Issue(s): Hulk #125
Cover Date: Mar 70
Title: "...And now, the Absorbing Man!"
Credits:
Roy Thomas - Writer
Herb Trimpe - Penciler
Herb Trimpe - Inker

Review/plot:
Banner hears a radio report about a comet that is going to destroy the earth, and he heads to the missile base to volunteer to help. They send him up in a rocket to destroy the comet, and he does it without even becoming the Hulk. Unfortunately, the Absorbing Man was hitching a ride home on the comet...

...and he picks a fight with Banner, who becomes the Hulk.

After an extended fight the Absorbing Man gets buried under a mountain.

Like his use of the Sandman, Trimpe's Absorbing Man is pretty boring, so i don't have a lot of good scans.

One thing to note is that with this issue the Absorbing Man becomes a more "regular" villain who despite his great power isn't necessarily put on ice in between encounters (in contrast to the fact that he was floating in space since his last appearance). And with that he becomes a villain that isn't exclusive to Thor's rogues gallery, as well.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - Absorbing Man returns to Earth.

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Absorbing Man has been floating in space since Odin threw him out there in Thor #123.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Super Heroes #77

At this point, it seems like they had decided that they didn't to create any more uber-powerful villains. They could just take other uber-powerful villains from other comics (Sandman from Spider-Man and FF, Rhino from Spider-Man, Absorbing Man from Thor) and bring them in to fight the Hulk. I won't be surprised if the Hulk faces Juggernaut soon.

I hate to pick a fight, but...this issue does end by putting the A.M> on ice again. He gets crushed by a mountain, and he's not seen again (in publication order, art least) until Loki revives him in some later issues of Thor.

As i say, Omar, i'm contrasting it to when the Absorbing Man was left floating out in space with no hope of getting home of his own accord. I can imagine Absorbing Man getting out from under a mountain much more easily. But you're right that it's effectively the same thing since he remains there until his next appearance. (And it's not picking a fight to disagree!)

I see what you mean: this is certainly much closer to the usual "supervillain's lair explodes/the bad guy falls into the water" kind of ending than the "and then the gods banished Crusher Creel forever because he's absurdly powerful" stuff Thor and Odin do to him in his first two arcs.

This story was also used for the hulk viewmasters for anyone who remembers them