Mountain Comics #3 – The Incredible Hulk #301

MOUNTAIN COMICS #3 - THE INCREDIBLE HULK #301

Michael Bailey joins Rob to talk about another beloved Mountain Comic, "Crossroads" by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema from THE INCREDIBLE HULK #301! (Nov. 1984)

Check out images from this comic by clicking here!

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10 responses to “Mountain Comics #3 – The Incredible Hulk #301

  1. Great episode, guys! It’s always fun to hear Michael talk about the Hulk. Perhaps he’ll have more occasions to discuss the Jade Giant as THOR RAGNAROK gets closer to release.

    The Mantlo/Buscema run of THE INCREDIBLE HULK is one I’ve only started reading fairly recently and I’m loving it. Where have these stories been all my life? What a fool I was to think Mike Deodato was the best Hulk artist!

    This story gave me an idea for a future Marvel movie. Since Universal Studios maintains the distribution rights to any solo Hulk films and for whatever reason they’re not playing nice with Marvel/Disney, I really, really, badly want to see the Hulk show up in the DOCTOR STRANGE sequel. It can be a sort of mini Defenders movie–not like the Netflix DEFENDERS, of course, but the original comic. Maybe they’ll figure out what to do with Namor by then, but either way, Dr. Strange and the Hulk are such a fun combo, I hope we see a lot of them in the films.

    1. Thanks for listening Ryan. My first thought when I heard Marvel was doing a DEFENDERS TV show was regret that the name was now spoken for, which meant they weren’t ever going to do what you suggest, a Dr Strange-Hulk-maybe Namor team-up movie. Maybe they can call it The Champions?

      Does anyone know who has the Namor rights? I could picture him as part of the FF deal at Fox, though Great Neptune I hope not.

      And yes, the Mantlo/Buscema Hulks are really fun.

      1. I know Universal had the rights to a Sub-Mariner movie at one point, but I think Marvel got the rights back. Or it might be a thing where they can use Namor in a movie but can’t call a movie NAMOR…? Not sure, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing stopping Marvel from using the character.

  2. Rob, Rob, Rob…we covered “The Incredible Hulk at Bay” on Power Records Episode 3. How soon they forget. Well, heck, I forgot too. I had to go back and check!

    What a “Find Your Joy” episode this was. The love for this comic and this era was apparent from both of you. Incredible Hulk was an occasional purchase for me as a kid. I was aware of Banner being in control of the Hulk around this time (mostly from Secret Wars, I think), so when I picked up Hulk #300 because of all the heroes on the cover…boy was I in for a shock! Buscema’s Savage Hulk frightened me. He really did put across that the lights were on but no one was home. And Gerry Taloc’s inks gave Buscema’s high-energy pencils a visceral, horror feel. Truly this was the Hulk at his most monstrous. And Buscema’s patented open-mouthed, screaming spittle-takes were never more at home than here.

    I’ve never read this issue, but I know the Twilight Zone episode well. I can’t help but think of Byrne’s classic FF story where Doctor Doom traps the team in an idealized small town as well. And of course there are other Twilight Zone episodes with similar notions, such as the equally classic “Five Characters in Search of An Exit”. And even Trek’s “The Squire of Gothos” has an alien “child” playing with the crew of the Enterprise like toys, until his parents call him down.

    I may have to track these trades down Mike speaks of, because this all sounds very interesting. I know Mantlo was also the writer who first posited Bruce Banner was an abused child, and that perhaps the Hulk was equal parts psychological manifestation and gamma radiation.

    Great show fellas!!!

    Chris

  3. I, also, consider Sal Buscema to be my Hulk artist. That’s probably because my first ever comic book was Incredible Hulk #267. That run set my standard for what the Hulk was supposed to look like.

    The Crossroads storyline was a fun one to read. Having the Hulk go into various worlds and seeing the interactions with him and, as Mike said, the three creatures that follow him was fun. Issues #310 & 311 was a nice two-parter where Banner returns and is going to be a human sacrifice. What happens to the three followers when the hulk goes away is u=quite interesting.

    I also love how Mike refers to the Hulk as “The CReature”. Your origin is showing, Mr. Bailey. 😀

  4. Great episode guys!!! I very much enjoy the tales of these Mountain Comics. That summer of 1984 was magical for me as well. The olympics was going on, my parents and I were living in a house with a giant pool. I remember discovering Captain Carrot and getting cheap comics at a used bookstore for 10 cents with ripped covers.

  5. If Hulk has a theme, it’s change. I’ve got to write about that.

    I was aware of the Nexus stuff, but didn’t read it. I want to though. What kept me is that the Hulk team then switched places with Alpha Flight and I bristled at the change. It’s not Mantlo, God knows I love that man, and it’s not the pencils. I think it was Talaoc’s gritty inking, ESPECIALLY with the Flexographic color process. The comic was so GARISH.

    That said, I need to start collecting 70s and 80s Hulk. I really came on board with Peter David’s long, long run, but the Hulk is one of my favorite Marvel heroes, and his earlier appearances in my collection are spotty at best. Thanks for the push off the Mountain, Rob.

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