Incredible Hulk #164
The Phantom from 5,000 Fathoms!
The Hulk is still trying to find his way home, and has come to the ocean. Bounding across icebergs he soon runs out of solid masses and is forced to swim. Along the way he's attacked by a military sub, which he easily smashes. This attack is witnessed by Captain Omen aboard his ship, the Infra-World, and he orders his gargantuan crew to lay claim to the salvage.
Pulling the sub aboard their massive vessel they also pull the Hulk aboard with it. When the Hulk attempts to attack he is blasted with a ray that incapacitates him. Omen then orders his crew to put all the surface dwellers away, however, orders them not to speak or touch any of them. When the Hulk revives Omen introduces himself and his son Filius. He explains that everyone aboard the vessel except himself is wide bodied because they have spent their entire lives at the bottom of the ocean. Omen explains that for decades he and his crew have been traveling the ocean floor staking markers and laying claims over the entire ocean floor in a bid to rule it like a country.
With the Hulk now on board, Omen decides that he wants to put the Hulk to work as well. The Hulk, however, has different ideas and is pitched into a rage and goes on a rampage. Despite the crews best efforts, the Hulk smashes out of the ship and into the ocean. However, the Hulk doesn't get very far at all, as soon the oceans crushing pressure causes him extreme pain and he blacks out. Omen then sends out his crew, riding on biologically engineered toad-whales to collect the Hulk. Taking the unconscious brute back aboard the ship, they quickly put him into the decompression chamber and they are surprised to watch as the Hulk transforms back into Bruce Banner.
While back in the States at Project: Greenskin, Glenn Talbot and his wife Betty are questioning what military officials are doing to free General Ross from Russian captivity. Nick Fury is called in and has brought with him Colonel John D. Armbruster to take over command of the project and lead a covert mission to free General Ross from the Russians. After the formalities are met, Glenn demands that he be part of the rescue mission much to Betty's grave concern. Glenn has made up his mind and tells Betty this is something he has to do.
While back aboard the Infra-World, Bruce Banner is shown around the ship and sees it's mechanical gardens and it's holographic learning system. Things go wrong when the crew begins asking Banner questions, and things explode when Filius touches Banner leading Omen to lash out. Yelling at Banner about the possibility of his crew catching a disease from him, Bruce loses his temper and transforms into the Hulk again. The Hulk attempts to go on a rampage, but Captain Omen orders his crew to attack the Hulk.
With the fight raging, Captain Omen erects a dome over them and lowers them out to the ocean floor. When the Hulk attempts to break free again he becomes to feel the crushing pressure of the ocean floor and begins to succumb from the lack of oxygen. The Captain then forces the Hulk into a position of servitude by forcing him to wear a helmet that will provide him with oxygen, but is also prompted to issue a lethal poison should the Hulk disobey. He then orders the Hulk to follow his ship as he resumes his staking of the ocean floor.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, John Armbruster, Major Talbot, Betty Brant, Nick Fury, Captain Omen
Continuity Notes
In this story government officials state that the Vietnam War had just recently ended. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
