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. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #89

Happy Monday, folks,

My last blog post for August (and 777th post overall) concentrates on the eighty-ninth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing shackled to a large chair and the Human Torch lying on the ground in front of him, tied up and being doused with flame-retardant foam. An unidentified woman appears to be leading several soldiers, one of whom was using the fire extinguisher on Johnny Storm, while another stood behind Ben Grimm, holding a mask in his hands above his head. The story was called "The Last Word!" The issue had a cover date of July 1982.

The tale began blocks from the Baxter Building in New York City. A woman was running toward that landmark, desperate to flee from someone. Unfortunately, a shadowed figure blocked her in an alleyway, and the woman never reached her destination.

Inside the Fantastic Four's headquarters, Grimm was engrossed in a television program, initially oblivious to the prank that Storm was playing on him by setting a small portion of the couch that Ben sat upon on fire. What began as a harmless prank turned dangerous, as the Thing, in a fit of rage, threw the sofa at the Torch, missing him but flying through the nearby elevator doors. Their team leader, Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) was going to be very upset with both of them for the damage that had just been incurred.

Johnny then reminded his teammate about a message left on their answering system. A woman was about to show up at any minute. However, the Torch flew outside and saw her being carried on a stretcher into a waiting ambulance. He was then distracted by a beautiful blond woman and set off after her. Ben walked out of the Baxter Building and managed to speak to the young woman, who warned him of the Word before passing out.

Ultima, daughter of the Word, was strolling through a nearby park when she was approached by the Torch in an affectionate gesture. She rebuffed his efforts and walked on after his warning to be careful. Johnny knew he'd blown it, but figured she probably wasn't his type, anyway.

Afterward, Storm reconnected with Grimm back at their headquarters. Ben told her about the woman who'd called who gave him a message about the Word. He punched up images on a computer. One of them contained a headshot of the woman Ultima, whom Johnny had just met. She was part of a group called the Word, which was led by her father. Ultima had battled the She-Hulk (in issues #9 & 10 of Savage She-Hulk) and was defeated by the hero. The blonde warrior was left crippled as a result, which was surprising to Storm, since she seemed very healthy to Johnny. 

The two friends were pondering the news when Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters Intelligence and Espionage Law Enforcement Division) called. He told them that the Word had been spotted in Delaware. Fury showed them a newspaper ad placed by that organization. Several of his agents went to investigate, but had not returned. 

Ben and Johnny were soon on the road to Delaware. They were nearing the Word's hideout when the gas tank on their vehicle went up in flames. Johnny did his best to absorb the flames as Ben jumped out and evaded shots fired by remote-controlled machine guns. 

Grimm destroyed the guns by tossing some debris, but the land mines that were set off in the fracas emitted a form of knockout gas that soon had Johnny down for the count. Then it was time for the Thing to face Ultima for the first time. She was far more powerful than she appeared to be, and a well-placed blow brought Ben to his knees.

The allies woke up some time later in the headquarters of the man who called himself the Word. He aimed to end any extremes of physical appearance and physical strength. The Word wanted a society where everyone was truly equal. 

His daughter Ultima was an exception to that rule. The Word had a breakthrough after working as a dictionary editor. He understood the power of words and how he could use them to get what he wanted in life. After becoming a successful disc jockey and radio station salesman, he formed his own group, which began amassing a loyal following. He also trained Ultima to use all of her senses to their highest abilities.

She suffered a setback after being paralyzed following her battle with the She-Hulk, but returned to her formidable self over time after careful guidance from her father. He then dispatched his guests to the mines. Ben and Johnny couldn't use their powers at first, thanks to the inhibiting collars around their necks that pumped drugs into their system. Grimm had been fitted with a face mask so that he looked more like his original human self.

They had no sooner started their forced labor when they ran into one of the missing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who'd been brainwashed into believing in the Word's cause. Ben still fought the collar and was able to short-circuit one of the machines, causing it to explode. It started a cave-in that sent the underground employees scrambling. 

The damage was reported to the Word, who sent his daughter with some of his best soldiers to assess the situation. She dug through the wreckage and ordered the captives to go topside. Once outside, Johnny was able to go nova, and Ben burst free from his shackles. 

The Torch took care of the ordinary soldiers, while the Thing had a rematch with Ultima. He was victorious this time because Ultima started to doubt her father after listening to Ben speak about him. Apparently, her strength was tied to the fact that she'd believe her father was all-knowing and all-powerful. Once that facade was shattered, Ultima collapsed. 

It would be up to the individual workers what to do next now that the cult had been broken up. Ultima was paralyzed again and left with her father. As a S.H.I.E.L.D. ship arrived to pick them up, Ben and Johnny knew that the criminals had to be punished, but the Word already felt punished enough by the fate of his beloved daughter. 

David Anthony Kraft wrote the first Word storyline, and he also plotted this issue. Ultima and the Word have not returned since. It's too bad, because Ultima could have rivaled Thundra, Titania, or other similar characters. Another instance of characters with great potential who have largely been forgotten after only a handful of appearances.

That's it for me today. Tomorrow, I'll talk about the ninetieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben starts what seems to be a normal day off, until another danger arises, one that calls for the assistance of the primary star of Marvel's other team-up book. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #88

Good afternoon, folks,

I'm winding down the weekend with a synopsis of the eighty-eighth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing and the She-Hulk rushing toward a nuclear reactor that a villain was standing on top of. The tale was titled "Disaster at Diablo Reactor." The issue had a cover date of June 1982.

The story started at the Baxter Building in New York, headquarters of the Fantastic Four. Ben Grimm's exercise session was interrupted by the arrival of his girlfriend Alicia Masters and a pair of guests. The newcomers introduced themselves as Pacific Energy and Utility Corporation president Stephen Shields and his assistant Rodney.

They had arrived to seek the Thing's help in stopping someone who had been assassinating members of their organization. Rodney then unpacked a small television to show Ben video footage of the one calling himself the Negator who claimed responsibility for the attacks. He planned to stop the El Diablo reactor's uranium rods from arriving and annihilate the reactor and the city of Los Angeles itself.

Grimm was convinced to join their cause. He and Rodney hopped aboard the company's private jet en route to Los Angeles. Ben flew the plane, which ran into engine troubles during the flight. He stayed aboard while jettisoning the corporate lackey minutes before making a crash landing. The Thing emerged unscathed and set out on foot toward his destination.

Meanwhile, a Mr. McClure at the People to Protect our Environment was answering a call from Negator. He'd initially agreed to work with him, but now had second thoughts that he knew about the villain's sinister plot. McClure attempted to void the contract, but it was too late. He didn't know that Negator was watching him from a building across the street, and before he could do anything, McClure was fatally shot from behind by a gun fired by this mysterious foe.

The Thing made it to a small store and grabbed a cigar that he didn't have cash to pay for. The proprietor asked him to move some refuse outside his domicile while he watched a TV commercial featuring the Savage She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters). The heroine was starring in a live promotion, and starting to realize how low quality the car dealer's merchandise really was.

The store owner had no vehicle or telephone, so Grimm moved the trash before heading out to L.A. by himself. After the commercial was over, She-Hulk demanded the custom Cadillac she'd been promised. However, it was missing the options that the dealer had agreed to install. She drove off in anger after having a brief conversation with the dealership's owner for the last time.

At the same time, Rodney was hitching a ride with a pair of truckers from his company. Shields' assistant had reached the rendezvous point by helicopter. As the truck drove off, we saw the helicopter pilot slumped in his seat, never to fly again. 

Ben wound up trying to hitch a ride along a busy stretch of highway. The truck carrying Rodney and his associates drove past, but the She-Hulk stopped to give Grimm a lift in her pink convertible. Ben wasn't very fond of her driving, and the duo soon stopped at a local restaurant. 

Walters found a booth in the back for them to become more acquainted. She-Hulk made a pass at the Thing before their romantic reverie was interrupted by a news broadcast. Rodney Stack was on TV, stating that the Negator had stolen the uranium shipment and killed the two men who had been riding with him.

Ben left the restaurant, not wanting to compromise his relationship with Alicia. She-Hulk insisted on driving with him, and as they talked, she somehow convinced the Thing to spend even more time with her after their objective was accomplished. 

Rodney had reached the El Diablo reactor. The ransom drop was about to take place there, but the guards had no clue that Stack was behind the evil machinations. He'd taken out the drivers and brought the uranium rods into the reactor facility to build a time bomb. The ransom was just a ruse, and Rodney intended to keep the cash. 

The guards and Rodney were alerted to the sound of She-Hulk's car nearing the front gate. Rodney shot the guards before shutting the heavy steel doors. The car just narrowly made it inside before the gate closed. She-Hulk and the Thing got out of the car to find the Negator staring down at them.

While Walters leapt at their foe, Ben went to find a Geiger counter to track down the missing uranium. During the battle, Rodney admitted that he was the Negator. He was once a mine worker, but regular exposure to uranium ore was slowly killing him. This was his revenge plan, one that was foiled by the heroes.

She-Hulk and the Thing managed to ensnare the Negator in a net before using their opponent's jet pack to fly the box of explosive uranium out into space before it detonated. Afterward, Rodney was arrested, and Shields insisted that Ben and Jennifer stay in quarantine for three days to decontaminate after their own uranium exposure. It looked like the She-Hulk was going to get her weekend with the Thing after all. Ben was worried about how he'd explain that situation to Alicia. 

The She-Hulk was one of the last Marvel characters that Stan Lee co-created. She had her own title that ran for 25 issues, the last 24 of which were scripted by this issue's writer, David Anthony Kraft. She would also guest-star in Marvel Team-Up with Spider-Man before joining the Avengers and eventually taking Grimm's place on the Fantastic Four while Ben stayed behind on the Secret Wars' Battleworld for a while. I'm glad she wasn't relegated to obscurity once her title was cancelled, as is sometimes the case with some heroes. The Negator's predicament is a bit similar to that of Ben's friend Bill Foster (Giant-Man). As far as I know, the Negator has not returned in any other subsequent Marvel stories.

That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll begin a new week with a discussion of the eighty-ninth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The Thing pairs up with one of his Fantastic Four teammates to take on one of She-Hulk's recent rivals. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.