July 1962
The Incredible Hulk #2 (vol. 1)
“The Terror of the Toad Men!”
EIC: Stan Lee
Cover Artists: Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko
Writers: Stan Lee
Pencilers: Jack Kirby
Inkers: Steve Ditko
Letterers: Artie Simek
Editors: Stan Lee
Cover Date: July 1962
Release Date: May1962
Pages: 24
Cover Price: $0.12
SYNOPSIS:
The issue opens with the Hulk emerging from a swamp and being spotted by troopers who run to warn the nearest town of his presence. The police attempt to subdue the Hulk who easily overpowers them. Rick Jones shows up to calm the Hulk enough to lead him away from the town while we are treated to flashback of how Dr. Banner became the Hulk.
The Toad Men are then shown advancing towards Earth using a magnetic source far beyond what the Earth is capable of. The Toad Men land on Earth and track down the smartest man on the planet so that they can know what technologies the planet has to defend itself from invaders.
Bruce Banner and Rick Jones are now on their way to a secret hideout where Bruce has set up a chamber, with 10-feet thick concrete walls that extends slightly under a lake, in order to hold the Hulk during his night-time transformations.
Before Dr. Banner can get into the chamber, the Toad Men shoot both Banner and Rick to immobilize them and transport them back to their ship.
The Toad Men then tell their prisoners what will happen if they don’t cooperate such as making cities float off into space, draining the oceans, or making the people unable to move. They send Rick back to Earth. The ship then orbits to the dark side of the Earth, making Banner transform into the Hulk.
The Toad Men are caught off guard when the Hulk escapes his confinement and locks them in a room. The Hulk decides he will use the ship to wipe out mankind. General Ross order the ship shot down, which they are able to accomplish.
When the troops approach the ship, the only person they find is Banner who is taken into custody being labeled a traitor. The Toad Men escape underground away from the wreckage and send an invasion signal for the remainder of their fleet. The Toad King then jams all broadcasts around the world to send a message that they are planning to cause the moon to collide with the Earth, destroying it.
As night falls onto the cell holding Bruce Banner, he transforms in the Hulk, breaking out of the cell and destroys everything in his path towards General Ross’ house since he blames him for imprisoning him. The General has troops surround the house and attempts to storm in to take the Hulk. They rush the Hulk and attempt to tackle him, but he throws them off.
The Hulk takes Betty hostage, escaping into the darkness towards his secret lab with Rick following close behind. Rick confronts the Hulk so that he doesn’t hurt Betty as the moon gets ever closer; causing an earthquake that knocks the Hulk out until the morning when Bruce regains control. Bruce and Rick make their way to a Gamma Ray Gun so that they can reverse the attraction of their magnetic rays.
Bruce fires the gun just as the soldiers break in and are held back by Rick spraying them with a powerful fire hose. Since Bruce was able to save the world, the charges against him are dropped and he heads back to his secret lab with Rick, where the Hulk tries his best to break out of his temporary cell.
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