Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #27

Hi there,

Today's topic is the twenty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed The Thing and the rest of his teammates in the Fantastic Four (Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Sue Richards/The Invisible Girl, and Johnny Storm/The Human Torch) fighting Deathlok, a warrior from the future, along with current-day villains Mentallo and the Fixer. The first part was called "Day of the Demolisher!" The issue had a cover date of May 1977.

The tale picked up right where the previous issue left off. Ben had returned to his team's home, the Baxter Building in New York City, with the Fixer and Mentallo and had been forced to fight his old friend Nick Fury. Fury eventually removed the control device, and Ben Grimm was back to his old self. When the two allies went to face the ones responsible for the predicament, they found the cyborg Deathlok blocking their path.

It became quite clear early on what side Deathlok was on. He listened to the Fixer's words without hesitation and engaged in battle with the stars of the last issue. Mentallo's imagery was impressive, but it wasn't enough to convince Ben or Nick that the dinosaur that suddenly appeared before them was real. Before long, the trio escaped via the Fixer's flying discs before Grimm or Fury could chase after them.

As the longtime colleagues were still trying to figure things out, their opponents were on their way back to Mentallo and the Fixer's mountainside retreat. Mentallo confessed to his partner how he'd learned about their new ally from probing Spider-Man's mind. The web-slinger had just returned from a journey using Doctor Doom's time platform into the future, where he encountered Deathlok (as shown in Marvel Team-Up #46). Mentallo was nearby emptying a vault's contents when he saw Spidey's reappearance and soon realized that Deathlok might be a powerful comrade, one that they might just need for their next objective, which was in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration of U.S. president Jimmy Carter.

Chapter two of the story was called "War in Washington!" The Fantastic Four had arrived to ensure that the inauguration would go smoothly. While Grimm was struggling with his tuxedo and Storm was out on flying around to get a break from the tension in the room, the Fixer and Mentallo were equipping Deathlok with a rifle and instructing him on his next task. Fury and the rest of his SHIELD (Supreme Headquarters Intelligence and Law Enforcement Division) were also on the scene, taking no precautions after allowing the villains to enter their helicarrier (in the last issue).

Deatlhok reached his assigned perch and started thinking about his predicament. He thought back to the circumstances that led to his current state as a half-human, half-cyborg. Deathlok was still a soldier at his core. He obeyed orders, but this time he started to question the legitimacy and morality of his latest assignment.

Chapter 3, "Battle With the Bionic Berserker!," began outside the White House, as the members of the Fantastic Four stood around in their formal wear before making long, careful strides toward the nation's capital building. They were greeted by Fury, who informed them that their old foes (from issue #26) were in the area and had something sinister planned for the elected president. That news inspired Reed to excuse himself and make a phone call to someone who would soon be on their way.

Deathlok returned to the Fixer and Mentallo, confirming that he had reconnoitered the area as instructed. He then returned to the ledge, where he could get a clear view of President Carter and the Fantastic Four. Deathlok had the leader in his gunsights before he opted for a different tactic. The cyborg from the future made his way through the crowd and broke through a wooden barrier before taking a shot at the president.

The Fantastic Four lashed out against the assailant, and Sue went to the president to assess his condition. The Fixer and Mentallo then joined the conflict. Johnny's flame melted a projectile that had been fired from the Fixer's gun that was directed toward Reed. The Torch's heat shield prevented Mentallo from being able to thought probe the heroes. 

Johnny then tossed a ring of fire around the podium that Deathlok was now on. The cyborg duked it out with the Thing until Sue formed an invisible bubble around Deathlok to prevent him from harming anyone else. The Fixer boasted that they'd affixed a special mind-control device that not even Richards could remove as he and Mentallo were being herded off into SHIELD custody.

Afterward, the president was revealed to be the Impossible Man in disguise. He was the person that Reed had called earlier. Ben was a bit embarrassed by the fact that the alien had saved them again (the last time was in Fantastic Four #175), but his assistance allowed the inauguration to continue uninterrupted.

The surprise twist at the end was amusing, especially if you're a fan of the Impossible Man, a good-natured being who sometimes does more harm than good. It wrapped up the Mentallo/Fixer epic nicely, and we learned that Deathlok really didn't want to proceed with his mission, but apparently felt compelled to do so. 

That's it for this article. Next up is the twenty-eighth issue of this title. The mysteries behind Deathlok's appearance in this timeline are studied, but before much can be learned, Ben embarks on a quest to save someone close to him from the clutches of another villain, with the assistance of one of Marvel's oldest characters. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another.