 Howard and Beverly later embarked on a cruise ship, where they encountered Beverly's former college classmate Lester Verde, now the supervillain Doctor Bong, who reveals that he has had a crush on her since college and says that she must marry him, otherwise he would kill Howard.She agreed, and they were married by a passing ship captain.Beverly did not enjoy being married to him as he was not interested in her and instead was only interested in the Edgar Allan Poe poem "The Bells".