Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1964-11-01 00:04:31 |
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Tales To Astonish #61 (Hulk)
Issue(s): Tales To Astonish #61 (Hulk stories only)
Cover Date: Nov 64
Title: "Captured at last!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Steve Ditko - Penciler
George Roussos - Inker
Review/plot:
Last issue we saw an unnamed spy capture an indestructible battle-suit that Bruce Banner created. The issue ended with the Hulk having failed to defeat the spy. This issue continues the story, with Banner working to build a scanner to find the guy in the suit (which, like last issue, is referred to as a robot).
Meanwhile a new Major arrives at Gamma Base. It's Glenn Talbot, an important rival for Bruce Banner since he's got an interest in Betty and also takes after General Ross in distrusting Banner and having it in for the Hulk. Ross, of course, would prefer Talbot for a son-in-law.
Banner has slipped out of Gamma Base to look for the "robot" when Talbot tries to find him for an interview, so he takes Betty on a helicopter ride in the desert, just as Banner is about to discover the spy (who has taken up residence in one of Banner's secret labs).
Stress causes Banner to transform...
...and then the Hulk rescues Glenn and Betty without them realizing it. The Hulk and the "robot" then fight, near a bottomless pit, obviously...
...and things are settled when the otherwise indestructible armored foe falls into the pit.
The Hulk is knocked unconscious stopping a missile that the spy threw before he fell, and that's when Talbot spots the Hulk and calls in the army to restrain him.
Ditko and Roussos (credited as Bell) seem to work a little better together this issue than last, but the art is still stiff.
Quality Rating: C-
Historical Significance Rating: 4 - first Glenn Talbot
Chronological Placement Considerations: This issue picks up on the Robo-Spy story from last issue but with enough time having passed for Bruce Banner to return to Gamma Base, change his clothes, and begin developing a new device. This issue ends with the Hulk held captive, so he shouldn't appear anywhere between this issue and next, although i read it as some time having passed between issues.
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: Essential Hulk vol. 1
| Previous: Tales To Astonish #61 (Giant-Man/Wasp) | Up: Main 1964 / Box 2 / Silver Age | Next: Journey Into Mystery #110-111 |
Comments
Hmmm...did this "robot" ever appear anywhere else? The way it's disposed of, falling into bottomless pit, would seem to be a perfect setup for the Mole Man or Tyrranus finding it and using it for nefarious purposes. (Or possibly Tony Stark suing Bruce for copyright infringement)
I'm fairly confident that the "robot" never appears again, but i recall that neither the spy or the suit/robot weren't actually named, so it's hard to do a Google search to confirm (and neither the MCP nor Marvel's Wiki list a character). It would be cool to see a Tyrannoid or something piloting it one day.
I can remember the suit used by Bruce Banner versus Skaar, during the Pak/Olivetti run on Incredible Hulk, shortly after 601
Cool info. Thanks, Midnighter.
