Hulk's nemesis was Ahab

I was reading a Hulk comic book and came across a Moby Dick reference.

Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 (February 2010)

The Thing of the Fantastic Four is delivering a eulogy for General Thunderbolt Ross, who was killed by the Red Hulk. The Thing says, "Like Ahab, the Hulk was Ross' white whale. S'okay, so, Reed [Mr. Fantastic of the Fantasic Four] wrote that 'Ahab' bit, but I'd bet my last nickel that if Ross were here, there's nothing I said that he wouldn't want said."

This is just in the middle of the comic book. Out of nowhere, this analogy comes up. There is not even a preface for it. Also note how The Thing said that the smart guy had to write the analogy. Not the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing, the "regular guy" on the Fantastic Four. The smart guy had to come up with it. The analogy is spot on, by the way, almost like it was originally conceived that way. I wonder if it was.

Just very interesting where these references come up and how they are used.