Tales to Astonish #79

Jan 18

Jan 18 Tales to Astonish #79

When Rises the Behemoth!

While returning to a bank he just broken into by orders of the Puppet Master, the Sub-Mariner finds himself surrounded by the military who have come out searching for him following the break-in. Swatting the soldiers away from a lamp post Namor climbs up the side of a building. There the soldiers open fire on him striking his shoulder. In anger the prince of Atlantis then throws an entire billboard down on the soldiers before and escapes.

Wounded, Namor makes his way to the George Washington Bridge where he dives back into the water. While back in Atlantis, Lady Dorma and Lord Vashti wait for Namor's return. Matters become more pressing as the Behemoth finally breaks free from it's years long imprisonment beneath Atlantis and is now rampaging through the underwater kingdom. Dorma goes out to find Namor and finds him cresting the water below the bridge, checking on him he tells her that there is something wrong with his mind, and by force of will alone causes the Puppet Master's puppet of him to suddenly explode, freeing him from the villain's control.

The whole situation has been monitored by the exiled Warlord Krang who decides to seek out the Puppet Master. Arriving at the Puppet Master's lair, Krang forces him to begin constructing a puppet of the Behemoth so that Krang might use it to destroy his hated enemy the Sub-Mariner. Namor and Dorma meanwhile arrive just outside Atlantis where they find the Behemoth waiting for them.

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Lady Dorma, Vasti, Puppet Master, Warlord Krang, Behemoth

The Titan and the Torment!

The Hulk is being attacked by Bruce Banner's Gamma Base replacement, Konrad Zaxon. Zaxon has built a suit of armor and a weapon to siphon the Hulk's powers in a scheme to try and take over the world. During the fight with the Hulk, Zaxon is overpowered and his weapon is knocked from his hands. Its beam is directed at Zaxon, killing him instantly. Military police arrive shortly after and attack the Hulk for killing Zaxon, so the Hulk flees the scene.

Meanwhile aboard a train bound for Hollywood, Hercules and his new agent are discussing the hiring of Hercules to act in motion pictures. The two discuss the potential publicity if Hercules were to battle the Hulk. Coincidentally, the Hulk (fleeing the Air Force) ends up damaging the stretch of track the train carrying Hercules is on.

The two end up battling each other, both able to withstand the attacks of the other. The fight is evenly matched until the Air Force finds the Hulk and drops bombs on the two of them. Both men survive, and the Hulk retreats into the desert hoping to escape his tormentors. As the Hulk hides in a cave, Hercules helps move his train past the damaged part of the railroad so that it can continue its course to Hollywood.