Hulk #3- continued

“Will the Mighty Hulk be a Match for the Ringmaster?”

Ringmaster stands with his circus and says that nothing that lives can defy him

Two feds drive into a town. One says to the other that the tip they got was right, and that this town is the same as the other two. Everyone in the town is standing motionless. They say that so far they have been able to keep this quiet so that nobody will be panicked. They find that the entire town has been ransacked. The bank has been emptied. One says that it defies logic and wonders how this is possible. One of the feds finds a poster for the circus. He says that every town that has been hit has had the same poster from the circus.

Elsewhere at the Ringmaster Circus, the Ringmaster welcomes everyone to the greatest show of all. The tent goes dark and Ringmaster tells everyone not to take their eyes off of him. Ringmaster’s hat starts to spin and stars seem to float out and around and around. Ringmaster hypnotizes the entire crowd. Ringmaster’s performers go and strip the crowd of all their possessions. They then move out and start taking the things from the people’s home and shops. Afterwards, Ringmaster tells them all to get back to the caravan. He says that there are many more towns for the Ringmaster to visit. The circus moves on leaving the entire town in a trance.

Morning comes and Rick has managed to stay awake the entire night. Rick decides that he has to find a place to wash up and get some food. Rick leaves the Hulk there and goes to visit his “Aunt Polly”. At Aunt Polly’s place Rick washes up. Polly says that it has been a long time since she has seen Rick. After eating, Rick decides to walk through the town before returning to the Hulk. Rick sees a big line for the circus and decides to go in. Ringmaster starts to do his thing. Rick realizes that he can’t move and that Ringmaster is hypnotizing them. Rick sends a mental call out for the Hulk to come help him. Hulk leaps into the air towards Rick. Hulk arrives and lands through the top of the tent. The human cannonball gets fired at the Hulk with a hammer, but Hulk punches the man and sends him flying through the top of the tent. Hulk trods toward the Ringmaster. Ringmaster tells them to use the firehose. Hulk is blown down to the ground. The trapeze artists drop a net onto the Hulk and the others wrap the net with a chain. Ringmaster says that he has an idea. The circus rolls out of town taking the Hulk with them while Rick Jones is still motionless in town.

The next day Hulk stands in chains next to the lion and the bear. Ringmaster says that people won’t be able to resist coming to see him. Later, the Ringmaster is about to hypnotize the crowd when the FBI and Rick Jones arrive. The feds say that their victims told them everything once they managed to revive them. Rick asks where the Hulk is. Hearing Rick’s voice the Hulk reacts. He breaks open the chain that was “holding” him. Hulk starts tearing the tent down. One performer tries to corner Hulk with an elephant. Hulk punches the elephant and the animal falls backwards onto a teeterboard. The feds say that the Ringmaster is going to get away in the confusion. Ringmaster jumps onto a horse drawn carriage, but the Hulk back under Rick’s control vows to catch him. Hulk rips up the main support pole right out of the ground. Hulk then uses the pole to pull Ringmaster off the carriage. Hulk grabs Ringmaster by the collar and holds him up. Suddenly Ross and his troops arrive flooding the tent. They tell Rick to stand aside. Rick says that they don’t know what the Hulk is, but that nobody is shooting him. Rick gets onto Hulk’s back and tells him to go up through the tent. Hulk leaps away. Ross says that Hulk can’t escape from him forever.

No Excuses rating: 10 out of 10

Another great comic. The visuals of Hulk fighting a human cannonball and an elephant are amazing. This issue begins for the Hulk what seems to be a trial of situations. Hulk starts by becoming the slave of Rick Jones. Not really the best situation for Hulk, but Stan and Jack take care of that next issue. This issue is more about Rick Jones it seems than the Hulk. It’s funny to watch Rick betray the Hulk because it’s “for the country” after seeing how cynical Rick becomes once this becomes old hat. Oh and by the way, Ringmaster? Still better than the Toad Men!

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