Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #108

Title: “Monster Triumphant!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Penciller: Herb Trimpe

Inker: John Severin

Mandarin says that all those that won’t serve him must die, and that even the Hulk must pay his due. Mandarin wishes the Hulk goodbye and turns away.

Hulk sinks deeper and deeper into the quicksand. Hulk’s strength does him no good as he sinks. He feels sand getting into his nose when he feels a wall. Hulk smashes the wall and breaks out of the pit. Mandarin says that Hulk is less bestial than he thought. Hulk says that now Mandarin will pay. Mandarin pulls a lever and drops a large glass container on Hulk. Before Hulk can break through he is surrounded by gas. Hulk passes out and Mandarin says that he has won again. Mandarin says that Hulk is too valuable to kill, and that he will find a way to make Hulk serve him. Mandarin tells his men to carry Hulk to the medi-chamber. He tells them to hurry up, and that before the day is over that the world will tremble before his might. He says that he will use the Hulk as a fuse that will trigger a reign of conquest.

Mandarin places a control device on the back of Hulk’s neck. Mandarin says that he should have done this sooner and that though none can overcome his strength that Hulk’s weakness is his brain. He says that when Hulk awakens that he will attack every region on Earth. He says that Hulk will turn nation against nation. He says that each of the nuclear powers will think that the Hulk serves its enemy. He says that the world will plunge into nuclear warfare, and that when it is over that only he will survive. He says that he will rule from his impregnable fortress over the entire Earth. Hulk awakens. He smashes out of the chains that hold him. Mandarin tells his people to leave him and that he wishes to face his “gargantuan servant” alone. Hulk shouts that he serves no one. He says that Mandarin won’t escape this time. Mandarin calls Hulk a fool and asks why he should try to escape. He says that it is Hulk that can’t escape him. Mandarin activates the machine that controls the Hulk’s control device. Hulk says, “You… are… Master!” Mandarin orders Hulk to go two hundred kilometers north and destroy the railroad terminal at the mouth of the Tsen-Tse River. Hulk says that he must obey and leaps away.

In the headquarters of Red Colonel Yuri Brevlov, Fury and Brevlov sit together. Fury says that it seems like only yesterday that they were pulverizing the Nazis together.  He says that now they are different sides of “yer blasted Iron Curtain!” Yuri says that their friendship was “born in battle… honed in comradeship!” He says that it won’t be shattered by politics. Fury says that is okay with him, but asks what Yuri’s bosses in the Kremlin will say. Yuri’s satellite scanner picks up the Hulk in Tsen-Tse. Yuri says that it could have dire consequences for all of them. Yuri says that the Chinese will think that Hulk works for them and that it could lead to global war. Fury asks how they stop him. Yuri gets on the microphone and orders to begin the countdown for the subsonic rocket M2-3. He says that he and Fury must find Hulk in time. The rocket takes off in mere minutes.

The Chinese Chairman accuses their “western comrades” of showing their true colors. He says that they attack them now, but that they will fight back. He says that even now they are mobilizing to repel the enemy.

Mandarin says that the Hulk is worth a hundred divisions. He says that he must leave the terminal before he is stopped.

Hulk says that something is making him leap, and that he has to find a power plant in the mountains.

Hulk brings down the power plant. Hulk sees the Chinese forces coming at him and shakes his fist at them. He says that they are coming for him, but that he will crush them all. Hulk leaps onto the front of a tank and crushes it to the floor. He says that they think they are attacking Hulk, but that he is the one that will attack them. Hulk says that tanks are only toys to him, and that he is sick of playing with toys. Hulk picks up a tank in each hand and holds them over his head. He smashes the two of them together and destroys them. Hulk rips the turret off one of the tanks and smashes it into another. Hulk says that men always try to kill him and asks why he shouldn’t strike back with all of his strength. Two tank shells bounce off his back. He says that he knows that all men are his enemies. He says that they all hate him and that he is going to give them good reason. Hulk smashes two more tanks and says that he doesn’t need any guns or tanks. He says that the more he fights the stronger he grows.

In the rocket, Yuri says that Hulk is no longer at the terminal and that they have to start looking anew. Fury says that you have to hand it to Hulk and that he will fight an entire army and that he won’t stop until he’s beaten them. Yuri says that they have to stop him before he starts an atomic war. Suddenly Tony Stark’s image comes on the screen. He says that if Fury can hear his words anywhere in the world that the order is “Code 6”. Fury says that Code 6 stands for the Mandarin. Fury says that Stark must have figured out that he is responsible for the Hulk’s rampage. Fury says that Yuri had better change his course. Yuri says that he has already done so and that they will be at the Mandarin’s stronghold in minutes.

Mandarin watches his screen and sees that all over the world that nuclear powers are preparing for war. He says that is a war that no one will win. He says that survival will determine the issue and that only he will be left alive. Suddenly an alarm sounds and Mandarin knows that an invader has struck. Yuri and Fury smash right through the Mandarin’s view screen. Yuri leaps off the ship towards Mandarin and tells Fury to fly their means of escape. Mandarin says that it is two lone agents against him. He asks what kind of madness this is. Yuri says that if fighting for peace is madness then they are both mad. He kicks the remote control that controls the device on the Hulk’s neck. Mandarin says that without that device that the Hulk will run amok.

Hulk asks why he is there fighting these tanks. He says that Mandarin is his enemy and that he must find and destroy him. The tanks fall back waiting for Hulk. Hulk feels the control device come off his neck. He says that it doesn’t matter and that getting Mandarin is all that matters.

Mandarin chops Yuri and says that he doesn’t even need to use one of his rings to handle him. Mandarin tells Yuri to fall to his death, and that the same death will befall all that don’t serve him. Mandarin says that only the deadly are fit to rule and that he is the deadliest of all. Yuri says that he has failed, but that Fury still has a chance. Fury says that he does, but that he has to grab him first. Fury swoops in and Yuri lands perfectly in place. Yuri asks how Fury could perform such a delicate maneuver after having never flown this craft before. Fury says that a ship is a ship and that he isn’t scared of heights. Fury and Yuri turn to attack Mandarin again, but Mandarin blasts the wall with one of his rings. They wonder why, but they quickly get their answer as the ship is attracted to the wall and sticks there. Fury says that Mandarin magnetized the wall. Fury and Yuri leap from their ship and use energy beams to repel against the ground to slow their descent. Fury grabs a grenade gun and shoots down the tower Mandarin stands on. Mandarin likewise uses a ring to lower himself to the ground. Mandarin says that they will pay for that. Mandarin uses a ring to release a stun gas. Fury thinks to himself that he laughed at Stark when he gave him the mini-mask, but that he isn’t laughing now. Yuri falls unconscious, but Fury waits for the smoke to clear so he can attack Mandarin. Mandarin tells Fury not to do anything rash. He uses his ring and shows Fury the large weapon pointed at Yuri. Mandarin says that if Fury fires on him that the noise will activate the laser ray which will kill his ally. Fury thinks that he can’t let Yuri die, but that if he surrenders that they are both done. Mandarin tells Fury to hurry up and decide what he will do. He says that he has a far greater score to settle with the Hulk. The alarm goes off again and Fury says that he thinks Mandarin is going to have to deal with Hulk sooner than he thought.

Hulk smashes through the Mandarin’s fortress, and destroys the laser ray that was aimed at Yuri. Fury says that he never thought that he would be glad to see the Hulk. Mandarin tells Hulk that he isn’t going to escape. Hulk says that he doesn’t care about escaping. He says that Mandarin is his enemy, and that he came there to finish him. Hulk turns and sees the unconscious Yuri on the ground. Hulk says that he tried to kill him too. Hulk says that wherever he goes that he finds enemies. Hulk says that he will never stop fighting. Mandarin decides that while the Hulk is distracted he will kill Fury with a single ring blast. Hulk leaps in front of the blast and says that Mandarin is done attacking. Hulk says that he is strongest and that only he will strike. Hulk shouts, “Now… you will feel the power of the Hulk!” Hulk says that everyone is his enemy and so everyone must fall. Hulk hits the ground. Mandarin starts running. Fury wakes up Yuri as the gas has worn off. Fury says that they can’t catch up to Mandarin, but that they need to get out of there. Hulk keeps hitting the ground over and over. Fury and Yuri are hit by a “retro-beam” that lifts them into the air. The castle is falling apart as Hulk hits it, but Hulk decides that it is happening too slowly. He says that he knows a better way. Hulk lifts Mandarin’s fortress into the air. He says that Mandarin is evil, and that the world has too much evil. He says that others hate and try to hurt. Hulk says that he didn’t hate. He says that he wanted to live in peace, but that the world wouldn’t let him. Hulk says that now he fights back. Hulk throws the castle and destroys it. Hulk walks away. He says that there must be a place for him, but that until he finds it that he must keep fighting.

No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10

 Review and pictures by The Leader

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