-- And One Shall Die

The Sub-Mariner's memory has been restored by a blast from Warlord Krang's flying submarine. Krang leaves the scene thinking Namor was killed, however Namor endures and decides to wait for Krang to return to the oceans before he resumes his quest for vengeance. Restoring his strength in the water below, Namor then smashes the radio transceiver given to him by Number One of the Secret Empire, cutting off the would-be world conqueror from contact, leaving him to wonder what happened to his former thrall.

Furious that all this should happen when all he wanted was recognition for his genius, Number One decide to check his monitors to see if the Sub-Mariner succeeded in his task of destroying the Hulk. Much to Number One's frustrations, he finds that the Hulk is still alive and well and roaming New York City.

When it appears the Hulk is heading toward his secret hideout, Number One attempts to call back Namor by activating the vibro-discs that he implanted in the Sub-Mariner's ears would sap the princes strength until he came back to the source of the signal. This ultimately fails and when Namor realizes some outside source is sapping his strength he discovers the vibro-discs and destroys them.

As Namor returns to the sea, the panic stricken Number One visibly sees the Hulk outside his window. In an attempt to destroy the Hulk once and for all, Number One activates a bomb in the hopes of blowing up the Hulk, however before he can flee his cowl gets caught in the door. With the automatic lock in place, Number One tries desperately to tear his way free however the bomb goes off. The Hulk, who had no clue what was going on is unharmed and bounds away, and Number One is killed in the blast. In an ironic twist, Number One's face is obliterated by the blast making it impossible for him to be unidentified and he died as he believed he lived: unknown. The news of Number One's demise prompts Hydra, in light of the crumbling of both AIM and the Secret Empire, to rise again.

Meanwhile, Warlord Krang, still believing that Namor is dead decides to wait on returning to Atlantis until the people there learn of Namor's apparent demise so that he may revel in taking over the kingdom again and forcing Lady Dorma to marry him.

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Lady Dorma, Lord Krang, Secret Empire, Hulk

Continuity Notes

• At the time of this story the states of AIM and Hydra were as follows:

• AIM had been shut down by SHIELD in Strange Tales #149 however they resurface in Tales of Suspense #92.

• Hydra was shut down by SHIELD in Strange Tales #141 but they resurfaced in Strange Tales #150.

The Missile and the Monster!

As the Hulk continues to be hounded in New York, Rick Jones drives up the car he's been hired to run up to the city. What Rick doesn't know is that his employer -- a spy named Gorki -- has put a device in the trunk of the car that will redirect the Orion Missile to hit New York during its test at Cape Kennedy.

As they launch the missile from the Cape, Gorki is tracked down and arrested, and Rick Jones manages to locate and calm down the Hulk. As Gorki is being arrested, he activates a remote that causes the device in the trunk of the car that Jones traveled in to turn into a robot. Hulk manages to destroy the robot, just as the device inside makes the Orion Missile change directions and head towards New York.

Spotting the missile on its path to New York, Hulk notices it and jumps up to try and stop it. As the Hulk grapples the missile he transforms back into Bruce Banner.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Betty Ross, Rick Jones, General Ross, Major Talbot

Continuity Notes

• Cape Canaveral is called Cape Kennedy in this story. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as Cape Canaveral was renamed in 1963 following the assassination of John F. Kennedy but the State changed it back in 1973.