Fantastic Four #166
If It's Tuesday, This Must be the Hulk!
The Fantastic Four have been called in by the military once more to provide their scientific expertise in finding the means to cure the Hulk, who has been spotted in the American Mid-West. As Reed, Sue. Johnny and Ben take a commercial 747 to the location of the military base. Ben scares off some people gawking at them and then tries to sweet talk an airline steward until he realizes it's a male steward. Johnny is upset about how his last date with Frankie Raye went badly when she became afraid of Johnny when he turned into the Human Torch to battle the Crusader and fled the scene, and considers leaving the group. When they begin talking about how they are going to stop the Hulk, Reed tells them that he has perfected his psi-amplifier which Reed is sure will cure the Hulk this time around.
As the group is discussing the ethics of hunting the Hulk one more, the subject of their conversation jumps passed their plane, accidentally smashing through one of its wings and sending the plane into a crash. In order to save the passengers aboard, Reed and Johnny go outside, Johnny trying his best to repair the damage done to the wing and act as a temporary jet engine while Reed uses his body to stretch out into a parachute so that the plane can land safely. The entire process proves incredibly painful for Reed, however, they manage to land the plane safely with no injuries. They are picked up at the landing site by the Air Force and taken to the military base where they are introduced to the youthful and over eager Colonel Sellers. The Thing doesn't take a liking to Sellers' attitude but before they can discuss anything further the FF are deployed when the military devices detect the gamma radiation emanating from the Hulk's body.
The Fantastic Four are rushed out in a military craft, but it is soon destroyed by the Hulk. While Reed uses his already taxed stretching powers to hold the Hulk Sue places an invisible force field around the Hulk's head to cut him off from oxygen. Mr. Fantastic orders the Thing to knock the Hulk out, but Ben finds little pleasure in knocking out his long time rival in such a low down way.
With the Hulk knocked out, the Fantastic Four take him back to the military base where they shackle him to the psi-amplifier device. Ben still feels as though this is a cruel thing to do, but decides to go along with it because he still believes that it's for the good of Bruce Banner. Reed plugs himself in the device and uses his willpower to siphon the gamma radiation out of the Hulk causing him to change back into Bruce Banner. Now too small for the shackles they had him in Banner falls to the floor, prompting Colonel Setters to break his promise about letting Banner be free once reverted into human form and ordering his men to shackle Banner up. When Banner comes around and starts begging for help, Ben has had enough and fights past the army and smashes the psi-amplifier. This causes the radiation to flow back into Banner changing him back into the Hulk again. To everyone's horror, Ben frees the Hulk and tells everyone gathered that he and the Hulk are joining forces so that nobody can manipulate them ever again. The Hulk, confused about the circumstances surrounding this latest development accepts the Thing's friendship and threatens to smash anyone who stands in their way.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Colonel Sellers, Hulk
Continuity Notes
The Fantastic Four mention their last clash with the Hulk and use of the Psi-Amplifier in Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 where the Thing and the Hulk swap bodies.
