There's a Gremlin in the Works!

Bruce Banner and General Ross over look the ruins of Hulkbuster Base following an attack launched by the Devastator. Banner and Ross discuss how the rays from the Devastator's weapons have stabilized Banner's transformations into the Hulk, but both fear that his prolonged period of being Banner will be short lived. As Ross tries to convince Banner that they'll find a cure for his condition a SHIELD helicopter arrives and gives them a lift to SHIELD headquarters. There they meet with Nick Fury and Clay Quartermain to discuss the rescue of the real Glenn Talbot, after it was learned that the man they thought was Talbot turned out to be a Russian spy posing as him in order to attempt to assassinate the President. Fury provides them with intelligence that Talbot is being held at a top secret Soviet installation called Bitterfrost which is located in Siberia. A plan is then made on how to rescue Glenn from the Russians.

That night, General Ross meets with his daughter Betty to tell her the plan and explain that this mission may be dangerous. The next day, when Bruce Banner demands to be allowed to accompany them on their mission, Ross denies this request wanting Bruce to stay behind to look after Betty if he doesn't make it back alive. However as Ross, Clay Quartermain and a team of soldiers board a new experimental chameleon-craft to sneak into Russia, Bruce secretly stows away in missile pod.

That they enter Russian air space they are detected by the Gremlin who fires missiles, forcing them to eject the weapons pod in order to lose weight and gain speed. Of course, this inadvertently sends their unknown stow away hurtling to the ground. Banner's fear triggers his transformation into the Hulk and and the green goliath manages to land safely. Ross and the others manage to get away from enemy missiles and land, using the ships chameleon technology to hide it in plain sight. They break into Bitterfrost using SHIELD technology and begin their search for Talbot. They are almost spotted when the Russian's attention is directed toward the Hulk, who has wandered near the fortress out of curiosity. As Ross and Quartermain free a confused Talbot, the Gremlin launches an attack against the Hulk.

When conventional fire arms don't work, the Gremlin deploys his new and improved Super-Troopers who attack the Hulk and manage to down him with their electro-stasis rifles. Meanwhile, Ross and Talbot are in the middle of smuggling Glenn out. When Clay hands him a gun, Glenn does the shocking: Calling himself Gregori Kronski, he turns the gun on them and tells them he is taking them prisoner for his master, the Gremlin.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Gremlin, General Ross, Betty Ross, Major Talbot, SHIELD (Clay Quartermain, Nick Fury)

Continuity Notes

• This issue rehashes much of what happened to Glenn Talbot. When General Ross was captured by the Russians, Talbot was among a team to rescue him. Talbot was captured and presumed dead. This happened between Incredible Hulk #163-166. As revealed in Incredible Hulk #188, Glenn was replaced by a spy named Gregori Kronski from Incredible Hulk #176-185.

• The narrative points out Clay Quartermain's first appearance as Strange Tales #163.

• The Gremlin recounts his last battle with the Hulk in Incredible Hulk #163.