Tales to Astonish #68
Peril from the Long-Dead Past!
Practicing his size-changing abilities out in the country, Giant-Man is hit by an oncoming airplane causing it to crash. He quickly saves the passenger before the plane does crash, but knocks himself out when he trips and smashes into a tree. The pilot turns out to be David Cannon, also known as Giant-Man's long time foe the Human Top. Having survived the nuclear explosion in New Mexico by seeking refuge in a deep cave until the fall out subsided he was flying back to New York when he spotted Giant-Man. Considering smashing Giant-Man's head in with a boulder, he decides not, wanting to come up with a more elaborate plan to destroy his long-time foe, and so Cannon leaves Giant-Man to recover while he organizes his next plot.
Returning to his lab in the city, Giant-Man attempts to grow to 100 feet in height, however, the strain proves to be too much for him to handle. Giant-Man then reveals to the Wasp that he fears that his constant size changing is having a hazardous effect on his health and that he should stick to one height as Giant-Man: 35 Feet.
Meanwhile, the Top is sharpening his skills but soon gets fed-up with his bulky top inspired costume and designs a new one that utilizes helium to allow him to float in the air. He then begins his next plot against Giant-Man.
Giant-Man, however, is preoccupied with having his lab refitted to accommodate his 35-foot height. Afterward, Giant-Man works on his equipment while the Wasp introduces her newly trained wasp: Boopsie. They are interrupted by a call from security downstairs who tell them that there is a reporter to see them. Showing the reporter around his new lab, Giant-Man soon realizes it was all a trick and the reporter is really the Human Top, who reveals himself and attacks the two heroes.
The Top manages to best Giant-Man with his new abilities and captures the Wasp and makes an escape. Growing to giant-size, Giant-Man pursues the Wasp's kidnapper...
Recurring Characters
Giant-Man, Wasp, Human Top, Boopsie
Continuity Notes
The Human Top mentions the last time he fought Giant-Man back in Tales to Astonish #59.
Hank mentions losing his shrinking powers, which occurred last issue. Although he lost these powers, he manages to restore them in Avengers #46.
Back from the Dead!
Talbot and Banner are falling to their doom after making their escape from Mongolian bandits. The fall causes Banner to change into the Hulk, who saves Talbot (who was knocked unconscious by the speed of the fall.) On the ground the Hulk decides he wants to go home and so he jumps all the way back to the States, leaving Talbot behind. While the Hulk is returning home, the Leader is plotting his next attempt at capturing the Hulk, by shrinking his Humanoids down to microscopic size for easy smuggling.
The Hulk arrives back in New Mexico and seeks refuge inside Bruce Banner's home. Falling asleep, the Hulk changes back into Banner, who awakens sometime later to find General Ross, Betty, and an entire army in his room. Banner is quickly arrested.
Days later, having been rescued and returned home, Major Talbot addresses the President with his concerns that the Hulk and Bruce Banner are in league with Communists, not knowing that the President was informed of the Hulk's true identity by Rick Jones. The President informs Talbot that the Absorbatron on Astra Island is ready for testing again and that he and Bruce Banner are to go back and test it again. While the arrangements are being made, the Leader flies over Astra Island and dusts it with his microscopic Humanoids.
Meanwhile, in jail again, Bruce Banner is visited by Rick Jones who is also beginning to question Banner's loyalty to his country. Talbot then arrives to take Banner to the test site, but first rails him for leaving him behind. Angered by the idea of leaving Talbot to die, Banner almost loses control of himself, but Rick manages to calm him down before he can change into the Hulk.
Arriving on Astra Island, Banner and Talbot enter the control room of the Absorbatron. As they are doing so, the Leader orders the Humanoids to grow to their natural size and seize the two men. Talbot tries to hold off the Humanoids but is easily knocked out. The Humanoids then attack Banner, prompting his transformation into the Hulk. The Hulk, however, is quickly subdued by knockout gas. With the Absorbotron and the Hulk soon to be in his hands, the Leader turns his ship around to collect his prize...
Recurring Characters
Hulk, General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross, Rick Jones, The Leader
Continuity Notes
The President of the United States is depicted as Lyndon B. Johnson in this story. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
