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Sunday, March 21, 2021

The Incredible Hulk #168

As if things weren’t bad enough with Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk in The Incredible Hulk #168 from Marvel Comics, just imagine his dismay when the love of his life Betty Ross/Talbot turns into the winged, green Harpy!

After discovering that her husband Glen Talbot was killed rescuing her father, General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, from Russia, Betty has a breakdown.

She blames her father for Glen’s death.

Modok, the misshapen leader of A.I.M has his own plans for Betty as an instrument of destruction.

He manipulates her mind and causes her to leave the hospital where she is interned just as the Hulk comes to visit her.

When the Hulk arrives she is gone.  He manages to track her down after encountering Modok back at Modok’s A.I.M. headquarters.

But it is too late.  Modok has already exposed her to an experimental Gamma radiation bath.

She transforms into the Harpy (a winged green monstrosity) and upon seeing the Hulk attacks-unleashing her hatred for both him and Bruce Banner for the untimely death of her husband and the pain they had caused her over the years.

It was just what Modok wants.

She attacks and to the Hulk’s surprise she is able to shoot Gamma radiation bolts from her hands that weaken the Hulk.

Before long she has the Hulk at her mercy and in the last panel of the issue it appears she has triumphed over the Hulk.

This is a sleeper issue.  I believe like the first appearance of Doc Sampson, the Abomination and even Wolverine in The Incredible Hulk comic book this issue holds the possibility of escalating in value.

Now that it is confirmed that a second Hulk movie is to be produced rumors abound as to who the antagonist will be. Speculators will soon clamor to find minor keys, such as this issue, so prices are sure to go up.

Currently this issue in mint condition in the raw goes for about $75 and a slabbed issue in the same condition averages about twice that amount.

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