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Marvel Collectors' Item Classics Vol 1 15

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Quote1 Wah-Hoo! Hang on Richards! Ol' Fury is here! Just like ol' times! Quote2
—Nick Fury

Appearing in "The Hate-Monger!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four #21

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Synopsis for "The Hate-Monger!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Fantastic Four #21

The Fantastic Four are enjoying some downtime when suddenly their base begins to shake out of control. Johnny, Reed, and Sue discover the source is the Thing who is going full strength on his punching bag after reading news reports regarding the Hate-Monger, a cowled rabble-rouser who has been using hate speech to incite xenophobia among the citizens of New York City. Reed tries to calm Ben down by telling him that bigots usually get what they deserve. Not long after, while the FF are out on the town, they come across one of the Hate-Monger's rallies where the Hate-Monger works up the crowd into such a frenzy that they attack a man due to his ethnicity. When the Thing intervenes to disperse the mob, the Hate-Monger pulls out his Hate-Ray and uses it on the team. The effects are instant and the Fantastic Four begin to squabble among each other. Pushed by their artificially induced hatred, the Fantastic Four eventually decide to break up, as each member comes to believe that they are better than the others, much to the pleasure of the Hate-Monger.

Reed Richards returns to the Baxter Building to find that security is fighting with a man in the lobby who is trying to gain access to the Fantastic Four's headquarters. Reed is surprised to find that it is Nick Fury, wartime hero,[Continuity 1] an agent of the CIA,[Continuity 2] and a colleague from his military days.[Continuity 3] After briefly reminiscing of the past, Fury tells of civil unrest and rioting in the South American nation of San Gusto, a country that is important to American interests and asks for the Fantastic Four's help in quelling the violence. Fury is surprised to hear that the Fantastic Four have broken up and decides to stay behind as Richards goes off to San Gusto alone. When the Pogo Plane lifts off from the Baxter Building, it is seen by the Thing, Johnny and Sue, who decide to go back to their headquarters to see what is going on. There they find Nick Fury, who plays on the trio's jealousy of each other to convince them to go to San Gusto as well. The trio and Fury all leave in the passenger ICBM that is launched from the roof of the Baxter Building.

Unknown to them all, the Hate-Monger is responsible for the unrest in San Gusto and has since relocated there via a sub-surface missile. While the Hate-Monger begins preparing weapons for his armies, Reed Richards is doing his best to destroy weapons caches across the country. However while on his mission, Richards is knocked out by a gas attack and is taken prisoner. The Hate-Monger shows his master plan, that from San Gusto he can utilize a massive Hate-Ray weapon that bounces off the moon to hit a target anywhere on Earth. Before the Hate-Monger can do more, Nick Fury ambushes him. Caught off guard, the Hate-Monger is forced to give over the antidote for his Hate-Ray. While Fury is busy administering the cure to Reed, their foe and his minions manage to escape. While Reed tracks down his errant teammates and administers the cure for them, Nick Fury follows the Hate-Monger to pin him and his men down before they could operate their global Hate-Ray. In the ensuing battle, the Invisible Girl uses her powers to get close to the Hate-Monger. When he tries to use his Hate-Ray, Sue ruins his aim, causing the ray to hit his two bodyguards. The guards then turn their weapons on the Hate-Monger, gunning him down. With their enemy dead, Nick Fury unmasks him and they are all shocked to see that their foe was apparently Adolf Hitler, the former Nazi dictator.[Continuity 4] With the Hate-Monger destroyed, the Fantastic Four return home.

Appearing in "No One Escapes the Mandarin!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Tales of Suspense #55

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Synopsis for "No One Escapes the Mandarin!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Tales of Suspense #55

Prisoner of the Mandarin, Iron Man is about to be destroyed when he comes up with a way to bluff his way out of the villain's grasp. Because the madman is unaware that Iron Man and Stark are the same person, the Golden Avenger reminds the Mandarin that after escaping capture from his guards, Stark remained loose in the castle, and could be foiling the Mandarin's plan at any moment. The Mandarin is forced to look for Stark, and leaves the machine that would've killed Iron Man in stand-by. Thanks to a miniature generator in his suit, Iron Man recharges his armor and breaks free from the steel whips. Iron Man stealthily follows the Mandarin through the castle.

Once the Mandarin reaches a chamber where the two observer missiles he had stolen are being held, a light signal flashes in the villain's computer, alerting him that the American military is preparing to launch another observer missile. Iron Man waits for the Mandarin to reveal how he intercepted the missiles (an interceptor ray that catches objects and brings it to the Mandarin's castle), and then attacks the villain. After knocking the Mandarin with a magnetic repulsor, Iron Man damages the machine. However, it's too late: The automatic relays have taken over the operation, and the ray can't be stopped. Iron Man seemingly flees from the battle, and flies into the missile at the right angle and speed, causing it to veer from its course and avoid the Mandarin's ray. In saving the missile, Iron Man is caught by the energy ray and pulled back into the castle.

As he's forced to crash into the castle, Iron Man enters through a window leading to the interceptor ray's chamber. He breaks a piece of stone masonry and hurls it at the ray's power supply, exploding it. For thwarting his plan, the Mandarin swears to destroy Iron Man, once and for all. After dodging a desintegrator ray from the villain, Iron Man runs away and falls into a trapdoor.

Meanwhile, at Stark Industries, Happy Hogan is trying to manage the company in the absence of Tony Stark, and failing. After trying to run away, Pepper forces Happy to go see the weapons development section, where a machine had been built to Happy's specifications, with horrible results.

Back in the Mandarin's Castle, Iron Man breaks his fall through the pipe trap with his jet boots before reaching its end, where a pool of acid was waiting for him. The Golden Avenger smashes through the side of the pipe, into a room with a deadly contraption. The device is activated by the Mandarin and crushes the hero. Iron Man survives the attack, but is forced through the floor into another room, where he encounters a giant-sized Mandarin. Iron Man tries to attack his gigantic foe, but it was merely an illusion created by an elaborate complex of mirrors. Stark glides down the floor again and faces multiple Mandarins. Punching through the illusions at random doesn't work, as his attacks are quickly counteracted by the real Mandarin in the form of deadly blows, but through the use of a built-in sonar in his armor, Iron Man pins the real Mandarin and knocks him out with a single punch. Iron Man runs away, hoping to make it back to the missile chamber.

The Mandarin recovers and follows Iron Man, but his jet boots give the Golden Avenger an advantage. Before the Mandarin can reach the chamber, he witnesses the missiles flying back on their original way. The Mandarin considers using the interceptor ray, but as soon as he reaches it, Iron Man destroys it.

One of the freed missiles lands on the American base, with Tony Stark inside it, who had managed to use it as a means to return, and had changed back from his super hero alter-ego. After the army receives him, Tony returns to America and informs the Pentagon their problem has been solved. He flies back to New York City, where he is welcomed by Pepper and Happy. On their way back to Stark Industries, Happy is jealous of seeing Pepper and Tony sitting so close in the car, so he goes through a bumpy road to annoy them. However, the road ends up causing one of the tires to blow out. While Happy is left to repair the wheel, Tony takes Pepper for a walk.

Appearing in "The Lady From Nowhere!"

Reprint of the 2nd story from
Strange Tales #124

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  • Zota (First appearance)

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Synopsis for "The Lady From Nowhere!"

Reprint of the 2nd story from
Strange Tales #124

While out in his astral form, Doctor Strange spots a mysterious spectral woman who is locked in a trance. Taking her back to his Sanctum and casting a protection spell, Strange visits the Ancient One, who uses a magic candle to send Strange to the mystery woman's point of origin.

Ending up in the ancient past, Doctor Strange battles the mystic named Zota, who is responsible for the woman's predicament. Defeating Zota and returning to his own time, Strange conjures a spell that frees the mystery spirit, who turns out to be Cleopatra.

Appearing in "The Hulk"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Incredible Hulk #1

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Synopsis for "The Hulk"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Incredible Hulk #1

Part 1: The Coming of the Hulk

At an Army base in the desert, Dr. Bruce Banner is readying the first test of his invention, the G-Bomb. General "Thunderbolt" Ross wants to know why Banner keeps delaying the test. His daughter Betty tries to calm him down, with little success. Banner tells Ross that the final countdown has begun. His assistant, Igor, demands that Banner share his work so that someone may check his calculations. "I don't make errors, Igor," says Bruce, and, when Igor threatens him, "You know how I detest men who think with their fists."

Banner takes a last look at the bomb with binoculars. He notices a teenage boy in a car, tells Igor to halt the countdown, and hurries after the boy in a jeep. Igor, who supposedly defected to the U.S. from the Soviet Union, is a spy and decides not to stop the countdown so that America will lose its greatest nuclear physicist. Banner gets the boy into a trench, but, before he can jump in himself, the G-Bomb explodes! Gamma rays saturate Banner's body.

Bruce Banner (Earth-616) from Incredible Hulk Vol 1 1 002

Birth of the Hulk

Hours later, Banner regains his senses. The boy, Rick Jones, who drove onto the base on a dare, brought him back to base. Banner waits for some kind of symptoms to appear. When night falls, Jones turns on a "radio," actually a Geiger counter. Its clicking increases, and Banner changes into a huge grey figure. "Get out of my way, insect," says the figure, shoving Jones aside. He pushes through the wall, wrecks a jeep full of soldiers when it hits him, and wanders off to hide. Jones follows.

Part 2: The Hulk Strikes!

Bruce Banner (Earth-616) from Incredible Hulk Vol 1 1 003

The thing that was once Banner, with Jones trailing him, sneaks past the soldiers trying to find him and finds Banner's cabin. Inside, Igor is trying to find Banner's notes. He shoots at the Hulk, without effect. The Hulk takes away his gun and crumples it with one hand. He picks up Igor and slams him down on a lab bench. Jones notices a folder taped to the bottom of a large beaker, labeled "Top Secret: Report on Gamma Ray Bomb," and takes it. The Hulk picks up a photo of Banner and says, "I - I know that face!! But it is weak - soft!! I hate it! Take it away!" Jones reminds him that he is Banner. The Hulk briefly remembers what happened, then says, "I don't need you! I don't need anybody! With my strength - my power - the world is mine! As for you - you are the only one who knows who I really am!" He advances on Jones. The sun comes up at that moment, and the Hulk changes back into Banner.

Part 3: The Search for the Hulk

The MPs storm in, arrest Igor, ask Banner about the Hulk, take the folder, and leave. Betty comes to apologize for her father's outburst and tells him he should get medical attention. Banner says he'll call her and shows her out. He tells Jones that he's afraid he will change again at sunset.

Part 4: Enter... the Gargoyle!

In his cell, Igor uses a transmitter overlaid on his thumbnail. The message finds its way to the Gargoyle, a deformed Soviet scientist and secret agent, who travels by submarine and short-range missile to the desert. Banner and Jones take a jeep out into the desert before night falls, in case he changes again. He does change, and the Hulk wrecks the jeep. He recognizes the area near Ross's house and decides to visit Betty. At the same time, Betty decides to take a walk. She encounters the Hulk and faints in his arms. The Gargoyle appears.

Part 5: The Hulk Triumphant!

The Gargoyle shoots the Hulk and Jones with drug-filled bullets, making them like robots. They follow him to a truck, whose driver also gets shot. Ross finds Betty, who was frightened by her encounter but says, "In spite of everything, there was something... something sad about him!! Almost as though he was seeking... help!" Ross says, "If it takes an eternity, I'll find that monster!"

The Gargoyle and his captives reach a sub on the coast and get into a jet. As they streak towards the USSR, the sun rises on the Hulk, who changes back into Banner. Upon landing, the Gargoyle is astounded to find a man instead of a monster. He begins to cry, because he wants to be normal too. Banner treats him with radiation, which makes him look normal but takes away his super intelligence. The man who was once the Gargoyle realizes how the state has used him, so he puts Banner and Jones on a jet for home and blows up his base along with himself.

Notes

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