Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7

Good afternoon, folks,

Hope everyone's been enjoying the weekend. I'm winding down the day with a discussion of the seventh Marvel Two-In-One annual. The cover showed the Thing in boxing togs alongside Colossus, Sasquatch, Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Hulk, Wonder Man, and the mighty Thor. The title of the 1983 annual's story was "And They Shall Call Him...Champion!"

In Alicia Masters' sculptor studio, the Thing was about to lose what remained of his patience. He'd been standing in the same pose for quite some time to accommodate Masters' request to help her finish a new sculpture. She worked on that miniature before working on a likeness of the Avengers' arch-enemy, Ultron. Ben Grimm was distracted by a bright light that signaled the arrival of a four-armed alien named Proja. 

The stranger was a promoter who arrived to offer Ben an opportunity of multiple lifetimes. He proposed that Grimm join in a contest for the championship of the galaxy. Proja left his business card before disappearing the same way that he'd arrived. The alien would go on to offer the same proposition to Thor, the Hulk, Doc Samson, Colossus, Namor, Sasquatch, Wonder Man, and the Vision. He disqualified the Vision after learning that the Avenger was a snynthoid. The Scarlet Witch fired a hex bolt at him just as the intruder vanished from their room. 

The other heroes that Proja had approached were transported to an artificial world together. They were then introduced to their host, an otherworldly being who called himself the Champion. He wanted to battle Earth's strongest warriors to determine who was the best. They rushed at him before being dismissed. The Champion left the room, leaving the heroes behind to be trained by his lackeys.

Ben's disappearance from Alicia's studio apartment was eventually noticed by his Fantastic Four teammates Sue (the Invisible Girl) and Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic). Alicia explained to them what happened. Sue tried to console Ben's girlfriend, while Reed used one of the many machines he'd created over his lifetime to scan the room for any traces of energy left behind by Proja. Reed learned that the Thing had been taken by someone whose strength rivaled that of Galactus himself, but chose to keep that knowledge to himself for the time being.

While Colossus' teammates and mentor, Professor X, were trying to determine who was responsible for their friend's kidnapping, he and his fellow captors were going through their initial workouts under the tutelage of the Champion's assistants. Doc Samson was the first challenger to be eliminated, followed closely behind by Namor, who refused to partake in the training sessions. 

Colossus, Sasquatch, the Hulk, Wonder Man, and the Thing pressed on. Their match would be held at Madison Square Garden in New York, and news of the event spread across the globe. Tickets were sold, and final contracts were signed before the event was about to begin.

Thor was the first hero to be summoned to the ring, which was enclosed under a transparent dome in the center of the stadium floor. It was strong enough that Wolverine and Cyclops' attacks on it were ineffective. The Champion took his place in the ring and greeted his first challenger before the initial bell rang. Thor was disqualified for using his hammer Mjolnir, and the (now-intelligent) Hulk was chosen to replace him. Hulk became more savage with each passing second and was also eliminated, since the Champion preferred not to battle a savage combatant.

Sasquatch soon took his place. He stood his ground before finally falling to the Champion's mighty blows. Colossus was next, but was removed after being unable to defend himself from more volleys flung at him by the alien. Wonder Man was next, but he was disqualified for trying to tear the floor of the ring out from underneath them.

The Thing was the only hero left to face the Champion. He was ready, but it turned out to be one of the most brutal fights of his lifetime. Grimm had faced many powerful foes before, but this one was in a league above most of them. Ben outpaced the friends before him and actually lasted three rounds before giving out after the bell rang for the fourth round.

The Champion smiled and held his trophy belt high to the disbelief of the audience. Ben crawled to face him, ready for a rematch. The Champion would not grant him that opportunity, and he and his referee vanished from sight moments before Grimm collapsed to the floor. His friends propped him up and carried him off.

I think that the script for this issue was likely influenced by the popularity of the Rocky movies. We would later learn that the Champion was an Elder of the Universe. He has since battled similarly powered beings like Galactus, Thanos, and the Silver Surfer, but as far as I know, he has not gone up against Grimm or his comrades since. I'm kind of surprised that a person who could pose that much of an intergalactic threat hasn't taken on other teams like the FF, X-Men, or Avengers at least once. 

If you want to find out what happened to Ben on his road to recovery, tune in tomorrow for my recap of the ninety-sixth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. That story reminds me of a similar plot that was rolled out in an often-reprinted Marvel Annual. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #95

Good morning,

Hope all's well with everyone. I'm starting the day with a recap of the ninety-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted Ben Grimm and the Living Mummy battling several large green snakes, with a trio of unidentified people behind them. The story was called "The Power to Live...The Power to Die!... The issue had a publication date of January 1983. 

The tale began at Alicia Masters' studio apartment in New York. Her boyfriend Grimm (aka the Thing) had intercepted a package delivery for her. As Alicia opened the box, Ben read the inscription on the included card. It mentioned becoming a new powerful Egyptian god. Inside the box was an ornate headdress. Once Masters donned it, she started to glow and seemed to be under the influence of the strange hat.

Alicia exclaimed that she was the new bride of Nephrus, and a beam emitted from the headpiece knocked Grimm across the room. She swore his death if he continued to intervene in the activities of immortals. Ben recovered, but by the time he left the apartment, Alicia was nowhere in sight. 

He decided to get a little insight on the situation by visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Thing arrived at the ancient Egyptian exhibit, where he was met by a curator named Lillian Temple-Worth. She initially rebuffed Ben, but changed her mind after showing him a picture of the headdress that Alicia now wore. Temple-Worth then showed Grimm a photo of Gamal Hassan, the man who had stolen that artifact from the museum. 

Ben had never seen the man before. Lillian replied that he'd been her superior before going off on his quest for a power stone that Hassan was certain had belonged to his Egyptian ancestors many years ago. By then, Alicia had arrived at the New York harbor and used the headdress's power to transform an ordinary-looking boat into a historic-looking skimmer that she flew off in as Ben was convincing Lillian that they needed to go to Egypt to address the threat.

In that very land, the figure known as the Living Mummy sat alone. He thought about some of his many adventures over the years. He'd survived for three thousand years and continued on to pursue power. He was determined to either live as a man once more or die so that his abnormal imitation of life would finally cease.

As he sat, the mummy noticed a caravan carrying a chariot that bore Alicia and Gamal. They were heading to a small dwelling nearby, one that Hassan was convinced contained within it the secret to immortality. They came across the building, which was supposedly constructed by Nephrus himself. Once they disembarked, Hassan bid Alicia to eliminate their servants, so they could continue on in peace.

While Hassan began his search with the aid of the purloined crown of Hathor that Alicia wore, Ben and Lillian were busy acquiring supplies in a local town. This included a pair of camels, who were initially a bit reluctant to obey the whims of their new owners. Ben fought off a few invaders before the duo rode off into the desert. 

At the same time, Alicia and Gamal entered the temple to find the spirit gem of Nephrus. Hassan stood guard while Masters searched and dispatched defenses upon seeing the pair of camel riders. The cannons were somewhat effective against Ben and Lillian, but he hadn't counted on the Living Mummy's intervention. 

The mummy entered the room where Hassan was watching the heroes and demanded that Nephrus make him human. Gamal fled, leaving the Living Mummy to look for the same power source that Masters and Hassan were searching for. Alicia eventually uncovered the stone, which Gamal grabbed and brought toward his chest.

As Ben and Lillian were wandering the tents surrounding the small domicile, the mummy emerged from one of them moments before the newly powered Gamal and Alicia burst into view. Grimm threw the first stone before Hassan, with the spirit of Nephrus inhabiting him, relished the thought of facing his old enemy N'Kantu (the Living Mummy) again after many long years. 

Hassan was about to fire a beam at the Thing before Temple-Worth jumped forward holding a mirror, which reflected the bolt back at the villain. He was temporarily incapacitated, and the Living Mummy moved closer to him. Lillian tossed an electrical cable at Alicia, which severed her link with the helmet.

Masters was back to her old self again. Temple-Worth brought her to Ben, right before the mummy and his longtime rival renewed their centuries-old rivalry. Ben interfered, tearing down a stone pillar that he hurled at Hassan. His foe used his supernatural abilities to transmute arrows into large snakes at the mummy. Lillian advised Alicia to use the crown she wore against their common foe. She used it to fire a beam at Hassan, which cleaved the jewel from his chest.

Gamal fell to the sand below, and the gem landed in one of Ben's mighty palms. Hassan pleaded for its return, but soon disintegrated into dust after Ben crushed the jewel in his hand. Grimm held Masters close to him, as Lillian looked on and the Living Mummy wandered off on his own, knowing that part of his past was permanently over. 

I don't know much about the Living Mummy, but I have read a few of Marvel's other monster titles from the 1970s. I guess this was a bit of closure for that character. He would return again from time to time, but this was a satisfying single-issue story that ended a threat before it could have had far-reaching repercussions across the entire world.

That's it for now. Later today, I'll discuss the seventh and final Marvel Two-In-One annual for this series' run. The Thing joins several other similarly strong adventurers in a battle royale against an intergalactic menace. Until then, have a great Sunday and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #94

Good afternoon,

Hope everyone's been enjoying the holiday weekend. Time for me to talk about the ninety-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover was illustrated as a video arcade game, with a player activating the controls as the Thing, Power Man, and Iron Fist battled on screen. The tale was titled "The Power Trap!" The issue had a cover date of December 1982.

The story started on a street in a seedy part of New York. Alicia Masters was making her way alone from the Baxter Building to her apartment, where her boyfriend, Ben Grimm (the Thing), was going to pick up a block of Italian marble to transport to her home. Several gang members watched the pretty blind girl stroll by before deciding to step in her way.

They rummaged through her purse, bringing out the face moldings she'd carved. One of them pushed Alicia down before some of the others opted for more drastic measures. However, before any harm could befall Masters, someone started throwing rocks from a nearby entryway at the young punks, who quickly fled the scene.

A few moments later, Alicia's savior stepped out from the shadows. He helped her to her feet and assisted Masters in gathering her belongings. The two started talking on the way to Alicia's studio apartment. Once inside, the stranger was amazed by the lifelike qualities of her works. He sat down, talking about his struggles while Alicia used her hands to scan his face. Within minutes, she had sculpted a remarkable likeness of the man.

When they heard Ben's footsteps ascending the stairway, the stranger started to panic. He was ducking out of a window when Grimm entered the room. Ben automatically assumed the worst and insinuated that his love had abandoned him for someone else. Alicia explained what had happened and gestured toward her newest work of art. Ben recognized the visage as the missing billionaire, Jeff Mann. He went AWOL some time before, and his company had been searching for any clues about his whereabouts. 

While Ben and Alicia were silently wishing Mann well, the heroes for hire known as Power Man and Iron Fist were conversing in a local video arcade. Luke Cage (Power Man) was playing a new game called "X-Factor." Just when he thought he'd mastered the game, its namesake X-Factor opened a trap that his onscreen icon fell into.

Cage was about to take his frustrations out on the inanimate machine until a boy's question made him rethink that. He put the console down and let Danny Rand (Iron Fist) take a turn at it. Rand was mystified by the complexity, and he experienced the same kind of loss that Cage had minutes earlier. They stopped playing the game when their colleague Benny gave them information about the missing industrialist Mann. 

Rand and Cage took the corporate route to try to track down the businessman, while Grimm returned to the Baxter Building and had its computer banks print out all available information on Jeff. It indicated a connection with Ben's old friend from Yancy Street, Jeff Dean. He ran to his old stomping grounds immediately.

Meanwhile, Rand was playing racquetball at an exclusive athletic club with Mann's former baseball teammate and business rival Kurt Samael. After Kurt won the match, the two of them retreated to the cafe, where Samael disclosed that Mann had lost interest in his pitching career and retired early, and that he'd served as Mann's real estate broker for all of his transactions, except that he wouldn't let him close the sale of an abandoned Yancy Street property. 

Cage was in the Village at the time and ran across a newsstand owner who he learned had a working arrangement with Mann. Jeff could be contacted at an abandoned building on Yancy Street. Things were starting to fall in piece for all three of this issue's stars.

Luke was the first one to reach the deserted tenement. He found Jeff sitting by himself in an upstairs room. Cage cornered the billionaire, who freely admitted that he hated how rapidly his business empire had grown. It started to feel like they were in control of everything in Jeff's life. 

Cage empathized with Mann, but also knew that a contract was a contract. They exited the building together, where the Thing caught up with them. The two former teammates (Cage briefly replaced Grimm on the Fantastic Four when Ben temporarily lost his powers) argued over who should take Mann. That gave Mann time to flee, but he wound up in the arms of Iron Fist. 

Rand walked on with Mann, while Ben and Luke engaged in a confrontation, one that resulted in the destruction of the very building that Cage and Mann had just occupied. Iron Fist brought Mann back to his company, but wasn't about to be paid until both he and Power Man were present. Danny went to bring his friend back, as the corporate executives prepared to continue with their plans. 

A short while later, Danny confronted the Thing, and Cage and Rand entered Mann's company together. They stood above its emblem on the floor, which opened up as a trapdoor, sending the heroes into a narrow pit that led to several obstacles. Grimm was waiting outside for ten minutes before barging in. 

The Thing found himself standing on the same trapdoor moments later and joined his comrades in battling the automated traps. The Thing's mighty punch opened a hole in the wall and allowed Rand to use his unique ability to prevent the evildoers' car from fleeing the scene. 

Mann thanked the heroes for their intervention, noting that he'd designed the X-Factor game as a way of dealing with the frustrations he'd experienced. One of those consoles was just a few feet away, and Ben was soon just as obsessed with it as Rand and Cage had been in the video arcade. The story ended before we knew whether or not Ben was able to beat the game.

Video arcades were wildly popular during the time when this story was written. Video games would also be part of another upcoming MTIO plot. There were no supervillains in this saga, but it was still a fun standalone issue nonetheless. Nothing great, but not terrible, either. 

That's all I have for you today. I'll start Sunday with a synopsis of the ninety-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben and Alicia become involved with a character who once had its own series of stories back when Marvel had their monster mags. Until then, have a great weekend, and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #93

TGIF, folks!

Closing out another busy week with a summary of the ninety-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing involved in a slugfest with Machine Man, as the villain Ultron looked on. The tale was titled "And One Shall Die..!" The issue had a cover date of November 1982.

When we last left Ben Grimm, he'd been entranced by the recently revived Ultron and had his sights set on crushing the hero called Machine Man (as shown last issue). Although he'd been damaged during his own confrontation with the Avengers' longtime rival, Machine Man (aka Aaron Stack) still had enough tenacity to stand his ground. He stretched one of his artificial arms to reach the handle of an electrical relay, hoping the connection would be enough to incapacitate his unlikely opponent.

Afterward, the robot developed a small magnetic energy field that he used to push Ultron away from them. He then grabbed Jocasta and left through the hole in the wall that Ultron had just made. Machine Man used his circuitry to interface with Ben's jet cycle, and the duo flew away just as the Thing and Ultron were recovering. 

The robots escaped, but Ultron hypnotized Ben again. This time, he was certain that his evil plans would not fail. Machine Man headed to his friend Gears Garvin's garage, hopeful that his comrade could help him repair the damage Ultron had caused during their initial encounter. While Garvin worked, Jocasta explained why she'd left the Avengers and had felt compelled to return to the site of Ultron's form, because he had manipulated her into restoring him (as shown in the previous issue). She still felt guilty for having done so, but Machine Man reassured her, knowing that it wasn't her fault and that they would eventually defeat him. 

In the meantime, Ultron was using his new soldier, the Thing, to do the heavy lifting for him. Grimm placed barrels of liquid resin that the robot planned to use to create duplicates of himself for his eventual rematch against the Avengers. Additional materials were needed, which Ben obtained by force at Stark International. The hero made off with several chemicals that his new master requested. He placed them in a deep space survival capsule before placing them on the flier that Ultron had been using since his resurgence. 

Ultron wanted to make the world a better place, but those pesky humans kept getting in the way. With his army of clones, the robot would be free to try to accomplish that goal. Meanwhile, Garvin was continuing with his creative attempts at repairing Machine Man while Stack's roommate Peter Spaulding argued with the mechanic. Jocasta walked out during the verbal confrontation, and Stack caught up with her.

The former Avenger seemed to be a bit jealous of the fact that Machine Man had people who cared about him. She stated that she felt like an outsider in the super-team. Stack told her that some cared about her before bringing her back to the garage.

A short while later, Garvin plugged Jocasta into a device that was used to track Ultron. Once they knew of his whereabouts, Garvin, Stack, and Jocasta piled onto Ben's jet cycle and headed toward that destination. They soon reached the underground facility where Ultron was building his army of duplicates. 

Jocasta used her energy eye beams to blast an entrance, and the trio soon found themselves facing two paths. The former Avenger took one hallway, while Machine Man and Garvin entered the other. Ultron had set several traps for the intruders, including his new servant, the Thing.

The evil robot was waiting for Ultron. He tried to appeal to her sensitivity, but she rejected him once more. While they talked, Ben was still trying to destroy his master's enemies. Jocasta then grabbed the power cannon Ultron had been holding and forced its destruction.

The resulting explosion tore a hole in the wall behind them. It also started to rouse Grimm, who was jus beginning to break free of Ultron's command. He united with Machine Man to rebel against Ultron. Machine Man extended one of his mechanical arms into his opponent's mouth, where he grabbed wires until their foe fell to the floor.

An internal detonation downed the evil robot, at least for the time being. However, the destruction of the cannon also destroyed Jocasta's body. Machine Man picked up several pieces and openly mourned the loss of his new friend. 

This was a sort of closure for both Machine Man and Jocasta. Machine Man would return in a four-issue limited series set in the future a couple of years later, and this version of Aaron Stack would return to assist the Avengers and other superheroes. Jocasta, who was modeled after Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp) would be rebuilt and also help other heroes, and reform a relationship with Machine Man. For the time being, it was a way to address a couple of characters who had small followings, but apparently not enough to warrant some solo or team adventures for them.

That's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the ninety-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The Thing pairs up with a couple of heroes for hire who had their own combined book at the time to take on a menace that was rather appropriate for the technology of the early 1980s. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #92

Happy Thursday, folks!

Today's topic is the ninety-second issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing, Jocasta, and Machine Man preparing for battle as the image of the villain Ultron's head loomed in the background. The tale was titled "This Evil Returning..!" The issue had a cover date of October 1982.

The story started at the Cairo, Egypt, airport, where Ben Grimm was booking a flight back to New York City. He had no baggage to declare, wrecked the metal detector (which was obviously not built for his frame), and even assisted in breaking up a terrorist attack while waiting to board his plane, but Ben eventually managed to fly toward home.

Meanwhile, in that same city, a trio of young punks had found what they thought would be their next victim. A woman wearing a hat and trench coat asked them to stop following her. They failed to heed her warning and were knocked unconscious moments later.

At the Baxter Building, Grimm's teammate Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) was engaged in a conversation with Ben's girlfriend, Alicia Masters. Grimm had called from London and was on his way home. Johnny Storm (the Human Torch) was on his way to the airport to pick Grimm up. Reed had been working on a beta ray detector when Alicia asked Reed about his efforts to turn Ben human again. All previous efforts had failed, which Reed suspected might partially be due to the fact that Grimm feared what Alicia would think of him if he returned to his human form.

Before they could converse about that subject further, the guest scanner indicated a visitor had arrived. While Reed was stunned by the identity of their guest, Ben's plane was landing at JFK International Airport. Storm gave him a ride in the Fantasticar, and Grimm and Masters were soon reunited. While they were getting reacquainted, Richards introduced his comrades to Jocasta, who had recently left the Avengers.

The female robot was originally created to serve as the evil Ultron's mate, but wound up becoming one of the Avengers. She never really felt like a true member of that team, and left of her own accord after their roster was trimmed to six. Jocasta's cybernetic abilities started feeling a bit out of whack, which is why she sought the assistance of the Fantastic Four.

Reed offered her the use of a guest room and promised to address the issue. Alicia invited Jocasta to her next art exhibition, which seemed to be a rather kind gesture for a person who seemed a bit down on their luck. Ben and Alicia were about to head out when Reed brought up the matter of the destroyed Pogo plane (demolished by the Sphinx last issue). He made Grimm agree to visit their insurance agency as soon as possible.

Afterward, Reed called upon the Avengers and obtained some valuable information from Captain America about Ultron. Their longtime foe was supposedly defeated. The android was still frozen at a deserted heavy metals factory but very much aware of his condition and plotting his next move.

The next day, the Thing checked in at Delmar Insurance. There he conferred with Aaron Stack (aka Machine Man) to make a claim on the destroyed vehicle. Alicia was at her gallery exhibit, where one patron mistook Jocasta for one of the blind sculptor's works of art. The two new friends had a laugh about it before Jocasta's senses started going awry, and she began smashing her way through the building.

Masters made a panic-stricken call to the Baxter Building, which was picked up by Ben's beeper. He left the insurance office to investigate, not knowing that Machine Man was about to tag along. Jocasta's outburst had brought her to the same factory where Ultron stood. She carefully constructed a machine that she placed around her creator. Jocasta then pulled a switch to empty a bucket of liquid adamantium over the unmoving figure.

She blasted the robot with her eye beams, and shortly thereafter, Ultron emerged, good as new. She instantly regretted the part she played in his revival, but before she could defend herself, Machine Man entered the fray. He was tussling with the titan before Ben arrived via jet cycle. 

Machine Man was trying to repair his stretched mechanical legs when Grimm took on his opponent. Ben was evenly matched with Ultron until the villain used hypnotism to entrance his attacker. Ben then turned on Machine Man, who didn't look like he was ready for another battle just yet. 

I remember reading Jocasta's origin story, which I picked up from the bargain box at my local comic book shop, just like I did this two-part epic. She was another very underutilized character at the time, as was Machine Man, who was coming off the cancellation of his own title. Both Machine Man and Jocasta would disappear from the Marvel landscape and later return, although not quite the same as they once were. Since this title was also coming to an end very soon, I guess it was appropriate for the creative staff to tackle the fates of these characters. 

I never was a big Ultron fan, but I had to give him credit for his tenacity. He played a significant role for a while during the first Secret Wars limited series, and has recently gone on to assist the same Avengers that he fought for years. It seems that he's made his peace with his maker, Hank Pym, and others on the Avengers teams, at least for the moment anyway.

If you want to know what happened to the heroes, show up tomorrow for my recap of the ninety-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. You'll find out if Ben did indeed start a fight with Stack, and what role Jocasta played in the confrontation. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #91

Good morning, folks,

Welcome to the first Wednesday of the month. It's time for me to discuss the ninety-first issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing chained to a brick wall, with the shadow of a foe looming over him. The story was called "In the Shadow of the Sphinx!" The issue had a publication date of September 1982.

The tale began in Egypt, as an archaeological expedition was working to uncover a petrified figure, which appeared to have been buried for more than 2,000 years. A violent rumble from beneath the Earth disrupted Professor Warren Hempstead and his crew, who then found themselves staring up at a tall figure who seemed larger than life. Several months later, Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange was spending time in his Greenwich Village home when he sensed danger. The Cauldon of the Cosmos indicated that the Thing might be the one to quell the threat. He dispatched his astral form to seek out his friend.

Meanwhile, at the Baxter Building in New York City, Ben Grimm was holding a 24-ton weight up with one hand while reading a book that was in his other hand. The appearance of Strange's astral version startled him momentarily, but the Thing was able to right the weight and set it down before learning what the Defender came calling for. 

At first, Ben didn't believe Strange's story. He wasn't about to jet off to Egypt to examine the source until after Stephen left. He then ran into his teammate Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), who was poring over a map of pyramids. One in particular appeared to be new, and not far from where the Hempstead expedition had disappeared several months prior. That was all Grimm needed to be convinced to check out the new pyramid.

He set off in a Pogo plane and was in the desert several hours later. Ben got out and wandered through the town. Grimm didn't know the language, but his presence was quickly talked about by those who observed him. Word got out to Professor Hempstead, who tracked him down in a deserted alleyway. He was about to inform Ben about the one who'd forced him into slave labor when city guards arrived.

The Thing dispatched them with ease, but the professor had disappeared in the chaos. Ben decided to switch tactics and surrendered to some of the same men he had just clobbered. They were surprised but led Grimm to their master. Ben looked up in acknowledgement before he was blasted into unconsciousness.

When he awoke, Grimm found himself manacled to a wall, where he stood before his old enemy: the Sphinx. His foe sat calmly before rising to tell his captive about his history. The one known as the Sphinx had been alive for more than 5,000 years. He started out as a simple peasant who had once worked as the primary magician for the Pharaoh Ramses. When his abilities failed him on a particular task, he was dismissed from his job.

The young man left the pyramid and walked alone until he discovered a temple that seemed to have been lost to the ages. He stepped inside and was soon drawn to the ka stone that was on display. He grabbed it, placed it on his head, and became one with the stone. The Sphinx was now a mighty, immortal warrior who lived through centuries of conflict and strife. He began to grow bored as he started to feel that he'd lived through certain things before on multiple occasions. 

Eventually, the Sphinx's desire to continue on led him into confrontation with the Fantastic Four and the world devourer known as Galactus. During their climactic battle, the alien took the ka stone from the Sphinx's forehead and crushed it. He then sent his opponent back in time to retrace his steps.

Doing so was Galactus' error. The lad found the ka stone again, and encountered his duplicate in the process. The pair worked together on developing a machine that would restore the stone. Once that goal had been achieved, the Sphinx then hypnotized his doppelganger to forget that they'd ever met while he went into suspended animation, as he repeated the incidents he'd witnessed over and over again. He dreamed of revenge and was now about to put his plans into motion.

The people that the Sphinx had overpowered were busy working on his restoration ray. He was certain that he'd be reunited with the restored ka stone sooner rather than later. After the Sphinx left the room, Hempstead entered. Grimm finally had the strength to break his shackles, although the concentrated effort made him feel a bit weak afterward. 

He soon made his way outside the pyramid, where his opponent was settting up the device. As the machine began to hum, Ben ran toward the Sphinx. Several guards stood in the Thing's way, but they posed no real challenge. Soon, both old enemies were locked in mortal combat once more. 

The battle raged on while the machine continued working. At one point, the Sphinx was thrown toward Ben's plane, and he threw the vehicle at Grimm. The pogo plane crashed into the sand, breaking apart upon impact. Ben crawled to the restoration device, and let loose with a mighty punch that demolished the contraption.

The Sphinx cried out in terror as the ka stone was discharged from the device. Even though it was still incomplete, he placed it on his headress, and levitated to his pyramid, which took to the air swiftly. Ben was left behind to stare in silence.

This wasn't really a team-up issue, since neither Strange nor Reed joined Grimm in his quest. I guess that it was a kind of foreshadowing for the Thing's solo series, that debuted not long after this title ended. The Sphinx would return in that new book before it wrapped up. After that appearance, the ka stone would be found by a woman who later became the female Sphinx, as depicted in the New Warriors series. 

If you want to find out how Ben got home, tune in tomorrow for my recap of the ninety-second issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Grimm pairs up with a former Avenger and another character who had their own short-lived title to take on a menace who has appeared many times against a multitude of Marvel heroes. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #90

Happy Tuesday, peeps!

Today's topic is the ninetieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing and Spider-Man stunned as a large monster emerged from beneath the ground. The tale was titled "Eyes of the Sorcerer." The issue had a cover date of August 1982.

The story started at the Central Park Renaissance Fair. Among those in attendance were Peter Parker and his date Debra Whitman, and Ben Grimm and his longtime girlfriend, Alicia Masters. Ben's arrival garnered attention from others among the crowd, including a young boy who wanted the Thing to demonstrate his strength.

Deb wanted to speak with Alicia, but unnoticed among those at the fair was a rather unsuccessful magician named Phil, who had suddenly been enthralled by a sorcerer named Sardeth who was about to face a dire fate several years in the past. He connected with the young magician and inhabited his mind shortly after his corporeal form faded away. Phil brushed his associate aside as Sardeth took up residence in his brain.

Grimm was continuing to entertain people nearby while Parker struck up a conversation with Masters. The blind sculptress picked up on how Peter was ignoring his date, something that he wasn't aware of at first. At the same time, Sardeth was examining his new surroundings through the young man's eyes, and he definitely didn't like what he saw. 

The magician used his ancient abilities to bring a maypole to life, ensnaring several people in its ribbons. The Thing went to intervene, while Parker made an excuse to get away from Deb so that he could change into his superhero costume. While Pete was changing, Sardeth put a jouster under his power, and he rode toward the Fantastic Four's strongman.

Parker ducked into a tent as soon as he saw Deb herd Alicia away from the danger. He then swung onto the scene as Spider-Man and assisted his longtime friend. The rider had been knocked from his mount, but the armed and armored warrior swung his sword at Spidey like a man possessed, which he actually was.

Spider-Man and the Thing defeated the knight, who soon returned to normal. Seeing Whitman and Masters walking together momentarily distracted the heroes, but the danger was far from over. Sardeth sailed over the busy city streets and conjured a spell that brought a mighty creature rumbling up from underground. 

Ben took on the beast, while Peter went after the magician. The urging of Phil's girlfriend convinced the heroes that the young magician was not acting under his own power. Grimm grasped the boy firmly, and Sardeth's spirit finally left his body. Now all that remained was the creature, stuck in the middle of the pavement. Ben wondered if the Central Park Zoo would appreciate another donation. 

This was an enjoyable one-off story. Spidey and the Thing work well together, and it was good to see them pair up to tackle a rather easy villain to defeat. It was set in a place where both characters could reasonably be at the same time as civilians, and the situation was resolved rather quickly. My only regret is that we've yet to see Sardeth reappear in another Marvel mag. 

That's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the ninety-first issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben is recruited by an old friend to take on one of his deadliest foes. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.