"The Avengers Take Over!"

By the end of Part One of the PPC review of the two-part Fantastic Four tale from 1964 which featured the rematch (and a more prolonged battle) between the Thing and the incredible Hulk, the situation looked pretty dismal for the entire FF, who did their best under the circumstances to stop the Hulk's rampage through New York City but were overwhelmed by the sheer power of their foe. As things now stand:

• Reed Richards, debilitated from exposure to chemicals which he'd used in a serum intended to change the Thing back to his human form of Ben Grimm (you dodged a bullet there, Ben), was unable to join his team against the Hulk and has now been hospitalized, where he remains in critical condition;
• Sue Storm, regaining consciousness after her force field proved too weak to stand the strain of battling the Hulk, has returned to be at Reed's side, bringing to his medical team the chemicals he'd been working with in the hope that an antidote can be found for the virus afflicting him;
• Johnny Storm, also hospitalized due to injuries sustained in his own fight with the Hulk, lies in recovery; and last but by no means least,
• Ben Grimm, the mighty but overtaxed Thing, struggles to get to his feet after having fallen to the Hulk and pushes himself to continue the fight against all odds.

Judging by the team's near-desperate state, and the shocking title to the second half of this story (which leads off this post), the reader could be forgiven for thinking that even the FF would be forced to face reality here and hand off their own issue to the Avengers in order to see the Hulk's threat dealt with. But let's not count out Marvel's premiere super-team just yet!

At least not until the Hulk kayos the Thing with that right fist he's wound up.

In what looks like a "last stand" scene which, for all intents and purposes, will bring to a close the FF's efforts to stop the Hulk on their own, the Thing is joined by the Human Torch--not in the best of shape himself after removing himself from hospital care, but determined not to let the Thing fight alone. If only courage and loyalty could win the day; but even those qualities are of little use against the unstoppable power of the Hulk, driven by a consuming need to unleash his rage against the Avengers.

The Army's efforts against the Hulk unfortunately amount to nothing, except for inadvertently providing the behemoth with the opportunity to slip away--leaving the Thing at loose ends when he's ready to renew the fight. It's a welcome pause that may allow the FF to regroup, assuming they're able; but elsewhere, the Hulk has business with those he feels have wronged him--and one teenage boy, in particular.

Despite the opposition, the Hulk manages to break away with Rick Jones, with the Wasp and Captain America in close pursuit. Meanwhile, Reed's doctors have successfully developed and administered an antidote for his condition; but while Reed is strongly advised to recuperate in bed, he and the Torch appear to be of like minds when it comes to a threat still at large.

Even as the FF conduct their hunt for their quarry, the Wasp reaches the Hulk and attempts to distract him from possibly harming Rick. But when both super-teams begin to converge on the spot, everyone learns the truth of the adage that warns of having too many cooks in the kitchen...

This being the first meeting between the FF and the Avengers, there's understandably a little friction between them as they try to settle the matter of just which team has jurisdiction over dealing with the threat of the Hulk. But in the interest of time, a compromise is reached; and while it's not exactly smooth sailing in terms of implementing their cooperation in the field, artist Jack Kirby does a credible job of maintaining the story's pace while working everyone in. (With the exception of failing to give Sue a single panel, a character both Kirby and writer Stan Lee seemed to share common ground on in terms of her limited exposure in battle situations.)

In addition, with the Hulk remaining a dangerous foe, the upside to having so many heroes in play is in this battle providing a true demonstration of teamwork: in this case, as the Hulk closes in on an opponent in trouble, another engages him and takes the heat off.

Yet the same holds true as far as overlooking the advantages of numbers. For instance, with the Hulk constantly being engaged and occupied, how about having it occur to one of these heroes to get Rick Jones out of harm's way? (Maybe even someone invisible making their way to him?) And with all of these tactical minds on the scene, there is no plan here other than to employ the use of force against the Hulk, something that has continually proven to be futile.

Yes, I'm right there with you: the Hulk has waded through the most destructive barrages of weapons fire that SHIELD and the military have to offer, yet is completely vulnerable to ant bites that stop him dead in his tracks. We could certainly have saved the taxpayers a ton of money in Hulkbusting operations with that info.

But as we near the final page of this story, the Hulk's preoccupation with fending off an ant attack (and we homeowners have all been there, haven't we?) provides Rick with the chance to bring this battle to an end.

With everyone thinking that the Hulk abandoned the battle and escaped by losing himself in the Hudson River, that leaves only a reasonably satisfying wrap-up that allows the FF to depart with their heads held high. In spite of not being able to accomplish their mission, they're due a lot of credit for hanging in there and giving it their best, against a foe the likes of which they've only encountered in the Sub-Mariner--with their previous exposure to the Hulk's might arguably being considered tame by comparison. The Avengers, of course, bring a different power set to the table, though they've had their difficulties handling both characters, as well. Both teams, however, remain blissfully unaware of being held in check by their Marvel handlers, in deference to a much more desirable premium than a definitive winner--that of reader anticipation.

Fantastic Four #26 Script: Stan Lee Pencils: Jack Kirby Inks: George Bell Letterer: Art Simek