Incredible Hulk #162
Spawn of the Flesh-Eater!
The Hulk continues to rampage through Canada in his search for Betty Talbot, leading the Canadian military to call in General Ross to discuss the matter. After going over the situation the Royal Canadian Air-Force and the Prime Minister of Canada allows for Ross and his Hulkbusters to operate in Canada to capture the Hulk and extradite him back to the United States.
The Hulk meanwhile continues North through the Canadian wilderness, becoming more muddled and confused as to why he is there and where he is going, holding onto the dim remembrance that he's trying to find Betty. The Hulk begins to have a tantrum until he is contacted by a voice of a man called Paul Cartier who is begging for help. Before the Hulk can make sense of the eerie voice from nowhere, he is attacked by a group of hunters. The Hulk easily swats them away and is about to pummel them when a girl named Marie begins attacking. She has confused the Hulk with a creature called the Wendigo that has apparently attacked and killed her brother, Paul Cartier. The Hulk, touched by the woman's sadness doesn't fight back and explains who he is and promises to go looking for whoever harmed her brother.
While elsewhere in Canada, on a ski hill miles removed from where the Hulk is, Glenn Talbot and his new wife Betty enjoy romance on the ski slopes blissfully unaware that the Hulk is in the country somewhere.
The Hulk hunts across the Canadian wilderness searching for the Wendigo, however, the giant hirsute creature finds him first and attacks. Apparently, the Hulk has stumbled upon the creature just as it was about to feed on a man. The man begs the Hulk to save him from the Wendigo's cannibalistic hunger. Thinking this man is Paul Cartier, the Hulk attacks the Wendigo, and the two appear to be evenly matched in strength. The Hulk is knocked off a cliff, and the Wendigo tosses the man off the cliff as well, however, he is saved by the Hulk.
The Hulk takes the injured man back to the logging camp where Marie Cartier and the others recognize the man as Georges Baptiste, Paul's friend. There George explains that he and Paul were out hunting with their friend Henri Cluzot. They were attacked by wolves and were forced to hide out in a cave where Henri died. With no food, they eventually began to starve and Paul would commit an act of cannibalism on Henri's dead body. They explain to the Hulk that Paul became a victim of the curse of the Wendigo and became the Wendigo himself.
Understanding this the Hulk goes back out into the wilderness to try and find the Wendigo and help Paul break the curse. The Hulk finds the creature at a logging camp and their fight resumes. Paul's spirit calls out to the Hulk telling him that his mind is dissolving and that the Wendigo is taking full control. But try as he might, the Hulk is unable to stop the Wendigo who appears to be an even match for the Green Goliath. In the end, Paul's mind completely dissolves and the Windigo, now in full control kicks the Hulk away and runs off into the wilderness. As it runs off, the Hulk remarks that no matter how strong he was, there was nothing he could do to save Paul.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross, Wendigo, Georges Baptiste, Marie Cartier
Notes
Continuity Notes
Statements that Pierre Trudeau being the Prime Minister of Canada at the time of this story should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
It is mentioned that Glenn and Betty had recently gotten married that happened in Incredible Hulk #158.
