Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #140Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #140
Title: “The Brute… That Shouted Love… at the Heart of the Atom!”
Plotter: Harlan Ellison
Scripter: Roy Thomas
Layouts: Herb Trimpe
Art: Sam Grainger
The Hulk falls downward through space until he finally lands on another world. At first he towered over everything there, but he continued to shrink. They towered over the Hulk as if he were a toy until eventually he shrinks right through the planet. Hulk winds up in a sub-molecular universe. At first Hulk is dwarfed by feather –topped trees, and then he continues to shrink until he is smaller than “diamond, onyx-striated rocks.”
Finally Hulk winds up on a planet. However the still seems tiny for the world as a giant lumbering warthog-like beast shuffles up behind him. Hulk wants to know what is going on. He says that he kept shrinking and now he is like a bug in the grass. Hulk says that he hears noises like a pig or a dog. The beast lunges at Hulk as he turns around to see what the noises are. Hulk grabs hold of the beast’s tusk. Hulk says that he knows that he is somewhere that he has never been before. Hulk snaps off the tusk and says that he does know one thing and that is that he is still the Hulk. Hulk leaps at the beast and stabs it in the chest. Hulk leaps away and keeps going, but no matter how many times he leaps he is still in the same world. Hulk continues to leap until finally he sees a city. Hulk hears screaming. Hulk says that there must be people there… humans. He wonders why they are yelling since they haven’t seen him yet. Hulk leaps over and sees that it is another of the “pig-dogs” attacking the city. Hulk sees that the people are just fighting with sticks and stones. Hulk says that they need help. He says that they need him. He leaps into the face of one of the beasts. He ties two of their tails together and throws them away. The beasts keep coming, but Hulk keeps beating them down until finally they are all defeated. Hulk hears another noise louder than before. He turns to see hundreds of people coming out o the city toward him. Hulk thinks for a minute that they want to hurt him. He braces for another fight, but then Hulk realizes that they aren’t screaming at him, but that they are cheering him. A big smile comes over Hulk’s face. The people lift Hulk onto their shoulders and start carrying him.
Hulk finally realizes something and says,
“You are green. All of you… green. Green… like the
Hulk!” 
A green woman
says that they do not understand his words, but that they are
grateful to him for his help against the Warthos, and will grant
him any wish he asks. The woman’s cousin, Visis, tells
Jarella to beware. He says that Hulk is just an animal, a
man-monster. Jarella says that it is only his exterior. She says
that her queenly powers can sense a soul as human as any beneath
the surface. Though Hulk cannot understand her words he smiles at
the bell like tones of her speech. He extends his hand and
Jarella takes it. Jarella addresses the crowd, “Subjects
mine… you know it is forbidden a queen of the realm to wed
with any who have not proven themselves in battle with the
dreaded Warthos. ‘Tis surely an omen from the Jade Goddess
that the outsider did appear… at that very time when I must
choose a mate. Thus, I do hereby decree that the outsider shall
be my husband… and sovereign of this tempest-tossed land.
And now, let the Pantheon of Sorcerers draw near!” Hulk says
that something is happening, but that he doesn’t know what
it is. Torla says that they hear and obey. Jarella says that she
knows that they will try, and that she prays that they will
succeed in what she asks. Jarella says that Hulk is her chosen
one, but that he doesn’t speak their language. She knows
that it is within their power to teach him and asks that they do.
Torla says that they will attempt it, but that Hulk seems to be a
very distracted and difficult subject. Torla tells Holi and Moli
to form the Triad with him.
The three sorcerers and Jarella gather around the Hulk. Hulk says that they had better not try to kill him. Torla starts the chant, “Powers that walked our world when young… let this one now speak our tongue…” Jarella tells them to go on and that something must happen. They continue and a spark of electricity starts to form. The Hulk is struck by the lightning. Hulk gets up saying, “Holy Hannah! That was… quite a clout. But now… I can understand the cheering voices I… wait! Somehow… some way… that three-way brain-bath did something else to my head. I’ve got Bruce Banner’s mind again… even though I’m in the body of… the Hulk. And… it feels just fine.” Bruce smiles.
Bruce quickly adjusts to his newfound situation. He is fitted with new kingly clothes and doesn’t even mind being the center of attention as he walks along the scenic route to the royal palace.
Visis thinks to himself that Jarella thinks that she has foiled his plans to succeed her one day. He thinks to himself that he has a throne to win and worlds to kill after he does. He says that nothing will stand in his way for long.
Bruce lounges in a cushioned chair. Jarella asks him if he misses the world he comes from. Bruce says that he would be lying if he said he didn’t, but that it is clear that her world’s technology won’t be able to send him back and that he would be proud to be her king, protector, and husband. Visis spies around the corner.
That night, Visis tells the assassins of the Pitll Pawob division that time grows short. He says that the stranger must die. Visis asks them if they know what they must do and what they must say. The assassin says that they do. He says that their swords will be sharp and their motives will appear noble. Visis says that he knows that they are skilled and that if they pull this off that they will not find their future king ungenerous.
Bruce looks up at the stars. He speaks to Betty. He says that she must know that he is doing the only thing that he can. He says that he is doing what he would want her to do in his place. He says that she no longer needs him and that the people there do. Bruce says that it is something new for the Hulk, and even for him, to be needed. He says that maybe without the Hulk rampaging about that someone will find a way to cure her of being a crystal. He says that if he came back and tried to hold her close that she would shatter. The assassins enter the room and Hulk asks who they are. One says, “Friends of the realm, you brutish clown… who want to see you and Jarella pay for your many sins. Repent, Harlequin…” Hulk says, “…said the Ticktockman. Seems to me I read that someplace.” Hulk asks if they think that they can take him with swords. One of the assassins tackles Hulk and they go spilling over the balcony. Hulk quickly smacks around the assassins until they go running. Hulk grabs the leader. The leader begs not to be killed. Bruce says that he won’t provided that he tells him who put them up to this. The assassin says that a Son of Assassin never reveals. Bruce palms the man’s face and asks if they do when the most powerful hand in the universe is about to give him a mean massage. The assassin says that he doesn’t owe anything to a traitor like Visis. Hulk says that he figured as much. He dumps the assassin and walks back into the palace.
Hulk calls a meeting of the S.R.O. in the Great Hall of Assembly. He tells them the story of the assassins. He says that it was a plot to assassinate the queen and her chosen mate in order to seat another on the throne. The people want to know who the guilty party is. They say that they want vengeance. Hulk says that it is of course the one that hoped to sit on the throne Visis. Visis says that he can’t believe that they told him. He says that there will be other days and other ways. He tries to escape, but Bruce signals to the guards. They grabs Visis. Visis tells them to release him and let him face his fate with dignity. He tells Hulk, who usurped the throne that was going to be his, to take his life. He says that it means nothing to him now. Hulk says that is the reason that he will have it. Bruce says that he is exiled in the Warthos-haunted outlands. He says that Visis could have been a noble, a prince of the proud people, but that now he is only one of the discarded.
As Visis is lead out, Jarella walks up to
Hulk. Bruce says that he should be glad that Visis got what was
coming to him, but he says that he only feels pity for a man like
him. A man without a country or world. Jarella says that this is
his world now and forever. Jarella asks him if he will speak to
the people about the other matter. Bruce says that he guesses he
will. Hulk tells the people that he has some better news. He says
that Jarella has agreed to become his wife tomorrow. Hulk says
that from that day on this will be his land, and that their cares
will be his cares. The people chant, “Hail Hulk!” 
Suddenly there
is a loud crunching noise. Suddenly the roof comes ripping off
the Great Hall. Psyklop says, “Prepare yourself, Hulk! Your
time is ended!” Hulk says, “That voice… no! It
can’t be… not here! Not now! Not now!” Jarella
asks what it is. Hulk says that it is Psyklop as a giant yellow
hand reaches in through the ceiling and grabs Hulk. The savage
Hulk would have struggled as hard as he could, but the trained
mind of Bruce Banner knows that his power is nothing compared to
Psyklops’. Jarella shouts, “Noooo! C-Come back to me,
my love! Come back!” Psyklop says that it is good for him
that he doesn’t struggle. He says that they are going.
Jarella cries as Psyklop grows and grows as he leaves the planet.
Back on Earth, Bruce Banner/Hulk starts to
regain his size. Psyklop says that it doesn’t matter and
that he has sedated him again. Bruce says that he is never going
to be treated as a guinea pig again. Psyklop hits Hulk and says
that he watched him in the sub-atomic world growing soft and
weak. Just then the sorcerer’s spell slips away from the
Hulk. No longer does he possess the mind of Bruce Banner. The
little spell from the little world is gone. Hulk charges into
Psyklop . He says that he will get him and make him pay. Hulk
lifts Psyklop over his head. Psyklop says that this cannot be. He
says all his preparations and subtle calculations. Hulk says that
maybe things like that work against puny humans, but that he is
facing the Hulk now. Hulk slams Psyklops into his machines. Hulk
says that he is nothing without his machines and that he is going
now and that nobody can stop him. Psyklop lies in the rubble and
tells Hulk to enjoy his freedom for now. He starts to say that he
will fix his retrieving machine, but he is interrupted. A giant
dark hand descends through the broken ceiling. 
A voice says,
“You vowed to feed us, Psyklop… to give us new sources
of power… new fountains of energy to tap! And you have
failed, Psyklop! Failed!” Psyklop begs for more time, but
the Dark Gods take him.
Hulk leaps away trying to remember the tiny green girl and a time of happiness.
No Excuses rating: 10 out of 10
I love Jarella… platonically speaking of course. She’s like the polar opposite of Betty. Betty hates the Hulk and loves Bruce Banner. Jarella seems to accept them both for what they are. Where Betty is portrayed as a daddy’s girl, Jarella seems to have a queenly strength that Betty lacks (though to be fair she seems to develop the strength over time). I like Psyklop as a villain and always thought that he should have been used more. Bruce has it all again and loses it before he can really find a way to keep it. Vintage Hulk. 5 out of 5 for the writing. Herb does a nice job with the pencils. He really manages to portray visually and facially the essence of the scene. Perfect scores all around.
Review and pictures by The Leader