It is the day of the original gamma bomb test, and a U.F.O. invades the skies near the Gamma Base. Military planes are sent to shoot it down, but a robotic pod is left behind. Rick Jones, who is late for a date with Rita, uses the base as a shortcut, unaware of the test. Bruce Banner, the inventor of the gamma bomb, sees Rick and tells Dr. Carlston to hold the countdown until he can get to the teenager. Carlston, however, plans on stealing the gamma formula and uses the opportunity to continue the countdown with intent to kill Banner. Bruce is able to push Rick into a protective ditch, but gets caught in the blast himself, exposing him to a massive amount of gamma radiation. Bruce turns into the Hulk for the first time at the base hospital where he escapes and finds Carlston at his cottage. Apparently, Carlston is a robot under orders from the alien being piloting the U.F.O. who ejected using the pod. The alien kidnaps Betty and steals the gamma formula from her. The Hulk is able to retrieve them both by defeating the pod in the form of a robotic spider.

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Despite the villian substitutions and the fact that the Hulk first appeared as a grey behemoth in the comics, this is a pretty accurate representation of the Hulk's origin. The gamma bomb explosion is spectacular, as well as the sequence leading up to it. A great way to introduce the Hulk as a savage but heroic figure!

Number One - Originally, the villian was a deformed scientist from Russia named the Gargoyle, and the spy was also a Russian named Igor. Apparently, with the Cold War waning at the time, this had to be changed. So, they replaced the Gargoyle with an alien designated as Number One, and Igor with a robot designated as Four-Three. Go figure.

No great feat in this one. Unless you count man-handling a teenager into a protective ditch.