Featuring: Hulk
Release: May 5, 1966
Cover: August 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, writer
Jack Kirby, designer
Bill Everett, illustrator
Artie Simek, letterer
A touch of the muse, inspirer
10 pages
| Previous | #573 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tales to Astonish #82 | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #83 |
| Tales to Astonish #82 | Tales to Astonish | Tales to Astonish #83 |
Simple boomerang! That can’t hurt Hulk!
Where were we? Namor tired of fighting Iron Man and continues his pursuit of Krang and Dorma. Tony Stark has made the decision to give in to Senator Byrd and turn over the secrets of Iron Man to the US Government.
Hulk has just made his way back to the surface from the subterranean realm where Mole Man and Tyrannus are at war. Tyrannus’ prisoners Talbot, Betty, and Rick, had also recently returned to the surface. They weren’t back long before Betty was captured by Boomerang, who was hired by the Secret Empire to steal some type of weapon.
“No one shoots Hulk! No one!” exclaims Hulk.
Actually, people shoot at Hulk all the time. They just never hurt him.
Ross blames Hulk for his daughter’s abduction. He blames the Hulk for most everything. Note he is talking about Betty’s previous abduction by Tyrannus. He doesn’t know she’s been abducted again since then.
Anybody else notice Betty gets abducted a lot?
“I-WANT-THE HULK!!!” shouts General Ross.
Spoken with the same fervor as Jameson demanding pictures of Spider-Man.
The Secret Empire is a powerful organization whose power blankets the globe. They’ll be kaput by next issue.
They won’t lose to battle with the Hulk. No, like all empires, they will crumble from within.
Everyone in this Secret Empire has a number, which becomes both their name and their position in the organization. When #5 is murdered, the Empire suspects the ambitious #9. Who I guess is about to become #8, if I understand this all right.
Hulk by pure chance passes Boomerang and Betty calls for help. Hulk recognizes her voice. “I know it! Hulk must help!”
“Simple boomerang! That can’t hurt Hulk!”
I’m with Hulk on this one. Again, I think the idea of Boomerang being a credible villain for Hulk is absurd. His only leverage is having Betty as hostage. Otherwise, he’d been paste already.
Maybe go take on Spider-Man or someone instead, Boomerang.
He’s already got the banter down to go toe to toe with Spider-Man in wisecracking. “But I’ll drop you a card every now and then!”
Boomerang makes the only smart move and gives Hulk the girl. He then retreats, and Hulk doesn’t pursue.
The Secret Empire has a helicopter retrieve Boomerang, but they seem very upset he doesn’t have the girl with him. Which is weird. He was hired to steal a missile, not capture a girl. He captured the girl because he thought it would help him steal the missile from her father. But instead it only aroused the ire of the Hulk. So he let her go. But now we learn that the Secret Empire also wanted Betty captured. I guess.
Betty finds Hulk’s arms strangely gentle, but is sure he can’t be Bruce. Or is she? She looks in his eyes to see if she can find any trace of the man she loves.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 54/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in The Incredible Hulk Epic Collection vol. 2: The Hulk Must Die.
Characters:
- Hulk
- General Ross
- Major Talbot
- Rick Jones
- Boomerang
- Betty Ross
- Number 7
- Number Five
Story notes:
- Tyrannus’ matter transporter brings Hulk to Earth. He is instantly attacked by soldiers.
- Rick suggests Hulk can be used to defeat Boomerang.
- Secret Empire seeks Orion Missile. They observe Boomerang.
- Number 5 killed by booby trap. The others suspect Number 9, who’s hungry for power and seeks to lead the Secret Empire. Seven others stand between 9 and his ambitions.
- Betty warns Boomerang Hulk will kill him.
- Boomerang’s magnetic discs combine into a potent weapon.
- Magnets attached to Hulk pull him down.
- Ross pursues Betty. Talbot reluctantly follows order to guard Orion missile.
- Rick Jones stows away with the Hulk pursuit trucks.
- Hulk won’t stop pursuing Betty, so Boomerang abandons her. Hulk doesn’t pursue him.
| Previous | #573 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tales to Astonish #82 | Reading order | Tales to Astonish #83 |
| Tales to Astonish #82 | Tales to Astonish | Tales to Astonish #83 |
