Incredible Hulk #183. Zzzax is bax.

(Cover from January 1975.)

"Fury At 50,000 Volts!"

Written by Len Wein.

Art by Herb Trimpe.

Lettering by C Jetter.

Colours by Glynis Wein.

"Hulk will smash glowing monster into little glowing pieces!"

"Argh! Now Zzzax killzz!!"

Yes it's the greatest meeting of wits since George Bernard Shaw met Noel Coward, as Zzzax returns. How he gets back is all a bit silly, as a trio of scientists, helped by Bruce Banner, activate a machine designed to recreate the thoughts of long-dead people by means not quite explained. Unfortunately, the dead "person" whose thoughts they bring back is Zzzax and, as Zzzax is basically living thought energy, that's enough to bring his body back too.

However, in his attack, he absorbs the thoughts of one of the scientists, who just happens to be in love with one of the other scientists and, deciding he too is in love with her, Zzzax climbs to the top of Chicago's John Hancock Center with her. So far this of course owes nothing to any ape-based movie we might've seen. The Hulk sets out to get her back but, in the end, it's the airplane and not the beauty that killed the beast.

It's hard to see it as any more than a not-greatly disguised retread of Zzzax's previous appearance but with Hawkeye removed and the gap filled with elements from King Kong but Zzzax is a fun character and if the way Zzzax is "killed" bears more than a passing resemblance to the way he was "killed" last time out, well, if it works once, you might as well do it again.

So the Hulk's sort of defeated Zzzax, and Bruce Banner's blown his brand new janitorial job. Odd though that Bruce Banner's first instinct when he turns back to Banner at the tale's start is to find employment. Knowing as he does how potentially dangerous he is, I would've thought that, by now, he would've decided the best thing to do in such circumstances is to call General Ross, or the Fantastic Four or Tony Stark or Doc Samson or Peter Corbeau or anyone else with the wherewithal to help him. Is finding a cure really not his first priority in life?

Incredible Hulk #166. Zzzax and Hawkeye

(Cover from August 1973.)

"The Destroyer From The Dynamo!"

Written by Steve Englehart.

Drawn by Herb Trimpe.

Inked by Sal Trapani.

Lettering by C Jetter.

Colours by Dave Hunt.

Elvis Costello once sang, "New Amsterdam, it's become much too much," and you suspect the Hulk may agree as, finally back in the Big Apple, the radioactivest hobo finds himself up against the horror of Zzzax.

Made of living electricity, Zzzax is created when terrorists blow up the local nuclear power plant. If Aquon was half man, half fish, all hate, Zzzax is half electricity, the other half electricity, and all greedy, driven by a desire to devour the brains of everyone he encounters, to keep himself smart. "Being smart won't help you!" Declares the Hulk; "Hasn't helped Hulk!" Yes that's right it's not exactly Stephen Hawking v Einstein here.

But the Hulk's not the only one on the scene. Hawkeye's there too and he's out to prove he can cut it without the Avengers, by taking down Zzzax.

Sadly, his attempts aren't going too well - until he remembers the events of a certain James Bond movie.

Even more sadly, when he finally destroys Zzzax, the onlookers give the Hulk all the credit.

But, deep in the heart of Russia, thing's are happening as Colonel Armbruster leads a raid to rescue Thunderbolt Ross. It works - but at the cost of Glenn Talbot.

It's another of those Steve Englehart issues where the true focus of the tale's not on the Hulk but on others, first Hawkeye and his futile attempts to prove himself and then Glenn Talbot's sacrifice for his father-in-law. But, apart from the seriousness of its Russian climax, it's a good fun read. Zzzax is my kind of monster; big, stupid and a throwback to the creatures Marvel was churning out like sausages before it discovered super-heroes could make it more money. And if its cliff-hanger doesn't make you want to know what happens next, then shame on you. Did Glenn Talbot, like Magna Carta, (almost) die in vain?