Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #5

Good afternoon, folks,

Hope all's well. It's time for me to recap the fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed The Thing, Captain America, and the original Guardians of the Galaxy engaged in battle against the Badoon in the 31st century. The story was named "Seven Against the Empire!" The issue had a cover date of September 1974.

On our planet in the year 3014, Earth was ruled by an alien race called the Badoon. The Earthlings that remained were slaves to their alien masters. Cap, Ben Grimm, and Sharon Carter had recently arrived in that timeline to try and protect the people (after being alerted to the crisis by a time-traveling woman last issue), but fell in battle to the Badoon's forces. The defeated heroes were now being brought to the Badoon leader.

A memory device was placed on Captain America's head, so that the villain could learn from its memories how they came to be there. By the time the details had been discovered, Grimm had recovered and was ready to fight once more. He fended off the charge of the Badoon's Zom soldiers and gave Cap and Sharon enough time to awaken and join the fray.

The three warriors were more than ready to battle their foes from the future. They eventually escaped, not knowing that the lady named Tarin that they'd arrived to aid was convening with her associates and recounting her experience in the past. It was finally decided to contact the Guardians of the Galaxy for assistance.

Martinex, Yondu, Charlie-27, and Vance Astro received the transmission and watched the heroes from the past fighting for their lives on the viewscreen. Vance recognized the star-spangled Avenger immediately. He insisted that they set a course for Earth at once to aid them.

Meanwhile, The Thing, Cap, and Carter had finally been found by more Badoon soldiers. One of them swiftly fell after being struck by an arrow fired from Yondu's bow. He and the rest of the Guardians leapt into action, and the combined might of the seven heroes was enough to defeat them. 

Afterward, Astro introduced himself and his comrades and explained how he was originally from their time. He'd been sent to outer space in the first American rocket that was designed for such travel. He'd left the planet in 1988 and arrived on Alpha Centauri some 200 years later to find a colony of Earthlings welcoming him. He had aged during his journey, and his body would now be susceptible to disintegration without his protective spacesuit, which he now had to wear at all times to prevent that possibility. 

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Tarin and her associates. Ben led the charge, and the combined forces stormed into the Badoon headquarters. He and Charlie-27 helped Grimm to exact revenge on the mighty destroyer that had felled him before (at the end of issue #4). In the end, good triumphed over evil, and the Badoon leader was forced to surrender.

Tarin and her colleagues were finally hopeful for the first time in a long time. They joined the Guardians in celebrating and wishing their 20th-century counterparts a fond farewell. Moments later, Doctor Doom's time machine activated, and Ben, Steve Rogers, and Sharon were sent back to their own time.

This was a satisfying conclusion to the two-part storyline. I love a good Sal Buscema issue, and he had plenty of experience in drawing the Guardians and the Badoon in this series, as well as in the Defenders and the Guardians' own book. The Badoon remind me a little bit of the lizard aliens from the "V" franchise, minus their human disguises. I actually prefer the original Guardians of the Galaxy over the more modern team lineups, and have several of their appearances in my growing collection. 

Tomorrow, I'll discuss the sixth issue of this series. Ben will team up with Doctor Strange in an offbeat tale that involves some rather curious fates of several people who initially seem random until you discover their connection. There will also be a bit of mischief from the infamous Yancy Street gang. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.