Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #40

Happy Tuesday, peeps!

It's time for me to talk about the fortieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing preparing to attack an unknown man who was restraining the Black Panther. The tale was titled "Conjure Night!" The issue had a cover date of June 1978.

The story started with Ben Grimm preparing a large pizza, as his friends Matt Murdock and the young boy Grimm had been imprisoned with (during the last storyline) were waiting and playing a friendly game of craps. Murdock won the contest before the food was ready. The Avenger Yellowjacket (Hank Pym) joined them for the meal, which proved to be quite filling.

A while later, Ben, Hank, and the boy flew from Murdock's apartment to a local elementary school, where the child named Eugene rejoined his classmates. Grimm recognized one of the instructors as his old friend T'Challa (who we also know as the Black Panther from Wakanda). He taught there under the identity of Luke Charles and invited Grimm to sit in on his next class.

The kids engaged in a bit of mischief after their instructor left the room for a while. One of them even went so far as to pour glue on the Thing's hands that were behind his back. When he woke from his nap, Ben struggled to free himself. The guilty culprit was reprimanded by Charles just before the bell rang.

Ben was unharmed. He even laughed about the incident afterward, because it reminded him of similar pranks played during his younger years. Meanwhile, in another part of town, the disappearance of another prominent black member of the community was being investigated by local officials. The dwelling had been ransacked. All that was left behind was a strange, old odor, one that would be more in line with a garage, sewer, or possibly a cemetery.

As the detectives examined the crime scene, a hand rose from a grave not far away. Not long afterward, Ben and T'Challa were catching up. Ben informed his friend of the Fantastic Four's breakup, which saddened his host. He suggested that his friend consider Avengers membership, but Grimm wasn't ready to join another group just yet.

T'Challa then donned his Black Panther costume, noting the rash of disappearances. At the same time, Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson was berating the assistant who was handling the paper's microfilm library in the wake of his missing supervisor. Minutes later, the assistant took a call from T'Challa and provided him and Ben with some valuable clues about the people who'd recently gone missing.

Two people on the list had not disappeared yet. T'Challa went to check on the musician C.L. Wadsworth, while Ben paid a visit to the millionaire industrialist, Edward B. Nelson. When Grimm arrived, he saw that something had burst through the front door. He entered to find a rash of destruction. Ben also found the businessman's wife, who later told him about a horrible being that took her husband.

Meanwhile, Wadsworth was performing a free show. His audience applauded, and the performer took one final bow before a large bat swooped down from the rafters at him. The animal slowly transformed into a vampire. However, before he could harm Wadsworth, the Black Panther stepped in his path. 

The two engaged in a battle while the Thing waited for a subway train. It arrived and let Grimm off at his destination in time for him to intervene right as things looked most dire for T'Challa. The vampire was clearly being controlled by someone else. It appeared to have met its demise after being stabbed from behind by the musician's bow. 

Wadsworth left the concert hall with the heroes a short time later. None of them witnessed the glowing eyes that commanded its slave to rise. Ben saw T'Challa to his flat. There, the Wakanda native opened a telegram from the Bugle right before his foe returned, placing him in a chokehold as Grimm slowly disappeared from sight. 

Most Marvelites know that the Black Panther debuted in the first Fantastic Four series. He was later added to the Avengers' roster and had several solo stories from time to time. He returned to popularity with his addition to recent Marvel movies, but I think he's still been underutilized, especially in the years immediately after his first appearance was published. 

The young boy that folowed Ben as he burst out of jail in the last storyline was another wasted opportunity. They talked about his special powers of prognostication, but to the best of my knowledge, I don't think he's appeared in another Marvel comic after this one. At first, I thought he was an imitation of Jim Wilson, the boy who befriended the Hulk and acted as a sort of substitute for Rick Jones when he went off on adventures with the Avengers, Captain America, and Captain Marvel. Wilson also disappeared after a while, only to return years later when they announced that his character was dying from AIDS.

That's all for now, folks. My birthday post tomorrow will be dedicated to discussing the forty-first issue of Marvel Two-In-One. We'll dig a little deeper into just where the vampire came from, and Ben meets another hero whose assistance is important in saving T'Challa's life. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #39

Happy Monday!

Today's focus will be on the thirty-ninth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing battling the android Avenger known as the Vision, while Daredevil was firing at Ben Grimm's attacker. The tale was titled "The Vision Gambit." The issue had a cover date of May 1978.

The final part of this trilogy began where the previous issue left off. Ben had been imprisoned by his old foe, the Mad Thinker. Gas was starting to seep into Grimm's chamber as Daredevil, who was clamped to a table, could do nothing but watch the villain proceed with his dastardly intentions.

Matt Murdock's enhanced senses detected the presence of another person in the room: namely, the young boy who walked out of the prison cell that Ben had been placed in (before busting out last issue). He used that knowledge to feign psychic abilities. He knew that the boy would enter the room in moments, and seconds later, the lad did just that.

It was enough to convince the Mad Thinker that his captive was powerful, and he pushed a button to disperse the gas. The child took off on his skateboard, but didn't get very far. He ran into some of the same mechanical guards that Ben and Matt had encountered earlier (in issue #39). The lad was then placed in another cell just as Grimm was starting to revive.

The Mad Thinker then depressed another button, which caused a platform to rise from the floor that had held a duplicate of the android Vision. It was not the Avenger first created by Ultron, but a very similar-looking replica. The villain planned to use an army of Vision androids to carry out his evil plans.

By then, the Thing had broken free of his prison and was right behind his old enemy. This time, the Mad Thinker was prepared. His hypno lenses soon had Grimm under his thrall. He then shackled the boy before sending the Thing and Daredevil off in a flier for their mission to capture the original Vision. 

The two flew toward Avengers headquarters, where the Vision was engrossed in a televised hockey match. His teammate, Yellowjacket (real name: Hank Pym) answered the door, not knowing that they were about to be attacked by a couple of old friends.

Grimm had a tough time facing off against the robot who could make himself intangible at will. During the fracas, Murdock thought back to Ben's words to him as his legal counsel, stating that he wanted to be held responsible for any misdeeds that he committed. By then, the gun that the Thinker had given Daredevil had immobilized the powerful Avenger. The two put the Vision in a large container and made off with their prize, leaving what looked to be an unconscious Yellowjacket behind. 

The pair returned to the Mad Thinker's hideout some time later. The mesmerized Grimm had no idea that his master had been double-crossed. He reached for Daeredevil, only to find he'd shrunk and flown away. He then grew to regular size and punched the villain, knocking his control box from his hand. The real Daredevil leapt from a hidden compartment that was inside the larger box moments later, as it became evident that he and Pym had switched costumes during the melee at Avengers Mansion. The body of what seemed to be Yellowjacket back at their headquarters was merely Pym's costume filled with hundreds of ants that he had called to him.

Murdock's acrobatic agility kept Grimm from landing any punches, as Yellowjacket dove for the Mad Thinker's goggles. He grabbed them and wore them briefly to return Ben to normal. The trio was able to restore the Vision to his usual self as well, just before their foe pulled a lever to summon his robotic Vision doubles.

Although the duplicates outnumbered their opponents, they were no match for the superheroes. The Vision dispatched the last of them as the Thinker agonized over the failure of his plot. The Vision deduced that the introduction of the youth was the X-factor. It seemed that he had a kind of gut reaction to people he'd seen before, and even correctly predicted the outcome of the hockey game, which was won by the underdog team. Ben tried to console his nemesis as they led him away, noting that he'd lost a world, while Ben had lost $20 betting on the losing team.

I've seen the Thinker in many Marvel mags throughout the years, and I enjoyed this three-issue arc. The Mad Thinker is a considerable intellectual threat, but he always manages to forget or overlook a minor detail. That was especially true in this script, as he glossed over the boy's intrusion, not realizing that he'd play an essential role in his plan's outcome. The Vision is another interesting character, and this was a good story that featured Hank Pym in one of his hero guises before things went downhill for him for a while.

That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the fortieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben decides to treat his friends to a special meal before he embarks on another adventure, this time with a well-known character who made their debut in the pages of the Fantastic Four comic. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #38

Good afternoon, folks,

The topic of this blog post is the thirty-eighth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The Thing was busy battling robots in one viewscreen, while Daredevil struggled to free himself from a submerged vehicle on another monitor, all as an unknown villain observed their fates. The issue had a publication date of April 1978.

The tale began with Ben Grimm looking at the Daily Bugle headline and photo of himself behind bars. Ben was naturally perturbed by the media coverage and slammed down on his prison bunk, snapping the chain that had held it to the wall. Meanwhile, his lawyer, Matt Murdock, was trying to delay the trial to find witnesses and prepare legal documents, but was unsuccessful. The trial was set for Friday because of the nature of such a high-profile case. 

Murdock later left his law partner, Foggy Nelson, and decided to clear his head as the costumed adventurer Daredevil. He soon detected the heartbeat of Alex Stone, the garage owner who raised the initial charges against Grimm (last issue). He burst into the business and made some accusations. Stone met his accuser and was eager to get into a fight. 

Daredevil found a paint canister that he used against his foe, but was soon knocked out by his opponent. Stone put the superhero in a car that he tossed off a nearby pier. The car started to fill with water, and Murdock, who had also been bound while he was unconscious, woke up in time to kick out one of the windows, break his bonds, and swim to safety.

He was rescued when he resurfaced by a couple of good samaritans. Murdock arrived at the jail a while later to communicate the bad news to his client, Grimm. A few moments later, the Thing decided to take matters into his own hands and created an exit by breaking through one of the prison walls. The child who had been his cellmate followed and found a skateboard lying atop a trash can, which he used to speed on his way.

Grimm was headed for the auto garage, determined to get some answers. Stone wasn't there, but Ben learned where he was. Ben descended a staircase and entered a building that was full of computers. A mechanical guard emerged from a hidden port in the floor and was crushed by the Thing before more of its kind were released from identical openings.

Daredevil followed Grimm's trail and was soon fighting more of the same mechanical men. Ben fought off his attackers right before a large cup crashed down upon him. He learned that his foes were automatons summoned by his old rival, the Mad Thinker. Ben was fighting for his life, but was unable to break his new cell. 

Ben's friend Daredevil had been captured by the Thinker, who had the hero cuffed to a table before him. He stood before a control panel and depressed controls that allowed toxic gas to fill Ben's chamber. Murdock was still restrained, unable to assist his longtime comrade.

I just read the Mad Thinker's first appearance in a reprint of Fantastic Four #15. He turns up every so often and seems to have very well-thought-out plans. However, there's usually an X-factor that he fails to consider.

If you want to learn the fate of these heroes, tune in tomorrow for my recap of the thirty-ninth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. We'll find out just what the Mad Thinker had in store for them, as well as see the first appearances of two other well-known Marvel characters in this series. The boy who shared a cell with Grimm will also show up too. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #37

Good morning, peeps,

Hope everyone's having a great weekend. Time for me to talk about the thirty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted Ben Grimm in a court of law. He was sitting in a chair, bursting a set of iron chains that had been shackled around his wrists after being sentenced to a term of 20 years, with his lawyer, Matt Murdock, just as incredulous as the Thing was. The tale was titled "Game Point!" The issue had a cover date of March 1978.

The story started in Grimm's bedroom. He was trying to get into the Stephen King novel The Shining, not knowing that he was in someone's crosshairs. A few moments later, the Thing was struck by a dart. It was enough to cause him to break the bed he'd been sitting on in the flophouse that he now occupied after the Fantastic Four broke up.

Grimm went for a walk, where he was targeted and struck once more. Ben lashed out at a lamppost with his fist and pounded his feet on the ground as he continued to be hit by undetected pellets. His destruction was soon noticed by a local business owner and the police. The Thing was placed in handcuffs and later led away by several officers.

Ben was booked at New York's 53rd precinct. He was placed in a lineup, where the man whose storefront had been damaged had picked him out. Grimm was later placed in a crowded cell with another man and a kid who was looking to make some easy money through a game of craps. Murdock arrived to represent the former Fantastic Four member a couple of hours later. 

The next step in the process was a preliminary hearing. Matt defended Ben as he listened to witness testimony. One of the witnesses was Alex Stone, the man who brought up Grimm's initial charges. He talked about several incidents where the Thing caused property damage and endangered nearby citizens (covered in Fantastic Four issue #s 25, 26, 111, and 123). Ben listened and started to wonder if he really was a menace after all.

One distinct difference with the most recent incident was the fact that Reed Richards (aka Mister Fantastic) had paid for the damages in the past. With the team's disbanding, that option was no longer available. Stone expressed his concern for the safety of children if Ben couldn't control himself. Grimm's anger continued to rise, but Matt and his partner, Foggy Nelson, did their best to try to calm their client.

Ben's girlfriend, Alicia Masters, was kept out of the courtroom until it was declared that Grimm be brought up before trial. The Thing then unleashed his anger on the courtroom. After his outburst, Alicia and others saw the strongest member of the Fantastic Four facing several police firearms trained upon him.

The judge declared Grimm guilty. He was ordered to be chained up and taken away, never to be seen by the judge ever again. Murdock noticed a low hum before the outburst and guessed it might be why Ben lost his temper. Ben started to doubt himself as he was taken away. Meanwhile, Stone started to grin, noting that things were going just the way he wanted them to. 

This wasn't your typical Marvel comic of the time. Most people don't think about the property destruction incurred by superhero/villain fights (at least, not before Damage Control was created). This was an opportune storyline, in the wake of the FF's breakup (although that proved to be temporary). If you're thinking that Ben was set up, you may be more right than you know.

Later today, I'll discuss the second part of this saga with a recap of Marvel Two-In-One #38. As Ben prepares to face the music, Murdock's costumed alter-ego Daredevil digs a little deeper into the circumstances surrounding his friend's scrutiny, especially the strange sound that his keen hearing noticed right before the sentence was given. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #36

Hello there, friends,

Hope you're having a great weekend. Today's topic is the thirty-sixth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed Mister Fantastic trying to corral a flying dinosaur, as the Thing attempted to rescue an unidentified woman. The story was called "A Stretch in Time..." The issue had a publication date of February 1978.

When we last saw Ben Grimm in this series, he was swimming for his life, along with his new ally Skull the Slayer and his colleagues in a strange time rift that apparently only existed inside the Bermuda Triangle. The area was rife with dinosaurs as the adventurers now saw four brontosaures staring curiously at them.

The adventurers escaped the danger, but only after narrowly avoiding injury while trying to avoid falling down a waterfall. They found the jet that brought Skull (Jim Scully) and his companions to the area and salvaged a few parts that were soon placed in the ship that Ben had arrived in. Some time later, the quintet blasted off.

The sun priest (whom we saw last issue) had taken to the air riding one of his prehistoric animals, and even followed the jet back to twentieth-century Earth. Grimm set the plane down in modern-day Miami, where they were met by Ben's Fantastic Four teammate Reed Richards (aka Mister Fantastic). Reed was relieved that Grimm was safe. Ben's girlfriend Alicia Masters had feared the worst after Ben's disappearance (which happened at the start of issue #35). 

The priest and his flying forces soon burst upon the scene, and the heroes joined forces to tackle enemies that had probably never set foot on this sphere of existence before. Although Reed's stretching abilities had been weakened lately, he was still powerful enough to repel some of the invaders' attacks. The group was victorious, and the sun priest was defeated.

Afterward, the villain was apprehended. Scully and his friends set off for new lives for themselves. As they drove away, Richards assured his old friend that the dinosaurs that followed them would be safe and right at home in the Savage Land.

This was an effective way to wrap up the events that occurred in Skull the Slayer's own book after its cancellation. However, we wouldn't see Scully again in another Marvel title for more than a decade. His appearances have been few and far between since then. He's another character who has great potential, but we rarely see him in any series for more than an issue or two at a time. I don't think that his supporting cast has shown up much at all since this storyline wrapped up. 

That's all for this article. Next time, I'll discuss the thirty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The Thing is in trouble, and enlists the assistance of someone who most Marvelites will recognize as an expert in his particular field. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #35

Happy Friday, folks!

It's time for me to talk about the thirty-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing dispatching baddies alongside Skull the Slayer. The tale was titled "Enter: Skull the Slayer and Exit: the Thing!" The issue had a publication date of January 1978.

The story started in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Ben Grimm had recently returned from London, England, and had been recruited because of his experience as a test pilot to fly a new experimental vessel to the Bermuda Triangle. Grimm agreed to the mission and soon found his craft ensnared by a giant flying dinosaur.

The ship soared through a vortex and wound up in a land full of prehistoric creatures. Ben had no idea where or when he was, but there were others below who would enter the fray. Skull the Slayer (real name: Jim Scully) and his companions were engaged in a conflict with a mad priest. The Americans wound up in this predicament after their plane journeyed to the same unexpected destination some time before. 

Skull's comrades, Jeff Turner, Ann Farrow Reynolds, and Raymond Cory, had been tied to a column, which left their friend all alone to face their foe. That is, until their enemy's dinosaur returned with Ben's plane clasped in its jaws. Grimm emerged from the experimental craft after the beast set it down, and he was recognized almost immediately by one of the captives.

It didn't take Ben long to sort out the good versus bad, and he went to fight the priest's warriors. Facing the priest himself proved to be a bit more of a challenge, but the strongest member of the Fantastic Four found a way to ascend the stone stairs before the temple started to collapse. He helped Scully free his partners before more of the priest's men were upon them.

Skull was wanted for murder back home, although his comrades knew that the death of Scully's brother was an accident. They were more than willing to assist him in overcoming the onrushing natives. After the battle, Scully introduced himself and his companions to Grimm, and explained where they were and how they'd arrived there. 

Grimm's plane might be the answer to their problem, but it would need a bit of work first. An idea was shared to use the craft that Jim and his crew had arrived in to repair the jet. The plan was agreed upon, but now they had to reach the downed aircraft. The journey proved to be difficult, as several dinosaurs got in their way.

Ben and Jim led the way once more, but just when they thought they were free and clear, things turned from bad to worse. They had no sooner escaped a large dinosaur and dove into the water, when they surfaced to find four more dinosaurs staring down at them. It seemed as if the goal might be almost impossible at that point.

Skull the Slayer was a title that ran for eight issue before being cancelled. It was an interesting premise, one that was popular at the time because people were always wondering about the Bermuda Triangle and making all kinds of wild theories as to what really happened in that area. It's a good book, but I can see that it probably suffered from low readership/subscriptions and changing creative teams.

Aside from this two-part story, Scully doesn't appear in very many Marvel comics afterward. He hasn't been featured in any Marvel issues since 2015. That's a shame, because I felt that a limited series or a brief run in a tryout mag like Marvel Comics Presents or something similar might bring back fans of his old series or introduce him to new readers.

If you want to find out what happened to Ben and company, tune in tomorrow for my synopsis of the thirty-sixth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Grimm, Skull, and the rest of the gang in the unknown Bermuda Triangle region will be featured, along with another member of Ben's regular team. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #34

Happy Thursday, peeps!

Today's topic is the thirty-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing and Nighthawk before a strange humanoid being with tentacles, whom Ben Grimm was trying to protect from several gun-toting men. The tale was titled "A Monster Walks Among Us!" The issue had a cover date of December 1977.

The story started as the Defender known as Nighthawk was flying off to a meeting in London, where his alter-ego of Kyle Richmond was needed for a business meeting. Kyle was only two hours late, for which he used the excuse that his jet was hijacked (even though his Nighthawk costume's jets allowed him to fly). 

Mr. Marcus Welby and Dr. Reginald Johnson St. Martin Casey had an important discovery that they wanted Richmond to examine. They were optimistic that it could be the discovery of a lifetime. Meanwhile, in another part of London, Ben Grimm was awaiting the good news about the cyborg from the future, Deathlok, from Professor Kort. Kort was able to revive the warrior from the 30th century. He was no sooner awakened when SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters International Intelligence and Law Enforcement Division) head Nick Fury and his associates arrived.

Fury and his men carted Deathlok away after Nick gave Ben a single Havana cigar, instead of the box of cigars that Grimm had bargained for. A phone call would later bring Kort and Grimm to Richmond's lab, where the trio watched Casey and Welby activate a neutron ray that was aimed at the strange stone that had been recently uncovered.

The beam was powerful enough to cut the rock and let the strange creature it had contained free. It emitted a strange gas that rendered its witnesses unconscious. The being did not know that the others of its kind who had arrived on Earth had perished in a nuclear explosion in 1908 in Siberia.

The creature later left the laboratory and came across a young girl, in a scene that was eerily reminiscent of a similar one in a famous monster movie. The girl was initially terrified of the beast, and her scream brought her father and his friend running after her. The two men were armed and ready to defend the child and themselves.

As the otherworldly being ventured farther, the witnesses in the laboratory woke. Ben and Nighthawk set out in search of the creature. The girl was now safe in a hospital, where she was met by a stranger. The creature had found a deer trapped under rocks and went to free it, right before he was fired upon by the girl's father and his accomplice. 

While Nighthawk and the Thing were trying to prevent further unnecessary violence, the girl pulled an electrical wire by the plug, and moments later, the hospital she was in caught fire. The heroes now had a mission: to save all of the hospital's occupants. That was a task that the strange creature embarked on as well.

Richmond entered the building and retrieved several children. Ben had an idea for extinguishing the flames. The creature also freed children from the burning hospital. For his efforts, he was fired upon. Even after being injured, the monster still continued to try to help the youngsters. 

Grimm had reached a nearby bell tower and removed the bell. He dunked it into a stream and flung the water at the hospital to douse the fire. The last person that the creature saved was the little girl Maggie, whom he'd met earlier, and whose father had shot at him before it passed on. Nighthawk admonished the gunmen for their actions, since it was now clear who the real monsters were in this scenario. 

This was a typical moral tale of the time, but one that still matters. We still often fear the unknown and are prone to act defensively or with violence toward those things. That doesn't solve anything, and in many cases makes things worse. 

Nighthawk was a solid member of the Defenders for many years, and a de facto leader and mentor to many younger superheroes before his character was killed off. He's reminiscent of Warren Worthington III and Bruce Wayne, but was different enough to stand out on his own. I liked how he redeemed himself from his days as a villain and became probably a better person than he'd initially expected himself to be. 

Next time, I'll cover the thirty-fifth issue of this series. Ben embarks on a multi-part storyline that features a character who had his own short-lived series for a while. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.