Incredible Hulk #167
To Destroy the Monster!
The Hulk is wandering just outside of the city when he is startled by an airplane that is passing by. This plan is carrying General Ross, being returned home after his ordeal of being a prisoner of the Russians. He grimly wonders how he should break the news to his daughter Betty that her husband Glenn seemingly perished in his rescue attempt of him. So consumed in his thought, he finds it difficult to believe it when he sees the Hulk leap past the plane.
Arriving at the airport, General Ross is led through the terminal with Colonel Armbruster and is reunited with Betty. When Ross breaks the news to her she suddenly snaps, accusing him of killing her husband and slaps him across the face before storming out of the room. What results is a public display where Betty suddenly faints before airport crew and a smarmy reporter. When the reporter notes that Ross is in civies and wants to know what all the secrecy and the "nutty chick" is about, Ross punches the man out and walks away.
At the secret headquarters of AIM, MODOK is informed of the situation by one of his spies that work at the airport. Deciding to take advantage of the situation to get revenge against the Hulk, MODOK watches the final touches being put on his gigantic robotic body and plots to use gamma radiation to create a creature more powerful than the Hulk and has determined the best subject for it: Betty Talbot.
While out near the airport, Jim Wilson finds the Hulk and learns about what the Hulk has been up to of late. When the brute cannot make sense of his most recent trials he begins to cry and in his grief changed back into Bruce Banner. Jim hands Bruce some clothes and explains that Betty has had another nervous breakdown and suggest that they go and pay her a visit. When Bruce meets with Betty at the rest home, she lashes out at him screaming over and over how much she hates him. The ordeal gets Bruce worked up enough to change into the Hulk. The Hulk is about to strike Betty for hitting him when the doctors come in and tell him that he deserves for Betty to hit him. The Hulk then begins to think this is all his fault and smashes out of the hospital.
One of the nurses is a spy working for AIM, and she reports back to MODOK about what happened. Meanwhile, the Hulk has gone to a glade and decided to try and make up to Betty and begins picking her flowers. While the Hulk is gone, MODOK visits Betty and uses his mental powers to amplify her hate and orders her to kill the Hulk the next time she sees him.
As MODOK is working, the Hulk returns and attacks MODOK's giant robotic body. MODOK returns to it in order to fight back and the two are locked in combat. No matter what MODOK tries to do to destroy the Hulk, the monster just breaks off more and more pieces of the armor until he smashes loose MODOK's head prompting him to flee the scene. However, he is satisfied because the next phase of his operation is ready to begin which leads to what he hopes is the destruction of the Hulk.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Betty Ross, General Ross, John Armbruster, Jim Wilson, AIM (MODOK)
Continuity Notes
General Ross was captured by the Russians in Incredible Hulk #163. Everyone thinks that Glenn Talbot was killed in the rescue mission last issue however he survived and is a prisoner. His survival is eventually discovered in Incredible Hulk #187.
MODOK references his previous battle with the Sub-Mariner in Sub-Mariner #49.
The last time the Hulk saw Jim Wilson was in Incredible Hulk #157.
