Tales to Astonish #84

Title: “Like a Beast at Bay!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Penciller: Gene Colon

Inker: Dick Ayers

A mind controlled Namor is lead by all that is left of the Secret Empire, Number One. Number One tells Namor that he will communicate with him by means of the transceiver he placed around his neck. He tells his mindless slave to go and not to return until he has killed the Hulk. He tells Namor to remember that every human is his enemy except him, and that the Hulk is his greatest enemy of all. Namor walks out thinking to himself that he must do as he is ordered.

Outside, a cop spots Namor and tells him to halt in the name of the law. Namor recalls that his orders are that nothing is to stop him. Namor starts to run. The cop pulls his gun and fires. His bullets bounce off Namor.

The police radio their own and announce that Namor is at large in the Murray Hill sector. The dispatcher tells all mobile forces to deploy to positions B and C.

Namor flies into the air and the police wonder how they are to stop him. The people on the street figure that Namor has teamed with the Hulk to attack the city. The cops say to clear the street and that they will shoot him down. Namor flies too close to the buildings for the police to risk firing on him. Once he is out in the open, the police fire with shotguns, but Namor is too fast and dodges them. Suddenly, Number One’s voice announces to Namor not to worry about his own safety, but to return to the streets and find the Hulk. Namor flies down to the location where he was attacked. Number One tells Namor that he doesn’t want Namor to be captured until he has succeeded in his work. He tells Namor that he is too conspicuous. He tells him to go to the nearest clothing store and to dress in ordinary street clothes. Namor holds his head and says, “Why am I here? What am I doing?” Number One orders him not to think or question, but to only obey. Namor says that he must do as the masked one commands and smashes through a window of the store. Number One tells him to conceal himself and that he has made too much noise. Namor goes into the store and puts a shirt on. A cop fires at Namor, but Namor ducks under it. Namor tells the cop that his bullets will not hurt him and to surrender his weapon. The cop says that he will when it snows in July. The cop fires, but the bullet bounces off Namor, and grazes the cop’s head. Namor catches him and says that he needs medical attention. Number One says to leave him and that the police will look after him.

A theater’s marquee displays that it has newsreel footage of the Hulk. The people outside are talking about how much they’d rather see the Hulk on a newsreel than in real life. Namor hears everyone talking about the Hulk and thinks to himself that if he goes inside that he might find a clue as to the Hulk’s whereabouts. Inside watching, Namor knows that he has faced the Hulk before, but he can’t remember when or where. He thinks about how he has never seen a mortal so powerful, but thinks that Hulk’s power can’t match his own. A few of the people in the theater are saying that they don’t even think super powered beings are even real. Namor thinks to himself that this is doing him no good. The images were taken of the Hulk in the desert before he came to the city. Namor is amazed at how the puny surface men are impressed with primitive exhibitions of strength. He thinks that there is nothing that the Hulk can do that he cannot equal with ease. Suddenly Namor’s transceiver speaks up and asks Namor if he has found him yet. The people around Namor wonder if they heard something. Number One commands Namor to answer him, but Namor tells him to be silent and that there are others around. The woman next to Namor notices the radio device on Namor’s chest and then notices that Namor isn’t wearing a shirt. She looks down at his ankles and notices his wings. She realizes that she is sitting next to the Sub-Mariner. Namor bolts. He says that no one can impede his progress finding the Hulk.

Outside, Namor flees and tears off his surface clothes. He says that it is not fitting for the Lord of the Deep to be confined by garments meant for lesser mortals. He says that he will no longer try to hide his identity, but that whatever befalls him that he will face it as befits his royal birthright. He says that if only he could remember why he came to the surface and why it is that he has to find and destroy the Hulk. He decides it doesn’t matter, and that what must be… must be. Namor decides to search from the air. He spots a ship in the air and seems to know it from somewhere.

Krang spots Namor and thinks that Namor is still after him. Dorma tells Krang not to attack him. Krang says that while Namor lives that their lives are in jeopardy. Dorma says that if Namor dies that her heart perishes as well. Krang says that is nonsense. He blasts Namor out of the sky and into the water. Namor remembers once he hits the water and prepares for the fight of his life.

Prince of the Realm rating: 7 out of 10

An odd issue. Namor seems to be pretty easy to control mentally, but then when given an order he tells his “master” to be quiet. The issue is wasted with Namor wandering around and then the status quo is resumed when he hits the water. Still love Gene Colan’s style with Namor, but there just isn’t much to see. 4 out of 5 for the art.

Title: “Rampage in the City!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Art: Almost the whole blamed Bullpen

Therapy: Irving Forbush

Hulk stands and announces that he is tired of hiding and running. He says that nothing can hurt him and nothing can stop him. He says that he can do anything. Hulk leaps and says that he saved the girl and that he won’t be hated anymore. He says that the girl was gentle and kind to him, and that he has to find her again.

As Hulk leaps over the missile base he finds that the place is deserted. He says that he has to find someone and that he won’t be alone anymore. Hulk wonders where he can look and then a dim forgotten memory comes back to him. Hulk says that the Avengers will help him. Hulk leaps off.

Hulk reaches New York and knows that this is where he will find the Avengers.

Elsewhere, radar technicians spot the Hulk as an unidentified blip plunging toward midtown. They figure that it can’t be a missile, but that they can’t take the chance. They flip the red alert switch.

Hulk lands. He starts to walk around, but realizes that he needs clothes so that people won’t be afraid of him. Hulk says that he hates noises and when people scream. Hulk walks by a big men’s clothing store. He sees a coat and when he finds the door locked he just lifts the wall off the building. He takes the overcoat and a hat. Hulk says that he is dressed like other men and that now he will find the Avengers.

A cop watches the Hulk walk by and thinks to himself that it is odd to find someone so bundled up on a hot day, but then he sees some green skin. He sounds the alarm and moments later the riot squad is dispatched. One of the police ask why the riot squad is being dispatched and asks how they know that the Hulk is hostile. Another cop answers that they don’t, but that the papers would have their hides if they didn’t take every precaution.

Hulk hears the noises and ducks into an alley. He says that the noises make him mad, but that he doesn’t want to get mad. He says that he doesn’t want to fight and that he only wants to find the Avengers. Hulk pushes a door open and sees that it is dark inside. Hulk looks inside and sees a group of people shouting as a news reel rolls. Hulk sees the shouting and wonders why men hate others so much. Hulk spots Namor in the crowd and seems to recognize him. He figures that he may have fought him before, but that he has fought so many that he isn’t sure. After Namor flees Hulk decides to stay in the dark since the police are looking for him. Hulk looks up on the screen and sees footage released by the Pentagon of Boomerang attempting to sabotage the Orion missile. Hulk recognizes Boomerang as the one that kidnapped the girl. Hulk watches as Boomerang takes apart Talbot’s men. Then Talbot puts his finger on the destruct button of the missile and says that he would rather lose the entire installation than lose the Orion missile. Boomerang and Talbot stand there testing the one another’s will, but then Boomerang realizes that he has been outmaneuvered and flies off. Later Talbot is seen getting honored for his heroic defense. The newsreel goes on to say that the base was then closed down as the Orion missile was sent to Cape Kennedy in Florida where it is undergoing tests. Hulk walks out of the theater and realizes that was why the base was closed. He says that there is nothing for him to do now except find the Avengers.

In Cape Kennedy, Rick Jones hears a radio report of the Hulk being in New York. He says that Hulk will be needing him. He says that no one will trust him or give him a chance. Rick wonders how he will get to New York and realizes that he doesn’t have the money for a ticket. Rick gets a paper and looks in the want ads for people that want someone to drive their car north for them. Rick calls one of them.

Less than an hour later, Rick meets with a sleazy man. The man says that he will let Rick drive there so long as he has a license to drive. He says to deliver the car to the address that he gave him, but that no matter what he isn’t to open the trunk. Rick takes the job. He says that there is clearly more than just a delivery job here, but that he has to reach the Hulk. As Rick drives off the man tells him not to stop for anything and that if he gets there in 48 hours that he will get a bonus.

Back in New York, the wind blows the Hulk’s hat off and everyone sees him. A cop starts to chase Hulk. Hulk tosses off his coat and keeps running. He says that he doesn’t want to hurt the people and wonders why they force him to. Hulk runs down into the subway. A cop with a bazooka chases the Hulk down and fires on him. The unexpected force of the shell causes the Hulk to fall over and onto the tracks. Hulk is shocked by the third rail. Hulk says that he is through running and that if they want a fight that he will give them one, but then Hulk hears a train coming. He knows that if they hit the broken rail that everyone will die and decides that he has to stop it. Hulk stops the train and saves the people. As the Hulk runs down the tunnel the people start to fight about whether the Hulk was trying to wreck the train or save them. The cops are waiting on the end of the tunnel. They aren’t going to fire, but there are mortars on each end of the tunnel to keep Hulk in. Hulk leaps and smashes through to the surface. He says that nothing will stop him. He says that he is free, but wonders what he is free to do.

No Excuses rating: 6 out of 10

Review and pictures by the Leader

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