Incredible Hulk #165
The Green-Skinned God!
The Hulk is being forced to stake claim posts across the ocean floor for Captain Omen and his crew aboard the Infra-World. However, there is mutiny afoot aboard the vessel. As the Hulk trudges on, some of Omen's crew switch him with an impostor and bring the Hulk back aboard the sub. There the Hulk is introduced to the leader of the mutiny, Filius Omen, the captain's own son. The Hulk is shocked when he finds the people bowing down to him in praise.
While on a train riding through the Russian countryside, General Ross is being taken to a Russian prison. He refuses the food that he is offered and then begins to think about how his daughter Betty has been left in the capable hands of Glenn Talbot. While back in the States at Project: Greenskin, Colonel Armbruster, and Glenn Talbot mobilize troops for a covert mission into Russia to rescue the General, Glenn promising Betty that he will come back to her.
Back aboard the Infra-World, Filius shows the Hulk various items that were brought aboard the ship by the original crew that they have kept secretly hidden and asks the Hulk to help them get to the surface world so that they can see all its bounties in real life. The Hulk agrees to help, and unknown to them all there is a spy in their midst that reports back to Captain Omen. Omen is shocked to learn that his son is the leader of the rebellion against him, however, is ready to deal with any mutiny aboard his vessel.
When the Hulk leads the charge to the command center, Captain Omen is ready for them and unleashes another one of his genetically engineered creatures: An amphibious monster named Aquon, who is half-man, half-fish. As the two fight, they rupture the hull of the ship causing the room they are fighting in to fill up with water. When his son refuses to go to action to plug the hole, Omen initiates the procedure himself. In pumping the water out of the ship, he sucks out his own creation, apparently killing it. The Hulk resists the suction until the room is cleared of all the water. With no other choice, Captain Omen surrenders and allows them to go to the surface.
There, those who have decided to leave the ship to rejoice at achieving their long-sought after goals. That joy is soon replaced with horror when suddenly, one by one the crew members begin exploding -- their bodies evolved to deal with life in the oceans pressures are so powerful on the surface that their blood literally is causing them to burst. Filius abandons his fellow mutineers and attempts to return to the ship before he too explodes. However, to his horror, he learns that his father has re-pressurized the Infra-World to save his remaining crew and does not dare let his son back in. As the ship lowers into the ocean once more Filius pleads for his life until he too bursts.
Watching all this transpire, the Hulk cannot make sense of what he has just witnessed. Hulk begins to wonder why father and son, Omen and his son, never got a chance together, even as they were so close.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, John Armbruster, Major Talbot General Ross, Betty Ross, Nick Fury, Captain Omen
Continuity Notes
All references to Russian being the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
The Russian soldiers here comment on how General Ross was captured. This happened in Incredible Hulk #163.
