Sensational Comics 24
A Mighty Tale Told in the Mighty Marvel Manner!
A Titian Rides the Train!
The Chameleon walked away from the burning wreck. Some emergency supplies in his vest gave him a quiet and plain face and some oversized sunglasses to complete the look. "Money is in the account. All I have to do now is get to a bank."
A truck appeared over the hill. He flagged it down and climbed into the cab. "Thanks pal!" his midwestern accent was flawless. He looked at the driver as the truck pulled off. "Aw nuts."
The driver was a dummy. Wax skin, glass eyes, and only a simple cord keeping its hands on the steering wheel. "Hello Chameleon," the Leader's voice rang out over the radio. "I have another job."
The Chameleon leaned back into his seat. "I'm listening."
The Leader explained the job. It was mostly a lie. The Leader in his lair glanced at the shroud covered object. "I'd hate to lose a valuable tool such as the Chameleon, but if he can help you perform to your maximum, my creation, his sacrifice shall be worth it!"
A few days later
Back at the Gamma Base, Betty lay in a hospital bed, several IV's keeping her sedated. General Ross paced before General Morris's desk. "Blazes, you can't do this!"
"Have you seen what she's capable of? I want her doped to the gills until we can get her away from a populated area."
"She's not dangerous, blast it! Everything she's done has been in response to a threat. If we leave her alone, the Hulk is harmless."
Morris chuckled. "I'm not sure what's more transparent, your bias or your blindness." Morris waved a hand at the window. "All our weapons combined couldn't do more than annoy the Hulk. Other countries are getting into the super human race Thaddeus. The Hulk can be made willing, but we have to know what makes her tick. If she won't cooperate, we'll lock her so the Hulk can't do any more damage."
"You're a damned fool!" Ross stormed out. Morris picked up a phone once he was sure the general was gone.
"Begin transport. Plan Alpha Beta, but I want extra security in the railcar." He hung up the phone, unaware of the MP standing outside the door with a smirk on his face and a radio transmitter in his helmet.
H
Betty had been transported from the base to a secret military train. Once loaded, the train and its two cars took off underground for a distance before exiting into the bright New Mexico morning towards a regular train depot in Texas. From there they would disembark and transport her via plane to a secure lab.
The train had been moving at a good pace. The Chameleon, disguised as a regular guard, leaned back in his seat and turned on the transmitter in his boot heel. The Leader told him he would take care of the situation. Once the job went down, he was to leave as quietly as possible. "Easiest money I ever earned."
Unknown to everyone on the planet save for the green skinned mad scientist, a small pink lump rolled towards the train tracks. It had been rolling quietly across the desert towards the Chameleon's signal. Once it reached a certain range it stopped rolling.
The lump started to vibrate. Four tentacles sprouted from it and thrashed about before appendages formed at the end. Two of the tentacles shortened as the other two extended and pushed back, pushing the lump into a more upright position.
The excess mass retracted and a narrow slot opened at the top as the now humanoid shaped thing stepped onto the train tracks and easily ripped them apart. It then sat down and folded its arms. It would wait until the Leader commanded it.
H
Major Glen Talbot was the only one keeping a watch on Betty Ross. True he had a full complement of soldiers, but he didn't want to risk anything. His concern was more practical than chivalrous. "One syringe and we'd have a full platoon of Hulks. Not on my watch!"
He was lost in his thoughts when the train came to a screeching halt. "What the devil?" He drew his sidearm and rushed to the forward car. The men were standing about, confused. "What's the situation?"
"Not sure sir. The conductor just pulled the emergency breaks, said something about a wreck?"
Talbot sighed. "Ok. You five" he pointed to the men on his left. "Go up front and see what needs to be done. The rest of you, outside. I want a defensive perimeter around this train as long as we're not moving."
"Shouldn't we radio ahead?"
"No, I want to know what happened first." Talbot ordered two men to follow him back to Betty's car. "We sit and wait for now."
H
Betty's eyes fluttered open. Her mouth felt like it was full of copper and cotton. She weakly sat up, pulling the IV out of her arm. "Where am I?" She slowly climbed out of the bed. Her heart started to beat faster the more she moved. She didn't see any doors or windows.
"Hello?"
Outside the train, the humanoid received orders. "Find the Hulk. Fight."
Inside, Betty pounded against the steel walls. "Hello? Is anyone out there?" She started to get angry. "Let me out!" She started hitting the wall in earnest, her fists growing larger with every blow. "Let…me…out!" Her voice grew deeper on every word.
H
Talbot noticed the humanoid first as it marched towards them. "Defensive positions!" he aimed his pistol at the robot. The men fell into position around the train car when a dent suddenly appeared in the car. Then another, followed by a series before two massive green fists broke through. "Move!"
The Hulk easily tore through the train car and stepped out into the daylight. She blinked at the sun. "Puny men, think you can capture the Hulk?" She glared at Talbot. "Think you can lock up the Hulk?"
"We didn't lock you up, that thing did!" Talbot pointed at the humanoid, which was now running at them. The Hulk snarled and charged towards it.
Talbot wiped his brow. "Everyone, get back on the train, full reverse!" He stared at the green and pink objects off in the distance. "And radio everyone. We might need everything we have."
H
The Hulk charged at the pink humanoid. Swinging a ham-hock sized green fist, she connected with a right that would have shattered glass. The humanoid took the blow. Pink flesh wrapped around her fist until she drew it back, confusion on her face. "What are you?"
The humanoid gave no answer. Its fists swelled in size to match hers and it swung with equal power. The Hulk was battered backwards as the robot continued to punch with no signs of slowing.
"Enough!" The Hulk snarled. She grabbed both arms and yanked, stretching the limbs to near noodle thickness. In response, it kicked her.
Letting go, the Hulk jumped away. The humanoid stood still as she landed some distance away. It continued to remain still as the Hulk tore one of the ruined railroad tracks away and tossed it like a spear. It hit the humanoid dead center. A fatal blow for most, but the pink flesh absorbed the blow and bounced it back.
The Hulk stared at the humanoid. She plopped onto the ground. The humanoid did the same. She moved closer, it followed.
Laying down, she focused on what to do. At once she jumped and rushed towards the humanoid, just as it mirrored her. She stopped short and let it crash into her. With the pink rubbery limbs wrapped around her torso, she jumped. Gamma powered muscles strained as she leaped. The ground below grew distant as they continued their flight, nearing escape velocity.
The Hulk's vision grew blurry as she tried to focus with the air thinning around her. The humanoid's sole eye grew bright red then suddenly flared before going black. The humanoid relaxed its grip and went limp. The Hulk spun around and kicked it up, rocketing it further into the atmosphere as she plunged back to Earth. It exploded with a small flash.
The Hulk grunted with annoyance as she crashed into the ground. The impact was heard for miles. Climbing out of the pit, she sat down and closed her eyes. Her frame shrank and green skin gave way to pink. Betty weakly opened her eyes as Major Talbot and over a dozen armed men surrounded her.
"Elizabeth Ross, I hereby place you under arrest for attempted escape of custody."
"What? You've got to kidding!" Betty's eyes flashed green before a dart struck her in the neck. Her curses grew feeble as she pitched forward.
L
The Leader leaned back in his oversized chair. "Interesting. I hadn't calculated the Hulk possessing such strength. What is her full limit?"
He made notes on the humanoid's performance. "Impressive, but range is an issue. Model 2 will have to have a longer service area. The strength and durability? Perfect!"
The computer behind him flashed a picture of the Chameleon. "Hmm, he has proven a rather effective tool. Yes, best to keep him. His type tends to betray over personal slights. The next stage of my plan might be too dangerous for him."
The Leader sent a coded message. He ordered the Chameleon to lay low and to await further orders. Bringing his attention back to the Hulk, the Leader spread a series of notes across his desk. "With the Hulk arrested, there are only so many locations they could take her…what's this?"
The Leader picked up a small scientific journal. "Banner's latest invention? Bah, what could that man make that I couldn't?" He flipped the journal, his gamma saturated brain allowing him to memorize the words faster than any other human.
"A machine that can safely absorb all manner of radiation? Hmm a possible new thread in this story…" he sat back down and concentrated on the article. "Yes, yes! I will make this new device my own and test my new model of humanoid at the same time…and the Hulk will aide me!"
The end for now true believers!
Next, "Horde of the Humanoids!"
Based on "A Titan Rides the Train!" which was first published in Tales to Astonish I#63 (January 1965) with credits to Stan Lee (script), Steve Ditko (pencils), George Bell (inks), and Sam Rosen (letters).
Sensational Lore
From rmarcano321
Shapeshifters and mercenaries are pretty easy to come by
From Darci
Lots of excitement in this one, including a mysterious call from the Avengers that sends Cap (and presumably Rick) hurrying back. I wonder what that was all about? Unfortunately, no heroics from Glenn Talbot in this version. Maybe Betty won't fall for him after all…
Thanks!
If you want to know what Cap's deal was, check out Avengers#10. Yeah, Major Talbot may not be Betty's knight in shining armor in this world.
Upcoming issues
Tales to Astonish#23-The Coming of the Magician
Journey into Mystery#25-The Vengeance of Loki
The Avengers#11-The Avengers Break Up!
Amazing Fantasy#16-Origin of Devilina!