The
Fantastic Four are flying over New York City in the Fantasti-Car when they are
hit by a beam of energy from above. Reed, Sue, and Johnny are rendered
senseless, leaving Thing to rescue them; the Car flies out of control toward a
bridge. Ben reaches out and grabs the tram car cables to bring the careening
car to a halt. He rushes them back to the Baxter Building where he puts them
into suspended animation. The data readout indicates they were struck by a beam
of Gamma radiation. Ben now must consult the world’s leading expert on Gamma
rays: Dr. Bruce Banner, who is unfortunately the Hulk….
Meanwhile
in the Midwest, Hulk is bouncing through the desert doing his thing.
Thunderbolt Ross and his daughter Betty Ross are on a drive through the desert
and Ross inadvertently brings them to the site of the Gamma bomb that created
the Hulk many years ago. Hulk arrives at the same place and, remembering his
traumatic birth, attacks the Rosses but a bolt of energy comes down from the
sky, rendering the Rosses senseless and transforming Hulk back into Bruce Banner.
Bruce takes the Rosses to his hidden lab and learns they were struck by
a bolt of cosmic radiation, so he decides he must contact the world’s leading
expert on cosmic rays, Reed Richards….
In
space, the cosmic being known as the Stranger picks up some unusual readings
and decides he must act with haste to prevent disaster. He chooses two allies:
Thing and Hulk, as having the power, savagery, and courage to help. He doesn’t
like asking for help but he transforms himself into a beam of energy and
travels to Earth….
As
Bruce Banner watches on a telescreen, the energy bolt that is the Stranger
comes down, striking the FF’s Pogo Plane as it reaches the desert, with the
unconscious heroes aboard, and destroying a wing. Ben’s skill brings them down
safely but watching the crisis unfold transforms Bruce into the Hulk once more.
Thing encounters the Stranger and he is so angry he fights the big guy who
easily zaps him. Hulk arrives with violence in mind and Stranger must subdue
him. The two monstrous heroes recover and Stranger must shut them up to explain
the situation: he has placed their loved one in suspended animation to force
their help. And so he transports them to…
…the
Netherworld, realm of the Roman god Pluto. Thing and Hulk are swarmed by
grey-skinned demons and fight. Then Pluto arrives and shows them a massive furnace
which his minions are feeding which fires a massive beam at a raging
Nether-Hole in space, enlarging it so that it will absorb the universe into
nothingness which he will then rule over. Hulk wants to fight Pluto, Thing
suggests they form a plan first and the two end up fighting. So the Stranger
attack Pluto and they fight. Once Thing and Hulk realize that if the Stranger
is defeated, they are stuck there forever, they rush to his rescue but they are
attacked by hordes of minions. But Pluto has overcome the Stranger, planning to
toss him into the furnace. Thing and Hulk smash the platform the baddie is
standing on so that Pluto falls into the furnace and the Stranger lands safely.
Pluto is transformed into a beam of energy and fired into the Nether-Hole and
the feedback destroys the giant furnace…. Stranger and the two good guys get
out of there…
…returning
to the desert. The Stranger reveals he only pretended to be defeated to force
Hulk and Thing into calling off their squabble and fight Pluto. Stranger takes
off. Hulk sees the Rosses leaving the lab and he leaps off. Thing rushes to the
Pogo Plane and find Reed, Sue, and Johnny, alive and well….
Characters:
Thing, Hulk, FF, Reed Richards, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Betty Ross,
Thunderbolt Ross, Bruce Banner,
Villains:
Stranger, Pluto,