Issue(s): Hulk #162
Cover Date: Apr 73
Title: "Spawn of the flesh-eater!"
Credits:
Steve Englehart - Writer
Herb Trimpe - Penciler
Sal Trapani - Inker

Review/plot:
The Hulk is still in Canada, and the Canadian government and General Ross come to an agreement allowing his Hulkbuster unit to operate in their airspace. I like to think this is the trigger point wherein Canada decides to get cracking on their own super-hero program with Weapon X so they don't have to rely on Americans for help any more, but i'm sure the endless revisions to the Weapon X backstory won't allow for that.

This issue is also the first appearance of the Wendigo, a classic Hulk baddie. The Hulk is stomping through the Canadian woods when he's attacked by a group of locals that think he's the Wendigo, and when that confusion is sorted out he decides he's going to help find the missing Paul.

After briefly checking in with Glenn and Betty Talbot, we move on to some really crazy stuff. We start with this panel where the Wendigo is crouched behind a rock.

At first i thought he was just waiting to ambush the Hulk. But then we see that the Wendigo doesn't actually attack right away, leaving the Hulk a little confused and giving him enough time to just ask for Paul Cartier to be returned ("Monster, Hulk wants Paul!").

Then the Wendigo attacks, but then we learn that the real reason the Wendigo was crouched there was because he was holding a guy underneath him while it was sleeping, so it could eat the guy later when it woke up.

Ugh, that is so creepy and horrible.

Also note the strategic shadows around the Wendigo's crotch area. Eventually i think Marvel just gives up and draws a blank patch of white fur there, but in the earliest appearances, you are left to your imagination. This is why the Hulk's pants always stay on, people.

Anyway, the Hulk manages to rescue this poor bastard (who will later get turned into a Wendigo himself)...

...but it turns out he's Georges Baptiste, not Paul Cartier. Georges reveals that he, Paul, and a third guy got lost in the woods, and eventually Paul got hungry and ate the other guy, which, according to legend, turns you into a Wendigo.

When Hulk hears that, he's really not too shocked; he just realizes he made a mistake and goes back to try to retrieve the right guy, whether he's a Wendigo or not.

Paul is still able to communicate telepathically with the Hulk while he's fighting as the Wendigo...

...but after an awesome fight...

...he eventually loses himself to the beast entirely, and runs off into the wilderness.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 6 - first Wendigo

Chronological Placement Considerations: The Hulk is still in Canada after last issue. In this issue, Canada agrees to let General Ross operate in their country, so this takes place before the Hulk's appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #119-120 when that agreement is already established.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A