Issue(s): Hulk #257
Cover Date: Mar 81
Title: "Crypt of chaos!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Sal Buscema - Inker

Review/plot:
Hulk World Tour continues! From Israel, the Hulk winds up in Egypt where, as Banner, he is rescued from dying in the desert by a group of Arab archaeologists. They unearth the demons Gog and Magog...

...but the Arab 'chieftain' finds a magical scimitar and a flying carpet and becomes the Arabian Knight.

With the Hulk's help, the Knight forces the demons back into their cave and causes a cave-in. The Hulk is caught in the cave-in as well, but he is able to dig himself out and leap off.

Mantlo is well intentioned but there are still some stereotypical problems with his depiction of the Arabs. And it's nice to try and make an Arabian super-hero, but they would have been better off creating someone with generic powers and less like Aladdin. Reaction to the Knight in issue #264's lettercol is not positive and focuses on both the cheesiness and the stereotyping.

Meanwhile, Angry that Congress has withdrawn funds for Gamma Base, Glenn Talbot, already stark raving mad, steals an experimental plane and flies off in search of the Hulk.

And Rick Jones shows up at the Avengers' mansion looking for help in finding the Hulk as well.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - first Arabian Knight, a surprisingly durable character

Chronological Placement Considerations: Hulk World Tour!

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Oh look Bill Mantlo doesn't spell "pharaoh" any better than Stan Lee did back in Fantastic Four #19 (see 1st scan above).