Hulk (Vol. 2) #45 — Nick Peron

Mar 16

Mar 16 Hulk (Vol. 2) #45

Hulk of Arabia Part 4

While investigating the technological city of Sharzhad, the Red Hulk and Machine Man are captured by its leader, the Sultan Magus. The Red Hulk demands to know how the Sultan got hold of his alien technology, but the ruler of this land blasts the Red Hulk with an eye blast, telling him that he will be the one asking questions. He tells them that he will not tolerate invaders in his land, as the Arabian Knight found out when he too was captured and imprisoned in crystal. He then probes the Red Hulk's mind to learn why he has come to Sharzhad, learning that he has come against orders in order to avenge the death of his one-time friend Will Krugauer. He finds this interesting when his minion Haya informs the Sultan that the Mideastern congress has gathered in Cairo and are waiting for him to meet with him. He then departs to address them, telling Haya and Scorpion to finish crystallizing their two prisoners.

Once the Sultan Magus has departed, X-51 acts by activating anti-gravity devices in his head, detaching it from his body. When the Scorpion tries to stop X-51 from escaping, he misses the robot with his stinger, striking Haya instead. She is instantly killed by the venom in his stinger. Before the Scorpion can do anything, Machine Man stabs him in the throat, killing him as well. He then reverses the crystallization process freeing the Red Hulk, Arabian Knight, and his body. However, the mind scan had done more harm to the Knight, who is still unconscious. X-51 detects a similar energy signature to the missiles they encountered earlier from somewhere below their feet and the two decide to investigate their source. To do so, the Red Hulk decides to smash through the floor.

Meanwhile, in Cairo, the Sultan Magus unleashes his powers on the city as a show of power to those who seek to threaten his rule by bringing the battleship Al Mazzan and it's American crew with him as prisoners. Not liking the fact that the neighboring countries have been giving intel about Sharzhad to the United States he warns them that if they continue to do so, he will unleash the alien weapons he has amassed against them. While back in Sharzhad the Red Hulk and Machine Man find themselves falling down a deep pit toward a massive glowing dome. They are then caught in an anti-gravity field that prevents a hard landing. The two enter the dome, and X-51 alleviates any concerns that the Red Hulk has about the Sultan Magus stealing military secrets or learning his true identity while his mind was being probed. In the center of the dome they discover a massive alien machine that is speaking out to them in a strange language. X-51 indicates that they are no longer on Earth, but within a microcosm preserved under Earth's surface. Hearing music, the Red Hulk finds himself drawn to a massive glowing orb. X-51 tries to stop his ally from touching it, but it is too late. Upon contact with the glowing orb, there is a bright flash of light.

Soon they begin hearing the message in English and they learn that this is a Rigellian Cosmoreceptor. It was sent to Earth many centuries ago to prepare it for the next stage of Rigellian colonization, by keeping embryonic Rigellian's in stasis until the next phase. X-51 theorizes that this was probably done centuries before the Rigellian's developed faster-than-light travel, pointing out how they had more recently made a direct attempt to colonize the Earth. They then learn that the Cosmoreceptor was damaged by cosmic rays upon arrival and the 10,000 embryos were consumed by early man. Over the centuries it attempted to contact Rigel but to no avail. It eventually abandoned this mission and opted to spread Rigellian culture among the dominant life forms. It sent out a song to draw them in, and ultimately the first contact was made with Dagan Shah. He was drawn into the receptor and transformed into his full potential. However, it was unable to indoctrinate it into the Rigellian way or remove the power he had given it. Using the technology to revive his wounded people, Shah created his hybrid minions. He then set about trying to reshape the world in his own image, starting with terraforming the land and building the city of Sharzhad.

With all this information, the Red Hulk begins trying to find a way to shut down the Sultan's operation, not wanting a nation like Latveria being created in the Middle East. Before he can, the Sultan returns and attacks them.