Incredible Hulk #172
And Canst Thou Slay... The Juggernaut?
Colonel Armbruster has captured the Hulk following the brutes battle between the Abomination and the Rhino. General Ross is furious over this because it happened just at the time that the Hulk finally started considering Ross as a friend, and this "back stabbing" may ruin any chances of getting the Hulk to cooperate with them. Armbruster doesn't see this way and tells him that he was just carrying out the military's directives, something that he believes that Ross had forgotten along the way. With the Hulk locked up in one of their holding cells, Ross leaves the base with his daughter Betty Talbot and Jim Wilson.
Dr. Peter Corbeau then calls Armbruster after hearing about the Hulk's capture and tells him that he has a solution to ending the threat of the Hulk once and for all. Corbeau arrives just as the Hulk wakes up, and furious over his captivity goes on a rampage in his cell, shaking the entire base. Base scientists believe that the Hulk might be able to break out of his cell within two days, prompting Corbeau to work quickly. Coming up with a device to banish the Hulk in a space-time warp, he rolls in his new device and uses it on the Hulk, transporting him away to another realm. However, in doing so, Corbeau unwittingly releases the Juggernaut from his mystical exile and he begins trying to break out of the cell as well. In attempting to send the Juggernaut back, the machine malfunctions and send the Hulk back to Earth.
The Hulk is confused by the presence of the Juggernaut and he explains his origins: That he was Cain Marko until he found the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak which empowered him as the Juggernaut. He would clash with his brother Charles Xavier and his students the X-Men until they banished him to the Crimson Cosmos. There he would battle Dr. Strange, and one day escapes and battles the Beast. However, the powers that be in the Crimson Cosmos, to teach him an abject lesson made him believe that he was aging rapidly until death but restored him to life when he was brought back to the realm.
Finally free, the Juggernaut and the Hulk decide to work together to free themselves, and with their combined strength manage to bust out of their prison. The duo makes short work of all the military force that is thrown at them by Colonel Armbruster. Armbruster is confronted by General Ross, who tells him what to do, but Armbruster doesn't listen, and in the end, both the Hulk and the Juggernaut manage to escape.
When the Juggernaut causes a car full of passing tourists crash, he decides to terrorize them. The Hulk, not wishing the innocent humans from being harmed tries to stop him, leading to a clash between the two. The two are evenly matched as they fight across the desert until the Hulk manages to grab the Juggernauts helmet and spin him around so fast that it breaks loose sending the Juggernaut slamming into the side of a mountain. Confused by what happened the Hulk wanders off, but the Juggernaut is back up quickly and getting ready to attack the Hulk from behind. Before he can he is suddenly attacked by Professor X, Cyclops and Marvel Girl of the X-Men, who easily down him telepathically now that his helmet is off. When Cyclops asks if they should go after the Hulk, the Professor tells him that they have to keep searching for the missing Angel, deciding to leave the tormented Hulk alone.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Juggernaut, Jack Armbruster, Peter Corbeau, Jim Wilson, Jim Wilson, General Ross, Betty Ross, X-Men (Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl), Talia Green
Continuity Notes
Reference is made of Peter Corbeau's last attempt to cure the Hulk in Incredible Hulk #148.
A substantial amount of the Juggernauts history is covered here:
A partial explanation of his origins is provided as well as his first battle with the X-Men, this was originally depicted in X-Men #12-13. (This story references X-Men #67 which was a reprint of X-Men #12.)
The Juggernaut also mentions when the X-Men banished him to the Crimson Cosmos, which happened in X-Men #33. (This story references X-Men #81 which was a reprint of the story from X-Men #33.)
Lastly his subsequent battles against Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange #182 and the Beast in Amazing Adventures (vol 2) #16.
The Hulk mentions his "friends" the Defenders whom he joined back in Marvel Feature #1.
The X-Men make mention of a number of facts that have an impact on their lives at the time of this story:
The team was seeking out Havok and Lorna Dane who have been living together in New Mexico as seen in Incredible Hulk #150.
The X-Men are seeking assistance finding their teammate the Angel, who went missing when the X-Men were rescued from Magneto by the Avengers in Avengers #110-111.
Angel isn't the only mutant who has gone missing, as the X-Men soon discovered. During the events of Captain America #172-175 they assist Captain America and the Falcon in exposing a plot to exploit mutants being carried out by the Secret Empire.
