The Lurker Beneath Loch Fear!

Loch Fear, Scotland, Angus Mactavish is out seeking to capture the sea-creature that lives within the Loch. Instead he pulls out the Hulk, who had been transported into the Loch by the Shaper of Worlds following his battle with the Toad Men. The Hulk is furious at being pulled out of the water and being attacked by this man, but Angus realizes that the brute is just a poor confused creature and makes friends with him. Offering him something to eat, the Hulk turns down fish and demands that he is fed beans. Mactavish decides to take him home to his wife Sarah for supper. Along the way he explains to the Hulk that his family has been hunting the creature of the Loch for generations every year of the Serpent's Moon, this year if he fails it will be the last of the Mactavish line as he is the last male.

When Angus takes the Hulk to his home, his wife Sarah is at first frightened by the Hulk, however she soon comes to accept him and they sit down to dinner. After the meal, the Hulk is given a bet to sleep in, and having calmed down he reverts back into Bruce Banner. That night a group of thugs break into the Mactavish home and take Angus and Banner prisoner, taking them to Castle MacAwber. ALong the way, Banner explain to the confused Mactavish as to why he (and not the Hulk) was sleeping in his home. They are taken to the castle where they are greeted by it's owner Jaimnie Macawber who intends to lock them up in the tower of his high tech castle.

Back in America, General Ross, Betty Talbot and Clay Quartermain take the brain dead Glenn Talbot back to Hulkbuster Base in New Mexico from Washington D.C. to be examined by their old ally psychiatrist Leonard Samson, who is determined to figure out how to restore Glenn's mind.

Meanwhile, at Castle Macawber, the lord of the castle explains that he has come to prevent Angus or anyone from slaying the beast of the Loch because it's continued existence brings tourist dollars to their sleepy town, which in turn makes Macawber rich. Locking them in their cell and exposing them to hypnotic strobe lights, Macawber did not anticipate that one of his prisoners is secretly the Hulk. Instead of incapacitating Banner, the strobing lights trigger his transformation into the Hulk, who smashes himself and Angus free and begins to smash his way through the castle. Reducing the castle to rubble, the Hulk overhears Angus had escaped and bounds off to find his fried. Macawber, realizing that Angus has gone after the Loch beast organizes his minions to go out and stop him. The Hulk gets to Angus first, finding him loading up his fishing boat with weapons, including a TNT lined harpoon which he intends to use to kill the beast.

Back at Hulkbuster base, Doc Samson gets a moment to examine Glenn Talbot and realizes that the only person who can restore Glenn back to normal is none other than the Hulk.

Finally, back in Scotland, the Hulk and Angus are out on the lake searching for the Loch beast when the creature smashes their boat sending them both into the water. As the Hulk fights off the Loch beast, Angus manages to get on the creatures back and stab it with his harpoon and set the TNT to explode. Macawber hops into the beast as well and attempts to stop Angus from killing it. Angus is knocked into the water, leaving the Hulk to battle Macawber alone on the beasts back. The TNT then explodes, causing a strange transformation: A combination of the Hulk's gamma spawned nature and the TNT explosion had transformed Macawber and the Loch monster into stone. Changing back to normal, Bruce Banner points out the transformation and the absolute irony: Macawber got the tourist attraction he wanted, and became part of it. Loch Fear can now continue to attract tourists, and the Mactavish legacy has been full filled.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Leonard Samson, General Ross, Betty Ross, Major Talbot, Clay Quartermain

Continuity Notes

• Hulk mentions his love of beans here. He discovered a taste for them in Incredible Hulk #182.

• Glenn Talbot has been in a catatonic state since he was rescued from Russia in Incredible Hulk #188, he is eventually cured in Incredible Hulk #200.

• Mention is made to the fact that Hulkbuster Base was heavily damaged in Incredible Hulk #186.