Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1968-12-01 00:07:10 |
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Hulk #109-110
Issue(s): Hulk #109, Hulk #110
Cover Date: Nov-Dec 68
Title: "The monster and the man-beast!" / "Umbu, the Unliving!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Frank Giacoia - Layouts (#109)
Herb Trimpe - Finisher (#109) / Penciler (#110)
John Severin - Inker
Review/plot:
The Hulk winds up in the Savage Land after getting in another fight with Chinese soldiers and trying to hitch a ride on a rocket. Ka-zar and Zabu rescue a confused Banner from the Swamp Men, who ride around on those cool flightless birds.
When Ka-zar attacks, one of the Swamp Men shouts "He is one and we are many", and then honesty sets in and he says to himself "...and still my heart knows fear!". Hilarious.
Ka-zar brings Banner to an ancient computer which Bruce determines is messing with the Earth's rotation. He tries to stop but the Swamp Men attack again, and Banner turns into the Hulk and briefly gets into a tussle with Zabu before leaving.
The computer's guardian is a giant robot that looks like an ancient totem ("with too many arms" as the Hulk observes).
The robot, Umbu the Unliving, and the computer were placed here by blue skinned aliens in ancient times. There is not indication as to why the computer would just start messing with the Earth's rotation now.
The Hulk fights Umbu but it is unbeatable and it eventually releases a gas that turns him back into Banner, which causes Umbu to not recognize him as an enemy. Banner manages to get back to the computer and disables it, which also stops the robot.
Ka-zar escapes from the Swamp Men (he got captured off panel after a tussle with the Hulk, i guess) to find that Banner has been 'killed' by the radiation from the computer.
#109 is very indulgent with splash panels & pages considering we're not dealing with the A-list Marvel artists. Not that the art in these issues is bad for the time period. Some of the detail in the Savage Land shots is quite good. Actually if i was shown this art and had to guess who drew it i would have said Marie Severin. It's got that fantasy/Prince Valiant feel similar to her issues with the High Evolutionary's New Men. It works well in the Savage land setting. I don't know if the fact that her brother John doing the inking has anything to do with that.
Quality Rating: C
Historical Significance Rating: 2
Chronological Placement Considerations: Pushed up a little bit to account for Hulk's appearance in Captain America #110.
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: Marvel Super Heroes #63, Marvel Super Heroes #64
| Previous: Fantastic Four #81 | Up: Main 1968 / Box 4 / Silver Age | Next: Daredevil #47 |
Comments
The look is entirely due to John Severin; he's another legendary 1950s EC artist and his inking made just about anything look better.
Thunderbolt Ross and Glenn Talbot also appear in issue #109. Maybe that was cut out of the reprint?
Thanks, TTB. They were indeed cut from the Marvel Super Heroes reprint and i guess i also failed to check this against the MCP. I've added them now.
