Tales to Astonish #62
Giant-Man versus the Wonderful Wasp!
Working in his lab, Henry Pym finds a way to speed up the growth of plants; however, his experiment soon gets out of control and the plant grows rapidly, causing it to spread about the city. Shrinking down to ant-size, Giant-Man stops the plant's further growth by destroying its tap root. The plant continues to grow (unknown to Pym), and when two-bit crook Second-Story Sammy escapes from a botched robbery, he ends up landing on one of the plant's leaves and sliding into Pym's lab. Sammy spies Pym's continued work on his experiment, which causes an explosion that knocks him out.
Checking the unconscious body, Sammy learns Giant-Man's secret identity and steals his costume, properly deducing that it's the source of Giant-Man's size-changing powers. With a rudimentary understanding of how the costume works, Sammy storms out of Pym's lab to start a crime spree, but not before bumping into Janet van Dyne, who follows him as the Wasp.
Sammy robs a jewelry store, but not before setting off the alarm and alerting the police. Learning of the robbery, the Wasp tracks Sammy (who she thinks is Henry Pym) and attacks him inside the jewelry store. At ant-size, the Wasp easily defeats the inexperienced Sammy and demands to know where the real Giant-Man is.
Meanwhile, the plant continues to grow out of control. Pym revives and learns that the Wasp has been trapped in a glass jewelry box. He sends his ants to capture the faux Giant-Man. The ants carry Sammy back to the lab, and Pym easily dispatches Sammy with one punch. With with the aid of his ants, he finds and destroys the giant plant's real tap root, stopping its further growth.
The Wasp frees herself and returns home to find the real Giant-Man waiting for her, the two heroes turn over Second-Story Sammy to the police and clear Giant-Man's name.
Recurring Characters
Giant-Man, Wasp
Enter... the Chameleon!
Continuing from last issue, the army is about to execute the Hulk. Meanwhile, the mysterious Leader hires the Chameleon to travel to New Mexico to find out what happened to the spy he hired to steal the robot from the missile base. While in New York, Rick Jones hears of the Hulk's fate and gets permission from Captain America to go to his friend's rescue. Both the Chameleon (in disguise) and Rick Jones end up flying to New Mexico on the same plane.
While in New Mexico, Betty Ross worries that perhaps Bruce ran into the Hulk while out in the desert, not knowing that the Hulk is really Bruce Banner himself. The Hulk, meanwhile, is attempting to break free of his bonds, bringing him near to the point where his level of excitement would cause him to revert into Bruce Banner. Rick Jones arrives on the base and tries to get near the Hulk, but fails each time.
The Chameleon fares better however, disguising himself as Thunderbolt Ross and asking the Hulk to aid him. When the Hulk refuses, the Chameleon, using General Ross' brass, sends the other soldiers away so they can talk more. While his back is turned, the Hulk's constant strain causes him to change back into Banner. He escapes the bonds that were made to hold someone of the Hulk's size. Rick Jones find the fleeing Banner and secrets him away long enough for Bruce to change clothes.
Banner reports to Ross, who is reprimanding his soldiers for allowing the Hulk to escape. Talbot attempts to question Banner, but Banner rebuffs him. Walking out of the room, Banner is knocked out and tied up by the Chameleon who disguises himself as Banner in order to steal the plans and a prototype for a grenade-type gamma bomb.
Betty interrupts the Chameleon and soon realizes that she's talking to an impostor. As the Chameleon tries to capture the girl, Bruce Banner (who is locked in the closet) turns into the Hulk and smashes through the wall to save Betty. The Chameleon holds the Hulk at bay by threatening him with the Gamma grenade until the Hulk is scared off by an approaching military patrol.
The Chameleon tries to get rid of Betty by shooting her off into a rocket speed-velocity test sled, but the Hulk stops it and saves Betty, then chases after the Chameleon.
Knocking away an army of soldiers, the Hulk dives on the Gamma grenade, which the Chameleon attempted to use to destroy the Hulk. The resulting explosion is contained by the Hulk's body. The gamma radiation causes the Hulk to revert to Bruce Banner, who escapes in the smoke.
Later, during a board of inquiry, due to Betty's testimony, Banner is cleared of any suspected involvement, but Ross explains that he will find out what sort of connection (if any) there is between Banner and the Hulk. Elsewhere, the Leader decides that it's time for him to get involved in finding the government secrets he seeks...
Recurring Characters
Hulk, Betty Ross, General Ross, Major Talbot, Rick Jones, Chameleon, Leader, Captain America
Continuity Notes
The events of Hulk Smash Avengers #1 and the second story of Avengers Classic #11 happen between the event between panels 6 and 7 on page 3 of this story.
Captain America mentions his old partner Bucky. As revealed in Avengers #4 Captain America believes that Bucky died near the end of World War II. However as revealed in Captain America (vol. 5) #8, Bucky actually survived and was conditioned to be a Russian assassin for decades.
Rick Jones mentions a few things in this story:
That Bruce Banner once saved his life. That happened in Incredible Hulk #1.
How he is training to be Captain America's sidekick, which he began doing in Avengers #4.
