Appearing in "The Stage is Set!"
Tales to Astonish #81
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- United States Air Force
- General "Thunderbolt" Ross (Only on screen as a static image or video record)
- Major Glenn Talbot
- Betty Ross
- Rick Jones
Antagonists:
- Secret Empire (First appearance)
- Number Five (First appearance)
- Number Seven (First appearance)
- Number Two (First appearance; unnamed)
- Boomerang (Fred) (First appearance)
- Mole Man
- Moloids
- Numerous unnamed Moloids
- Tyrannoids
- Numerous unnamed Tyrannoids
- Tyrannus
Other Characters:
- United States Army
- Unnamed Lieutenant
- Numerous unnamed soldiers
- Fred's Date (First appearance)
- James Bond (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New Mexico
- Los Diablos Missile Base (Only on screen as a static image or video record)
- New Mexico
- United States of America
- South America (Mentioned)
- Europe (Mentioned)
- Subterranea
- Fountain of Youth
- Tyrannus' Science Building (Name revealed)
- North America
Items:
- Orion Missile (Only on screen as a static image or video record)
- Mole Man's Staff
- Matter Transmitter
Synopsis for "The Stage is Set!"
Tales to Astonish #81
Meanwhile Rick, Betty, and Glenn manage to make it to the surface where they are attacked by Boomerang who kidnaps Betty in hopes of using her to get the Orion Missile as ransom. Back underground, Banner is forced to become the Hulk in order to fight his way through the battling armies, and succeeds in making it to the lab of Tyrannus. Although the Hulk hates machines and begins to smash his way through the various devices, he manages to find the matter transference device and to activate it to return him to the surface.
The story is continued next issue...Appearing in "When a Monarch Goes Mad!"
Tales to Astonish #81
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Empire of Atlantis
- Lord Vashti
- Atlantean Army
- Numerous unnamed soldiers
- Dorma's Cousin
- Atlantean Navy
- Numerous unnamed soldiers
- Lady Dorma
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Neptune (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
- Mutant Atlantean-Human Hybrids
- Fish
- Atlanteans
- Humans (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earth
- Atlantic Ocean
- Atlantis
- Atlantean Imperial Palace
- Atlantis
- Atlantic Ocean
Items:
- Neptune's Trident (Cameo)
- Observa-Coils
- Krang's Gas (First appearance)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "When a Monarch Goes Mad!"
Tales to Astonish #81
Namor is furious at the news that Lady Dorma has gone off to marry the exiled Warlord Krang, unaware of the fact that she has been blackmailed to do so, left to believe that Krang has control over the Behemoth creature, unaware that Namor had recently defeated the creature. Lord Vashti tries to talk sense into Namor, attempting to get him to realize that she must have had a reason to go with Krang. The Sub-Mariner, however, is too furious to listen to any of Vashti's advice.
His anger getting the better of him, Namor decrees that to speak Lady Dorma's name is forbidden and then has one of her known living relatives to be locked away in the dungeon for nothing more than being related to Lady Dorma. Vashti becomes more concerned as Namor completely loses his temper, making the elderly adviser wonder if this will spell the end of Atlantis. The Sub-Mariner attempts to calm his rage by using his strength to smash things but cannot shake his desire for vengeance. Deciding that he must have it, he attempts to track Krang's submarine but finds no trace, instead ordering his armies to go out and seek and destroy Lord Krang on sight.
Krang has managed to block the detecting rays of Atlantis' Observa-Coils with a special blocking device. Deciding that they need to retreat to the surface, Krang and Droma expose themselves to a special gas that allows them to breathe outside of water and head to the surface, giving away their cover. Learning that Dorma and Krang intend to go to the surface world, the Sub-Mariner races after them in the hopes of getting the vengeance he believes the deserves.
This story is continued in Tales of Suspense #79...