Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #194Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #194
Title: “The Day of the Locust!”
Writer: Len Wein
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: Joe Staton
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Len Wein
Hulk sneaks up to a gathering of hobos drawn to them by the smell of cooking beans. He sits in the bushes. The man cooking the beans is telling a story of a time when he was a much wealthier man. He is telling them how his broker screwed him on a deal that broke him. One of the men hears something in the bushes. Hulk walks out of the bushes and says, “Hulk wants beans!” In the darkness, they shout out warnings to Hulk since they can’t see him. Hulk says, “Give Hulk beans or Hulk will…” The hobos attack Hulk, but Hulk just swats them away and tells them to leave him alone. They finally spot Hulk in the light of their fire and decide that if he wants their beans that he can have them. They all run away. Hulk says that first he is attacked and then they run away. Hulk says that it is always the same and that he is sick of it. Hulk smashes a rock. Hulk remembers the beans and picks up the plate. He pours the beans down his throat and says, “Hulk… urp… likes beans. Urp.” Now full, Hulk lays down by the fire and falls asleep. As the sun rises Hulk changes back into Banner. Banner awakes and wonders where he is this time.
Bruce grabs some of the hobo’s clothes that they left behind and tries to hitch a ride. He watches car after car go by, but figures that he can’t blame them with the way he looks. Bruce is just about to start walking when a car pulls over. The man tells Bruce to enter at his own risk. He introduces himself as Bob Hickman and his wife as Carol. He says that they are headed west. Bruce enters and says that he was beginning to think that he was going to have to walk to New Mexico. Carol whispers to Bob that he shouldn’t have picked the man up. She says that he has no idea what he is getting into. Bob says that he warned him and that they can’t keep hiding forever. He says that it seems like they might finally be safe. He says that the wheat fields are untouched and thriving. Bob, Carol, and Bruce are all stunned as they approach the coming town to find it surrounded with barbed-wire barricades. The man at the front tells them to stop and state their business. Bob says that they are just passing through. He says that they had better get inside since it will be dark soon. Carol turns to Bruce and apologizes. She says that this is all their fault. Bruce says that he overheard them and that he thinks he deserves an explanation.
At Hulkbuster Base, the massive clean up and reconstruction is everywhere. Doc Samson’s plane lands. Ross, Clay Quartermain, and Betty await him. Betty says that she doesn’t know what to say to Samson, but Ross doesn’t know either. Samson opens the door. He says that they don’t have to say anything. He says that he knows that he blew it. Betty tries to console Samson, but Samson freaks and smashes the wall. He says that he promised to cure her husband and that he is going to do it one way or the other. Clay teases Samson that if he needs any help from a professional to let him know. Samson tells Clay that if he keeps riding him that he will tie his tongue into knots. A soldier shouts for Ross. He says that one of the men digging in field four has found something that Ross has to see.
Bob tells Bruce that he and Carol were married six months ago. He says that he was a farmer and Carol was an entomology student. He says that they married without her father’s permission. He explains that her father was in jail at the time and that he has never forgiven them. Bob says that the day after he was released from jail that Carol’s father destroyed his farm. He says that they have been running ever since with her father decimating any place they try to find safety. Bob says that two other towns have been totaled. Bruce starts to ask how one man could cause so much damage, but a man interrupts and says that it will be dark soon and that Carol had better get inside the church with the other women. Carol says that she wants to stay with Bob, but Bob and Bruce convince her to go.
As the sun sinks, Bruce sees that everyone
seems to be waiting for something. He wonders what they are
waiting for. Suddenly everyone sees a great black cloud of locust
consuming everything in its path. The farmers shout that they
will go down fighting. Bruce watches the men fighting hopelessly
against the swarm of locust. He says that if only there was
something he could do to help, but then realizes that maybe there
is. Bruce tenses his muscles and starts his pulse racing. Bruce
transforms into the Hulk. Hulk shouts that he will smash. Hulk
asks where he is now. 
He says that
there are bugs flying around him and biting him. Hulk says that
he will make them stop. Hulk claps his hands and the shockwave
blasts the bugs away. The farmers look around and see the Hulk.
One somehow decides that the Hulk must have brought the bugs with
him. A man cuts him off and says that the insects are under his
command. He says that is the power of Locust. Hulk looks up at
the flying “Bug-Man”. He says that he isn’t going
to wait to be attacked this time and leaps at Locust. Locust
blasts Hulk out of the sky with his ionic stun-ray. Hulk hits the
ground and Locust says that he hopes Hulk has learned his lesson
to stay out of matters that don’t concern him. Hulk says
that Bug-Man hasn’t taught him anything. Hulk says that he
goes where he wants and does what he wants. Locust says that this
is a matter between a father and daughter. He blasts Hulk again,
but on the ground Hulk is unaffected. Hulk advances on Locust
against the power of the stun-ray. Hulk says that he is going to
smash. Locust says that Hulk is more formidable that the X-Men,
but that Hulk can’t beat his bugs. Locust throws down two
beetle eggs and with his magnon-beam hatches them and turns them
into giant beetles. The beetles attack Hulk, but Hulk says,
“So! Giant bugs attack Hulk… try to eat Hulk… but
Hulk will crush giant bugs like… like… like bugs!”
The people stand there stunned, but Carol emerges from the church. She says that she has to end this.
Hulk punches the beetles and then starts stomping up and down on them. Locust says that he seems to have underestimated Hulk, but that it won’t happen again. He enlarges another beetle, two centipede looking things, and a preying mantis. Carol runs out and tells her father that the Hulk was only trying to help. She says that he can’t kill Hulk for that. Locust is horrified to see that Carol will be crushed. Hulk rushes to Carol’s defense. He picks up the beetle. Locust is about to reverse the effects on the bugs to save Carol, but Hulk thinks that he is trying to shoot him again and throws the beetle at him. Locust says that Hulk has ruined his ion ray and damaged his micro-magnetic antennae. Locust says that the bugs are running wild now. Hulk says that he will finish the bugs now. One of the centipede things grabs Hulk’s head in its mouth and lifts him off the ground. The preying mantis is about to attack Carol. Locust flies to help her, but the mantis swats him away. Bob grabs a pitchfork and runs to Carol’s aid. Carol says that Bob will be killed. Bob tells Carol not to argue and to run while he holds them off. Locust sees Bob defending his daughter. He says that he thought Bob wasn’t good enough for his daughter, but now his arrogance will cost Bob his life. Hulk crushes the centipede’s head between two fists. He sees Bob fighting the insects. Hulk knows that he isn’t strong enough. Hulk says that only he is strong enough since he is the strongest one there is. Hulk smashes the ground. Bob is sent flying one way and the insects fly into the air. The bugs fall down into the chasm created by Hulk’s blow. Hulk then closes the chasm with his hands. Hulk says that the bugs are gone now and that Bug-Man is going to join them. Hulk tells Locust to get up or he will smash him where he lies. Carol runs out. She says that Bug-Man is sorry that he hurt him. She puts her hand on Hulk’s chest and says that Bug-Man didn’t mean to cause trouble. Carol tells Hulk that Bug-Man is her father. She says that he is her father and that she loves him. Hulk says that the girl loves the one that tried to destroy her. Hulk says that he doesn’t understand and that maybe he never will. Carol tells Locust that they are there to help him now.
Six hours later at Hulkbuster Base, Clay
says that he is starting to come out of the anesthesia. Samson
says that it is hours sooner than he would have thought possible.
Ross asks Samson if he can talk to him yet. Samson says that he
can hear Ross, but that he won’t be able to reply for a
minute or two. 
Ross tells the
Abomination that they found him in a coma buried beneath field
four. He says that he must have been embedded there from his
collision with the Rhino. Ross says that they revived him because
they have a job for him. Abomination starts to get up. Samson
warns Abomination not to do that. Ross says that Samson is right.
Ross tells Abomination to feel the tiny scar on his forehead and
asks if he hears a faint ticking sound. Clay explains that they
planted a bomb in Abomination’s brain while he was
unconscious. Ross says that Abomination will help them or he
won’t live to regret it. Abomination pulls the sheet off and
stands up. He says that they haven’t given him much of a
choice. He says that he will do whatever they want. He says that
he owes them and that he always pays his debts.
No Excuses rating: 7.5 out of 10
I love Len Wein on the Hulk, but really Locust is such a loser of a villain. Still he gets credit for including Abomination in his plans. Another noteworthy mention is that this is the first regular issue penciled by our pal Sal. Sal Buscema rocks and really is probably the definitive artist in Hulk history. 4.5 out of 5 for the art. Joe Staton works really well with Sal.