The Incredible Hulk was a phenomenon back in the late seventies/early eighties and had not just a top selling comic book, but had become a household name after three series of a TV programme. According to the editors Hulk merchandising was second only to Star Wars at that point. No mean achievement for a character that hadn't been that successful at his inception.
This issue was however to be the last of one of the longer running Marvel Magazines which were themselves running out of steam except for the Savage Sword of Conan which lasted well into the nineties.
Originally published as the Rampaging Hulk chronicling the "missed adventures" of ole greenskin between the demise of his first title (which lasted just 6 issues) until his re-appearance in Tales to Astonish, the magazine had been transformed into a glossy colour magazine to take advantage of the TV show. Sadly sales and the fact many stores didn't either stock or know where to put the magazine apparently.
Thus The Hulk reverted to black & white staus but ended with #29.
There are two stories winding up the Hulks adventures in this format. Feudin, which sees Bruce Banner unwittingly kidnapped by a bunch of thieving hillbillies when they hijack a truck unaware who is sleeping in the back. When they discover him and its shipment of mice they are none too happy.
Threatened with death from both the hillbillies and the local beauty's suitor they soon learn that you just don't get the Hulk angry....
There is also a feature on the history of the Hulk up until this point Readers are reminded that the HUlk was originally grey but it wasn't gamma rays that made him green, it was poor colour printing on cheap paper. The original grey was impossible to maintain and green was substituted.
The final story sees the Hulk in Vegas, learning how to get "shiny things" out of slot machines (he doesn't require luck!) and gets involved with a gang feud and becomes a rather unreliable enforcer of sorts.
People never learn.
The Hulks adventures continued (as they do today) in the normal full colour format. And a movie star these days!
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