> Hulk Masterworks Volume 2
 
 

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From the Mouths of the Marvels:

"Hah! You still fight! Good! Good! This is what Hulk needs! This is what Hulk can understand!”

-- Hulk, pg. 6

That's one mighty fastball the Hulk is about to throw!

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The Incredible Hulk
from Tales to Astonish #79
May 1966 • 10 pages

Script: Stan Lee • Letters: Artie Simek
Layouts: Jack Kirby • Pencils/Inks: Bill Everett

Title: "The Titan and the Torment!"

Villain: Dr. Konrad Zaxon

Guest Appearance: Hercules, Glen Talbot, Rick Jones, Betty Ross

Letters Page: Page One

House Ads: Page One

Story Synopsis: Dr. Konrad Zaxon fires upon the Hulk with his Organic Energy Attractor. It causes the Hulk to stumble and pause, but as his rage mounts, so does his strength, a factor which Zaxon had never considered. He gets close to Zaxon and slaps at him, knocking him to his feet and causing the gun to fly wildly against the concrete wall. It hits the wall and then fires back at Zaxon. The Hulk stands over Zaxon's still body, commanding him to rise and continue to fight! But Zaxon doesn't rise, and the Hulk considers him dead. Nearby soldiers are roused by the activity and head over, causing the Hulk to leap away to safety.

Major Glen Talbot is heading out to find the Hulk, and he's taking Rick Jones with him to assist him, as he is the only person the Hulk might trust. Betty Ross says goodbye to them at the airport. Meanwhile, a train bound for Hollywood barrels through the desert, and inside, the greek god Hercules sits with his agent, who is excited at the prospect of breaking him into the movie business. But the Hulk is in the same vicinity, being hounded by jet planes that chase him. He rips up the railroad tracks, using some rails to launch at the planes as missiles. The train is forced to stop, leading to one enraged greek god! Hercules sees the green-skinned monster and challenges him to a fight. The Hulk is only too willing to spar, and the match is on!

Back and forth the two titans rage, with head butts, bear hugs, right hooks, left hooks, and every possible wrestling move imaginable applied to each other. Finally, Hercules manages to stuff the Hulk into a hole in the side of a nearby hill, then covers it shut. But the Hulk powers his way out by lifting the whole hill over his head and tossing it on top of Hercules! Herc is equal to the task, however, as he catches the pile of rock before it can crush him. While he holds the rock in his hands, missiles from more jet planes fire through them and they explode. The Hulk takes discretion and leaps away into the horizon.

Hercules realizes he's fought the toughest mortal he's ever taken on in the Hulk. He helps repair the train and get it moving again, and they head on to Hollywood, where Hercules hopes to find fortune and fame on Earth. But the Hulk finds a lonely crevasse between two mountains to hide in, and sits and thinks about all the humans who hound him and persecute him.

--synopsis and panel images by Gormuu

--letters page and house ads provided by Justin Fairfax

Issues Reprinted
Giant-Man from Tales to Astonish #59
& Incredible Hulk from Tales to Astonish #60-79

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.

 
TTA #59 TTA #60 TTA #61 TTA #62 TTA #63 TTA #64 TTA #65
TTA #66 TTA #67 TTA #68 TTA #69 TTA #70 TTA #71 TTA #72
TTA #73 TTA #74 TTA #75 TTA #76 TTA #77 TTA #78 TTA #79

 

All cover images are courtesy of the Silver Age Marvel Comics Cover Gallery.

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