Happy Tuesday, peeps!
Today's topic is the sixty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing battling the superhuman from another world known as Hyperion, as Ben Grimm's sometime friend and sometime foe Thundra looked on from the ground. The tale was titled "Passport to Oblivion!" The issue had a cover date of September 1980.
The story started at Project Pegasus in upstate New York, where Grimm was about to hand over the Serpent Crown to Quasar and the other project personnel. He explained how he'd come into its possession to Quasar before tossing the object in a stasis field. Afterward, Ben and Quasar went to the commissary for a bite to eat.
After filling his tray, Grimm sat down. The duo was soon joined by Giant Man (Bill Foster). Foster was in a dour mood after learning that there was no known cure for the radiation poisoning that was slowly killing him. Ben felt bad for his friend. The conversation then turned to Thundra.
None of them knew of her current whereabouts. The attention then shifted to the female strongwoman from another universe. She was traversing the city streets of New York with her new tag team partner, Hyperion, another superbeing from an alternate Earth. They were headed to the secret location of Roxxon Industries. On the way, Hyperion explained that he was from a subatomic planet that was demolished by a cyclotron. He was found by the Grandmaster, a powerful being who placed the lad in a group called the Squadron Sinister, which later battled the Avengers.
Hyperion had seemingly lost all thoughts of revenge at one point, but he revealed that had just been a ruse. He tried to lure a duplicate of himself from an alternate world into his plan to obtain a weapon that he could use to destroy both Earths, but a robot and the mighty Thor defeated him. Hyperion was placed in a cell that sapped his strength until a stranger offered to free him and return him to his homeworld. All he had to do was bring them Thundra.
Once inside the complex, the duo were soon greeted by a businessman who showed them to the portable Nth projector. Thundra hoped the device could send her home, but feared that might not ever be possible, because her planet had been eliminated by a rival world that eventually merged the two spheres into one. One of the technicians brought up the fact that alternate realities existed, including one in which that merge never happened. He offered to start up the projector and show Thundra that planet. It appeared on the monitor moments later. Thundra confirmed that it indeed was her homeworld, and the technician offered to send her there right away.
By then, Ben Grimm had returned via pogo plane to the Baxter Building in New York City. He was greeted by his old college roommate and Fantastic Four teammate, Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic). Ben filled his buddy in on his recent exploits, including his decision to break things off with his girlfriend Alicia Masters because of his concern for her well-being.
Their conversation encouraged Grimm to give things another try with Masters, and he set out a bit later to her apartment. As he neared her home, Ben saw Alicia in the arms of another man. Thinking they were through for good, Ben toseed the bouquet of flowers he'd picked up in the closest trash can and walked away.
At the same time, Thundra and Hyperion watched the scientist use the Nth projector to transport himself to the planet on the viewscreen. Thundra grabbed the device before more could be done, aiming it at anyone who stood in her way. Hyperion pursued her, as did several armed guards in a small flier.
By the time Ben returned home, the two superpowered beings from other universes crashed up from the subway underneath the street before the Baxter Building. Ben tried to speak to Thundra, but Hyperion interfered. While they fought, Thundra took matters into her own hands, defending herself against the soldiers.
Not even a strong net could hold the female warrior. She forced the lackeys to desert their ship moments before it crashed. By the time Grimm was back on his feet, Thundra was setting up the projector. She thanked Ben for her help, moments before stepping into the portal. Hyperion flew into the beam seconds later, as Grimm stood by and watched everything happen. He briefly thought about joining them, before realizing that it was probably better to see the people who pained them walk out of his life instead of following them.
This was another of the first several MTIO issues that I picked up as a kid. I now know that Hyperion was Marvel's answer to Superman, but he was still impressive. This version of Hyperion would return in the Squadron Supreme limited series from the 1980s. Like Namor, Thundra rotates from friend to foe from time to time. She was a member of the Frightful Four and an ally of Ben and the rest of the FF every once in a while. It would be nice to know a bit more of the backgrounds of both this Hyperion and Thundra at some point.
That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow's focus will be on the sixty-eighth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. This one-off story has Ben pairing off with an original X-Man as they go up against menaces sent forth from another character from the Sixties supercharacter era. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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