Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #125Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #125
Title: “…And Now, the Absorbing Man!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciller: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Herb Trimpe
Editor: Stan Lee
Hulk says that he can’t remember anything. He says that he was helpless and held prisoner by the man called Banner, but that no one will capture him ever again. Hulk spots two people at the beach and wonders if they are a danger to him. Hulk says that they are just a boy and a girl on a picnic. Hulk says that he remembers something about a picnic and a girl like the one by the lake. Hulk says that he remembers something about happiness, but that it is so hard for him to think. Hulk’s head is suddenly filled with images of Betty, Bruce and Betty in the boat and standing about to be married. Hulk shouts that the thinking causes him pain. He lashes out and smashes the man’s new convertible. The woman turns when she hears the crunching and tells Harvey to run for his life. Hulk holds the car over his head and says that his brain hurts and that he has to do something to make it stop. Hulk sees the boy and girl running away and says that everyone runs from him. Hulk wonders why they wouldn’t run and says that he is the strongest one of all. Hulk says that he can do anything and throws the car out into the middle of the lake. Hulk says that he can do anything except stop the pain when he thinks of Betty. Hulk asks what is in his brain that is so strong that even he can’t fight it. Hulk collapses on the ground and falls asleep. As the music plays, Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner. Bruce calls out to Betty in his dreams.
At a Californian Air Force base, a soldier tells Talbot that it is confirmed that there are two gigantic comets coming towards the Earth. Talbot asks why he is so concerned and that Earth has passed through the tails of comets before. The soldier says that the spectrum readings from this comet are radioactive and that if it engulfs the Earth that it could kill all life on the planet. Talbot looks at the data and decides that the solider is right. He says that the Earth may only have a few short hours to live.
Talbot heads to Ross’ hospital room and says that if only they hadn’t come to California to be in Betty’s childhood home. He says that Ross is too weak to move for now, and that he feels helpless in a base where they are just guests and are outsiders. Inside the room. Ross’ head is bandaged. He says that he thought Banner was cured for good this time, and asks Betty if there is any sign of Banner or Hulk. Betty says that there hasn’t been anything and that she is afraid that she may have lost him for good this time. She starts to say that with the way he turned on them and destroyed the house where she was built, but Talbot enters the room. Ross says that Talbot looks white as a sheet. Talbot tells him about the comet. Talbot says that the public doesn’t know yet, and that Washington is afraid of causing a panic. Betty asks if they are sure and that it all seems like a bad dream. Talbot says that it is more than that. Talbot says that since Ross is a ranking general that he managed to get him some photos. Ross takes one look at the photos and starts barking out orders to Talbot. Talbot is going to correct him, but Ross realizes his mistake. He says that for a moment he forgot where he was and how helpless they all are. He says that over the years he has gotten used to giving orders and getting results, but that he suddenly feels like an old man.
Bruce Banner wakes up next to the blanket and radio that the Hulk fell asleep near. Bruce is lamenting that he will become the Hulk again with the slightest excitement when he hears a special bulletin on the radio. They say that though the Air Force is denying it that they have it on good authority that there is an uncharted comet that is an immediate threat to all life on the planet. Bruce asks if he is hearing things. The radio goes on that the astronomer that discovered the comet theorized that the comet could be destroyed by a nuclear explosion within its tail, but that no rocket could reach the comet until it had entered the atmosphere and that by then it would be too late. Bruce says that he has to remain calm. He says that he has to make it to the base and volunteer to help. He says that there has to be a way to stop the comet.
At the base, Talbot has been working non stop when he hears himself being paged. Talbot goes to report to the base commander. Talbot wonders what General Morris wants with him. Talbot says that maybe if Banner were there he might be able to think of something. Talbot says that he has always envied Bruce Betty’s love, but that it never blinded him to Banner’s genius. Talbot walks into the room and sees Bruce Banner standing right there. Morris asks if Talbot can identity the man. Talbot shouts out Banner’s name. Morris says that it is Dr. Banner then. Talbot says that it is Banner, but asks how he can let him stand there when he could become the Hulk at any minute. Banner says that he has already been sedated. Talbot asks what Bruce is doing there. Banner says that someone has to stop that comet. Talbot realizes that Banner hasn’t asked about Betty, and that he must not remember how he hurt Ross as the Hulk.
Morris says that the news media is right about the comet maybe poisoning Earth’s atmosphere. He says that Dr. Banner has pointed out that the new X-890 may be there only hope. He says that it can be quickly outfitted with a nuclear warhead and that it can operate on the edge of space as long as it has a scientifically trained human pilot. He says that the pilot has to be Bruce Banner. Bruce says that he is willing and that he might even be able. The General walks Banner to the rocket and says that it has been outfitted with a warhead and that it is ready for firing. Morris says that he only wishes the tranquilizers hadn’t dulled Banner’s senses. Banner says that he does too, but that without them he would become the Hulk before he reached the comet and the Earth would be doomed.
Once Banner is secure the rocket is launched.
They’re monitoring his progress on the ground. Banner gets outside the atmosphere. One soldier says that once he penetrates the tail that he will have to jettison the warhead fast and withdraw. Another says that if he doesn’t that he may save the planet, but that he won’t be around to get any medals for it. The X-890 enters the tail and Banner has twenty seconds. Banner is coming out of the tail. He jettisons the warhead and starts his way out. Banner makes it out before the warhead blows and destroys the comet.
Banner says that it was hard controlling his
pulse and that he had better relax. He says that he will let the
automatic pilot take it most of the way in. 
Outside the
rocket, holding on with his hand stands a sinister passenger.
“A creature who was once known as Crusher Creel, public
enemy… proven murderer… escaped convict… but who
now answers to no name but that by which the mighty Thor once
knew him… the awesome, unspeakable name of… the
Absorbing Man!”
Creel had been hurled into the freezing cold of space by Odin. He drifted helplessly for months until coming to a wandering comet. Creel used his powers to become one with the comet. Creel had become the comet’s mind and essence and used that ability to steer the comet towards Earth. Creel spotted the Earth-sent ship and turned to the steel-hard metal as he grabbed hold of it.
Creel starts climbing up the rocket and says that he is back and that Thor is going to wish that he wasn’t. Bruce checks out his monitor and spots a man of metal clinging to the outside of the rocket. Bruce says that he can almost feel the man’s seething hatred as if it were a living thing. Bruce starts to change. He says that he shouldn’t have let himself become excited. Absorbing Man says that from the way the guy inside is acting that it seems like he has spotted him. He says that it is too bad he won’t live to tell anybody about it. Crusher slams his ball and chain into the cockpit destroying it. Creel says that “love tap” should have finished him, but Creel is shocked to see someone climbing out of the cockpit. Hulk says that hit might have killed anyone that was human, but that the Hulk is not human. Creel advances on Hulk. He says that he doesn’t know how a big green ugly monster got into the cockpit, but that he traveled a zillion miles to get back to Earth and that if he has to kill a few people now that he is here that it is too bad for them.
Just then, the rocket crashes into the
Earth. Hulk says that whoever the metal man was that he is dead
now. Hulk says that the blast would have killed anybody but him. 
Suddenly
Creel’s ball and chain wraps around Hulk’s torso. Creel
says that Hulk is as stuck on himself as the Thunder God is.
Creel says that hulk doesn’t even have a hammer to back up
his bluff. Creel tells Hulk to go down like a good boy, but Hulk
grabs Creel’s chain. Hulk says that Creel is like all of his
foes. He says that Creel fights better with his mouth than he
does with his fists. Hulk says that he might not talk as pretty
or as much as others, but that he fights better than anyone. Hulk
flips Creel over using the chain. Creel says that is what he gets
for turning back to flesh and blood to soon. He says that he
won’t make that mistake again until Hulk is dead. Creel
swings his ball and chain, but Hulk ducks under it. Hulk says
that Absorbing Man is different than most men that he fights, but
that he is still a man and that no man can beat him in a fair
fight. Creel asks who said he was going to fight fair. Hulk picks
up the entire nuclear engine to the rocket. Creel says that he
didn’t know anyone could lift an entire nuclear engine. Hulk
asks Creel if he hasn’t figured out that Hulk is not like
anybody else. He throws the engine and hits Creel.
Creel walks out of the rubble and says that
Hulk is different because he is so stupid it is funny. He says
that otherwise he wouldn’t have thrown that engine at him so
he could absorb the energy it was still radiating. Creel sticks
both of his hands into the ground and the ground starts to melt
beneath Hulk’s feet. Creel stands and tells Hulk that it had
to end this way from the minute he started tangling with the
Absorbing Man. Hulk sinks into the ground and says that he
finally knows the name of the one he is fighting. Hulk sinks
deeper and deeper. Hulk says that he has to think of something,
but that it is so hard for him to think. Creel tells Hulk to give
it up and that he isn’t cut out for thinking. Hulk says that
if he can’t leap out of the ground that he will dive into
it. Creel says that Hulk is gone, and that he is going to do the
same thing to Thor when he sees him. Suddenly Creel feels the
ground shaking underneath him. He figures that the Hulk is
digging towards him, but before he can do anything about it the
Hulk pops out of the ground and blows Creel off his feet. Hulk
says that took some of the fight out of him. He says that he
doesn’t know why he is trying to hurt him or why he
won’t just leave him alone. Hulk says that if Creel wants a
fight that he will give it to him. 
Hulk grabs
Creel’s ball and starts spinning around and around. Hulk
throws Creel right at a cliff. Creel starts screaming until he
hits. Hulk says that now he can be left in peace, but then he
spots Absorbing Man standing there. Creel says that he almost
blew his cool until he remembered who he was and what he could
do. Creel says that the impact only turned him into solid stone.
Creel tells Hulk to get ready to meet his maker and that now is
the time for the final round.
As Hulk and Absorbing Man square off against each other they fail to take notice of the strangely silent youths who are gathering and standing at a nearby hillhock.
Hulk says that Absorbing Man threatens his
again. Hulk says that this will be the last time like Creel said.
Creel starts to swing his ball and chain, but Hulk says that it
won’t help him. Creel says that he wasn’t trying to aim
for him. He says that he just remembered something that he never
should have forgot. 
Creel grabs
Hulk’s wrist and says that he can absorb the strength of
living things as well as metal and rock. Creel says that means
that he can add the Hulk’s might to his own and that no one
can defeat someone that is always a little bit stronger than they
are. Creel forces Hulk down. He stands with his leg on
Hulk’s body. Creel raises his hands in victory and says that
makes him the first man alive to ever beat the Hulk. Creel says
that he is also going to be the last. Creel grabs the bottom of
an enormous rock.
The people watch on in disbelief as Creel is about to bury Hulk underneath.
Creel says that he is going to bury him under the hillside and that he is going to use his own power to do it. Creel says that he will keep absorbing his power by standing on him. Creel is unaware that it wasn’t just his strength that caused the Hulk to collapse. Hulk starts to turn into Bruce Banner. Absorbing Man keeps absorbing, but as the Hulk’s strength fades so does the Absorbing Man’s. Creel says that he suddenly feels so weak. Bruce gets up and says that is because there is no more Hulk for Creel to siphon off. He says that in a moment he will be on his own. Creel says that he has to absorb something and so he changes back into rock, but because Creel is too small to hold up an entire mountain he starts crumbling. Suddenly the mountain comes crumbling down on Creel.
Bruce collapses as the handful of silent figures approach him.
No Excuses rating: 8 out of 10
Hulk versus Absorbing Man for the first time. I love Absorbing Man and his return to Earth already makes this a great issue for me. I do feel bad for Creel though. He actually manages to beat the Hulk, a feat he has never repeated, but he doesn’t get to enjoy his success because of a chance happenstance. One wonders how Ross and Talbot justify their hounding of the Hulk after Bruce’s heroic actions in this issue. Thomas writes a great fight, and Herb Trimpe really beings it to life. A great job by both of them.