Ring Around The Rhino
Bruce Banner finds himself the prisoner of General Ross and under heavy sedation to prevent him from becoming The Hulk. Ross and Major Talbot plan to fly Banner to Congress to gain permission to destroy him, thus killing The Hulk. Betty Ross arrives at the base in New York where Banner is being held and begs her father not to kill the man she loves. The General is unmoved by his daughter’s tears but agrees to let Betty ride along with them to JFK airport. Elsewhere after being released from prison after his last tussle with Spider-Man, Aleksei Sytsevich once again agrees to work for his former Communist masters and become The Rhino. The Red scientists Igor and Georgi have developed an even stronger Rhino suit by using Gamma Ray bombardment but warn him not to double cross them again as it has a remote destruct devise. Rhino replies that he’s realised his brawn needs they’re brains in order to succeed. The scientists tell Rhino he must kidnap Bruce Banner so he can be forced to aid their cause, but that he should be prepared to face The Hulk.
An unconscious Bruce Banner is being transported to JFK Airport in an army motorcade with Betty, General Ross and Major Talbot by his side. Meanwhile Rick Jones has had a crisis of conscience and feels he has to reach Bruce and explain why he turned on him. Rick races to JFK in his car but before he arrives Rhino attacks. The Commie stooge charges head on into the truck containing Banner, who is bound in a full body bag. Everyone within is knocked unconscious except Betty who tries to wake up Bruce. The army’s bullets bounce of Rhino’s suit and they seem powerless to stop him as he rips the door off the truck and grabs Bruce and Betty. Simultaneously Igor and Georgi arrive in a helicopter and Rhino enters the whirlybird with his victims. The now awake Banner is being suffocated with chloroform to stop him changing into The Hulk and at the same time Rick Jones arrives and rams his car into the helicopter before it can take off, diving out himself before impact. The crash makes Igor fall out while inside, the chloroform fails to do its job and a transformation begins!
The Hulk is pushed out off the ‘copter by Rhino as it ascends but hangs on and then destroys the choppers blades forcing it to nosedive. Noticing Betty inside Hulk gets under the falling helicopter to absorb the impact of the crash. a weakened Hulk is attacked by Rhino and the airport is cordoned off. Georgi uses this opportunity to take Betty hostage. Hulk quickly dispatches with Rhino and heads towards Betty and her captor causing Georgi to flee. Seeing this Rhino decides there’s no point in fighting The Hulk leaves. Hulk picks up Betty in his arms and tells her he’ll take her somewhere safe. Then using the most powerful legs on Earth he leaps atop a nearby skyscraper and places Betty on the roof. Hulk tells her to stay put and that he’ll be back for her. He then leaps in front of the escaping Rhino’s path and asks the villain if he’s running away because he’s scared. Rhino reacts as expected and takes the fight to Hulk. An immense encounter begins between the two behemoths which ultimately results in The Hulk smashing a fuel tanker on top of Rhino that explodes immediately. The resulting fire only slightly damages The Hulk but almost kills Rhino. The Hulk grabs his foe and jumps into a river to put out the fire engulfing his suit. He then decides the fight is over as he won’t hit a man who can barely stand and walks away. The Rhino, knowing his death is impending, decides to go out fighting and attacks his opponent with one last charge. But before he can follow up with another blow, The Hulk retaliates and The Rhino is no more.
Returning to the tower where he left Betty, Hulk sees her being rescued by her father and his troops. General Ross tells Hulk to stay away from his daughter but Hulk believes she wants him to take her away. Betty tries to explain to Hulk that although she’s not afraid of him, she doesn’t want to go away with him as she can’t stand this madness any longer. Rick Jones tries to talk his former friend out of it but Hulk’s clouded brain thinks Betty needs to be rescued and despite her protests he takes her away.
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