Incredible Hulk Annual #14
The Weakness of the Flesh!
Three scientists named Hubert St. Johns, Nancy Kelloway, and Daniel Kortz operate a flying, scientific research platform. St. Johns is an over-sized man who has dedicated years towards studying the Hulk. He wants to use the Hulk's gamma-radiated blood to give him strength and immortality.
The three scientists eventually find the Hulk and take him prisoner aboard their sky lab. They keep his willpower down by constantly exposing him to knockout gas. Hubert has developed a powerful drill that can actually pierce the Hulk’s hide long enough to extract gamma radiated skin samples.
Problems arise when Doctor Kelloway protests the inhumane treatment of the Hulk. But St. Johns and Kortz are quick to put her in her place. After several hours of tests, they allow the Hulk enough mobility to break free and wander into another one of their large chamber rooms. Inside this room are dozens of rotting monsters, the result of past failed experiments dealing with gamma rays. The Hulk begins smashing through them all, their undead body parts turning to mush with every blow.
Finally, the time has come for St. Johns to finish the final stage of the experiment. No longer trusting Dr. Kelloway, he keeps her locked inside a monitoring station, while Kortz and he go down to the main lab. But Kelloway signals the Hulk from the monitoring station and the Hulk breaks her free.
She leads him to the lab where St. Johns has himself strapped down to a table. Dr. Kortz finishes the procedure, with unexpected results. Rather than transforming St. Johns into a powerfully strong individual, it merely replicated his existing body fat- previous gamma mutations amplified the subject's existing muscle structure from a normal level to the exceptional power of the traditional image- making him a gigantic grotesque monstrosity. As the Hulk smashes into the lab, St. Johns is found snapping Dr. Kortz’ neck. He then turns towards the Hulk and Kelloway. Suddenly, St. Johns has a heart attack and falls forward crushing Kelloway with his immense weight. With all three scientists dead, the Hulk takes his leave.
Recurring Characters
Hulk
Continuity Notes
This story takes place between pages 7 and 8 of Incredible Hulk #314.
This story implies that Nancy Kelloway was forced to perform illegal abortions prior to working for Hubert St. Johns. Abortion was illegal in the United States until 1973 prior to the landmark court case Roe v. Wade. From the context of this story, it suggests that Kelloway was a doctor prior to Roe v. Wade, hence the controverey that affected her medical career. This should be considered a Topical Reference per the Sliding Timescale, even though the issue of abortion still remains a contentious issue in the United States well into the present day.
