Enter the Hulk

While in training, the Avengers hear news of the Hulk's recent battle against Spider-Man. Elsewhere in the city, David Cannon (AKA the Human Top) reads about Giant-Man's recent battle against the Colossus and recounts his last defeat at the hands of Giant-Man. Since then, he has been practicing a new ability: the ability to generate a stream of powerful air pressure in a blast, strong enough to punch through a brick wall. He plots a way to get revenge on his foe.

Later, after the training session with the Avengers is adjourned, Giant-Man and Wasp take to the street. After roughing up some cat-callers who were whistling at the Wasp, Giant-Man is spotted by Cannon, who follows them as the Top (spinning too fast to be seen). The Top overhears the two heroes planning to go to New Mexico, to search for the Hulk.

Giant-Man and Wasp arrive at the New Mexico missile testing base and ask General Ross for assistance in capturing the Hulk. Ross attempts to assign Bruce Banner to help the two heroes, but Banner declines and leaves, in a foul mood. While driving in the desert, Banner gets excited enough to trigger his transformation into the Hulk. The Hulk, deciding to go after Giant-Man, trashes Banner's jeep and jumps into the sky.

Landing in a nearby town, the Hulk goes on a rampage and is spotted by the Top (in his civilian guise) who begins planning how to use the Hulk to destroy Giant-Man. Meanwhile, in the desert, Betty Ross, Giant-Man and the Wasp find the wreckage of Banner's jeep, and they believe that he was attacked by the Hulk (none of them knowing that Hulk and Banner are the same). Giant-Man vows to stop the Hulk and get Bruce back.

Elsewhere in the desert, the Top tries to stop the Hulk long enough to offer a partnership but misses his chance when the Hulk bounces away too soon. Giant-Man spots the Hulk and shrinks down to ant-size to get ahead of him via a miniature rocket he built. Landing in a nearby town, Giant-Man resumes his giant size and uses a billboard as a megaphone to warn the townspeople of the Hulk's pending arrival.

Outside the city, the Top confronts the Hulk and informs him that Giant-Man is waiting for him in town. The Hulk bounds off to battle the hero, while the Top initiates the second part of his plan. He locates General Ross and his military convoy and informs them that the Hulk is in a nearby deserted town. He convinces them to use a miniature nuclear weapon, hoping that it will also destroy Giant-Man.

While Giant-Man and the Hulk battle in the abandoned town, the Wasp learns of the General's plan to fire the missile but is too late to stop it. Failing to disarm the missile, she contacts Giant-Man via their cybernetic link, and Giant-Man convinces the Hulk to stop the missile.

The Hulk grabs the missile in midair, foiling the Top's plan. The Top, fearing that the missile could go off anywhere, makes a run for it, but soon becomes its victim when the Hulk (unknowingly) throws it in the Top's direction. The explosion causes the Hulk to revert back into Bruce Banner, who reunites with Betty Ross.

Returning to New York, Giant-Man jokingly states that he has nothing to report when attending the next Avengers meeting.

Recurring Characters

Giant-Man, Wasp, Human Top, Hulk, Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Captain America), General Ross, Betty Ross

Continuity Notes

• The scenes of Spider-Man's battle with the Hulk was chronicled in Amazing Spider-Man #14.

• The Avengers wonder how the Hulk feels about them because he was a founding member in Avengers #1, left the group in the following issue, and hunted by the Avengers in Avengers #3-4.

• The Human Top's last battle with Giant-Man was in Tales to Astonish #55.