Incredible Hulk #203
Assault on Psyklop!
The evil insectoid known as Psyklop has the Hulk and Jarella as his prisoners as part of his ultimate revenge scheme. When Psyklop threatens Jarella, the Hulk fights free of his sedation and bonds to come to her aid. In an attempt to defend himself, Psyklop attempts to use his various weapons to subdue the Hulk again. When those fails, he uses his hypnotic powers to enthrall the Hulk instead, making the brute his slave.
When Jarella demands to know why Psyklop is doing this, the creature recounts the past. He mentions how he was attempting to use the power of the Hulk to appease his masters the Dark Gods. However, when his experiments were interrupted by the Avengers, Psyklop shrunk the Hulk down in size so he would enter the Microverse. After dealing with the Avengers and learning that the Hulk had found a new life among the people of K'ai, Psyklop tore the Hulk away from it. However, it was too late for Psyklop as the Dark Gods were not impressed with his failure and they banished him to K'ai where he remained hidden for months plotting his revenge. Setting up his base of operations within a mountain he observed the Hulk's second trip to K'ai and took advantage of the fact that his eventual departure caused earthquakes on K'ai. Psyklop then takes Jarella to another room where he reveals a massive drill that he has been using to continue the earthquakes and passing it off as the vengeance of the so-called "Mountain God". Unknown to Psyklop, his explanations are being spied upon by the Pantheon of Sorcerers who reveal this deception to the people of K'ai who agree to form an army and battle against Psyklop.
Meanwhile, back at Gamma Base on Earth, Doc Samson has just completed surgery on Glenn Talbot to remove the portion of his brain where the Hulk was shrunk into. This was necessary to prevent the Hulk from bursting out of Talbot's head when they finally bring him back to Earth, which is exactly what Samson intends to do.
Back on K'ai, Psyklop then reveals the final part of his plan: The Essence Urn. He explains that it contains the life forces of all those who have died during the various earthquakes and how he intends to offer this to the Dark Gods so they might grant him the power to conquer both K'ai and Earth. When the proximity alarm begins to go off, Psyklop gives the Hulk a hypnotic suggestion that makes the people of K'ai all look like Psyklop and sends him out to attack. As the Hulk attacks the villagers, Torla the wizard quickly deduces what is going on. With the other sorcerers, they cast a spell that makes all the people look like Jarella, ending the Hulk's rampage.
Seeing the real Psyklop, the Hulk charges at his foe even though he has Jarella as his hostage. With his hypnotic powers no longer working on his foe, Psyklop cowardly retreats back into his hideout. There he attempts to utilize the power of the Essence Urn against the Hulk. However, the battle outside caused the urn to crack. With the life energies spilling out, Psyklop tries to seal it but it suddenly explodes, seemingly slaying Psyklop in the process. As the people of K'ai cheer the Hulk and Jarella, the queen of K'ai once more extends her offer of marriage to the Hulk, which the Hulk agrees. Suddenly, both the Hulk and Jarella begin to grow and soon find themselves pulled back to Earth thanks to the machines of Doc Samson. Shocked to find themselves back at Gamma Base, Jarella explains that she needs to get back to her kingdom, but tells the Hulk that he needs to stay behind beause her people do not fully trust him anymore. However, before Doc Samson can reverse the process on Jarella, they discover the slide containing the matter in which the Hulk and Jarella came from has been smashed and that they have lost their means of sending Jarella back home.
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Jarella, Psyklop, Doc Samson, General Ross, Major Talbot, Pantheon of Sorcerers (Torla, Holi, Moli)
Continuity Notes
This story erroneously states that the Microverse (and K'ai) exist inside an atom (in this case a portion of Glenn Talbot's brain). However, this is not factually valid as the theory that the Microverse exists in atoms was debunked in Fantastic Four #282. In reality, the Microverse exists in another dimension and it is accessed through the process of shrinking. When one shrinks enough, they pass through the dimensional barrier between worlds. Perhaps had Doc Samson known this, the surgery on Talbot would have been unnecessary.
Psyklop recounts a number of events pertaining to K'ai:
His initial clash with the Hulk that led to his first trip to K'ai in Avengers #88 and Incredible Hulk #140.
The Hulk's subsequent journey to K'ai in Incredible Hulk #156.
The true identity of the "Dark Gods" which Psyklop worships is unknown as there are many different beings that go by this name.
Although Psyklop is seemingly slain here he appears many years later in Realm of Kings: Son of Hulk #1.
