Issue(s): Hulk #124
Cover Date: Feb 70
Title: "The Rhino says no!"
Credits:
Roy Thomas - Writer
Herb Trimpe - Breakdowns
Sal Buscema - Finishes
Sal Buscema - Inker

Review/plot:
Taking a cue from Amazing Spider-Man, Herb Trimpe is listed as the "innovator" this issue, with Sal Buscema getting the credit for "illustrator".

Now that Bruce is in control over the Hulk, he and Betty are getting married, and even General Ross approves.

The Leader, instead of saying "Hey, now that the Hulk is under control and busy being happily married, i'll be able to execute all my master plans without his interference" decides to be a real spoil-sport and try to get Banner to turn back into the Hulk and kill Betty. He's a sicko.

He decides he needs an ally, and true to his claim that he's been monitoring Banner's every move, reviews all the Hulk's recent opponents. He settles on the Rhino, although i'm not quite sure what his purpose is, since the Rhino doesn't really figure into his plans and in the end screws everything up.

The Leader has a ray that he uses to turn Banner back into the Hulk and make him savage.

(Yes, Bruce wore purple pants to his wedding.)

The Leader only needs to hit the Hulk with the ray a few times to get the Hulk mad enough to kill Betty, but the Rhino charges in ahead of time and gets into a fistfight with the Hulk.

The Rhino of course loses. As the Leader flees, the Rhino rushes after him and accidentally destroys the getaway ship, seemingly killing both of them. The Hulk comments on the fact that he always wins.

In the fight, General Ross is badly injured, but for some strange reason Talbot blames it on the Hulk, not the fact that the Leader and the Rhino attacked him.

The Rhino gets a power-up this issue, with the Leader providing him with a new suit and infusing him with gamma radiation.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - Rhino gets a power upgrade.

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Hulk fought the Sandman and the Mandarin most recently in Hulk #113-114
  
• ...the Sub-Mariner most recently in Hulk #118
  
• ...Maximus in Hulk #119
  
• ...the Space Parasite in Hulk #103
  
• ...the Rhino in Hulk #104. (The footnote incorrectly says Hulk #103.)

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Super Heroes #76

Banner wore those purple pants so much (yeah we know they look good with green) that when he refused to wear them in the 2nd movie it was like a breath of fresh air.

Fantastic Sal Buscema rendition of the Rhino. Fantastic Sal art on the Hulk too, he always had a great grip on his face/head.

The Leader comes off as very dumb here, and why do the villains have to explode at the end when by this time readers were trained to know they'd always be back anyway?

This issue fits well with my theory about the Leader: since Sam Sterns was supposed to be pretty stupid, and gamma rays turn you into your repressed subconscious desires or self-image, the Leader reflects Sterns's idea of what a genius would be like. He's literally a stupid person's idea of a smart person.