Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #167

Title: “To Destroy the Monster!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Penciller: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Jack Abel

Colors: P. Goldberg

Editor: Roy Thomas

Hulk walks along on a foggy night. He hears a loud noise and asks if the planes will never leave him alone. Hulk wonders why they don’t realize that he will fight them and that nothing can beat him.

High above, the plane has not come for the Hulk. The plane is a commercial flight on its way from overseas to JFK Airport. The pilot tells Ross that they will be landing in three minutes. Ross says that in three minutes he will be back in America. He says that he thought he would spend the rest of his days as a prisoner of the Russians. Armbruster asks Ross to sit down. He says that they want them to come in as civilians so that no military activity can be documented in case the Russians make a fuss about them breaking Ross out. He says that the other passengers will be sure to remember Ross if he keeps pacing. Ross sits down. He thinks to himself that in three minutes he is going to have to tell his daughter that her husband is dead. Ross says that he was shot trying to save her fumbling father. He wishes that he didn’t have to go home.

Hulk sees the plane coming out of the fog. He says that it doesn’t look like one that has come to attack him, but that he will leap up closer to be sure.

Ross is looking out the window and wonders to himself if he just saw the Hulk.

Inside the terminal, Armbruster says that he will get them through customs, but that in the meantime there is some there to see Ross. Ross walks into a room with Betty. Betty and Ross hold each other. With a tear of happiness in her eye, Betty asks where Glenn is. Ross says that he would sell his soul if he didn’t have to tell her, but that Glenn is dead. Ross says that Glenn was protecting him and that it was the bravest act. Betty starts saying “no” over and over. She says that they were just coming back from their honeymoon. She says that they never even got to set up housekeeping. She says that she never even got to cook a meal for him. She asks how he can be dead. Suddenly Betty turns from sad to angry, “You! You’re the one that caused this! You! You played your stupid soldier games… and you made my husband play them! He idolized you, and you led him to his death! I hate you!” Betty slaps her father. Betty rushed out of the room. She says that if Glenn is dead that she doesn’t want to live either. Armbruster grabs Betty by the arm and says that her screaming is going to blow their cover. Betty faints dead away in Armbruster’s arm. Ross is crying. He asks Armbruster to call a doctor and says that he can’t.

Minutes later, the doctors are preparing to take Betty to the hospital. A reporter comes up to Ross and says that he recognizes him from his picture that has run in his paper. He asks Ross why he is dressed as a civilian and what the fuss is “over the nutty chick?” Ross punches the reporter. The reporter says that military types are always trying to keep a lid on things, but that he is going to play it up big. Behind the two of them, an airline employee that has heard every word decides that it is time to make a call.

Inside the secret headquarters of Advanced Ideas Mechanics, MODOK is seated at the center as the head of the organization. In order to keep from being bored MODOK, men and women from all over feed MODOK all the information they can gather. Agent JT-3C, the employee from the airport, calls in. MODOK thinks to himself that the operative is worthless and that he has only called in once before. Agent JT-3C reports to MODOK what happened at the airport. Abruptly, MODOK moves on his magnetically powered mobile chair. MODOK says that his agents in the White House and Pentagon have already told him of Ross’ escape from Russia, but that the importance of the knowledge is that it should allow him to continue with his most important plan finally. MODOK says that he realized, that when Namor defeated him by throwing his body against a wall, that a brain was not enough. He says that he realized that he needed a powerful mechanical body that he could operate with brain waves. MODOK says that he wanted to be invincible, but that he knew that the Hulk would always be able to defeat him. MODOK says that he is bound to cross Hulk at some point unless he finds a way to destroy him first. MODOK hovers into a strange sphere just big enough for him to enter. The sphere is the head piece for the new giant mechanical body for MODOK. He says that he sees his AIM scientists are almost done their work and that it is beautiful. MODOK goes on to say that defeating the Hulk is simple enough. He says that all he has to do is keep bombarding human subjects with larger doses of gamma radiation than Bruce Banner received until he creates a being stronger than the Hulk. MODOK says that for a human to survive that kind of radiation that they must have built up a conditioned tolerance to gamma rays. He says that the person must live with or work with gamma rays. He says that the person must be easy for him to control so he isn’t turned on like Dr. Frankenstein. He says that all the chains of logic hold true and that he finally has his perfect subject… Betty Talbot!

The following day, around noon, Hulk is still sitting in the marshes by himself. Hulk hears someone calling him and says that he was happy be himself. Hulk says that he will find who is looking for him and smash them. Hulk feels a tap on his shoulder and turns angrily to see Jim Wilson. Jim apologizes for spooking him and says that he just learned to walk softly in the ghetto. Hulk says that he knows him. Jim tells Hulk that he can remember. Hulk recalls Jim Wilson’s name. Hulk says that he is his friend and that he has helped him in the past. Hulk asks what he is doing there. Jim says that he is there to help. He says that he read in the papers about Ross being at the airport and them thinking Hulk was there too. Jim says that he has been staying in New Jersey ever since the Leader grabbed Hulk and that he came looking for him. Hulk puts his hand on Jim’s shoulder and says that he needs friends. Hulk says that he went looking for Betty, but that he could only find men with guns. Hulk sits down and asks why it is always like that for him. He says that he doesn’t want to hurt anybody. He says that he just wants to be with friends. Jim says that the gun guys are just afraid of him because he is a strong freak. Hulk says that he doesn’t understand. He says that he isn’t a freak. He says that he is Hulk. He says that he doesn’t want answers that make no sense and that he is tired of thinking about it. Hulk starts to relax around the Hulk and turns back into Bruce Banner. Jim tells Bruce that he will tell him all about it and hands Bruce some clothes. Jim tells Bruce that Betty has flipped out and that he thinks that she needs him.

Bruce is in a taxi headed to the sanitarium where Betty is being kept. Bruce thinks to himself that this is all his fault. He says that he has to think of something that can make up for it if there is anything that could do it. Bruce says that he couldn’t accept Betty’s marriage and as a result the Hulk got Betty’s father captured, her husband killed, and drove Betty to a nervous breakdown. Bruce asks why she has to suffer because of him. He says that he loves her, but that he has to put that out of his mind since he doesn’t deserve love.

Inside the sanitarium, Bruce stands behind a blank staring Betty. He asks her how she is. Betty doesn’t respond. He asks her if she remembers him and says that he is Bruce Banner. Betty turns her head and says, “Bruce?” Suddenly she freaks out, “Bruce! Bruce! Go away! Leave me alone! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” Betty starts pounding on Bruce as she screams the word hate over and over. Bruce begs her to stop. At first Brice raises his arms to defend himself, but he them lowers them to receive his punishment. He accepts the guilt and cannot stop his rush of emotions. Bruce changes into the Hulk. Betty keeps punching him. Hulk catches her fist and says that friends don’t hit each other. Hulk says that maybe Betty is not his friend. Hulk says that maybe he will hit back. A doctor and nurse rush into the room. He tells Hulk to put her down. He tells Hulk to leave her alone and that he deserves whatever she does to him. Hulk says that he forgot that this was all his fault. He says that he almost hurt Betty. Hulk plows through the wall. He says that he must go away and never come back.

The nurse from the sanitarium makes a phone call to MODOK. She tells him what happened. MODOK finds it interesting that Betty hates the Hulk. He says that there is no more need for delay and that she couldn’t be more open to his schemes. He says that he also won’t risk running into the Hulk. He says that the time to act is now.

Hulk is walking along. He says that he has to get to Jim Wilson since Jim is his only friend now. Hulk says that he used to have more friends and wonders what he did wrong. Hulk says that sometimes he does things that people don’t like because he doesn’t understand. He thinks maybe that is what happened. Hulk picks some flowers. He says that he will take them to Betty and show her that he still likes her. He says that maybe she will like him again too then and that everything will be happy like it was before.

Betty sleeps silently in the sanitarium. Suddenly MODOK’s face is in her window. He pushes the window inside and climbs out of the headpiece of his new armor into her room. MODOK begins using his hypnotic powers on Betty. He tells her that she hates the Hulk. He asks her if she wants revenge for what he has done. In her sleeping state, Betty responds that she does. He says that he can give her the power to hurt and kill the monster. He tells her to listen carefully.

Outside, the Hulk arrives back at the sanitarium. He sees the giant metal body standing outside Betty’s window. Hulk says that the giant doesn’t move and that he can’t tell if it is good or bad. Hulk lightly kicks the giant’s leg and asks it why it is bothering his friend. MODOK notices Hulk outside the window. Hulk asks why the giant doesn’t answer him. Suddenly MODOK’s giant body kicks Hulk off. MODOK says that it seems he has to fight the Hulk. He says that maybe if he acts quickly that he can defeat the Hulk. Hulk says that now he sees the giant. He says that it is one that uses big words so he can’t understand. He says that it tries to hurt him, but that he can’t be hurt. Hulk leaps at MODOK. MODOK says that they will see if Hulk can be hurt or not. MODOK’s finger points a blast and hits Hulk. MODOK then steps on Hulk and says that his hydro-rocket “muscles” are powered by willpower. He says that he will grind Hulk to dust. Hulk stands up flipping the leg off and knocking MODOK to the ground. Hulk says that nothing is stronger than him. In his adamantium and steel chest MODOK begins to know fear. MODOK lets off another finger blast and hits Hulk. Hulk leaps up onto MODOK’s shoulder. MODOK says that he will swat Hulk like a mosquito, but Hulk just tears MODOK’s arm completely off. MODOK says that it is true and that Hulk can destroy anything. He says that he still has his other arm. MODOK says that Hulk can’t avoid his arms speed. He snatches Hulk up into his fist. Hulk says that the hand is strong and crushes him. MODOK says that Hulk is finished and that he has no leverage to fight back. Hulk keeps fighting until he breaks the hand into pieces. Hulk says that now the monster has no hands to grab him with. Hulk leaps up at MODOK’s head and knocks the head off the giant body. Hulk stands there as MODOK flies away from his now destroyed body. MODOK says that the battle is not over yet. He says that the next time they meet that Hulk will die by the instrument of his revenge that he is already preparing.

Betty looks out the window at the Hulk standing over the beaten giant.

No Excuses rating: 8.5 out of 10

Wow! MODOK’s plan is brilliant. It makes me wish that his plan hadn’t worked so well the first time and had to go around creating some more Gamma People. MODOK’s plan to use Betty against the Hulk is very Shakespearean. The respect is definitely shown here as Hulk is given a partial adamantium to destroy and even MODOK seems to know that he can’t beat the Hulk. Herb Trimpe does a great job both showing Betty’s mania and the fight that ensues between Hulk and MODOK. Great stuff with more greatness to come.

Review by The Leader

Pictures done by Captain Nate

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