Incredible Hulk #3

September 1962
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby

"Banished to Outer Space"

Are you starting to notice a common theme of these comics?  And Marvel in general in the early 1960s?  Everything is written by Stan and drawn by Jack.  Much to my delight, this trend will continue for a while.

This issue begins with the green behemoth pounding away from the inside of the prison that Banner developed last issue.  Meanwhile, Rick is out wandering bemoaning the problems of the Hulk.  The US army and General Ross approach Rick and tell him that the government needs the Hulk's help to test a rocket - a rocket in which only the Hulk could survive as a passenger.  Rick agrees to help and he convinces the Hulk.

After the test gets underway and the rocket is air-born (with Hulk in tow), Ross lets slip that the test was a lie.  It was a trick perpetrated to launch the hulk into outer space (sound familiar, fans of Planet Hulk?). 

However, things don't quite go as planned.  When the rocket ventures into sunlight, Banner re-emerges.  This also coincides with the rocket entering a radiation field.  Banner is exposed to radiation.  Again.

Back on Earth, Rick mucks about with some controls at mission command.  Somehow an electrical charge (linked to the excessive radiation) connects Rick to the rocketing Hulk.  This also causes the rocket capsule to fall back to Earth (somehow).  The capsule opens and even though it is sunlight, the Hulk remains the Hulk.  Oh, and one other change... the Hulk now must obey Rick's commands.

The first half of this issue ends with Rick falling asleep and the Hulk going on a rampage. Rick learns that he must remain awake. For when he sleeps, the Hulk is on the loose.

The second story in this issue features the first recognizable villain for the Hulk: the Ringmaster and his circus of crime.  At a circus show, Rick falls under their control, which subsequently releases the Hulk.  A fun battle ensues.  However, the story ends a bit unsatisfyingly as some government agents arrive and release Rick, who then brings the Hulk under control and the villains are arrested.

Admittedly, I like the first half of the issue better than the second.  I enjoy reading the evolution of the Hulk's character and his relationship with Rick.  I was interested to see the introduction of the Ringmaster in the second story, but it wasn't overly exciting or memorable.

The art, as always, is great.

Oh, it's also a lot of fun to read the letters pages.  The comparisons that the letter writers draw to the Fantastic Four mag are especially fun to read.