abbinamento in assemblaggio avventato e sconsiderato per due serie già accolte in italia molto freddamente e con indifferenza, sospetto e ritrosia, nella folle e delirante logica editoriale per cui due mezzi insuccessi possano unirsi a formare un fallimento unico e totale
Con 2 episodi completi anche in questo numero, lo sgarbato e prepotente HULK continua i suoi doppi assoli da solo contro mostruosi nemici ogni volta più abominevoli, assurdi ed improbabili, senza essere spalleggiato dai sempre più latitanti colleghi DIFENSORI e a rischio così di diventare pure noioso che poi tanto a lui non gliene frega mica niente e se provate a lamentarvi occhio che ve mena
ALBO ORIGINALE DEL 1976
CONDIZIONI : BUONISSIME, UN PO' DI USURA IN COSTOLA, PICCOLO SEGNETTO A BIRO IN SECONDA DI COPERTINA, GRAFFETTE LIEVEMENTE OSSIDATE, L' ALBO NON E' DI BUSTA
"Calamity in the Clouds!" / SCIAGURA TRA LE NUBI ! |
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Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Harpy (Betty Talbot) (Returned to human form)
- Bi-Beast (Only appearance; dies)
- A.I.M.
Other Characters:
- US Air Force
- Foxtrot One
- Squadron Leader
Locations:
- New York City
- Sky-Island (Apparent destruction)
Vehicles:
Synopsis
The Harpy has just defeated the Hulk, and as General Ross watches the news coverage on TV he rushes out to the scene of the battle, recognizing the Harpy as his daughter Betty. When he confronts his daughter he tries to talk her out of killing the Hulk. Thinking it's all a trick she flies away with the Hulk in her clutches. When the military sends out fighter jets to stop her she shoots one out of the sky before she and the Hulk are swept up in a strange tornado that sweeps them into a giant cloud mass.
They soon find themselves on some strange city hidden in the clouds. As the Hulk revives they are confronted by a two-headed creature calling itself the Bi-Beast. When they grab the Harpy in interest she lashes out with Gamma ray blasts, and the Hulk, wanting to protect Betty attacks the creature as well. The Harpy is easily knocked out with a single blow, but the Hulk proves to be more of a challenge. However, despite the fight the Hulk puts up, the thin air in the upper-atmosphere is what does him in and he collapses from lack of oxygen and reverts back to Bruce Banner.
When Banner revives he explains to the Bi-Beast that he is a scientist, leading the creature to believe that destiny has brought him to the floating island. The Bi-Beast explains that this island was created by the Bird People and the Bi-Beast was created to be a living monument of their achievements once they have passed on. They explain that the machines are starting to break down and they have no knowledge on how to repair them and ask that Banner figure out how to fix them. They also explain that they captured the Harpy because they yearned for the company of someone that resembled their creators.
When Banner begins to consider a way to change Betty back to her human self, however when he goes to get her he finds that the Bi-Beast had put her in a cage. Bruce demands to have access to the Harpy otherwise he will not work for them and the creature agrees, sedating her and handing her over to him. Bruce then devises a machine to change her back to her human form.
Things go from bad to worse when MODOK, searching for the Harpy, arrives and seeks to exploit the island. Learning what is going on, he tricks the Bi-Beast into believing that Bruce Banner is evil and the creature leads him to Banner and stops him from doing anything just as he activates the machine to change Betty back to normal. This works up Bruce enough to transform back into the Hulk and resume fighting the Bi-Beast. MODOK then betrays the Bi-Beast, claiming the island for AIM and deploying his troops and shooting the Hulk in the back, knocking him out.
When the Bi-Beast tries to fight back MODOK and his forces open fire on the creature, delivering a killing bombardment of ray blasts. In his last effort, Bi-Beast sets the island to self-destruct sending MODOK and his minions fleeing for their lives. The Hulk has reverted back to Bruce Banner once more and goes to grab the now revived Harpy to try and find a way off the island. When a crumbling building falls on the Harpy, Bruce goes to her aid and when the dust clears he is relieved to find that she has transformed back into Betty Talbot again. Without the Harpy's wings to fly them to safety they brace themselves for the island's destruction, however, the ground beneath them breaks open sending them falling to the ground as the island explodes. While they have escaped being killed in the explosion the fall will surely see them to their doom.
Continuity Notes
- The Bi-Beast mentions how it was created by the Bird People and they had eventually died leaving it as their lasting legacy. The story referenced the more recent appearances of the Red Raven in X-Men #44 (in Italy in CAPC #45) and Sub-Mariner #26 (in Italy in F4C #87). In the latter story, it appeared that Red Raven had sacrificed his life and killed his people. However, Nova Vol 3 #4-5 (unpublished in Italy) revealed that the Red Raven actually faked the destruction of his people.
- Bruce's last recollection was visiting Betty Banner at a mental health facility when she attacked him, in Incredible Hulk #167 (in Italy in H&D #39).
- Although the Bi-Beast was destroyed here, another later turned up in Incredible Hulk #214 (in Italy in URC #253).
Trivia
- After walking around nude for practically two issues, Betty Ross emerges from the rubble of Sky-Island clothed!
"Death From on High!" / MORTE DALL' ALTO |
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Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Military Pilots
- Steve
Locations:
- Un-Identified Island
Synopsis
Following the destruction of the Bi-Beast's floating island, Bruce Banner and Betty Talbot fall from the sky to a seeming doom until Bruce allows himself to transform into the Hulk to allow for their safe landing. They find themselves on a remote island and as the Hulk is trying to figure out what to do, it begins to rain prompting the monster to carry her to a nearby cave in order to keep dry.
Awakening and with no memory of anything after that happened just
prior to her nervous breakdown she believes that she has been kidnapped
by the Hulk. As the Hulk goes out to look for food Betty makes a break
for it and eventually the storm breaks. As she rests for a moment the
ground suddenly rises up, and to her shock and horror it is not the
ground at all, but some strange alien creature. Before it can harm Betty
the Hulk arrives and attacks it, knocking Betty out. The Hulk beats the
creature into submission and sends it running.
Carrying Betty back to the cave, it begins to rain again and the Hulk goes out when a tree is struck by lightning and brings it's flames back to the cave to keep them warm and dry. Hulk then resumes his search for food, and spotting a deer he attempts to kill it with a rock but can't bring himself to do it. He finds a fruit tree instead and brings back it's bounty for Betty to eat. Noticing that Betty has a wound on her shoulder that has gotten infected the Hulk somehow knows how to pick roots and leaves that will heal and dress the wound so that it can heal. When Betty awakens she panics and tries to run away from the Hulk however the Hulk blocks her way not wanting her to run into the creature they faced before. Emotionally exhausted Betty goes into a dead faint asking the Hulk to let her die.
When the storm breaks the next day, a hesitant Betty agrees to go out for a walk with the Hulk. Finding some berries, the Hulk crushes them and applies their juices to Betty's face as though they are make-up, Betty uneasily accepts this. Wandering to a pond, a carnivorous lizard jumps out of the water to attack them and the Hulk beats it into submission and throws it far away hoping that Betty will swim in the water. However, Betty just wanders off, with the Hulk following in tow wondering what is wrong.
They come across an old crashed plane and Betty searches it in futility in the hopes of finding a working radio inside. That night as the Hulk is sleeping, Betty feigns sleep and waits until she has the cover of dark to escape to search the island for some means of getting off it. She finds nothing, except for the alien creature she encountered previously, and two of its comrades. The Hulk awakens to find Betty missing and tracks her and the alien creatures to the top of the islands volcano. Attacking the creatures head on, he frees Betty and knocks the monsters to their doom in the lava below. The Hulk then picks up Betty and jumps to safety just as the volcano erupts.
Spotting a military helicopter heading toward the area, the Hulk
tells Betty to go with it and that he will be fine and leaves her to be
rescued. However, when the military picks her up and leaves nobody is
aware that the Hulk has secretly hitched a ride on the bottom of the
helicopter.
Continuity Notes
- Everyone thinks that Glenn Talbot was killed in the rescue mission during the events of Incredible Hulk #166 (in Italy in H&D #38) however he survived and is a prisoner. His survival is eventually discovered in Incredible Hulk #187 (in Italy in URC #199).
- Although one of the aliens reminds the Hulk of Aquon (who the Hulk fought in Incredible Hulk #165 - in Italy in H&D #38) the identity of the creatures on this island, or their origins are unknown.
