This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero blog post from Balladeer’s Blog will look at several consecutive issues of The Incredible Hulk. Previously I examined his first twenty stories in the 1960s.
HULK Vol 1 #150 (April 1972)
Title: Cry Hulk, Cry Havok
Villains: Havok and Polaris
Synopsis: Hulk once again escapes from Hulkbuster Base despite the efforts of General “Thunderbolt” Ross and his troops to prevent it. Ross gets summoned to Washington D.C. to face a Senate committee regarding continued funding of his base.
In Ross’s absence, Major Glenn Talbot is left in charge. Betty Ross, Bruce Banner’s previous romantic interest, convinces Glenn to continue the base’s search for the Hulk in the American desert southwest. Hulk encounters X-Men member Polaris (Lorna Dane). Her green hair confuses Hulk into mistaking her for his love interest Jarella, who recently returned to the Microverse/ Quantum Realm.
NOTE: Thanks to sorcerers on Jarella’s home planet in the Microverse, Hulk was able to retain Bruce Banner’s mind there even when he was the Hulk, so she technically loved both his personae.
Polaris has come westward to convince her teammate Havok (Alex Summers) to return to the X-Men. He had stormed out after injuring Iceman in a fight over Lorna’s affections. Hulk wants her to come with him because he still thinks she is Jarella.
Havok dons his costume and follows after them. Polaris uses her magnetic powers to free herself from the Hulk’s clutches and Havok manages to blast the Hulk with such intense power blasts that the monster is knocked out. Continue reading
BY AEROPLANE TO THE SUN (1910) – Written by Donald W. Horner. This British novel features ideas that wouldn’t have been out of place decades earlier but in 1910 it’s astounding to encounter concepts like an alleged scientist believing that the sun is inhabited. 
FRANCOIS VILLON – This part picks up with one of the most infamous incidents from Villon’s career as an outlaw and iconoclast. He graduated from the Sorbonne as a Master of Arts and had acquired such a reputation for youthful rebellion and hard-drinking bad craziness that “Villonerie” had become a catch-all term for disorder and disobedience. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – This clash for the crown pitted the MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS against the NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS. 
GOOD EVENING, MR. TIBBS – As promised, I recently obtained a copy of author John Ball’s final story featuring his iconic African American homicide detective Virgil Tibbs. Yes, THAT Virgil Tibbs, introduced in the 1965 novel and 1966 movie In the Heat of the Night. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The top seeds – the CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS – took on the 2nd seeded WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PIONEERS (should be Flying Ws) in this title tilt. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in this Division were the top seeded CROWN COLLEGE POLAR BEARS and the 3 seeds – the NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY RAMS. 
HAPPY EASTER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! The good response to my blog post about 
CHRISTUS (1916) – Directed by Giulio Cesare Antamoro, this is a fascinating look at Jesus, from the Angel visiting Mary through his Resurrection and subsequent visit with his Apostles. Christus runs 88 minutes and features some inventive variations on Biblical tableaux. The Star of Bethlehem is depicted as a comet; when Mary finds young Jesus preaching to his teachers His shadow appears as a cross; and Judas gets three visions of the Devil – first urging him on to betray Jesus, then taunting him when he regrets that betrayal, and finally welcoming him into Hell, which opens up under Judas’ swinging corpse. 
DE STILLE GETUIGE (The Silent Witness) 
THE QUEST OF SETH FOR THE OIL OF LIFE (1962) – Written by Esther Casier Quinn, this is one of the best and most concise works of comparative mythology that I have ever read. It’s a medieval legend often compared to the Grail story and is appropriate for Holy Thursday. The Quest of Seth for the Oil of Life is also known as The Quest of Seth for the Oil of Mercy, The Legend of the Rood and many other titles. 
For those not familiar with this particular popular offshoot of the canonical story of Jesus Christ here’s a brief overview:
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – It was a case of Lion-on-Lion violence as the FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY LIONS did battle with the LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS (should be Hugheses) for the title. 
FIRST QUARTERFINAL – The 6 seeds – the SAGU-AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE WARRIORS – had a surprise in store for the 3rd seeded MISSION UNIVERSITY PATRIOTS. 
Balladeer's Blog 