Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #3

Good afternoon, folks,

Time for me to talk about the third Marvel Two-In-One annual. The cover depicted the Thing (Ben Grimm) under the foot of a large being known as a Monitor. The man called Nova was fighting that foe, while another Monitor was reaching for him with one hand. His other fist was clenching an unidentified female. The first part of this story was called "When Strike the Monitors!"

The tale began with Richard Rider (aka Nova) streaking through the skies in a good mood. He was feeling happy until he noticed a construction worker on a nearby building start to fall. He rushed to a hotel and tore the awning from its entrance before using it to cushion the worker's fall. He flew away after accomplishing his goal, but was soon blinded by a brilliant light in the sky.

The light was noticed by others as well, right before a large being emerged. It towered over the people, who started fleeing in panic. The alien was followed by a mechanical tripod that began drilling into the Earth's surface. Nova alone wasn't able to tackle this terror, and he soon sought assistance.

The Avengers were unavailable, so Nova made his way to the Baxter Building. The Thing was the only member of that super team at home, and after introductions were made, chapter 2, entitled "The Mystery Unfolds!" began. Grimm used a Fantasticar to arrive at the scene of the disruption. He landed the craft and lashed out at the intruder, only to find his blows were as ineffective as Nova's initial attacks were on the being. 

As a second saucer entered our atmosphere, a woman emerged from sleep in a ship that was circling the planet. She rose and went to a viewscreen to observe the commotion. She knew it was time to take action, and soon arrived by the heroes' side. She called herself Milandra and explained that the large beings known as Monitors were her foes. They'd arrived on Earth to determine its worth, and if the planet was not deemed worthy, it would surely be destroyed. 

Milandra had been the Monitors' prisoner. Her energies had powered their starship. She didn't know the reasons why she'd been freed, but was aware of the plight that her sisters on the other Monitors' ships faced. The heroes had less than ten Earth hours to prevent the destruction of their world. 

Nova and the Thing learned more about the predicament after Milandra transported them to her vessel. They had decided to join the cause right before another Monitor attacked them. Nova flew to meet the challenge and found himself flung into deep space. He witnessed the collapse of another planet and had to find his way back. Meanwhile, Grimm continued to fight their foe after Milandra's sister was free. He leapt at the towering alien before everything went black. The next thing he knew, Ben was free-falling toward the ground below. He pushed the emergency button on his belt buckle, which sent the Fantasticar soaring to his rescue.

In Chapter 3, which was named "As Tokyo Goes, So Goes the World!," Grimm piloted his ship back to the site of his initial encounter with the Monitors, as sisters Kallandra and Milandra attempted in vain to stop their captors' devices. The Monitors detected their activity and activated circuitry with but a thought to dispel the intruders. 

Ben was whisked to safety by Milandra a while later, as she explained more of the Monitors' history. They had begun long before modern civilization. Their society achieved what they believed to be perfection and sought to see if other worlds were up to those same standards. Their ships scoured the galaxies to inspect different worlds and destroy those found to be lacking. 

The Monitors needed power, which Milandra and her kind could provide. They were captured and placed in their star-spanning vessels, which extracted their powers until she woke up and freed herself. Meanwhile, Nova strove to return to his homeworld, not knowing that his friends were wondering about Rider's whereabouts. He soon returned to his allies' side and rejoined the struggle against the alien invaders.

While the Thing and Nova took on the direct threat, Milandra and Kallandra sought to free their sister Askare. The trio joined forces, but before they could confront their captors, a blast from one of the Monitor's hands destroyed the robot that had been Askare. She and her siblings were indeed mechanical, but had evolved over the millions of years they were enthralled. Their bodies housed the billions of souls lost over the many years to the Monitors' attacks.

The final chapter of this saga was called "Wrath of the Monitors!" The aliens continued to destroy Tokyo, but Ben and Richard weren't about to give up. Nova lured one of them into a volcano, while the Thing managed to make his opponent disappear after being struck by a subway car. 

The last Monitor was approached by the robotic sisters, who appealed to him. He agreed to return to his home planet with them and seemed eager to persuade his people to end their judgment of other worlds. The quartet vanished, leaving everything as it was before the invasion. The Thing and Nova stood there somewhat confused, after having been engaged in a conflict that really didn't seem like it was even necessary in the first place.

This was one of the first Marvel Two-In-One issues that I ever read as a child. I was drawn into the annual by Sal Buscema's distinctive artwork, but I had to read it a few times to make sure I understood the morals of this tale. Everything worked out in the end, and no one was seriously harmed. 

Nova had his own title for 25 issues at the time before it was cancelled. He also appeared in a crossover story with the Amazing Spider-Man. After his mag was axed, he was featured in a multi-part story in the Fantastic Four's comic and a storyline in ROM: Spaceknight that ended with Rider losing his Nova powers and returning to Earth. Rider would later regain those abilities and become a founding member of the New Warriors. As far as I know, the Monitors have not appeared in another Marvel comic since this annual was published.

That's all I have for you today. Time to work on putting one of the bookshelves that I received as a birthday gift together. Tomorrow, I'll cover the forty-sixth issue of this series. Ben goes to Hollywood, where he meets a character who had his own live-action TV series at the time. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #45

Happy Sunday, folks!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend. Time for me to talk about the forty-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing being fired upon by unknown assailants from a nearby car, as Captain Marvel flew over the vehicle. The tale was titled "The Andromeda Rub-Out!" The issue had a cover date of November 1978.

It all began on a rainy evening. A man in a trenchcoat trudged toward a local newsstand, where he purchased a newspaper and began reading about Ben Grimm. He swore the Thing's life would end. As he looked up, the stranger looked eerily similar to the Fantastic Four's powerhouse.

Meanwhile, just outside of Denver, Colorado, the man known as Captain Marvel (the Kree warrior Mar-Vell) was perusing a publication based on the flick Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He suddenly received a blast of energy, one that he soon figured was a threat to Grimm.

At a posh New York restaurant, Ben was enjoying a night out with his girlfriend, Alicia Masters. They were about to order dinner at a nice restaurant when a waiter informed Grimm that he had a phone call. The caller threatened to end Ben's life. The Thing crushed the phone receiver afterward and led Alicia outside right before a speeding car fired at him.

Ben's rocky exterior shielded him from damage, and he corralled a cab to follow the assassins. He eventually leapt from the cab to the car his attackers were driving, and held onto the back bumper for dear life as it dashed across a pier and flew into the air.

The car suddenly disappeared moments later, and Grimm plunged into the icy waters below. When he reached shore, Marvel and Masters were waiting for him. Captain Marvel informed his friend that his foe had to be hiding in a subspace dimension. Ben went to take Alicia home before reconvening with his friend.

The heroes holed up in a dwindling brownstone, waiting to see what would happen next. Grimm grew tired of waiting and went out for a walk. A short while later, Marvel was approached by someone who looked like the Thing but was obviously an impostor. He zapped the Kree warrior while Ben was enjoying a nice cigar.

His smoke break was interrupted by the arrival of Boss Barker, a Skrull soldier who was in the guise of a mob boss (whom the Fantastic Four first met in issue number 91 of their own title). Ben had been taken to their planet to serve as a competitor in their gladiator games. One of his rivals was the machine man known as Torgo, who led a rebellion against the Skrull subjugators. 

Barker was back for revenge and offered up the head of Torgo as a reminder to Ben that he wasn't playing around. Ben was hit by a laser beam and knocked out. A short while later, he revived and found himself cuffed to a brick wall, facing the members of Barker's firing squad.

The execution was prevented by Marvel, who crashed the party. His intervention gave Grimm enough time to break free from his bonds and join the melee. Barker pushed a button on his control box and brought his starship crashing onto the scene.

Before any more damage could be done, Torgo's disembodied head came to life and blasted his foe with deadly eye beams. The Skrull reverted to his original form one last time before expiring. Marvel and Grimm noted how life seemed to be a game to their opponent, and that Barker died how he'd lived.

I felt like this was a good issue for long-time fans of the Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. It provided a bit of closure for that old FF yarn. I'm really surprised that, with all of the character resurrections in recent years, Mar-Vell hasn't been brought back for good yet. I prefer him over the current Captain Marvel. Nothing against Carol Danvers as a character, but I don't think that she stands the test of time like Mar-Vell did. 

That's it for this morning. Later today, I'll recap the third Marvel Two-In-One annual. Another alien menace arrives on our world, and it's up to the Thing and another hero who was relatively new in the late 1970s to address the threat. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #44

Good morning!

Today's focus is on the forty-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing and Hercules being tossed aside by a towering Minotaur. The story was called "October 1978." The issue had a publication date of October 1978.

The story started in the meeting room of Camp Run-A-Mok, a summer camp full of rambunctious children who were swarming around Ben Grimm, as he sat on a recliner and tried to tell a story. It was all about one of his recent exploits, which began with another prank played upon him by his teammate, the Human Torch, while Ben was trying to exercise at the Baxter Building. 

The Torch (real name: Johnny Storm) melted one of Grimm's barbells that he'd thrown at his agitator, leaving Ben pretty peeved. He went outside to clear his head on a walk when he saw the mighty Hercules flying past, riding a chariot that was powered by a white-winged horse. The hero reached out for Ben's hand as they soared toward the legendary Olympus.

Hercules had returned home days before after his superteam, the Champions, broke up, and was stunned to find his father, Zeus, missing. They entered the palace and were greeted by large green flying pythons (none of them named Monty, as far as we know). Ben tossed one aside, while Hercules drew a gate down upon the other.

They ventured further into the building, but then a large crimson tiger leapt at the duo. Hercules was strong enough to vault the cat up and over his body. Ben remarked at the large table that stood before them, just before a large Minotaur lashed out at the intruders. He flung a large berry at Ben and Hercules turned the table over to allow them to escape.

Hercules' winged steed was waiting, and the pair climbed aboard the chariot mere moments before the Minotaur jumped toward them, only to fall several stories as the trio flew away. Their next destination would be the sun tower, an edifice that usually meant death to all, Olympians included. They ascended the stairs and found Zeus tied to a post, as flames from the pit that the post had emerged from continued to rise.

Ben jumped to the wooden frame and snapped it in two. It fell toward the tower floor, forming a bridge that Zeus and Grimm could safely traverse. However, a large creature called Manduu the Merciless now blocked their escape. While the creature swung at the Thing with his club, Hercules used part of the wooden pole that his father had been attached to to strike at their foe's feet.

The heroes were eventually able to force their opponent to lose his balance and plunge into the fiery pit. The trio escaped on the flying chariot and made their way to the Watergate (not the one in Washington, D.C., as Ben pointed out when narrating to the children). There, one final test remained: a bird-like being called Krokarr the Cruel stood in their way.

The creature aimed a burst of water at the chariot, knocking its occupants from the sky. By then, the camp attendees were riveted to Grimm's story, waiting with bated breath to know what happened next. Ben smiled and said that they fell back into the chariot, and Zeus used his power supreme to encase their opponent in a large block of ice. This thrilled the children, who were eager to hear the next story when Ben returned.

If you thought that this issue felt like a fill-in, you're probably not alone. Team-up books like this one usually had a revolving door of writers and artists, which explains why many of its issues were single-issue sagas. This one was entertaining. It was good to see Hercules and Zeus again after the Champions title was cancelled. I don't know much about the villains from this tale, but I wouldn't mind seeing them appear again in other Marvel mags.

Well, that's all I have for you today. I'm going to be off shortly for a belated birthday celebration with the folks, and then take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow, I'll return with a discussion of the forty-fifth issue of Marvel Team-Up. Ben joins forces with a now-late, lamented member of the Marvel Universe as they encounter someone from the Fantastic Four's past. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #43

Happy Friday, folks!

It's time for me to talk about the forty-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the villain known as Victorius grasping Captain America by the neck with one hand while holding a Cosmic Cube in his other hand, with Man-Thing in the background and the Thing in the foreground. The tale was titled "The Day the World Winds Down." The issue had a cover date of September 1978.

The story started with Victorius and his disciples standing before Captain America and Ben Grimm. The Cosmic Cube was part of their opponent's plan for entropy to rule. The bauble had just been stolen from Project Pegasus, and Ben and Cap were determined to return it to its rightful place. Victorius was also responsible for the harm caused to the heroes' friend Wundarr.

Their foe said that he'd once been a researcher who was trying to duplicate the formula that created Captain America (aka Steve Rogers). His research was eventually halted by his superiors, who claimed that the project had ended. Victorius had his doubts and continued his cause while working for Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM), a division of Hydra. He'd just made a breakthrough when a rogue SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters Intelligence and Law Enforcement Division) agent broke into the lab in an attempt to destroy the formula.

Victorius had consumed the elixir that he'd concocted before the laboratory went up in a spectacular ball of flame from an explosion. He found that the serum had given him super-strength, and he went up against Ka-Zar in his efforts to reunite AIM. He fell during the conflict and was presumably left behind by his former employer. 

After several months of wandering the country by himself, Victorius happened upon a tome at a bookstore written by the cult of entropists. He agreed with their viewpoints and reformed their group (as shown in Giant-Size Man-Thing #1). Victorius later learned about the Cosmic Cube, which he figured had to be the key for fulfilling their mission of universal decay. He used the cube to transform the remains of the cult's former leader Yagzan into a being known as Jude, the Entropic Man.

The revived entity obeyed Victorius' commands and soon found a pair of lovers and enthralled them. Jude raised a hand and turned the couple to dust. Ben was enraged by this tale and lunged at his foe. He was knocked out, but Cap rose to defend him. Victorius floated the Cosmic Cube in the air above him before tossing off his robe to take on the legendary Avenger.

Their conflict was observed by the man who was once Ted Sallis and was now the Man-Thing. As the battle continued, the Man-Thing's curiosity grew, and he lumbered toward the hovering cube. Jude and his associates saw the creature's approach and knew he had to be stopped. 

By the time the Thing woke up, the Man-Thing was examining the Cosmic Cube that he now held in one hand. Victorius had stopped fighting Captain America long enough for Jude to hypnotize Rogers. Grimm ran to his friend and eventually caught up with and tossed Cap from the Entropic Man's path. 

The Thing was swallowed up by Jude's body and emerged moments later as Ben Grimm. He cursed out Jude right before he was struck from behind by Victorius. Cap returned to renew the fight, but Victorius broke free and wrestled for control of the cube with the Man-Thing. 

Before long, Victorius expressed fear as he was torn between fighting for the cube and the Entropic Man's grasp. As long-time Marvelites know, whosoever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch. The villain and his revived former cult leader were later frozen in place, leaving the trio of heroes alone.

Steve grabbed the cube from the muck, which was now seemingly nothing more than a typical paperweight. He pocketed the device and walked back to the plane with Grimm. The Man-Thing had reformed itself and reached out to touch the radiant crystal that had once been entropists. Doing so returned that hand back to its normal, original shape and size, a feat that the being pondered briefly before wandering off alone once more. 

This was one of the first issues of Marvel Two-In-One that I ever read. I picked it up from the discount box at my local comic book shop, and I believe it was my introduction to John Byrne's artwork. He's remained one of my favorite illustrators, and I enjoyed how well his drawings moved the story along. The Man-Thing is an underrated character, and I don't think we really know enough about his human identity. This was his first appearance in this series since MTIO's debut issue. Victorius was later revived, but he hasn't appeared in much of anything since this storyline. It's a pity, because if he had been revived sooner, he could have returned to appear in other Marvel mags and be introduced to other prominent characters of the time. 

That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll kick off the weekend with a summary of the forty-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. This one's a bit of a flashback, as Ben regales several adoring children with a tale of one of his more recent exploits that involved the cooperation of someone who's been both a Champion and an Avenger. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #42

Happy Thursday, peeps!

Today's topic is the forty-second issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed a palm holding a Cosmic Cube. The top showed the Thing and Captain America wrecking machines. One side showed a person struggling in pain while being attached to a strange machine, and another side showed a person holding such a cube. The story was called "Entropy, Entropy..." The issue had a cover date of August 1978.

The tale began with Ben Grimm bursting into Project Pegasus and being immediately met with soldiers who tried to stop him. Only Captain America's arrival and his placing Grimm in a stasis field until he could explain would end the hostilities. Grimm had arrived to check on the status of Wundarr, a man with the mind of a child who'd been left in the project's care several months before.

SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters Intelligence and Law Enforcement Division) chief Nick Fury had asked Cap to check on the program's security issues. As the old friends walked and talked, Ben accidentally ran into Tom Lightner (last seen in MTIO issue #21). He'd been improving since Dr. Don Blake (Thor's human identity) had helped him, but the smile on Lightner's face didn't sit quite well with Grimm.

The duo finally reached an observation deck, where they could see Wundarr, who'd been placed in restraints. The man-child quickly broke free from his bonds, and Ben leapt to his side. Wundarr recognized "Unca Benjy" and ran to his arms. Ben comforted the youth and allowed him to be placed in the care of Project Pegasus scientists.

Wundarr was soon hooked up to different apparatus as he sat in a chair. A familiar-looking cube was connected to some of the machinery. One of the men pulled a switch that caused Wundarr to scream in pain. Captain America rushed to the culprit, who was more powerful than expected.

While Grimm was working to free Wundarr, the villain grabbed several power lines and disappeared from sight. He moved thousands of miles away to rejoin his fellow entropists. The man tore off his mask and confirmed that he was their leader, Victorius. The leader was holding the cube he'd just stolen in one hand. 

Meanwhile, Wundarr was being led away on a stretcher. Fortunately, the suit that Reed Richards had designed for the youth (in MTIO #5) prevented any significant damage. Ben started blaming himself for the incident, although Captain America (real name: Steve Rogers) tried to remind him that what had happened wasn't his fault. 

He then joined the Thing on a plane voyage to find the source of the disruption. Grimm piloted the craft, which took them to the swamplands of Florida. Cap's detector soon brought them to its source, right before the device was demolished by the one called the Entropic Man.

I always enjoy a good Sal Buscema comic, and it fits right in with the issues of Captain America that our pal Sal was drawing at the time. He also illustrated Cap's first appearances in this series. It was good to see Wundarr again, because it almost felt like he'd been forgotten for a while. I didn't know much about the Entropic Man, but I wasn't surprised to see him purloin the Cosmic Cube. It's an item that multiple evil-doers in the Marvel Universe have coveted at one time or another.

Tomorrow, I'll cap off the work week with a synopsis of the forty-third issue of Marvel Two-In-One. We'll find out what happened to Cap and Grimm, who are aided by someone who hasn't appeared in this title since its humble beginnings. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #41

Hello folks,

Today is my birthday, but my present to you is a synopsis of Marvel Two-In-One #41. The cover showed Ben Grimm and Brother Voodoo trying to pursue a plane. The story was called "Voodoo and Valor!" The issue had a cover date of July 1978.

The tale began with Grimm returning to his rented apartment, where he'd been staying after the Fantastic Four broke up. He opened the door and was stunned to see a stranger rummaging through his personal belongings. Ben went to fight the intruder until he revealed that he was Brother Voodoo and that he'd arrived in peace.

Voodoo had heard about the recent kidnappings of prominent black members of the local community. When he arrived, T'Challa (aka the Black Panther) had disappeared, but he'd left behind a telegram from the Daily Bugle that contained a list of the people who were being targeted. He and Grimm left to find the next woman on the list.

At Slifer Field (a reference to Marvel contributor Roger Slifer), that very woman, a Mrs. Marley, was being ordered to open the gate by the man who'd apprehended the Black Panther and the others on his list. The villain's vampire eventually lifted the gate to let them inside. 

As the group approached a nearby Lear jet, the woman's young son was being asked about her disappearance. The child claimed that a creature had taken her. His description seemed similar to the being t that Ben and T'Challa had encountered earlier (in the last issue). Voodoo transported himself and Grimm to Long Island, right outside the ruined fence.

They made a mad dash for the jet just as it was taking off. The Thing wound the fence into a large ball and was about to toss it at the plane, until Voodoo reminded him that it might accidentally hurt the ones they were trying to save. Ben set the ball down in disgust.

Some time later, the jet reached its intended destination. The African leader met with a man named W'Sulli and was complimented. The former witch doctor once led the small city until his son took over and killed his fellow townspeople (as illustrated in Marvel Preview #12). Having a vampire under their command would make it easier for them to achieve their objectives. 

He came to know the man called Dr. Obatu when the former Doctor Spectrum fled a firing squad in his native land. He'd wandered aimlessly until falling into W'Sulli's hut. He saw the zuvembie before him and knew he could be a great asset. The conspirators wheeled their captives into the town square not long before Ben and Voodoo arrived by plane.

The craft was shot down, but Grimm emerged unscathed, carrying his friend to the place where T'Challa and the others had been taken. Voodoo sent the astral form of his brother Daniel (Brother Voodoo was comprised of two brothers at the time) to join in the attack not long before the Black Panther was finally freed.

The villains' plot gradually fell apart. The zombie turned on the witch doctor, and Obatu fell to his fate from a high balcony. Afterward, the three heroes led the other captives to safety, heading toward a plane that would take them to freedom.

This was a fun three-part series. I didn't know much about Brother Voodoo before reading this issue. He's played a larger role in the Strange Academy series lately. I always enjoy seeing T'Challa in Marvel comics, and I'm glad that he and his compatriots were unhurt. It's too bad he wasn't featured more often during the time that this story was initially published. 

Well, that's all I have for you today. Time to read a bit of The Origins of Marvel Comics before bed. Tomorrow, I'll tackle the forty-second issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The Thing pairs with a character who was featured in the Tales of Suspense title before getting their own mag to take on something called Project Pegasus, a story that also involves someone who we haven't seen in this series in several issues. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

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.