come with them. Ms. Marvel says that she does,
but Thing says that he is going to stay behind and watch over the
place. Ben hugs Sharon and says that they should all go and have
a good time. Sharon says that she admires Ben’s devotion,
but that he is a party-pooper. She warns him that she is going to
get Alicia and Johnny to tell her all about his bad habits. Thing
says that he doesn’t have any. After they leave, Thing
remembers how tough it was to get Reed out of the building when
he ran things. He says that he used to think that he was just
being a bookworm scientist, but that now he sees that it was more
than that. He says that when you’re the boss that you have
to worry about more than yourself. Thing says that he helped the
FF through a rough time and that he intends to keep it up. Thing
rides the elevator to the top of the building and looks out over
the city. He thinks about how he always left the team behind when
he was feeling bad, but that now he has a girl that likes being
big and orange and likes him. He says that it changes a man, and
that things are finally looking bright and sunny. Thing notices a
shadow on the ground just as the 
Hulk plows into
his back with a punch. Thing asks what is happening as he falls
off the building. Hulk watches the Thing falling and notices that
Thing has changed. He says that he has changed too, but that no
one (especially the Thing) can know that. Thing hits the ground
and shouts up at the Hulk that it is “clobberin’
time”. Hulk flies down at Thing with jet packs that Doom
gave him. He says that Thing won’t recognize him since he
supposed to be dead, and that as long as he keeps his mouth shut
that Thing won’t know that he is about to be trashed one
more time by the Hulk. Fixit hits Thing in the face, but Thing
strikes back and sends Hulk plowing into a bus. Thing says that
he doesn’t know what the guy’s game is, but that he is
stopping it right now. Hulk gets up from the wrecked bus. His
clothes are all tattered. He pulls off his shirt. Thing asks if
he is pretending that he is the Hulk and says that he is the
wrong color. Hulk thinks to himself, “Don’t treat me
like I’m stupid!” He plows into Thing and they trade
punches again. Hulk thinks to himself that he is actually feeling
Thing’s punches and that he is going to kill him for that.
Thing smashes Hulk backwards into a car. Hulk gets so mad that he
shouts, “You…” but stops and reminds himself that
he can’t let Thing know that it is him. Thing asks if he is
some kind of clone of the Hulk that didn’t take since the
Hulk is dead. Thing asks how he is doing and Hulk smashes a car
over Thing’s head. Hulk follows up with a roundhouse that
sends Thing skidding along the ground. Thing thanks him for the
rest since he got to get off his feet. Thing says that this is
what he is going to do with the rest. He rips up the ground and
sends Hulk flying into the air. Hulk hurls himself into Thing.
Doom watches the fight and thinks to himself that this is his revenge for the Fantastic Four interfering and blocking him just as he had the Beyonder’s power in his grasp. Doom says that the best part is that no matter who wins the Hulk will be his first sworn ally in his war to regain Latveria.
Thing and Hulk crash through into the sewer.
Hulk dives onto his back and puts him in a bearhug. Thing
realizes that he has to break out or the fight is over, but says
that this guy is almost as strong as the Hulk. Thing says that
always stopped him against the real Hulk because the real Hulk
never got tired and he would. Thing says that this isn’t the
Hulk though and that he isn’t the Thing that the Hulk beat.
Thing breaks Hulk’s hold on him. Thing says that he is the
new Thing and that he is stronger and tougher. Hulk says that
Thing could never break his hold before and that he is different,
but before Hulk can finish the thought Thing punches him in the
face. Thing starts hammering Hulk and says that he doesn’t
turn back into a man the way the Hulk did. Thing says that what
you see is what you get with him. Hulk thinks to himself,
“No! No! I’m the Hulk!” Thing says that it is no
good trying to be like someone that he isn’t. 
Thing says that
who he is, is the strongest guy in town. Thing hits Hulk so hard
that he sends him flying through back up to street level. Thing
walks towards the prone Hulk and says that it is a shame that he
isn’t the real Hulk. He says that he never got the chance to
clobber him the way that he could now. Thing grabs Hulk by the
neck and lifts him into the air for the final punch. Thing says
that he is just a good workout. Hulk thinks to himself that at
least Thing doesn’t know that he finally beat him. Suddenly
Thing and Hulk hear, “Somebody want fight Hulk?” Thing
and Hulk both look over to see a savage green Hulk standing
there. The savage green Hulk says, “Here Hulk is! And for
what you say about beating him… Hulk smash!” Thing
wonders if he can take the real Hulk now that he is tired. Hulk
thinks, “But… I’m the Hulk! Ain’t I?”
First Family rating: 6 out of 10
The Thing finally beats the Hulk. While most real Fantastic Four fans are probably happy about this as a true Hulk fan I’m rather disgusted. While it’s true that the Thing is much stronger than the gray Hulk at his base strength, the Hulk still possesses the ability to get stronger as he gets angrier. Hulk should have overcome Thing’s static level and triumphed. Another part of the story that I found lame was the way Doom defeats Hulk almost as an aside. If Doom could affect a person’s nerve impulses and stop them from using their strength… couldn’t he defeat anyone? Why wouldn’t he just use this technique and leave the Thing a drooling mess? The art however is pretty good. Good action issue and nice storytelling. (3.5 out of 5)
CONTINUE WITH INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 2 #350