Incredible Hulk Vol 1 168

The authorities have arrived following the Hulk's battle with M.O.D.O.K. outside the rest home that Betty Talbot has been placed in following her most recent breakdown. Naturally, they attack the Hulk who responds in kind, fending off the authorities the Hulk then charges off into the home to try and find Betty. Betty, however, has stripped off all her clothing and wandered off the property in response to the mental beckoning of M.O.D.O.K. When the Hulk finds Betty's clothing everyone figures the Hulk did something to her. When they call out to "Mrs. Talbot", the Hulk freaks out at her being called by her married name and bursts out through one of the walls.

There he finds Jim Wilson waiting for him in a truck to facilitate the Hulk's getaway, and sneaks him past the police by claiming to be out trying to find a good place to "park" with his girlfriend. Betty meanwhile has been led to a giant rocket that is beckoning her to enter, when she does it blasts off into the sky toward A.I.M. headquarters.

Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, Colonel Armbruster and General Ross have been called before their superiors regarding Project: Greenskin. There the top brass has decided that due to recent embarrassing events they are asking that General Ross stand down as head of the project and be replaced with Colonel Armbruster. Although Ross protests initially, he calms down and accepts the decision even after Armbruster tells Ross that he's just "holding" the position until the military deems that Ross is fit to run the project again. While in Newark, New Jersey, Jim brings the Hulk to his girlfriend Talia's house. She is less than excited at the idea of having the Hulk stay at their home which leads to the two lovers to argue. Realizing the girl doesn't like him the Hulk decides to just leave. Jim attempts to go after him but the argument between him and Talia heats up and the Hulk manages to walk away before Jim can stop him.

While at A.I.M. headquarters, M.O.D.O.K. puts Betty on a Gamma Ray machine that mutates her in the vicious Gamma spawned Harpy, complete with wings, talons for feet and able to fire rays of Gamma radiation from her hands. Thirsty for the destruction of the Hulk, M.O.D.O.K. tracks the brutes location and sets her loose to kill him. She finds the Hulk wandering around downtown New York and attacks him. As the two fight, the Hulk ultimately gets the upper hand, but before he can land a knockout blow the Harpy reveals that she is really Betty Talbot. This distracts the Hulk long enough for her to fire a knock-out blast of Gamma radiation that knocks the Hulk out. Standing over the Hulk's unconscious body, she vows to destroy the Hulk once and for all.

Notes

Continuity Notes

Everyone thinks that Glenn Talbot was killed in the rescue mission last issue however he survived and is a prisoner. His survival is eventually discovered in Incredible Hulk #187.
The Harpy was pulled forward in time by Gaea to battle Fantastic Force as seen in Fantastic Force (Vol. 2) #1–3 this happens between panels 1 & 2 of page 14 of this story. She is returned with no memory of what happened.

Chronology Notes

Events in this story occur behind the scenes that affect the chronology of the following characters: Harpy:

🢐 Page 1-14, Panel 1 🢒 - M.O.D.O.K. transforms Betty into the Harpy.
🢐 Page 14, Panel 2-Page 19 🢒 - The Harpy defeats the Hulk.

Publication Notes

In this issue, Jack Armbruster replaces General Ross as Chief of Project Greenskin and in effect the Hulk Buster Base.
This issue contains a letters page, Green Skin's Grab Bag. Letters are published from Peter Cucich, Mark Ereinbush, and Mike Markot.

Links and References

References

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Incredible Hulk Vol 1 168

Appearing in "The Hate of the Harpy!"

Synopsis for "The Hate of the Harpy!"