Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #86

Happy Saturday, folks!

Hope all's well with everyone. Today's topic is the eighty-sixth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing bellying up to the bar with his old foe, the Sandman. There was also a blurb teasing the return of the Impossible Man. The main story was called "Time Runs Like Sand!" The issue had a cover date of April 1982.

The issue began in the Baxter Building, with Ben Grimm lifting a large piece of old machinery that had been created by his former college roommate and current Fantastic Four teammate, Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic). Reed stretched one of his rubbery arms to retrieve a transdimensional interfacer before Grimm went to destroy the obsolete device. As they worked, Reed informed his friend that they may have seen the last of their old enemy, the Sandman.

Richards explained how their former foe had been combined with the new villain known as Hydro-Man to create a new terror. Police utilized a gas that extracted the being's moisture, causing it to fall apart (in issue #s 217 and 218 of the Amazing Spider-Man's first title). Ben thought that was a lousy way to go, wondering what happened afterward.

The remains were being examined at a police laboratory. After scientists found nothing interesting in the sample, they had it loaded onto a truck that dropped the canister off at a local dump site. After the truck departed, the Sandman and Hydro-Man burst free from their cramped container. They were separate people once more, and wanted nothing to do with the other.

Hydro-Man headed into a drainage pipe, while the Sandman struck out into the city on foot. He grabbed some clothes from a Salvation Army donation bin, and shook down a passerby for enough change for a few drinks at the nearest tavern. The proprietor noticed the sand on the floor and recognized his new customer.

He called the police, who didn't believe his story. His next call was to the Baxter Building. The Thing answered. Intrigued, he took off on a jet cycle to check out the story. He walked into the bar and found his old rival drowning his sorrows in a beer. 

Grimm grabbed a table, ready for another of their trademark confrontations. However, the Sandman had no desire to fight. He offered his old foe a seat next to him, and Ben obliged. 

The man who was born William "Flint" Marko started telling his life story. He grew up a scrappy youth who quickly resorted to crime and bullying. He became a star of the high school football team until he was caught shaving points and expelled. Marko continued his dishonest ways, shaking down local business owners for valuables and money to afford life and make things more comfortable for his mother.

William also fell in love with a girl named Marcy, who made him think about reforming until he was arrested for a robbery that landed him in jail. By the time he was let out, Marcy had moved on to another man. Marko grew angrier and lashed out with more crime sprees until he wound up in the maximum security ward of Ryker's prison. 

Marko eventually broke out and had squad cars chasing the car he had stolen until the criminal abandoned the vehicle. He continued to flee on foot toward a beach that had been fenced off. If Flint had paid enough attention, he might have known that the section of land was cordoned off because of an experimental nuclear device that was being tested there that day- a test that Marko wandered into and that gave him the ability to form his body into different types of sand.

He figured he was unbeatable, and in his identity as the Sandman, Marko went up against heroes like Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the Machine Man and was defeated over and over again. Flint assumed that he'd probably wind up in jail again. He'd grown tired of the same old thing. Ben had sat next to him and listened intently before getting up from his stool and putting some cash on the table. As far as he was concerned, the Sandman no longer existed. He walked out and let Marko resume his night in peace.

The issue's second story was called "Farewell, My Lummox!" It began on a night when Reed Richards and his wife Sue (the Invisible Girl) had a rare date night. They left their son Franklin in Ben's care. Grimm walked with his godson to the Baxter Building's gymnasium, where he put in some work until one of the machines disappeared into a puddle of water after a punch.

In its place sat the Impossible Man and his mate. After a set of annoying circumstances, the alien introduced his friend to their offspring, all of which looked like smaller versions of their parents. Popppupians like Impy can reproduce simply through thought.

Ben decided to read the children a story from Franklin's "Tales of Doom" storybook before ushering the lad from the room. Franklin decided to watch television, not knowing that some of the Impossible Man's offspring were observing the programs that he watched. Their parents were in another room of the building, searching the skies for a suitable planet to call their new homeworld.

Poppuppians are a rather impressionable sort, so it should come to no surprise that the younger ones mimicked the shows and commercials that Frankin watched, which made it rather difficult for Grimm to concentrate on the story he was reading. Things ended swiftly once the Impossible Man and his bride found the perfect world to relocate to. He thanked his comrade for his hospitality before they all flew off into space toward that destination. It was an interesting night, but things would probably prove to be more challenging for the Kree, who were about to be the Poppupppians' new neighbors. 

The Sandman would reappear in this series a bit later on, and in another Amazing-Spider-Man storyline where he came to the aid of the wall-crawler against a bevy of bad guys. He signed up with Silver Sable, who was fighting the same foes at the time, and even became a reserve Avenger for a while before returning to crime. This and his appearance in the third Spider-Man movie showed a more human side of William "Flint" Marko that we rarely see. 

I liked both stories from this issue. This was one of the first MTIO comics that I ever read, and it was a good jumping-on point for this title, and a nice break between storylines. It had the right amount of seriousness and levity that I've grown to appreciate from Marvel comics. 

That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll kick off Sunday with a discussion of the eighty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The THing pairs up with a different version of a familiar hero in new surroundings. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #85

Happy Friday, folks!

Wrapping up the week with a summary of the eighty-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The top portion of the cover depicted the Thing and Spider-Woman tackling several shadowed opponents, including a gigantic robot. The bottom part teased that we'd know what would happen to Giant-Man. The tale was titled "The Final Fate of Giant-Man!" The issue had a cover date of March 1982.

The story started with Foster locked in battle with a dark demon in his dreams. As he slept, Foster thought back to his days as the director of the Los Angeles Stark-West research center. It continued to his discovery of a growth formula and his adoption of the costumed identity Black Goliath. As a superhero, Foster battled foes such as Vulcan, Stilt-Man, and Atom-Smasher, the latter or which exposed him to the radiation poisoning that was still continuing to affect him.

Only Foster's lady love, Celia Jackson, was enough to keep him moving forward. Things finally regressed to the point where Bill needed help. He went to Project Pegasus in New York. He met other super-powered beings and adopted a new identity as Giant-Man. However, his condition was not improving.

As Foster awoke, his friends Ben Grimm (the Thing), Alicia Masters, and Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) were waiting anxiously. Foster had had enough of tests, but Reed tried to persuade his comrade to stay vigilant. Bill wanted to live out his remaining days in peace, which Ben fully understood. Reed eventually relented, and Grimm boarded the Fantastic Four's pogo plane with Foster before taking off.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, the superheroine known as Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) was busy busting up a smuggling ring. She was about to succeed when a blast fired by a man lurking in the shadows knocked her out of the sky. As she recovered, the villains escaped in a small flier. Drew later returned to her apartment. She took some time to rest, remembering that her foes had mentioned Los Angeles. That was her next target.

Not far away, Grimm and Foster were met by Bill's old colleagues at Stark-West. The "Whiz Kids" were happy to see Foster, as was Celia, who was standing by herself until bill noticed her. While they reconnected, Grimm took a walk outside the complex. He then noticed a guard lying unconscious. 

As he rounded the bend, Ben saw several men adorned in uniforms similar to the ones Spider-Woman had just battled in San Francisco. It was definitely clobbering time! The soldiers started to swarm the Thing, but he quickly shook them off. He then faced their employer: the Atom Smasher, a villain who was supposed to be dead but appeared to be very much alive. 

The villain blasted Grimm through a wall. He landed inside Stark-West just before Drew's cab arrived outside the company's front doors. Spider-Woman entered through the new hole in the wall a few moments later (The Thing had met her before in MTIO #30-33, but his memory of that encounter had been erased). 

After a few hasty introductions and explanations, Bill and his team went to work on a scanner that would detect Atom Smasher's unique form of radiation. Their foe was across town at the time, working on his devastating new weapon, the Neutralode. Once activated, it had the potential to release neutron rays in the area that were strong enough to kill millions of people.

Before he could proceed with his plans, Ben and Jessica burst into Atom Smasher's headquarters. The villain dispatched some of his lackeys to man the controls of his large robotrons. The mechanical menaces posed quite a threat, but they were nothing that the two superheroes couldn't effectively handle. 

Atom Smasher fired at Spider-Woman. She was unaffected, after having become immune to his blasts following their initial meeting. The venom in her bloodstream helped with that, a fact that Ben wanted to share with Bill. Little did either of them know that Foster was also in their opponent's lair. Foster allowed his body to increase in size and engaged in battle with the brother of the original Atom Smasher. 

His new foe was formidable, and he admitted during the conflict that he'd hired a professional to eliminate his sibling, citing his unwillingness to exploit the potential of his powers. The new Atom Smasher was eventually able to activate his new weapon, but a power overload caused it to explode with its creator still at the controls. 

Foster collapsed almost immediately afterward. His friends brought him back to Stark-West, where Drew volunteered to give him a blood transfusion. A short while later, Bill woke up again, feeling much better, although his superpowers were now gone. Ben walked the halls sometime thereafter, happy that his friend would recover. He ran into Spider-Woman, who confessed that she felt a bit guilty about the possibility that she might unknowingly have had the cure for cancer, something that she'd have to live with. Grimm was still convinced that the day's outcome was enough to be a victory in anyone's book. 

This was a satisfying conclusion to Giant Man's condition. I just wish that he had returned as an ally of Grimm and/or the Fantastic Four on a semi-regular or even regular basis after this storyline wrapped up. He proved to be an underestimated hero and a trusted companion to Ben and company. He would reappear again from time to time in various Marvel mags until his untimely demise during the Civil War series of books. His nephew Tom would later go on to revive and use the same formula that Bill took to gain his abilities.

That's it for this week from me. Tomorrow, I'll tackle the eighty-sixth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. This rather offbeat issue has the Thing meeting up with one of his old rivals, in a tale that most Marvelites wouldn't expect. There's also a backup story that features one of the Fantastic Four's most notable annoyances. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #84

Happy Thursday, peeps!

Time for me to talk about the eighty-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing and Alpha Flight members Sasquatch, Vindicator, Northstar, and Aurora battling Ranark the Ravager. The tale was titled "Cry for Beloved Canada!" The issue had a cover date of February 1982.

The story started in Northeast Saskatchewan, as a couple's camping trip was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the being known as Ranark the Ravager. He crashed into the campsite and started a swath of destruction after being dissatisfied with their machine used to prepare food. He later slapped the woman and zapped the man before departing, leaving her holding her partner in her arms, still crying several hours later.

In a residential Ottawa neighborhood, Ben Grimm sat with his host, James Hudson (aka Vindicator), Dr. Walter Langkowski (Shaman), and Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen (Shaman) as the events of the last day were recounted to James. Ben finally got to explain the reason for his arrival in Canada, which was to find Langkowski to see if he could help his friend Bill Foster (aka Giant Man), who was rapidly dying from radiation poisoning (all of which was depicted in the previous issue). 

Hudson was glad that Grimm agreed to help them fight Ranark. He knew that he'd need more allies. Snowbird was unavailable, but James hoped that Aurora and Northstar might answer the call. At that time, Ranark was busy disrupting a Canadian military air patrol. He made short work of the jets and forced the pilots to bail out before their ships were destroyed.

In a private home in Lavalle, Quebec, siblings Jean-Paul (Northstar) and Jeanne-Marie (Aurora) Beaubier were debating whether or not to comply with Vindicator's summons. Jean-Paul had grown tired of the hero business, but his sister knew that they'd been given their awesome powers for a reason. She changed into her superhero costume and flew off to assist. Her brother remained behind, thinking that Jeanne-Marie would eventually regret her decision.

Ranark resurfaced in Winnipeg, Manitoba's capital city. He was disgusted by the modern buildings and used his abilities to cause trees to spring from the very ground beneath them. His efforts were met by Alpha Flight and the Thing. The heroes were left to clean up the invader's mess after he flew away. Ben and the Sasquatch concentrated on keeping the high-rises intact, while others like Aurora flew up to help a child who had fallen from his family's balcony.

Meanwhile, back in New York's Baxter Building, Foster had awakened. He felt woozy, but Reed Richards (the elastic Mister Fantastic) insisted that he return to bed. Reed was certain that Grimm would return with Langkowski soon, and that the Canadian professor would be able to share his insight into Foster's condition sooner rather than later. 

Ben had been briefly buried under rubble. Sasquatch and Aurora searched for him before Grimm demolished the rubble. The trio then set their sights on the escaped Ranark.

Their foe was flying over the congested roadways, watching panicked citizens attempting to flee the city. He then caused more chaos by attacking several vehicles. Shaman went to intercept Ranark, feeling responsible for freeing him (also shown in the last issue). He soon landed in Langkowski's arms, as he and Ben renewed their attack on the invader.

The battle was picked up by a TV news crew. Jean-Paul watched the broadcast and fled the room after seeing his sister engaged in the conflict. Shaman tried to calm Ranark's storm clouds, but his foe turned ordinary hail into giant boulders. Sasquatch fended them off before going toe to toe with the ancient spirit once more.

Ranark grew in size and stature as he fought Langkowski. All seemed lost for Sasquatch, until Vindicator struck at the unwanted visitor. Ranark's blast passed through the space that Hudson had just occupied, having transported himself to his friends' side. By then, Northstar had joined the cause.

The combined forces of Alpha Flight and the Thing were enough to allow Shaman to proceed with his incantation, one which caused the mighty opponent to finally shrink down into a small sphere that could be picked up and contained. Shaman took the cocoon for safekeeping right before Ben made a return to New York with Walter. Unfortunately, Langkowski determined that Foster's condition was too advanced for anything to be of significant help. It looked like the end was in sight for Giant Man. 

If you want to learn more about the original Alpha Flight team, read the first two dozen or so issues of their first comic book title. John Byrne provided a lot more background on each of these and other members of the group. I've yet to see Ranark return in any other Marvel mags, but that's not to say that we won't ever see him again. 

The final fate of Bill Foster will be revealed in tomorrow's recap of the eighty-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben is bound and determined to fight for Bill's life, and crosses paths with someone that he first met during a trip across the pond earlier in this series' run. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #83

Hello there,

Today's topic is the eighty-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing in a large forest, with the Sasquatch towering above him. The story was called "Where Walks The Sasquatch!" The issue had a cover date of January 1982.

The tale began in the Baxter Building in New York City, as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and Ben Grimm were working to try and help their friend Giant Man (Bill Foster), who'd been slowly succumbing to radiation poisoning for months. Reed was doing his best to save him after Ben found Bill unconscious in the A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) lab where the two of them and Captain America had battled MODOK's forces for a cure to the Virus-X that had mutated Grimm (as shown last issue). Bill had found a gun that contained the antidote, but there was only enough serum to save one of them, so he chose to help his comrade.

Ben left the room feeling rather morose, and his teammate Johnny Storm's (the Human Torch) attempts to cheer him up only made Grimm angrier. The two started another scuffle, which was broken up by Reed's wife Sue (the Invisible Girl). Moments later, Reed entered the room. He announced that Bill's condition was worsening. Foster had started showing signs that his body was decaying, and his internal organs were very damaged.

Still, Reed had some hope. There was a specialist in Canada, Dr. Walter Langkowski, whose research in radiation showed promise. Ben boarded a Pogo Plane a short while later and later arrived at McGill University. There, the Thing met with the chair of the college's biophysics department, only to be told that the esteemed professor was absent. He was rumored to be camping somewhere in northwest Alberta.

Langkowski (aka Sasquatch) and his Alpha Flight teammate Michael Twoyoungmen (Shaman) were on a retreat several hundred miles from the university. Michael was certain that danger was in store. He had joined Walter on the trip to try to find the burial mound of his ancient ancestors. 

The next morning, the two friends set out on that quest. They eventually found hieroglyphs carved on a cavern wall that might hold a clue. While Langkowski returned to camp for equipment, Twoyoungmen stayed behind and accidentally stepped on a stone on the floor that opened a secret passage. Inside was the ancient shamans' tomb!

Back at camp, Walter observed the Fantastic Four's jet setting down not far away. He watched Ben descend from the cockpit and decided to call upon the Sasquatch. After his transformation, the doctor ventured into the woods until he ran across Grimm. While the two were talking, Shaman felt compelled to open the cover of a large urn. Doing so released the spirit of the evil Ranark the Ravager. 

The Thing and Sasquatch engaged in a battle in the woods. As they were figuring out each other's strengths, Shaman was squaring off against the evil tribesman. Ranark briefly glanced upon the modern world through Twoyoungmen's eyes and was sorely disappointed. He vowed to purge the Earth of life and start over.

Walter and Ben were walking towards each other when the ground beneath them started to rumble. Ranark's spirit burst through and flew off to achieve his goal. It was then that the two heroes realized who their common foe really was.

At the time, Alpha Flight had broken up (as of Uncanny X-Men #140). Members of the Canadian super-team would surface in different titles from time to time until they were given their own series, which was initially scripted and penciled by John Byrne. Sasquatch had last appeared in the eighth Incredible Hulk annual. Byrne plotted that issue, and I grew to appreciate both the man and the monster. I only wish that we knew more about both sides of Langkowski's personality. Shaman is another interesting character who grew more as Alpha Flight's first series went on. 

That's it from me for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the conclusion of this saga with a recap of the eighty-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The Thing and Sasquatch are hot on the trail of Ranark, with the assistance of a few more members of Alpha Flight. We'll also learn if Langkowski was able to help prevent Foster's rapid decay. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #82

Happy Tuesday, folks!

Today's topic is the eighty-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed Giant-Man and Captain America behind the Thing, who was mutating as a result of his exposure to Virus-X. The tale was titled "The Fatal Effects of Virus X!" The issue had a publication date of December 1981.

When last we left Ben Grimm, he was all alone in an abandoned AIM facility, just starting to suffer after the villain known as MODOK (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) had exposed him to Virus-X (as shown in the previous issue). He eventually found his way out of the compound and started staggering back to the Baxter Building. 

On the way, the Thing was accosted by several gang members, but he barely noticed them. One person who did pay attention was Steve Rogers, who quickly donned his Captain America costume and rushed to his friend's defense. A simple strike by a baseball bat had knocked Ben down, which was most unlike the strongest member of the Fantastic Four.

A short while later, Ben's teammate Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic) started to examine his old college roommate, with the assistance of Bill Foster (Giant Man) who arrived from Project Pegasus. Cap looked on as the two scientists used the machinery in the lab to assess Grimm's condition. Ben soon woke up and was fighting mad. Reed tried to calm his colleague down, but remembering and seeing the effects of the virus only made Ben angrier.

Reed explained that Foster had acquired a sample of the virus and was going to test it to see if a cure could be found after Ben had calmed down. Grimm knew from experience how that would probably go. He sauntered off toward his jet cycle, saying that he just wanted to be alone for a while. Bill asked to join him, and the two flew off together.

Rogers left after a while and wound up shattering the glass window of a storefront that contained criminals who he knew were laundering money for A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics). He wanted to know how to get in touch with them, not knowing that MODOK and his A.I.M. forces were holed up in a secret base in the heart of the Antarctic. 

An A.I.M. scientist wandered the empty hallways until he came across a stasis cylinder which contained some of his comrades who had been exposed to Virus-X. As he neared the corner, he saw that MODOK had placed the men in the chamber. The A.I.M. member reported to MODOK that Captain America was looking for him and a cure for the virus. MODOK scoffed at the Avenger's efforts, but advised to prepare a warm welcoming committee for the hero.

Ben and Bill landed at an abandoned spaceport. Grimm admitted that the place was where he and his FF teammates had first taken off into space. Their rocket was poorly shielded and soon felt the effects of the cosmic rays, which ended up giving each of them unique abilities. The Thing had been told by Mr. Fantastic before that he'd be able to cure him, but nothing had worked thus far, so he had very little hope now that his mutation could be reversed. Foster felt bad for his friend, and for thinking about his own affliction (he was slowly dying from radiation poisoning)while his friend was suffering. Grimm wasn't about to give up, though, and neither were his friends. 

Some time later, the Thing, Giant Man, and Captain broke into a secret A.I.M. facility and fought bravely against the enemy forces. After the battle, the trio of heroes was transported to MODOK's base via teleporter. There they stood before more A.I.M. soldiers, MODOK, and a large robot that appeared to have taken on Grimm's rocky outer appearance. 

The anticipated battle raged on for some time. At one point, Foster went to find the Virus-X antidote. He eventually found a gun containing the antitoxin, which might also be able to cure him as well. After MODOK's robot was defeated, the villain escaped. In the confusion, the gun was knocked from Bill's hand. 

The gun's casing was now cracked, and it began leaking the antitoxin. He and his friends soon returned to the A.I.M. base in New York, where Foster quickly used the cure on his friend Ben, who swiftly began returning to normal. Bill was thankful that his friend was back to his old self, but wandered off, doubting his own worth.

I liked Bill Foster in his appearances in the Champions, Luke Cage: Power Man, and his own brief title (Black Goliath). I'm glad he was given another chance to star in this series from time to time, but I really feel like he was underutilized. I'm kind of surprised that Marvel hasn't brought him back, like they have other notable characters who have been killed off and later resurrected. 

Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the eighty-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben and Friends focus their attention on Bill's condition, and Grimm travels to our neighboring country to the north, where he meets someone that X-Men and Hulk fans are probably already familiar with. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #81

Happy Monday, peeps!

Time for me to talk about the eighty-first issue of Marvel Two-In-One. On the cover, the Thing and the Sub-Mariner were depicted battling the villain known as MODOK and his forces. The story was called "No Home for Heroes!" The issue had a publication date of November 1981.

The tale began with Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, leaping out of the water and flying toward New York City. He set down near a clothing store and entered the establishment. Namor selected a coat and hat that were to his liking, and paid for the garments with a handful of pearls. 

Elsewhere in Manhattan's Soho district, Alicia Masters was getting settled into her new apartment with the assistance of her boyfriend, Ben Grimm (aka the Thing) and Susan Richards (the Invisible Girl). She had decided that it was a better idea for her to live on her own again, after temporarily residing at the Fantastic Four's Baxter Building headquarters. She didn't want to fret over her or Ben's safety, and tried to assure him that the distance would help their relationship.

Grimm wasn't convinced as of yet, and took a walk after helping Masters place her belongings inside her studio apartment. He was lost in his own thoughts until a scream from a nearby alley roused the Thing from his reverie. He turned the corner and found a large robot beating up a homeless man. Ben rushed to his defense, only to be gassed into unconsciousness by his foe, who soon arranged a pickup for himself and his opponent.

A short while later, Namor wandered some of those same streets. His journey made him reminisce about when he was discovered in a bowery by Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) and eventually remembered his past after quite some time. He asked a man about the whereabouts of Sunshine Mary, a resident whom he'd first met during those desolate years. Namor was well aware that he was being watched as he asked his questions. 

At Project Pegasus, an alarm bell sounded. It brought the security chief, Quasar, flying through the corridor, where he found the reason for concern. His colleague Giant Man (Bill Foster) was lying on the ground, unresponsive. Quasar knew that his ally was slowly dying of radiation poisoning, and feared that he might not have much time left. 

Back in the slums, the Sub-Mariner's host led him to a building that appeared to be deserted on the outside. However, on the inside, a group of men waited to attack the stranger. Namor quickly overpowered them before being told that something or someone had been taking their friends, the last captive being Sunshine Mary. One of the locals then appeared, stating that he knew where their friends had been taken. 

As Namor followed the group, Ben was slowly coming to. He opened his eyes and saw that he was trapped in a glass case, facing his captor: the being named MODOK (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing). He and his soldiers in the A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) laboratory were collecting test subjects for their research. Grimm managed to break free from his trap, but in the process, he was exposed to the compound known as Virus X. 

The security alarm rang moments after Namor and his associates burst into the chamber. The robots and A.I.M. soldiers fought back, and MODOK eventually called forth several super-synthoid robots to take on Ben. Namor soon joined the fray, right before their foe fled in his small spacecraft. However, they learned upon taking flight that the canister of Virus X next to them had been damaged, and they were now exposed to the gas.

Afterward, Namor reunited with Sunshine Mary. He wished to thank the old woman for her kindness years earlier. He was rebuked once the woman learned how different her savior was. Mary left with her kin, and Namor flew off soon thereafter. Grimm was left all alone to exit the base, just as he started feeling the effects of the strange gas that MODOK had subjected him to. 

I've never really thought that Namor could be fully trusted. He was a hero who fought alongside his fellow Invaders, Defenders, and Avengers over the years, but he was also one of the Fantastic Four's first enemies, and sided with Doctor Doom at times in the brief Super-Villain Team-Up title. His affection for Reed Richards' wife Sue, had caused a rift between him and the FF before, so I'm not surprised that he didn't stay behind to ensure that Ben was okay. 

Grimm was clearly struggling, but it'll take a few more friends to help him, as we'll see in tomorrow's recap of the eighty-second issue of Marvel Two-In-One. We'll also find out what happened to Giant-Man and see how Virus-X started to affect the Thing. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #80

Good afternoon, folks,

I'm winding down a nice, quiet weekend with a summary of the eightieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing and Ghost Rider engaged in a race along a highway. The tale was titled "Call Him...Monster!" The issue had a publication date of October 1981.

The story started inside Alicia Masters' studio in the Baxter Building in New York City. Her sculptures of different heroes and villains started crumbling as the room began to quake. The blind sculptress unwittingly ran toward the source of the disruption, which was a new automatic punching block that her boyfriend, Ben Grimm (aka the Thing) was using. Fortunately, Ben's teammate Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) extended one of his flexible arms to lift Alicia out of harm's way. 

Frustrated with his inability to save his girlfriend, Ben wandered off, wanting some time to think on his own. Reed explained this to Alicia before going to help her take care of the mess in the studio, alongside his wife Sue (the Invisible Girl), son Franklin, and brother-in-law Johnny Storm (the Human Torch). Alicia was saddened by the loss of some of her work, but knew that nothing mattered more than her relationship with Ben.

 Grimm had made his way to an abandoned tenement. On the rooftop, he took out his frustration by smashing his fists to the floor, damaging most of the building before moving on. As he whizzed by on his jet cycle, he heard sirens, thinking they were looking for him because of the destruction he'd just caused. 

What Grimm didn't know was that the officers were on the trail of the Ghost Rider (aka Johnny Blaze), who was driving his flaming motorcycle down a busy street. The stunt rider evaded the authorities, eventually racing up a stairway until he was driving along a set of train tracks. He neared an oncoming train until jumping off the platform moments before impact.

The cycle landed on a rooftop, and Johnny stopped the bike before summoning it back to where it came and returned to his human form. A short while later, Ben approached him (they had met in the holiday-themed MTIO #8). Blaze hopped on the back of Grimm's cycle as they sped off together. 

Ben let Johnny off at the apartment building he was staying at. Blaze gave him a complimentary set of tickets for the auto show he was performing at as a gift before the two parted ways. Grimm headed home, realizing he had to face the music. He had no sooner landed the craft when Alicia ran for him. She immediately embraced him, wanting nothing more at that moment than to have her love in her arms.

Some time later, Ben and Alicia went to the exhibition at Shea Stadium. They found their seats just before Blaze jumped over a set of cars. What none of them knew was that a few patrons had their eyes set on driving off with one of the featured vehicles. The thieves drove off with the car just after Blaze landed his bike. He then set off after them as the Ghost Rider. 

Ben knew something funny was up, and asked Alicia to find her way home, as he went to his jet cycle to investigate. The Ghost Rider eventually caught up with the crooks, forcing them out of the car before he tossed it at them. Grimm witnessed that act of violence and thought that his ally was out of control. He tried to calm Blaze down, but a confrontation between the two of them was inevitable.

Grimm was finally able to persuade Blaze's personality to come forth, but not after more city property had been destroyed. Johnny reverted to his human self before collapsing in the Thing's arms. Afterward, Ben rejoined Alicia in her studio. He reflected on all the good things in his life, like her, as Johnny drove off toward his next destination.

I haven't read many of Ghost Rider's comics, but I've always found him an interesting character. I was glad that Blaze returned a few years after his monthly title was cancelled. I liked the issues I read, including his role as one of the original Champions before that short-lived team broke up. He's more powerful now, and his popularity wanes at times, but he is still someone who definitely shouldn't be underestimated. I just wish that more stories like this were published that gave us a better glimpse into his human side. 

That's it for me this week. I'll begin a new week tomorrow with a synopsis of the eighty-first issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben will join forces with one of the Fantastic Four's original foes to combat a powerful enemy and its forces. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.