Incredible Hulk #119
At the Mercy of -- Maximus the Mad!
Bruce Banner awakens from a deep sleep and finds himself on the island of Costa Salvador. Finding it becoming increasingly harder to think, Banner stumbles into the village nearby and finds that all the people have been put under a hypnotic trance by a giant statue that is emitting a strange energy beam from it's head. Banner meets a man who is not effected by the device, who tells him that he is the only one with a free will because he serves a being called the "Great One" who lives in a nearby castle, who is responsible for the trances. The free willed local boasts how soon Banner will also be under the Great One's control. Resisting the giant statue's influence, Banner excites himself enough to transform into the Incredible Hulk, scaring away the loyal servant of the Great One. The Hulk then in turn tries to smash the statue, but to no avail. Vaguely remembering what the man had told him, the Hulk bounds over to the castle of the supposed Great One.
As the Hulk approaches the castle, back in the the USA, the President is informed by his men that they have lost contact with the nation of Costa Salvador and fear that it may have fallen to enemy hands. The President then calls General Ross and Major Talbot and orders them to abandon their mission to capture the Hulk and investigate the matter, a request that upset Ross. He complies however, taking his daughter Betty along with him on the mission.
Back in Costa Salvador, we learn that the so called "Great One" is Maximus, the exiled Inhuman prince and his band of evil Inhumans: Aiero, Falcona, Leonus, Nebulo, Stallior, and Timberius. Having failed to rule the Hidden Land of the Inhumans, Maximus intends to slowly take over the entire world with similar statues put in strategic locations all over the world, slowly putting everyone under his control. When the local who is loyal to Maximus arrives and warns him of the approaching Hulk, Maximus orders Falcona to kill him, to which she obliges by sending an army of falcons to eliminate him.
While outside, the Hulk tries to gain access to the castle but finds it's protected by a force field barrier. Maximus sends out his evil Inhumans to deal with the Hulk who just then manages to smash through the barrier and gain entrance to the castle. Each member of the Evil Inhumans tries to attack the Hulk on their own, but find their powers woefully inadequate to fight off the Jade Giant and decide to strike together. However, when the military arrives, Maximus decides to try and convince the Hulk to join their cause.
Trying to use their mutual outcast status to gain the Hulks allegiance, the Hulk finds himself caught deciding who is a greater threat to him: the military or the Inhumans?
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Betty Ross, General Ross, Major Talbot, Renegade Inhumans (Maximus, Aireo, Falcona, Leonus, Nebulo, Stallior, Timberus)
Continuity Notes
The depiction of Richard Nixon as the President of the United States of America should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
The Evil Inhumans were exiled from Attilan in Fantastic Four #83. The group previously encountered the Hulk in Incredible Hulk Annual #1.
