The Gladiator from Outer Space
by
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers
In the American southwest, a spaceship lands on a city park. To the shock of the citizens, a buff, thick-haired humanoid being emerges from the craft. He announces himself as Mongu. From Bruce Banner's lab nearby, Rick Jones and Bruce Banner witness these events on a TV set. Wielding huge axes, Mongu issues a challenge: If earth's mightiest mortal can defeat him, he will depart, however if he wins, his people will invade the earth and conquer it. He proclaims the battle will take place in a secluded section of the Grand Canyon where he will await earth's champion. Bruce Banner immediately springs into action. He gets on to the platform of his gamma ray machine and triggers the change into the incredible Hulk. Hulk tells Rick to join him in case he has need of him.
Hulk and Rick Jones take off in a jet. They fly over the Grand Canyon and quickly spot Mongu waiting on a crag in the middle of the canyon. As they get off the jet, Hulk immediately spots something odd. Mongu's weapons are not real. Hulk grabs them and easily tears them apart. Suddenly Hulk and the boy find themselves surrounded by Soviet forces.
Mongu's chest opens up and out of the robot steps a communist with a gun. He announces that his real name is Boris Monguski and he is here to capture the Hulk. His commanders went to all of this effort to kidnap the Hulk so they can make more like him for their own army. The Hulk doesn't take too kindly to this predicament.
After whispering a plan to Rick, Hulk leaps into the air. Rick flattens himself against the ground. As the soviets shoot at the green behemoth, Hulk slams back down into the crag, the vibrations send the men off their feet. One Soviet lobs a grenade at Hulk, who catches it and squeezing his fist around it until it explodes, not harming him one bit. One of the Soviets who stayed in the spacecraft shoots a vibratory blast at the Hulk, which rattles his ears. Diving to the ground, Hulk burrows underneath to cancel out the pain in his ears. Hulk reemerges under the spaceship which he tears right through to grab the enemy agent. With his brute strength, Hulk tears the ship apart to reveal it being a disguised MiG.
With defeat seeming imminent, the Soviets hold Rick hostage as they signal a nearby hidden helicopter they have. As the helicopter comes in to the rescue, Hulk picks up a chunk of debris from the MiG and hurls it at the helicopter. The debris collides with the landing gear, rendering it's descent inert.
Forced to give up, the Soviets hand Rick back. The Hulk demands all of their belts. Puzzled, the Soviet agents obey the monster. Hulk ties all of the men together with the belts and dangles them off the departing helicopter. Hulk lands back on the ground to reconvene with his young ally.
A few hours later after Hulk & Rick have made themselves scarce, the US military and reporters arrive on the scene. Looking at the evidence of the battle, they determine that the Hulk was behind the whole thing. An elaborate hoax perpetrated by the green monster to drum up public support. This suspicion makes the public even more fearful of him. Back in the hidden lab, Hulk turns back into Bruce Banner as Rick helps the weary scientist walk outside.
Notes:
Another silly story involving the Soviets. I have a feeling they tacked this one on because the previous story in this issue was very wordy, so they tried to balance it out with a more action based tale. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, the best part is the sequence when Hulk captures the grenade in his hand.
List Opinion: Saying all of that, I think this story fits in just under Fantastic Four #7. It doesn't make very much sense. The Soviet's plan is so convoluted and so is the means of their defeat. There's barely any characterization for Banner, Hulk or Rick. Both of the Rosses are absent. Why did Rick & Hulk need a jet? Nothing of real consequence happens and everyone pretty much forgets this adventure ever happened.
List:
- Amazing Fantasy (Spider-Man) #15
- Fantastic Four #1
- Fantastic Four #4
- Incredible Hulk #1
- Fantastic Four #5
- Amazing Adult Fantasy (X-Men) #14
- Fantastic Four #6
- Journey into Mystery (Thor) #85
- Journey into Mystery (Thor) #83
- Fantastic Four #2
- Journey into Mystery (Thor) #86
- Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #36
- Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #35
- Incredible Hulk #4a
- Journey into Mystery (Thor) #84
- Tales to Astonish (Ant-Man) #27
- Strange Tales (Human Torch) #102
- Fantastic Four #3
- Incredible Hulk #2
- Fantastic Four #7
- Incredible Hulk #4b
- Incredible Hulk #3
- Strange Tales (Human Torch) #101
Next Issue: The first appearance of the Puppet Master and more importantly his daughter, Alicia.
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