Incredible Hulk #178: Review

Aug 1974

Gerry Conway, Herb Trimpe

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Story Name:

Triumph On Terra-Two!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Incredible Hulk #178 Review by Dan Marco (February 15, 2010)

Not a lot of Hulk in a book named after him - mostly lots of Warlock. They used a lot of Christ imagery for Warlock. Writer Tony Isabella participated in the script.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Incredible Hulk #178 Synopsis by Dan Marco

Retelling the last pages of the previous issue, Bruce Banner looks on as the Man-Beast - possessing the body of US President Rex Carpenter, orders the execution of Adam Warlock. Before the fatal energy weapon is fired, the prisoner cries out, "High Evolutionary! Why have you abandoned me?!"

Warlock's body transforms into a cocoon and Banner into the Hulk who begins to rampage! Carpenter/Man-Beast calls his guards to stop the Hulk, claiming that he is in league with the "aliens" (New-Men). The guards shoot at Hulk with no effect. The Man-Beast's aides attack Hulk (who can see their true forms, everyone else sees them as regular humans). Hulk beats them away, grabs Warlock's cocoon and leaps away.

Man-Beast is confident that Warlock is dead, so he can finally resume his plan of conquering Counter-Earth, with the First Earth to follow.

The Hulk lands in the Virginia countryside and speaking to the cocoon, informs Warlock that it is safe to come out. But there is no response. Hulk realizes the Man-Beast was right, Warlock is gone. Porcupinus and his team take Warlock into a cave; the Hulk follows and they all mourn Warlock.

The next day, Man-Beast visits Astrella Carpenter, the President's sister, in the cell where the real President is locked as well. He sheds his visage of Rex, stating "From this day forth, the Man-Beast strikes openly!"

Panels sample #2

The villain summons his human military commanders and orders them to war. After mobilizing, the Man-Beast presses the button to activate his nuclear arsenal, only to discover that the military people have disengaged the button. Man-Beast threatens their lives as Hulk and the New-Men attack!

Man-Beast fires the Hulk with a mental bolt of Hate Force, but the green giant eventually shrugs it off. So the wicked one uses his Hate Force to bring the ceiling down on Hulk.

Meanwhile, Ben Vincent and June Volper sneak into the White House, having heard the commotion from outside, and follow an "Animal-Man", one of the Man-Beast goons, who is going to the dungeon to carry out Man-Beast's contingency plan - to kill Rex Carpenter! As he enters the cell, Ben knocks him out with a steel pipe. Ben and June assist the President and his sister escape.

Meanwhile, in the cave, the cocoon starts to shine in a bluish light...

Back at the White House, Hulk survived the ceiling collapse and is punching the Man-Beast in the face. After destroying lots-o-stuff, he lifts Man-Beast over his head and is ready to smash him to the ground. Miraculously, Warlock enters and asks the Hulk to halt.

Far more powerful than before, Warlock devolves all the Animal Men to their original forms, including Man-Beast, who turns into a wolf.

Panels sample #3

Warlock proclaims, "[Man-Beast] will remain thus only as long as man recognizes the beast within himself. Should man forget -- should fail to recognize and battle the evil within himself -- with the intellect he has been given -- the Man-Beast shall live again!"

Warlock announces he will now aid other worlds where the Man-Beast hasn't been recognized and overcome and flies away into the stars.

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