Nick Peron

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Incredilbe Hulk #175

Man-Brute in the Hidden Land!

Credits

The Hulk is hurtled across the Earth following his battle against the Cobalt Man and sends him hurtling toward the Inhuman's hidden land. Picked up by the Inhuman's instruments, Karnak warns the Inhuman royal family that the Hulk's re-entry is on target with their newly constructed Space Ark, sending the Inhumans out to redirect the Hulk. Black Bolt flies off into the air and strikes the Hulk causing him to change course and crash into the side of a mountain.

Trapped inside, the Hulk tries in futility to get free and eventually falls asleep. When the Inhumans and Crystal's fiancee Quicksilver arrive at the crash site they see Bruce Banner climbing out of the hole caused by the Hulk's impact. Recognizing Banner from files provided to them by the Fantastic Four, the Inhumans welcome Banner back to Attilan as a guest, giving him new clothing and showing him their Space Ark which they explain that they are using to fly to a Counter-Earth that they detecting orbiting the sun opposite of their own Earth. They hope to go there because to the best of their knowledge there are no other super-humans on that Earth and they might be readily accepted there. They offer Banner to accompany them, however Bruce decides that he needs to think about it and walks around the hidden city.

As Banner is lost in thought about the idea of leaving this Earth for Counter-Earth, he is spotted by some Inhumans who decide to give him a hard time because he appears to be normal. Pushing Banner down, they make the biggest mistake they ever could: prompting Banner to transform into the Hulk. Going on a rampage through the hidden city, the Hulk is attacked by Quicksilver, Gorgon, Karnak and Triton, who attempt to subdue him with minimal success.

With the entire city at risk Black Bolt gets into the middle of the fight and when all else fails to stop the Hulk uses his immensely powerful voice to strike the Hulk down, who ultimately passes out from the noise. Black Bolt decides the best thing to do with the Hulk is to launch him off in their Space Ark, hoping to send him flying into empty space forever.

As the Hulk tries to futilely smash his way out of the ship, the Inhuman's launch it into space. While in Australia, Betty Talbot takes a plane back to the United States lost in thought about the supposed death of her husband Glenn Talbot and Bruce Banner. She witnesses what she thinks is a shooting star, completely unaware of the fact that it is in reality the Hulk's ship blasting off into space to an unknown destination.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Inhumans (Black Bolt, Karnak, Triton, Gorgon, Crystal), Quicksilver, Betty Ross

Continuity Notes

  • Karnak recounts the last time the Hulk was in the domain of the Inhumans back in Incredible Hulk Annual #1. He states that it has been "A number of years", per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 it has been roughly two years.

  • Karnak also makes mention of the fact that Medusa is not among them. This story takes place during the period in which Medusa had temporarily joined the Fantastic Four which happened from Fantastic Four #132-159. The narrative of this story states that "Medusa is nearer than Karnak thinks", this is a reference to the events of Fantastic Four #145-146 where Medusa and the Human Torch found themselves briefly stranded in the Himalayan Mountains while on a mission to Attilan.

  • There are multiple references in this story that Quicksilver is a mutant. This is actually untrue. As revealed years later in Uncanny Avengers (vol 2) #4-5, Quicksilver was experimented upon by the High Evolutionary as a child. In order to cover up his work, the Evolutionary made it so Quicksilver would register as a mutant when examined.

  • As the Inhumans explain Counter-Earth, it is noted that it was created in Marvel Premiere #1. The Hulk had previously visited Counter-Earth back in Incredible Hulk #158.

  • Although the Inhumans give up their space ark to get rid of the Hulk, they build a new one as seen in Inhumans #1.