Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1984-02-01 00:10:10 |
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Hulk #292
Issue(s): Hulk #292, Hulk #293
Cover Date: Feb 84
Title: "Dragon-night!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Joe Sinnott - Inker
Review/plot:
Bruce Banner and Kate Waynesboro travel to Mexico, where the government is experimenting with gamma irradiated vegetables. Banner devised the method but US government regulations were too strict to allow them, so they had to be tried in Mexico instead. Despite being based on his work, Banner is a little uncomfortable with the idea.
But it turns out we won't see the results of the method just yet, because the Ringmaster is also in Mexico with his Circus of Crime, and they've also got Dragon Man.
Dragon Man burns the crops, the Hulk investigates, gets hypnotized...
...and is forced to fight Dragon Man.
With a little help from Kate, the Ringmaster's control is broken and the Circus of Crime is defeated.
Dragon Man escapes, but the Hulk is too busy wallowing in self-pity over the fact that he lost control of the Hulk to notice.
Beginning with this issue, the cover corner icon features the Hulk gradually transforming from a lab-coat wearing scientist into a truly savage Hulk. This will culminate in issue #300.
In the meantime, Banner is having nightmares about the savage Hulk.
The poor Ringmaster and his Circus have been seeing hard times for a while now, slumming through the backwoods of Europe in Super-Villain Team-Up, moping around with Howard the Duck, and now reduced to ripping off poor Mexican farmers. It's actually kind of a nice touch to have a perpetually down-on-his-luck super-villain.
Overall, this isn't bad for Mantlo, and we're beginning to see the set-up for a classic storyline where Banner totally loses control to his Hulk persona.
Quality Rating: C+
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A
References:
- Waynesboro turned out to be an agent of SHIELD in Hulk #289. But she's now resigned from SHIELD and in love with Bruce.
- The Ringmaster faced the Hulk before, in his first appearance in Hulk #3.
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
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Comments
I'm guessing there is no explanation for why the Clown is suddenly a bad guy again?
Correct, no reference at all to the Ghost Rider appearances. The Clown's only real scene here is noticing Bruce Banner and thinking (correctly) that the Ringmaster would love to get a chance to fight the Hulk again, so he goes and alerts his boss.
Maybe he got hypnotized into rejoining?
FNORD - I love how you got all the corner covers together. That looks awesome!!
That gradual corner icon change was a great idea! Thanks for the gif.
