Tales to Astonish #59Tales to Astonish #59
Title: “Enter… the Hulk!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Dick Ayers
Inker: P. Reinman
Editor: They don’t really tell you who the editor is, but there are several references simply signed the “Editor”
The Avengers are working out as Iron Man shows them newsreel footage of the Hulk battling the Hulk. Giant-Man says that he wonders what happened to the Hulk, and says that he can’t help feeling sorry for him. Cap wonders how Hulk feels about them now.
On the west side of town, Davy Cannon sits in bed reading the newspaper headlines that say that Giant-Man defeated the Colossus. He says that Giant-Man probably doesn’t even know that the Human Top was paroled last week. Davy remembers their last battle and says that he would have “licked him” with his tornado funnel if Giant-Man hadn’t landed on some high wires. Davy says that he won’t underestimate him again. Davy says that Giant-Man is the only one to ever defeat him, and that he won’t rest until he pays him back. Human Top thinks about how much more dangerous he is now that he has the focus to force the air pressure through a brick wall. He says that he isn’t wearing the old costume because it makes him too easy to spot.
After the Avengers meeting, Giant-Man tells the others that he is going to remain behind with Wasp. Giant-Man goes back and studies the film of Hulk’s battle. Wasp tells Hank that they should go to dinner, and that he has seen this film dozens of times. Giant-Man says that he can’t stop thinking about the Hulk, and that they can talk about it while they leave. Giant-Man thinks both Wasp and himself to normal size. Wasp says that she told him not to do that, and that he is just showing off. Outside, some guys are talking about “the doll” with “the square”. Wasp tells Hank to ignore them, and that they aren’t bothering her. Giant-Man says that they’re rubbing him the wrong way, but that he will ignore them. The guys keep it up and start following them, and Giant-Man turns around and grows up to giant size. He says that if they’re looking for some action they got it. Two minutes later all the guys are hanging from various places while one is face down in a trashcan. The Human Top coincidentally watches them from his apartment. He decides to follow them. Wasp notices that it is getting very windy around. Giant-Man says to forget dinner, and that they are taking a trip instead. He says that they will eat on the plane.
As they fly in the plane, Hank says that the Hulk is down there somewhere and he has to find him. The Human Top is on the same plane and continues following them. Wasp asks Pym where they are going to start looking for Hulk. Hank says that they are going to go talk to Thunderbolt Ross. Pym and Wasp land their helicopter as they approach the air force base. The soldiers apologize for stopping Giant-Man and say that they didn’t know it was him. Giant-Man tells them to take him to Ross. Ross says that he has had enough of the Hulk, and that he is a little busy running the entire base right now. Ross says that he will have one of his scientists help Giant-Man. Ross sees Banner and tells Giant-Man that he is the scientist that will help him. Giant-Man calls out to Banner and says that he wants to talk to him about the Hulk. Bruce says that he knows nothing about the Hulk, and that he cares even less. Ross tells them to get their helicopter off the base. Giant-Man and Wasp leave and say that they will look for Ross on their own then. Bruce thinks that Giant-Man is there hunting the Hulk instead of on a peace making mission. Betty asks Bruce what is wrong. She says that Bruce looked so angry after Giant-Man spoke to him. Bruce snaps at Betty and drives off in a jeep. Betty says that she knows that something is wrong, and she decides to go get a car and follow Bruce.
Bruce drives along fuming. He realizes too late that he is getting too angry and starts to hulk out. Hulk throws the jeep to the side. He says that if Giant-Man is looking for him that he is going to find him much to his regret. As the Hulk leaps people start to flee. The Human Top spots Hulk and figures that he is just what he needs to finish off Giant-Man.
Betty finds Bruce’s jeep in a wreck. She figures that it must have been an accident but can’t any trace of Bruce. Then she sees the giant footprints and figures out that the Hulk was there. Betty says that if the Hulk has Bruce that there is no chance for Bruce. Wasp and Giant-Man suddenly grow up right next to Betty. Giant-Man says that he knows the Hulk, and that he knows the Hulk wouldn’t hurt Banner no matter what people say about him.
The Human Top is spinning around and is trying to get the Hulk’s attention so he can propose that they team up. Hulk lands near the Human Top, but knocks over a large rock as he leaps off without seeing Human Top. Human Top dodges the falling rock and doesn’t manage to get Hulk’s attention. Giant-Man sees Hulk leaping along. He breaks out a tiny ship and shrinks down to the size where he can fly it. Hulk doesn’t even notice Giant-Man buzzing by his head. Giant-Man flies ahead to the town in front of Hulk. He grows up to giant size to get Hulk’s attention. Giant-Man pulls down a billboard and rolls it up in a cone. He shouts through the cone for everyone in town to evacuate. Everyone in town quickly gets out. Giant-Man says that he has to think
Human Top finally catches up with the Hulk and tells him to wait. The Hulk says that he waits for no man. Human Top says that he has important news for Hulk. Hulk says that nothing is important to him. Hulk lifts a rock to crush Human Top, but Human Top uses his speed blast to shatter the rock. Human Top quickly tells Hulk that he knows that Hulk is looking for Giant-Man, and that Giant-Man is in the town ahead waiting to ambush him. He says that Hulk should go attack him, and not give him the chance. Hulk leaps towards the town, and says that nobody ambushes him. He says that he is going to make the Avengers sorry that they ever heard of him. Human Top notices that the military is coming towards them. Human Top spins up to Ross’ jeep and says that the Hulk is in the next town. Ross asks if he is sure. Top says that he is, and that the entire town has been evacuated except for the Hulk. Ross says that this is his chance to get rid of the Hulk for good. Ross’ scouts verify that the town has been evacuated and command headquarters authorizes using a nuclear warhead shell.
In the town, Hulk lands in front of
Giant-Man. Giant-Man says that at last he has found the Hulk, but
Hulk says that he is the one that found him. Giant-Man says that
he came to offer to help the Hulk. Hulk says that Giant-man
can’t fool him, and that all men are his enemies. 
Without warning
Hulk leaps at Giant-Man. He says that it won’t take him long
to chop him down to size. Giant-Man manages to dodge Hulk’s
blow for the most part, but Hulk still grazes Giant-Man and
leaves him feeling dazed. Giant-Man decides that he has to keep
the Hulk off balance. Giant-Man starts juggling the Hulk and
throws him into a building. Giant-Man figures that he has to stay
with the Hulk long enough for him to listen to reason, and that
for Hulk to listen that Hulk must respect him. Giant-Man asks
Hulk if he is ready to listen to reason. Hulk asks Giant-Man if
he thinks that he can be worn down. Hulk says that Giant-Man
doesn’t know him very well. Hulk says that the angrier he
gets the stronger he gets, and he has never been angrier. Hulk
says that Giant-Man sidestepped his first punch, but that he
can’t sidestep forever. Giant-Man is about to dodge, but
Hulk switches gears and quickly leaps onto Giant-Man’s
shoulders. Hulk says that nothing can break his grip, but
Giant-Man just shrinks to the size of an ant and lets Hulk fall
to the ground. Giant-Man then grows back up and grabs Hulk by the
neck. Giant-Man asks Hulk if he will listen to reason now. Hulk
says that he isn’t going to let Giant-Man trick him. Hulk
grabs a slab of a brick wall and hits Giant-Man in the back with
it. Hulk asks where Giant-Man’s boasts and smart remarks are
now. 
Hulk leaps up
to land on Giant-Man, but Giant-Man manages to roll out of the
way at the last second.
Outside of town, the army has targeted the middle of town for the atomic shell. Wasp watches them launch the rocket. She manages to fly onto the bomb, and tries to activate the detonating device before the bomb reaches its target. She says that she will keep trying, and that if she fails at least she will be with Hank in death. Wasp realizes that it is hopeless, but then remembers that she can communicate with Hank through their helmets. She tells hank the whole story.
Hank tells Wasp to get off the bomb. Hulk says that pretending to talk to someone behind him isn’t going to fool him. Giant-Man turns to Hulk and tells him to look into the sky. He says that is a small atomic device, and that if it hits that it will kill them both. Hulk says that he thinks that he would survive, but that Giant-Man wouldn’t. Hulk says that he wants to be the one to finish Giant-Man so he leaps off to stop the bomb. Hulk decides that if this is his end that it may be just as well. He says that the whole world hates him almost as much as he hates himself. Hulk catches the atomic device right in the stomach. Human Top sees this and wonders why Hulk saved Giant-Man, but figures that he had better get out of there before the bomb does land. Hulk manages to get control of the bomb, and throws it up into the hills. Giant-Man watches the explosion and wonders if the Hulk survived. The force of the blast blows Hulk away like a feather. Hulk blacks out, and when he wakes up he has transformed back into Bruce Banner.
Later, Betty spots Bruce safe and rushes to him. Ross wonders why Betty had to fall for a pencil pusher.
Giant-Man tells Wasp that he failed, and couldn’t talk Hulk into rejoining the Avengers. Wasp says that Hulk did save his life, and so maybe he did succeed in a way. The next day at Avengers mansion, the Avengers have an uneventful meeting.
On the last page
of the comic they announce that from now on Hulk will also be
featured in Tales to Astonish with Giant-Man.
No Excuses rating: 7.5 out of 10
Writing gets a 4 out of 5, and the art gets a 3.5. One of the problems I have with the art is that you can see in a few places that things weren’t drawn, but still colored in (for example the Hulk’s shirt). The presentation is good, but the action is somewhat lacking. Part of the reason for that is that Stan Lee tries to pack about 4 issues of exposition into one issue’s space. While I do miss this type of storytelling in comics in general this issue goes a little nuts. In four panels, Wasp feels the breeze created by Human Top’s power (though nothing ever comes of it), they arrive at the restaurant which was the premise of them leaving Avengers mansion (though they never go inside), they fly to California, and we learn that the Human Top is on the same plane as them.