Comic Browser:

Context Menu

Tales to Astonish #75: Review

Jan 1966

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

Not All My Power Can Save Me!

Synopsis

Tales to Astonish #75 Synopsis by Julio Molina-Muscara

With the Leader deceased, Hulk (still with Banner’s intellect) leaves the villain’s lair in Rome, carrying the Ultimate Machine he stole from a Watcher (in the previous issue).

Hulk stops somewhere in the Alps and tries on the Ultimate Machine. He sees his friend Rick Jones in trouble mentioning the White House. But the device's data torrent is too excessive. Hulk pulls it away on time before suffering the same outcome as the Leader.

That experience makes Hulk lose Banner’s intellect.

Hulk leaps away, destination USA to save Rick, forgetting the “Ultimate Machine” which is later recovered by its owner, the Watcher.

Upon receiving the news that the Hulk is heading for Washington, DC, Thunderbolt Ross grants permission for the military to use the T-Gun, Banner’s newest weapon. Strangely, its power is unknown by the military. The military fires a shot from the T-Gun, hitting the Hulk and sending him five centuries into the future.

Armored men attack Hulk in that distant future. It seems not much has changed for the uncomprehended monster!

Story #2

The End of the Quest!

Synopsis

By Peter Silvestro

Credits: Writer: Stan Lee. Pencils: Gene Colan. Inks: Vince Colletta. Colors: ? Letters: Sam Rosen.

Synopsis: Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner stands with the wounded Lady Dorma in his arms, defying the horde of Faceless Ones. King Neptune’s image appears, accusing Namor of having broken the covenant over a woman. Namor agrees that it was so and Neptune praises him for having the right priorities—and gives him the enchanted trident. Lord Vashti arrives with news of Warlord Krang’s villainy. Namor has him carry the trident while he prepares to head for Atlantis at full speed, hoping that the Revitalizer Ray in the palace will save her….

As Namor arrives at the city, guards open fire; he avoids the fire to protect Dorma with his own body then crashes straight through the wall (which appears to be made of parallel strings like a harp) and its defenders. He passes the bodies of his people at first thinking they are dead but he realizes they are merely stunned. The robo-tank fires upon him so he lays Dorma down and flips the tank upside down and smashes it to the ground. With Dorma he enters the palace and places her on the bed of the Revitalizer Ray. Krang sees him and reaches for the lever that will short circuit the device, killing Namor and Dorma both. Vashti arrives with the trident and a warning; Namor seizes it and hurls the trident so that it pins Krang’s arm to the wall. Namor then steps forward to challenge his enemy….

Review / Commentaries

Rating:

Tales to Astonish #75 Review by Peter Silvestro (March 5, 2024)

Review: So with the death of the Leader, what happens next? We go back to catch up on Hulk’s original supporting cast once more. More Ross talking about weapons to kill Hulk, more Glenn Talbot calling Bruce Banner a traitor, more Betty defending Bruce. And Hulk gets dumber again yet retains a certain cunning. And then things grow creative as Hulk is blasted into a future timeline and all bets are off!

Well, that went well. Namor abandons the quest to save Dorma and it turns out that such was the correct answer. And so Namor gains the enchanted trident which sounded like it was going to be a lot more difficult. But it’s all heading toward the wrap-up next issue, saving Dorma and whupping Krang’s tail. And early Gene Colan (under the pseudonym Adam Austin) is improving: the layouts are better but the faces are still a bit off.

Comments: Cover credits: Hulk: Jack Kirby/Sol Brodsky; Subby: Gene Colan/Vince Colletta.

Hulk story: Part one of three parts. Hulk travels in time for the first time, landing in the world dubbed Earth-6676. Bruce Banner was believed to have died in issue #69. Rick Jones revealed Bruce Banner’s secrets to the US President in issue #64; the President was and still is Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969). Stan Lee defines a U.F.O as an Unidentified Foreign Object; close but no cigar(-shaped craft). Artist Mike Esposito credited as Mickey DeMeo; Esposito also assisted with the pencils.

Subby story: Part six of seven parts. Penciler Gene Colan credited as Adam Austin.

> Tales to Astonish comic book info and issue index

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

This comic is in the following collection:

Collecting INCREDIBLE HULK (1962) #1-6, TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) #100, INCREDIBLE HULK (1968) #102, and material from TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) #59-99 and #101.

Excelsioring your collection: