The Mighty World of Marvel #17

In "The Horde of Humanoids!", Bruce Banner, imprisoned and medicated to suppress his Hulk persona, faces a crisis when Rick Jones appeals directly to President Lyndon Johnson for his release. With the help of Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross and Glen Talbot, Banner is freed to oversee the testing of the powerful absorbatron on Astra Island—only for the Leader to unleash a horde of Humanoids in a bid to destroy the device and the Hulk alike.

In "The Lady and the Monster! Part 1," the Thing, still under the Puppet Master's control, is caught in a moment of vulnerability when Mister Fantastic administers a strange potion—one that begins to unravel the monstrous transformation. As Ben Grimm’s true self flickers beneath the surface, the line between hero and monster blurs, and Alicia Masters watches with growing concern. With the Human Torch at her side, she must decide how far she’ll go to reach the man beneath the skin.

In "Face-to-Face with the Puppet Master! Part 2," the Puppet Master orchestrates a daring jailbreak not for freedom, but to challenge the might of the Fantastic Four. When Invisible Girl sends out a desperate signal, her teammates converge—Mister Fantastic, the Human Torch, and the Thing—only to find the Puppet Master already slipping away, his next move shrouded in shadow and strings.