Incredible Hulk #292 (February 1984)
Writer – Bill Mantlo
Artists – Sal Buscema and Joe Sinnott
“Dragon-Night”
On the lam from the long arm of the law, The Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime set up shop in Mexico City. They have a new attraction to debut for the kids and adults – Dragon Man! Dr. Banner and his girlfriend Kate Waynesboro are invited to a university to witness the results of the application of gamma radiation on local crops. Their destination – The University of Mexico City! That’s right, get ready for the Monster Melee in Mexico City!
This issue was a dollar bin rescue from a sale at New Dimension Comics at the Waterfront. The cover art by Kevin Nowlan was too good to pass up and this issue begins a neat trick with the corner box in the upper lefthand side of the cover. Can you ever go wrong with the Incredible Hulk? In the words of The Mighty Thor, “I Say Thee Nay!”
The Hulk has a history with The Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime and they seek revenge on him for their first run in years ago. The way Banner transforms into the Hulk is something I had never seen before and very original and ingenious. Hulk vs Dragon Man is a bombastic battle for the ages and I won’t spoil who the winner is here.
I love the art and facial expressions of the characters by Buscema and Sinnott. You can see the fear, anguish, and horror in Bruce’s face when he wakes up from a nightmare and describes it to Kate. There is a neat homage to The Twilight Zone and “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” that is a nice touch to the story. There is something on the wing, and its not a gremlin, it’s the Hulk!
I like reading the different eras of the Incredible Hulk to see which version of the Hulk is featured and what kind of trouble Banner is in because of the Jade Giant. In this issue, The Hulk retains the intelligence of Bruce after his transformation. This is my second review of Mantlo’s run-on Incredible Hulk. I’m going to do some research to find out when he took over the reins of the title and maybe start reading from that point forward in the near future.
If you have a favorite era of the Hulk and could recommend a starting point for that artist and writer, I’d appreciate it!
Next Issue – “After the Hulk is shot at in an airport, he rebuilds his assailant’s hometown which Banner destroyed accidentally as the Hulk.”