Tales to Astonish #61
Now Walks the Android
Putting on a show for hospitalized children, Giant-Man and Wasp are interrupted by police sirens. Egghead is making a daring escape from the law, escaping into the sewers and seeking refuge in his secret hideout. he tests out a new device that allows lifeless objects to obey his commands. He steals a store manikin and brings it back to his hideout. He coats it in a special wax compound that will allow him to control it with his mind and makes it grow in size. Egghead begins his plot to pit his android against Giant-Man.
The next day, Giant-Man and Wasp return home in their new Converti-Car, and check their mail. They find an invitation from a TV studio to create a show based on their adventures. Giant-Man wants nothing to do with it, but the Wasp talks him into going with her. Flying to the address, Giant-Man begins to get suspicious; however, they walk in anyway, and find themselves trapped in the building with Egghead's android. Egghead tells the heroes that they cannot escape unless they defeat the android. They also have under an hour to do so; otherwise, the building will run out of air and they will suffocate.
Egghead has the upper hand, until Giant-Man realizes that Egghead experiences the same sensations as the android. He spins the android around, until Egghead grows dizzy. He forces Egghead to free them before stopping, and after they are free, they direct the android to walk into the near-by harbor.
Recurring Characters
Giant-Man, Wasp, Egghead
Continuity Notes
Giant-Man mentions his battle against the Beast of Berlin as seen last issue.
Captured At Last!
Bruce Banner has once more become the Hulk and is in battle with the spy who walked away with his new robot. The spy escapes just as the Hulk begins transforming into Banner, retreating into one of Banner's many secret caves filled with scientific equipment. The spy reasons he has just the right amount of equipment to build a crude missile that he can use to destroy the nearby rocket base.
Bruce Banner returns to the base to work on a device that will allow him to track the stolen robot. As he's finished and is about to sneak off the base, he spots the arrival of the new officer: Major Glenn Talbot.
Talbot reports to General Ross and informs him that he's been sent by Washington to investigate the allegations that Banner is possibly working for foreign spies. Just then, Betty enters the room and she is introduced to Talbot and asked to show him around the base. When they arrive at Bruce's lab, they find him missing. Talbot learns from the guard that he was spotted going into the hills with a strange device. Talbot asks Betty to give him a tour around the area surrounding the base.
From a helicopter, Talbot and Betty spot Banner tracking his robot. As the helicopter lands, Banner sees the spy in his robot preparing to throw a boulder at the helicopter. Turning into the Hulk, he jumps up to stop the rock from falling on Betty and Talbot. Talbot dives to shield Betty, while the Hulk smashes through the rock. Its debris hits Talbot, giving him minor injuries and gaining Betty's concern.
The Hulk battles the robot, until the spy's missile launches, and the Hulk knocks the robot down a cliff to the spy's apparent death. Hulk jumps after the missile and smashes it in mid-air. The resulting explosion knocks out the Hulk, who is captured and restrained by the military. Talbot suggests to Ross that somehow the Hulk and Banner must be connected. As the Hulk regains consciousness, Ross orders a tank battalion to prepare to fire. The Hulk desperately tries to break free of his shackles before he can be executed.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, General Ross, Betty Ross, Major Talbot
