Thing (Vol. 2) #2
Abusement Park
In Upstate New York, the NYPD is investigating the disappearance of a number of wealthy individuals, including the Thing. Since a modified version of one of Alicia Masters' sculptures was found at the scene, Alicia and her new boyfriend Arlo North. When Alicia examines the statue, she identifies it as a forgery, and contacts her lawyer, insisting that Ben can look after himself.
Ben, Nighthawk, and Constrictor are a prisoner on Arcade's Murderland island along with the captured party guests. When Arcade and his robot Brynocki present themselves, the heroes attack only to discover that they are mere holograms. Among the guests is Tony Stark, who was not put in his armor. When he tries to signal it his armor through his signal watch he discovers that something is jamming the signal. They explain that they have to find an "immunity spot" on the island and the island will stop trying to kill them. Once someone gets to that spot, the others will have to get on that spot in 10 seconds or else they will be blown up. To kick things off, Arcade activates a minefield in the situation. Ben, Nighthawk, and Constrictor get everyone to safety before the mine explodes.
Ben's girlfriend Carlotta LaRosa tries to downplay the danger, she ignores Ben when she and the others sit on a roller coaster car. When the cart starts running toward the death trap, the three heroes save them from the roller coaster. They also narrowly avoid a spike-covered Farris wheel. When the party-goers start freaking out, Ben yells at them to shut up. Ben then gives them a speech about how he will get them to safety without anyone dying. When they discover that Constrictor has left the scene, Nighthawk goes after him to see what he is up too. Meanwhile, Brynocki unleashes a number of traps and an army of robot soldiers and tanks. When Ben blocks an explosion, it blows a hole in the ground revealing the secret tunnels beneath the island. Stark decides to try and climb down when he is stopped by Carlotta. She tells Tony that she will create a distraction to take Arcade's attention off his plan. She goes up to Ben and tells him that she is only dating him because of his money and how it will advance his career. Ben doesn't like being called a freak and begins getting upset. However, he notices that this is all a distraction when Carlotta winks at him. While Arcade and his cronies are occupied with this unfolding drama, Tony manages to sneak into the maintenance tunnel.
Ben tells them to keep going, and even though Carlotta was putting on an act, he believes that there might be some truth in what she said. Meanwhile, Nighthawk manages to catch up with the Constrictor and the two begin trading blows. Their brawl is quickly stopped when the forest suddenly comes to life and tries to kill them. Elsewhere, the Thing leads his charges up to an attraction called the "Marvel Island of Misadventure". When Ben enters the gates he is suddenly attacked by an army of robots designed to look like various heroes. While Ben fights off these robots, Tony Stark comes across an Iron Man robot and thinks he can rig the armor so he can wear it. As Ben battles a Hulk robot, Iron Man takes to the sky to fly out of the jamming signal range so he can contact help. However, he is suddenly blasted and seemingly killed.
When Ben trounces the Hulk robot, Arcade decides to pull out all the stops and activate every Hulk robot he has in his arsenal.
Recurring Characters
Thing, Constrictor, Nighthawk, Iron Man, Carlotta LaRosa, Alicia Masters, Arlo North, Arcade, Brynocki, Miss Lock, Mister Chambers
Continuity Notes
Brynocki refers to Murderland as Mordillo's Island. The island was originally owned by Mordillo as seen in Master of Kung Fu #33.
The woman here who appears to be Miss Locke is actually a robot as the real Miss Locke was accidentally killed by Arcade, as seen in Wolverine / Gambit: Victims #4.
The various Hulks robots are based on a number of incarnations of the Hulk:
The Savage green Hulk first seen in Incredible Hulk #2
The Joe Fixit incarnation of the Grey Hulk first seen in Incredible Hulk #347.
The "Professor" Hulk from Incredible Hulk #377
The Hulk when he was disguised as Mechano in Avengers #1
The Maestro from Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1
And lastly when Hulk was made into the Horseman of Apocalypse known as Death in Incredible Hulk #456.
