Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #124Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #124
Title: “The Rhino Says No!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Layout: Herb Trimpe
Finished Art: Sal Buscema
Editor: Stan Lee
The Leader reads the newspaper containing the headline, “BRUCE BANNER TO MARRY”. Leader says that it is true then and that the Hulk is no more. He says that after long years of torture that Bruce Banner is now supreme over the Hulk. He says that too often have one or the other of them ruined his plans . He says that if he is Banner or the brute that soon he will be dead.
In a Californian dress shop, Betty Ross is being fitted for her wedding gown.
At night, Bruce and Betty go out for a boat ride on the calm water. Bruce rows along and asks Betty what she is thinking about. He asks if she is waiting for him to turn green. Betty tells him to not even joke about that. She says that she was just thinking about how unreal their happiness seems. Bruce says that he knows what she means. He says that after all the torment they have been through that nothing will ever come between them again.
Leader watches the pair from high above. He says that Banner doesn’t know how right he is. Leader says that he is about to unite he and his love forever in a “blissful state of oblivion!” Leader says that it took Banner years to conquer the radiation that transformed him, but that it will only take him a moment to destroy him. Leader has his finger hovering over the trigger. He decides that he can’t do it. He says that it would be to easy and painless. Leader says that for stopping his attempt to start a world war that the Hulk and Bruce Banner must suffer. He says that he must have time to plan and that only them will he get his revenge. Leader rockets away.
Betty sees Leader’s trail and thinks that it is a shooting star. She says that it is good luck. Bruce says that they don’t need luck anymore. He says that all they need is to be left alone to build their life together if that isn’t too much to ask.
Leader rockets to his “secret, subterranean lair… there to brood and plot amidst the sinister trappings of a life lived only for power!” Leader says that even killing the girl is not enough to please him. Leader says that she must die at the hands of the Hulk. Leader says that the monster must return once more in time to kill Banner’s bride on the day of their wedding. Leader says that the man within the monster will still grieve and so he needs an ally whose power is at least equal to the Hulk’s. Leader starts creating mentally projected images of the Hulk’s battles to find one. First comes the Sandman. Leader says that he was powerful, but that he isn’t powerful enough. Leader sees Namor and says that Namor is only Hulk’s equal while in the sea. Leader sees Mandarin and says that he can forget about him since Mandarin doesn’t obey anyone’s will but his own. Leader sees Maximus and says that he is nothing without the evil Inhumans behind him. Leader says that none of them are the one he wants. He says that they are all too strong-willed or too weak in mind and body. Leader thinks of Space Parasite. He says that he might have enough power, but that he is dead and his body still drifts at the rim of space. Leader thinks of the Rhino and then decides that he might be onto something. Leader says that Rhino had fought Hulk to a standstill before the explosion ended the fight and almost killed Rhino. Leader decides that Rhino is perfect. Rhino is strong enough and that his will is too weak to resist him. Leader recalls that Rhino was badly burned and almost dead. Leader recalls and digs out a newspaper article which tells him that the Rhino was captured and is being kept under guard at State hospital. Leader says that because the Rhino lives that the Hulk will die. Leader says that Rhino remains in a state of shock that the best doctors cannot wake him from, but that the doctors are not the Leader. Leader tells Banner to dream on and enjoy his last few moments of life.
Banner and Betty stand together. Ross asks Banner if he can talk to him. Betty asks if Ross is going to try and stop them from getting married. Bruce tells her to let her father speak and that it is his right. Ross says that they haven’t seen eye to eye on much. He says that he has called Bruce a milksop, a weakling, and worse. He says that Banner probably thinks that he is all guts and no sense. Ross says that maybe both of them were wrong. Ross says that nothing is more important to him than Betty’s happiness. He says that is why he had them fly to the house where Betty was born because that is where he would like her to be married. Betty hugs her father and Bruce says that it would be an honor. Bruce asks Betty what she is thinking. Tears well in Betty’s eyes as she tells Bruce that she is the happiest girl alive.
At the State Prison, Leader’s Super-Humanoid walks out of the bushes towards the gate. He swats down the guard there and walks right through the gate. The Super-Humanoid then reaches through the window and grabs the still comatose Rhino. As the Super-Humanoid walks off with Rhino the cops say that Rhino didn’t know anything about all this. One says that he doesn’t know if he should put out an all-counts bulletin for his arrest or pity him.
A few hours later, at Leader’s
laboratory in the forested Big Sur Peninsula, Leader tells the
unconscious Rhino that he has studied him thoroughly. He says
that he knows Rhino better than Rhino knows himself. Leader says
that he knows the Rhino’s powers were the product of gamma
ray bombardments and that because his brain was also the product
of gamma rays that Rhino’s powers can be restored with one
of his mental bolts. Leader blasts Rhino with energy from his
mind until the Rhino begins to stir. Rhino sits up and asks where
the Hulk is. Leader says that he knew his treatment would work.
Leader explains to Rhino what happened. Rhino says that he
doesn’t remember anything after the truck exploded. Leader
says that he will and that Rhino will have the revenge that he
wants. Leader says that his mental bolts won’t be enough to
transform Banner back into the savage Hulk, but that they will be
when projected through a nuclear-powered amplifier. Leader says
that only then will his revenge be complete. 
Rhino decides
to join Leader, but says that he wishes he still had his suit.
Leader says that he figured on Rhino’s psychological
dependence on his suit and restored it for him. Rhino dons his
suit and says that this is more like it. He says to lead him to
the Hulk and that he will make mincemeat out of him. Leader tells
the Rhino not yet. Leader says that Rhino might be sure of his
restored powers, but that he requires a test. Leader tells Rhino
to take out the android that saved him. Rhino says that it is
bigger than anything he has fought before, but Rhino plows right
through it. Rhino says, “Well, little greenie two-shoes? Now
do ya think I’m ready to take on the Hulk?” Leader says
that he will forgive Rhino’s insolence, but only because he
succeeded beyond his expectations. Leader says that Hulk and
Banner are doomed.
Inside the house Betty was born in, the ceremony begins. Betty whispers to Bruce and asks if he is having cold feet. Bruce whispers that his only regret is that this couldn’t have happened years ago. Ross watches on. He says that Banner isn’t the husband he would have chosen for Betty, but that he knows he makes her happy now that the Hulk is gone.
Outside in a Griffith’s Fuel Oil truck, Rhino and Leader sit. Rhino says that he doesn’t know why they are sneaking around when he could just charge in there and squash Banner. Leader says that first he will suffer as a man who has killed the one he holds most dear. Rhino asks if he means the girl. Leader says, “What else would I mean, fool?” Leader pushes the button that readies the amplifier. Rhino says that he read that Banner had Hulk under control now, and that if that is the case that Banner wouldn’t kill anyone. Leader says that thirty seconds of exposure to his ray will negate Banner’s control. He tells Rhino to shut up now.
The priest is about to announce Bruce and Betty as man and wife when Leader’s ray comes through the window and hits Bruce. Only Betty realizes what is happening and shouts that it can’t happen now. Bruce is forced into becoming the Hulk. Hulk says that it doesn’t matter so long as he has the mind of Bruce Banner, but as the ray continues he says, “I can find out who did this ting… and then… Hulk will smash! No… wait! That wasn’t me… it wasn’t Bruce Banner talking…! And why should it be Bruce Banner… when I’m the Hulk?” Hulk asks why he is in a house surrounded by his enemies. Hulk says that he won’t be there for long. Ross grabs Betty and runs out of the house with her. Hulk says that no one keeps him in four walls. Hulk smashes the ground and the house falls down destroyed. Hulk says that he is free again. Rhino says that is what he thinks. Rhino says that he was brought there to kill him and that is what he will do. Rhino tells Leader that all bets are off and that he is taking over. Leader calls Rhino a brainless, blundering brute. Leader says that he needs one more shot and that it will turn the Hulk so savage that he will kill everyone around him. Rhino charges on, not listening. Leader says that he can’t even reach him with a mental bolt. Leader says that he will have to let Rhino kill the Hulk and be satisfied with that.
Rhino plows
into Hulk and says that Hulk is slower and stupider than he
remembers. Rhino re-introduces himself to Hulk. Hulk doesn’t
remember him. Rhino says that maybe another right will do it.
Rhino charges towards Hulk, but Hulk flips Rhino over with his
legs. Hulk says that he remembers Rhino now. He says that he
thought Rhino was dead, but that he is glad he isn’t. Hulk
says that he was confused, but that now he has an enemy to smash
and that he always defeats his enemies. Hulk grabs the ground and
uproots it from beneath Rhino’s feet. Rhino says that
wouldn’t stop a gamma-rayed flea. He says that hulk is too
used to fighting weaklings like the Leader. Rhino picks up the
roof to the destroyed house and smashes it over Hulk’s head.
Hulk gets up and says that Rhino talks a good fight, but that it
takes more than that to beat him. Rhino is stunned. Leader tells
Rhino that he has had his chance, but that he should step aside
and let the Leader make the final move. Rhino says that there is
no chance. He says that he owes Hulk for what happened the last
time they fought, and that he always pays his debts. Rhino starts
his charge, but Leader has already fired his gun set on destruct.
The ray hits Rhino in the back. Rhino says that is the straw that
broke the rhino’s back. He says that the Hulk can wait until
after he kills Leader. Leader tells Rhino to stay back and that
he saved Rhino’s life. Rhino charges Leader and says that he
should have thought of that before he blasted him. Rhino says
that “great horned clods” aren’t “too long on
gratitude”. Leader thinks to himself that he can get off
another blast, but that if it didn’t kill Rhino that Rhino
would kill him. Leader says that his double vengeance will have
to wait and blasts into the air to escape. 
Rhino grabs onto
Leader’s escape pod and says that when he says he is going
to finish someone that he means it. Leader yells at Rhino to stop
shaking. He says that the escape module is powered by unstable
molecules and that he can’t damage the jets or they will
explode. Suddenly, Leader’s module explodes.
Hulk stands back on the ground. He says that he didn’t even do anything at the end, but that he won. Hulk says that he always wins somehow. Hulk says that he doesn’t know where he is or why he came so he might as well leave. He says that at least he didn’t have to hurt anyone.
Back at the destroyed house, Ross is being loaded into an ambulance. Talbot holds Betty and says that the crumbling mortar struck Ross’ temple. He says that he is hurt bad. Talbot says that if Ross dies that he will kill the Hulk for it even if it takes the rest of his life.
No Excuses rating: 10 out of 10
This issue has it all! Banner has it all within his grasp and watches it all slip away. This issue really defines what the Hulk is all about. There is the Leader, the Rhino, and not to mention an early Hulk work of Sal Buscema. Perfect scores all around. Looking at the past two issues one could argue that they were the basis for Bill Mantlo's issues #272-300.