Incredible Hulk, The (1968 series) #374

This issue begins in an alley where a man is attacking Rick Jones, who is in town for a book signing. He gets away from the man, but around the corner is the Thing. The Thing swats Rick when he isn't expecting it, knocking him out. We see the shadow of the Thing change to that of a Skrull, then to a little girl, as light from a ship above shines down on them.

Cut to a street where Betty Banner is walking after leaving a bookstore. Two men wait in an alley for her to walk by and steal her purse. The Gray Hulk pounces down in front of the fleeing muggers. They pull a gun and shoot the Hulk. With a groan, the Hulk lurches back and falls over—dead. As the muggers walk by, the Hulk stops playing possum and trips them. He picks them up, shakes all the money off them, and ties them to a lamp post in front of a police station.

The Hulk and Betty go to a rooftop to discuss their next move. Betty tells the Hulk that she and Bruce agreed they should find Rick, who has great resources and could help with what to do next. They head off to Bunkport after consulting his book signing schedule.

Back in a prison cell, Rick Jones is confronted by another Rick Jones who questions his life. Cut to a wooded area where Betty wakes up next to an already awake Bruce. They head off to find Rick again.

Back in his cell, Rick is confronted by two versions of himself—a teenage version and a Bucky version—for more mental torture. Bruce and Betty arrive at the location where Rick is supposed to be signing his book. The store owner informs them that Rick never showed up.

Again we see Rick's cell, only this time he is confronted by superheroes such as the Savage Hulk, Captain America, Quasar, and others. He looks up again and sees four versions of himself: Bucky, teenage Rick, and two Hulk versions of Rick.

Bruce and Betty try the police station with hesitation, but they receive no help in locating Rick. As they leave, a little girl appears who claims to know where Rick is being held.

With only the Bucky version of Rick questioning him, Rick pretends to be passed out in order to surprise the fake Rick. He ties up the Bucky Rick in his place and steals the Bucky outfit.

The issue ends with the little girl leading Bruce and Betty to a dead end. On the fence in front of them, the girl's shadow changes to that of a Skrull. A fist resembling the Thing's knocks out Bruce. The final splash page reveals the Super Skrull about to pummel them as Betty cowers over the unconscious Bruce.