Tales to Astonish #68Tales to Astonish #68
Title: "Peril from the Long Dead Past”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Bob Powell
Inker: Vince Colletta
As Giant-Man is practicing growing to his maximum height, a plane starts flying right at him. Giant-Man realizes that the plane is trying to hit him and so he braces for the impact. When the plane hits him Giant-Man manages to control his fall so as not to crush the cottage below him. He looks up and sees the pilot jumping out of the plane. Giant-Man figures that the pilot meant to cushion his fall by landing in the trees, but that he is too high. Giant-Man leaps to save the man that attacked him. He catches the man, but he smashes his head on a pine tree and knocks himself out. The man watches Giant-Man lying on the ground and says that if he expects gratitude that he is crazy. He lifts a rock to try and kill Giant-Man, but he realizes that it wouldn’t get the job done because it is too small. He thinks about how the last time he fought Giant-Man that he had the Hulk doing his dirty work, and that it took a nuclear explosion to save him. He says that he survived by hiding in a deep cave, and that it takes more than an accidental explosion to kill the Human Top. Giant-Man starts to come to and so Human Top spins away. Giant-Man wakes up and sees no man around. He says that he knows he didn’t imagine it because the wreckage from the plane is still there. Hank figures that he had better get back to the lab.
Back at the lab, Hank tells Wasp about the incident and says that he supposes that it could have been an accident. Wasp says that maybe he should go back to being Ant-Man since it would be a lot safer. Hank says that since he was zapped by that green ray that he hasn’t been able to get those powers back. Wasp says that the flags on the anthills will be at half mass. Hank says that it is no laughing matter, and that he has to depend on his Giant-Man powers. Wasp says that he can still get back to normal size. Hank agrees, but says that if he tries to go any smaller that he gets dizzy and passes out. He says that he will just have to keep trying once in a while and hope that the powers come back.
On top of the building, Hank says that now that his Giant-Man power is all he has that he has been working on strengthening it. He says that he used to be at his strongest when he was twelve feet tall, but he is working on having his strength increase as he grows. Hank says that the strain is too much on his muscles and molecules. Hank goes down to a fifty-foot height, and says that this strength is better, but that his strength is optimal when he is at a thirty-five foot height. Hank has to lean against part of the building after the strain of all that size changing. Hank has to grow down to normal size to stop from falling over the side of the building. Wasp says that he had better not scare her like that again. Hank says that it wasn’t a good time for him either.
Back in the lab, Hank says that he was afraid of this, and that all this size changing is starting to take it’s toll on his body. He says that he has to pick one height and stay at it. Hank says that he has decided that he is going to remain at his thirty-five foot height. Wasp points out that he would never be able to hide from anyone. She says that an enemy could hide from Hank just by locking himself in a room that Giant-Man couldn’t get into. Hank says that is just the chance that he has to take, and that it will be better than having more dizzy spells. Wasp says that if he is going to fall head over heels that she wants it to be over her. Hank says that she knows that he fell for her months ago, and that she just wants to keep hearing him say it. Wasp asks what woman doesn’t want that. Hank says that right now that they have more important things to do. He says that he has to rework his helmet so that he will automatically grow to thirty-five feet whenever he needs to. Wasp asks if he always has to play this “mad-scientist” thing when she wants love talk. Over the next few days Hank alters his helmet not only to grow to thirty-five feet each time, but to make the growth more gradual so that it isn’t as much of a strain on his system.
In another lab, Human Top is trying to think of a way to improve his station. He says that as the Human Top he is dangerous, but that if he could also fly that he would be unstoppable. Human Top says that there has to be a way, and that he is going to find it. First he puts on his costume which allows him to spin at maximum speed because it reduces air drag. Human Top then leaps from a decent height and tries to spin himself like a helicopter blade. He says that he must never need rescuing from his enemy again. As he realizes that it isn’t working he goes faster and faster hoping to make it work. Human Top crashes into the ground. He rips off his costume and says that he has to design a new one with aerodynamic principals involved. He says that his first mistake was basing his costume on a top because tops cannot fly. He cuts new cloth and then weaves in hundreds of little cells that are filled with helium gas. He says that the gas will help him get the lift that he needs to rise into the air. Human Top puts on his new suit and goes to try it out.
Elsewhere, Hank Pym is redesigning his lab
to be accessible for a thirty-five foot tall man. One man says
that they will need a special crane to lift an apparatus, but
Hank says that he can just get his friend Giant-Man to lift it
for them. Hank leaves to go change, but runs into the Wasp. Wasp
wants to show Hank a little box she got that has a wasp in it.
She says that she never did like the bee that Hank had trained
for her. Hank says that he can’t delay the workmen to look
at a wasp. Seconds later as Hank returns as Giant-Man he sees
Wasp talking baby talk to her wasp and says that is
“endsville” (groovy man). 
Giant-Man helps
out holding the giant size window and soon they are done. As the
workers are leaving they tell Giant-Man to say goodbye to Mr. Pym
for them. Giant-Man turns and sees Wasp standing there. He says,
“Oh, Jan… are you still here?” Jan says that she
has been wanting to talk to him. Hank asks if it is about
moonlight and roses. Wasp tells him not to flatter himself and
that it is strictly business. She tells him to shrink down so she
can talk to him. Hank does so. Wasp says that since he can’t
shrink down to ant size anymore that he it will be difficult for
him to communicate with his little friends. Hank says that he is
already working on her helmet to allow her to communicate with
wasps. Wasp puts on her new helmet, and Hank has her sit in the
delta-ray transmitter. Hank says that she can now send and
receive thoughts to wasps, but that she has to be wasp size for
it to work. Wasp asks what she is waiting for and shrinks down to
wasp size. She then calls to her wasp Boopsie and the wasp comes
to her. Wasp then climbs onto the wasp and starts flying. She
says that Hank is a genius. The phone rings and Hank gets the
call from the doorman downstairs. Hank says that they have a
caller. Wasp tells Hank to see the caller alone because she wants
to keep flying. The guard says that it is a reporter from the
Globe. Giant-Man tells him to go ahead and send the man up.
Downstairs, the guard stops two men who are trying to get to Giant-Man’s private elevator. He says that nobody goes up the elevator without him calling up first. The “reporter from the Globe” says that with all the enemies Giant-Man has that it is a good thing he takes those precautions, but thinks to himself that it is too bad that the doorman didn’t think to ask for his credentials before believing that he was really a reporter. As the “reporter” waits for the elevator he asks the guard if he knows Giant-Man’s secret identity. The guard says that it is his job to watch the door not to blab about his boss to reporters.
Upstairs, Giant-Man greets the “reporter” and says that he doesn’t usually grant interviews without an appointment, but that he has a few minutes to spare. He asks the man if they have met before, as he seems a little familiar. The reporter asks to be shown around the lab. Giant-Man says that he is actually the first one to see it since he redesigned it. The reporter asks what is under the burlap covers, but Giant-Man says that they aren’t to be made known to the public. Wasp returns from her ride as Giant-Man asks to see the reporter’s credentials. The reporter says that he can’t be worried about a little guy like him. Wasp thinks to herself that she knows the man’s voice. Human Top reveals himself and flies away from Giant-Man. Giant-Man tells him that whatever he has planned not to do it because he has beaten him before and he might not be as nice this time. Hank thinks to himself that he can’t grow for a few minutes, but that Top can’t know that. Top says that he is shaking and bounces off Giant-Man’s chest. Giant-Man starts to chase Top, but Top flies out the window. Hank manages to catch the open windowpane before he falls to the ground below. Hank finally starts to grow, but Wasp is reaching out trying to help him back in. Top grabs the Wasp and flies away with her.
Giant-Man rights himself and says that this time the Human Top has gone too far. He says that this time he is going to face the full vengeance of Giant-Man, and that nothing that lives will save him.
Avengers Files rating: 7 out of 10
This story had a decent story and nice art. Human Top, actually a super-powered villain, manages to become more dangerous and goes up against Giant-Man. The redesigned lab is a good idea, and long overdue. I also like that strengthening Giant-Man at a taller size is long overdue. I do think that it is funny that Human Top can fly now because there is helium in his costume. Bob Powell continues to impress me with his scale and style. The lab is cool to see.
Title: “Back From the Dead!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Mickey Demeo
Bruce Banner has changed into the Hulk as he
falls. 
Hulk manages to
snag the mountainside as he falls. Right above Hulk the body of
Glen Talbot also falls. Glen has passed out from the fury of the
fall. Hulk spots the falling man and snags him out of the air by
grabbing his wrist. Hulk looks at the unconscious Glen Talbot and
struggles to think of who he is. Hulk tells Talbot to talk to
him, but when the unconscious man doesn’t reply Hulk leaps
away. Hulk says that he has to go home.
Hulk leaps along from mountaintop to mountaintop. Each leap gets broader and broader. He bounds across the Pacific Ocean as he heads west by leaping from isle to isle. Hulk leaps past several planes on his way back to America.
In his lab, the Leader is working on a project. He says that since his intelligence has been increased a thousand fold that there is nothing that he cannot accomplish. Leader says that the Absorbatron is still on Astra Isle, but that his latest invention will finally enable him to steal it. Leader looks through a microscope at his humanoids which he has reduced to the size of living cells. Leader says that he is going to land them on Astra Isle and then send a radio-activated impulse that will cause them to grow to full size. He says that then they will be able to take over Astra Isle with no difficulty. Leader says that then he will have the Absorbatron, the only device capable of rendering an H-bomb harmless.
Hulk makes it back to the southwest. He hides behind a building as soldiers walk by. Hulk spots Banner’s home and knows that he will be safe there. Hulk goes inside and sees that Banner is not there. Hulk says that nobody is there, and decides to take a rest. Hulk lays down and falls asleep. As his heartbeat slows down and his blood pressure returns to normal Hulk changes back into Bruce Banner. Bruce wakes up to find that he is surrounded by General Ross, a bunch of military police, and Betty Ross. Ross tells him that he is under arrest, but Betty just says that she knew that he would come back. Betty says that they think that he deserted and went over to the Reds. Betty tells Bruce to prove to them that he didn’t, but Bruce says that he is afraid that he cannot prove it. Ross says that Bruce won’t escape them again and orders him to be arrested.
Days later after being rescued by the Air Force, Glen Talbot is granted an audience in Washington D.C. Talbot tells the President that he knows that Bruce could not have escaped without the Hulk’s help. Talbot says that he knows that Bruce and Hulk are in league together just like he knows that Bruce Banner is a Red spy. The President tells Talbot not to jump to any conclusions. The President thinks to himself that only he and Rick Jones knows Bruce Banner’s secret, and that while he must try not to betray that confidence that he can’t let any harm come to Bruce Banner. Talbot says that Bruce is in jail now, but that the Hulk might rescue him at any moment. The phone rings and the President picks it up. The President tells Talbot that the Absorbatron is ready for testing again, and that he and Banner will conduct the experiment. Talbot starts to object, but the President says that will be all.
After preparing his plane, the Leader takes off for Astra Isle. He says that he will spray his microscopic humanoids in seconds as the isle is deserted and there is no one to stop him. As he flies over the isle he sees the task force approaching. Leader says that by the time they land that he will have sown his seeds of destruction and gotten safely away. Leader releases a pink dust all over the isle. He says that all that remains now is for him to send the signal.
In his cell, Bruce Banner is visited by Rick Jones. Rick is holding up a newspaper talking about how Bruce has been charged as a traitor. Rick says that he knows Bruce’s secret, but that it doesn’t necessarily mean that Talbot it wrong about Bruce being a spy. Rick asks how anyone can really be sure that Bruce isn’t a spy. Bruce asks Rick if he really left the Avengers just so he could come there and tell him that he is starting to doubt his loyalty as well. Rick looks down and says that isn’t it, but that Talbot seemed so sure, and that no one knows where Bruce goes when he keeps disappearing. Talbot shows up outside the cell. Talbot tells Banner that he survived that fall in Tibet despite the fact that Bruce left him for dead. Bruce starts yelling at Talbot and says that he talks to him like he tried to kill him. Bruce says that he is not a killer, and that he is not a spy. Rick quietly tells Bruce to be quiet and reminds him that he turns into him when he gets excited. Bruce asks why he must be hounded by those that he tries to help. Bruce tells Rick to get out of there and that he can feel the change coming on. Rick give Bruce a tranquilizer to take real fast. Talbot says that he is there to free Banner though by no choice of his own. Talbot says that it was pretty smart of Banner not to tell anyone how the Absorbatron worked so that they would need him to test it. Talbot says that they are headed back to Astra Isle.
Bruce and Talbot touch down on Astra Isle inside a helicopter. Bruce asks Talbot what all this pink dust lying around is, but Talbot just tells Bruce not to try anything, and that he is just looking for a chance to throw him back in jail. Banner thinks that he still doesn’t like this. As soon as they seal themselves inside the interior of the isle, the pink dust suddenly starts growing. Leader commands his humanoids to seize the Absorbatron before the troops can land.
Down below, Banner says that it sounds like
there is a riot going on up there. Talbot says that is impossible
because the island is deserted and that no one could have landed
that quickly. Talbot tells Banner to stay where he is, and that
he doesn’t want to lose him again. Talbot goes up to see
what is happening and he is quickly overcome by humanoids. Leader
tells the humanoids that they must now search everywhere, as
there may be others nearby. Leader spots Banner through the eyes
of the humanoids. He tells them that Banner must be captured or
destroyed, but that he must not escape. Many humanoids latch onto
Bruce swarming over him, but many more seem to rush by him to get
to the Absorbatron. As Banner is overwhelmed by humanoids he
changes into the Hulk. Suddenly the humanoids are blasted
everywhere. 
Hulk shouts that
nobody attacks him. Leader says that this is a stroke of luck,
and that he has been waiting for a chance to make the only other
green skinned human his ally. Leader orders two humanoids to gas
the Hulk. The humanoids are unaffected by the gas as they are not
really human, but the Hulk needs to take deep breaths to fill his
giant lungs. Hulk passes out. Leader watches and says that he has
succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. He says that his humanoids
are about to deliver the Absorbatron to him, and that soon the
Hulk will be his as well.
No Excuses rating: 9 out of 10
Now this is fantasy as I like it! This is the story that I was hoping that #66 would be. The Leader shows himself as a genius taking his one humanoid and finding a way to use thousands of them. The McCarthyism stance towards Bruce Banner does get a little tiring, but that kind of goes as part of the Hulk. Bruce is imprisoned with no evidence at all save for the beliefs of one man that wants to steal Bruce’s love interest. Jack Kirby is just amazing in his return. I don’t want to sound like I don’t like Ditko, but there is just a world of difference between them. Kirby’s style, power, and composition are just amazing.