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Incredible Hulk #203: Review

Sep 1976

Len Wein, Sal Buscema

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Story Name:

Assault On Psyklop!

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Rating:

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Quotes

Hulk will be no one's prisoner!
~ HULK

What is worse than death? Life without conscious thought or voluntary deed!
~ PSYKLOP

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Incredible Hulk #203 Synopsis by Julio Molina-Muscara

Psyklop has Jarella and Hulk prisoners. The colossus is bounded by shacks of Dimundium steel, but he shatters them when Psyklop threatens Jarella.

The immortal villain reveals that he belongs to a race that once ruled ancient Earth as he uses various weapons to try halting the Hulk, unsuccessfully. Finally, he uses his hypnotic power to turn the Hulk into his faithful servant.

Questioned by Jarella, Psyklop goes over the events that brought him there: His battle with the Avengers (Avengers #88), his irruption in K'ai to return the Hulk to Earth (Incredible Hulk #140), and his punishment by the Dark Gods - who he bargained with for his people to be awaken. Since Psyklop failed them, they exiled him to K'ai. He spent months building devices, including the God of the Mountain robot (seen last issue) to protect his privacy. The tremors were originally caused by the Hulk accidentally kicking the planet out of orbit (Incredible Hulk #156), but as the earthquakes ceased, he built a giant dreadnought-drill that connects to the center of the planet, causing the ground to tremble. His plan was to get K'ai's people to adore him based on fear, or get destroyed by their insolence.

Thanks to a spying spell, Psyklop statements are heard by Torla, Holi and Moli, Jarella's wizards, and along their people, part to the mountains to rescue their former queen and hero.

Meanwhile, on Gamma Base, Glenn Talbot has just endured a micro-surgery to remove a tiny piece from his brain where the Hulk and the microverse reside. Doc Samson's plan is to revert the Hulk back to his regular size, even if that causes Thunderbolt Ross concerns.

Psyklop shows Jarella the Essence Urn, a container with the life-force of those who perished in the earthquakes. He plans to deliver them to the Dark Gods in exchange of his freedom.

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Suddenly, an alarm alerts Psyklop that Jarella's subjects are nearby and he sends the Hulk against them. Prior, he implants a hypnotic trick on the Hulk to make him believe that his former allies were an army of Psyklops! Jarella's comrades have no chance against a mad Hulk.

Panels sample #3

When the sorcerers realize of the situation, they use magic to revert the effect. Now, the Hulk sees hundreds of wounded Jarellas and he turns around against the real enemy.

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Psyklops' hynoptic power has no longer an effect on the Hulk and grabbing Jarella, he flees inside the castle. Hulk hits the ground hard, causing the Urn to crack and blast. The explosion seemingly turns Psyklop to ashes as he is consumed by the spirits he held locked in it.

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Everyone is happy that the villain was defeated and the earthquakes will cease. Jarella accepts to be the Hulk's bride and he accepts.

Suddenly, both Hulk and Jarella commence to grow. Doc Samson had activated a micro-cannon to enlarge the Hulk and accidentally, brought Jarella with him.

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As usual, Hulk reacts violently when spotting Doc Samson and Thunderbolt Ross. Jarella calms him down and asks him to wait for her as she returns to K'ai to rebuild her world. But Doc Samson interrupts her; the slide her planet was in was shattered by the Hulk, so there may be no place to return to...

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