Kill or Be Killed!

Curtiss Jackson has tricked the Hulk into attacking Machine Man by convincing the brute that the robot had kidnapped his friend Trish Starr. Thinking that he destroyed Machine Man, the Hulk makes it way toward the home the robot shares with Dr. Peter Spaulding, unaware that Machine Man has begun reassembling himself and preparing to attack from behind. Machine Man manages to get the drop on the Hulk, wrapping one of his expandable arms around the brute's back.

Inside, Peter Spaulding watches the battle from the window while the Hulk's ally, Fred Sloan holds him at gunpoint. Sloan demands answers and threatens to shoot the psychologist, however, Peter knows that what Fred is holding is merely a model of a gun. Taking the prop from Fred's hand, Peter demands to know what's going on. Fred explains how he and the Hulk believe that Machine Man kidnapped their friend with the help of the Corporation. Spaulding has had his own experience with the Corporation and explains how they were tricked and rushes to a phone to get some help. Just then, the Hulk and Machine Man come crashing through the wall. As the two combatants come crashing through the house, Peter decides they need to get out and find Colonel Kragg for help. Both he and Fred hop into a car and drive away. Seeing his friend leave, the Hulk tries to follow after them, but Machine Man pulls him back into battle.

As the battle rages on, the man the Corporation put in place to watch the battle reports to Curtiss Jackson. Pleased to hear the news, Jackson gets a pair of special binoculars that will allow him to see the battle from the top of the Corporation's office tower. His prisoner, Trish Starr, asks him how he can get off on murder. Jackson explains that he doesn't view this as murder, just business efficiency since both Machine Man and the Hulk have interfered with the progress of the Corporation. When Trish asks if she will be killed after this, Curtiss tells her that she is resourceful enough that she can have other uses.

As the battle continues, the Machine Man and the Hulk's fight expands from the home shared with Spaulding to the middle of Central City. At that point Fred and Peter manage to reach Colonel Kragg and tells him how the Hulk was tricked by the Corporation to fight Machine Man. At the same time, Machine Man also discovers the truth when he picks up the radio broadcast by the man hired to spy on them. Machine Man pulls the Corporation stooge out of his milk truck and tosses him into a nearby swimming pool. Disguising his voice, Machine Man begins reporting in, posing as the Corporation's man. Meanwhile, the Hulk pulls himself out of a crater made by his fall. Spotting some internal power lines he remembers how they were once used against him and decides to do the same to Machine Man. However, he is unaware that the battle has also unearthed a gas main, and that it has also has a leak. The Hulk then ambushes Machine Man, ramming the live wires into the robot, causing a huge power surge. This combined with the gas leak causes a massive explosion that engulfs both combatants.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Peter Spaulding, Machine Man, Fred Sloan, Trish Starr, Colonel Kragg, Corporation (Curtiss Jackson)

Continuity Notes

• Trish Starr was captured by the Corporation in Incredible Hulk #234. Machine Man also had his own experience with the Corporation in Machine Man #6.

• The Hulk recalls the time the Thing once used electricial wires to stun the Hulk. That happened way back in Fantastic Four #25.