Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #60

Good afternoon,

I'm winding up the weekend with a summary of the sixtieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed Ben Grimm, the Impossible Man, and Alicia Masters in an art gallery, as statues of Blastaar, Doctor Doom, and Diablo appeared to be lunging at them from behind. The tale was titled "Happiness is a Warm Alien!" The issue had a cover date of February 1980.

The story started with the Thing holding his own against a heavy weight that was bearing down on him from the ceiling of the Baxter Building's exercise facility. His teammate, Reed Richards (aka Mister Fantastic) reminded his old college roommate of Alicia's gallery exhibit later that evening. Grimm smashed the obstacle and headed to his quarters for a shower and change of clothes.

Ben was thinking about his relationship with Masters when his reverie was interrupted by the arrival of the Impossible Man. The alien from the planet Poppup was bored again, as usual, and eventually convinced Ben to let him tag along, in disguise as Grimm's top hat. The two went to Alicia's apartment and made their way to the gallery, a path that led them across Yancy Street.

Several Yancy Streeters tried their usual tricks, but the Impossible Man deflected all attacks, leaving the Thing unaware of their mischief. The exhibit featured many of Alicia's sculptures of some of the Fantastic Four's many foes. Besides some of this issue's creators, the room included a trio of criminals: "Handsome" Harry Phillips, "Bull" Brogin, and Yogi Dakor. All three wanted revenge on the Thing, and saw the event as an opportunity to do just that. 

Master's stepfather Phillip (the criminal known as the Puppet Master) was also at the gala. He'd received special permission from the prison warden to attend. Moments later, the statue of Doom lunged at the Thing. That was followed by an attack from the Blastaar statue. Dakor was manipulating the stone statues, but it was initially assumed that such actions were the work of the Puppet Master once more.

Alicia told her love that her creations were much less important than Ben's life. He then smashed both statues together, leaving Brogin and Phillips unconscious afterward, since they had been controlling the artificial opponents. Dakor was in charge of the Diablo statue, which the Impossible Man noticed and caused the villain to lose his concentration.

Grimm recognized Dakor (from an old Strange Tales story) and put him out of commission. Afterward, the Impossible Man drifted off. He was still feeling lonely until he used his abilities to create a female Poppuppian. They then floated off as balloons, which Ben noticed, knowing that the excitement was probably only just beginning. 

The Impossible Man and his mate would return to bother Ben and the rest of the Fantastic Four in their own magazine. Impy would also appear from time to time in other Marvel titles. He's a bit of a nuisance but has been known to save the day on occasion. This was a nice, lighter story after a six-part storyline that just ended two issues prior. 

That's it for me today. I'll begin the workweek with a recap of the sixty-first issue of Marvel Two-In-One. A new storyline begins as Ben meets a couple of new characters right in the middle of date night. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #59

Good morning, peeps,

Welcome to a discussion of the fifty-ninth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing carrying a couple of people while holding onto the exterior of a burning building, as the Human Torch flew to their aid. The story was called "Trial and Error!" The issue had a publication date of January 1980. 

Ben Grimm was relaxing with a stogie and the Sunday funnies when his Fantastic Four teammate Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) flew into the room. He invited Ben to go for a ride with him in the Corvette that he'd just finished tuning up. Grimm politely declined, remembering the problems that happened last time.

The two engaged in another one of their friendly scuffles before deciding to go out to eat. On the way, a man on horseback rode past. His unexpected appearance distracted a driver enough to cause them to hit a fire hydrant. Ben rushed to the driver's side, while Johnny pursued the rider.

While Grimm was cleaning up the mess and providing local children with a little fun, Storm caught up with the man on horseback. He picked up the rider and corralled the horse with a flaming circle. A few moments later, the rider, who was named Normal Dunsell, had a woman running toward him. His girlfriend was scolding Norman, who explained that he had a list of things that he wanted to do before he turned thirty. 

He walked off while the woman tried to convince the superheroes to dissuade him. There wasn't much they could do in that regard. A short while later, Dunsell was on the back of a fire engine that was racing to put out a fire. In the chaos, he was mistaken for an actual firefighter and climbed up a ladder nervously.

Storm had arrived at the fire's location and was already working to free people. The Thing was climbing up the building to do the same thing, and wound up catching Dunsell and the two citizens he'd been trying to save. The Human Torch swooped in just as Ben started to fall, preventing anyone from being hurt.

Dunsell's girlfriend Deena was there to scold him once more, but Norman was still determined to cross each item off his list. They devoted their time to helping the firefighters and victims. Later that evening, Norman arrived at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. He'd learned of a robbery there and stepped in to play hero.

He borrowed a pistol from a guard who'd been tied up by the crooks, but Norman soon proved to be in over his head. Fortunately, the robbery was reported via radio at a police cruiser that Deena, Ben, and Johnny happened to be next to. The Human Torch and The Thing stepped in and took care of the thieves.

By the time authorities entered, things were under control. Ben and Johnny were about to depart when they found the list that Norman had dropped when he walked off with Deena. He apparently wasn't worried about accomplishing the last item on his list. The two superheroes agreed that item, becoming a husband, was probably one of the most difficult of them all.

This was kind of a nice gap between storylines. It may have seemed like a filler issue, but the message was very clear. One of the rare stories where the good guys didn't face galactic threats or supervillains. Just a guy trying to live out his dreams, even though most of them involved putting his life at risk. 

That's it for this morning. Later today, I'll cover the sixtieth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Ben finally gets some quiet time with his girlfriend, Alicia Masters, at a gallery exhibition. As we all know, even events like that are never just what they seem. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #58

Happy Saturday, folks!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend. Today's topic is the fifty-eighth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing, Giant-Man, Thundra, and Aquarian (formerly known as Wundarr) tumbling around the air with a large figure's shadow in the background. The tale was titled "The Pegasus Project Part Six: To The Nth Power!" The issue had a cover date of December 1979.

The issue began with the villain Klaw pointing his sonic weapon at the head of an unconscious Ben Grimm. He was about to deliver the death blow when some kind of interference in the air caused his body to vibrate so much that his physical form disappeared once more and was sucked into the sonic claw itself. As Ben awoke, he saw his former protege standing before him, although he looked quite different and seemed much more aware and intelligent.

The man-child once called Wundarr now had a new costume and a new name: Aquarian. He held the claw as he helped Ben to his feet. Aquarian recalled how he'd been brought to Project Pegasus so that his energy-absorbing abilities could be examined. That's why he was connected to a Cosmic Cube. The power surge from that process overwhelmed his mind so much at the time that it caused him to lapse into a lengthy coma.

Energies from the Cosmic Cube had enhanced his abilities to the point that Aquarian neutralized the energy of any room that he entered. He was drawn to the Cube once more after accidentally freeing Solarr from his cell. He entered the Cube and emerged completely transformed. He essentially became the living son of that item, and gave himself a new name to honor the star system from his homeworld.

Aquarian's null field was now a part of him. He strove to bring peace to this planet, and helped Ben bring Giant-Man to the infirmary, along with Quasar and Solarr. Afterward, Aquarian informed Ben that he'd noticed a spatial distortion within the complex. Things were being drawn toward what appeared to be the outline of a man. 

That man was the former Thomas Lightner. He was once the villain known as Blackstar, who faced off against the Thing and the Human Torch. After his defeat, Lightner had been saved by Dr. Don Blake (the mighty Thor's alias). Lightner was recused of all wrongdoing and was soon contacted by the Nth Command.

He infiltrated Project Pegasus and soon set his employers' plans in motion. It began with the cyborg Deathlok setting a component for the Nth device in the compound. More parts would be placed by Thundra's fellow female wrestlers for the projector. Lightner had now gained the Nth power which he planned to use to destroy the complex. 

Ben threw nearby machines at their foe, but they were swiftly destroyed as Lightner's power continued to increase. It was now up to Aquarian. He expanded his own null-field, and in so doing, knocked out most of the station's power. That included the power that kept Thundra caged. 

By then, Quasar was still weakened, but determined to join the fray. He and Giant-Man rushed to Ben and Aquarian's side, and soon found themselves hanging on for dear life. Thundra entered the corridor a few moments later, and helped them get Quasar to safety after the project's security chief expended his remaining energy expelling quantum blasts at their foe.

Giant-Man (Bill Foster) was willing to sacrifice himself, after admitting that he'd contracted radiation poisoning after battling the Atom Smasher. He'd arrived at the center trying to find a cure for his affliction. Bill leapt at the ever-expanding Lightner and seemed to vanish inside the mysterious being. 

The remaining allies held on to each other's hands to prevent themselves from being sucked into the vortex. Aquarian ventured into the void, with his friends still grasping onto him. He rescued Foster from certain madness, and retrieved him before the vortex erupted.

All traces of Lightner were now gone. Quasar took charge, and ensure that everything was back to normal before long. Ben prepared to depart the project a short while later, and Aquarian opted to go out on his own, to help people find the same type of peace that he'd just found. All charges against Thundra were dropped because of her assistance. She stayed behind for a while, wanting to know more about her unknown employers. 

Elsewhere in a shadowed boardroom, executives conferred about hte Nth project's failure. There were some losses, but they remained undeterred in their goal to get rid of government or private competition that stood in their way of forming a global energy monopoly. The very last panel showed that the men were part of the Roxxon Corporation.

This wouldn't be the last time we'd see Roxxon's plans in this series. Their actions also impacted other Marvel titles at the time. Lightner wound up in an alternate universe and later squared off against that world's Squadron Supreme. That would happen a few decades after this saga was published. 

That's all I have for you today. I'll begin Sunday with a recap of the fifty-ninth issue of this title. The Thing will pair up with one of his FF teammates to help a few more people in need. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #57

Happy Friday, peeps!

I'm ending my birthday month with a recap of the fifty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover depicted the Thing lifting a heavy piece of machinery to save his friends Giant-Man and Quasar with an inset of Wundarr. The story was called "The Pegasus Project Part V: When Walks Wundarr!" The issue had a cover date of November 1979.

Inside a domed security section of Project Pegasus, Ben Grimm, Giant-Man (Bill Foster), Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), and other project staffers huddled around a table to discuss the recent attacks by Deathlok, Nuklo, and a quintet of female wrestlers, led by Ben's former nemesis/ally, Thundra. They discussed how their security could be infiltrated so easily and the motives for the intruders.

The compound was still on blue alert after the huddle. Grimm understood how seriously Quasar took his role as head of security, but thought that he might be worrying a bit too much for his own good. Ben then went to talk to Thundra, who had surrendered (last issue) and was placed in a cell. She said that she was sworn to secrecy and that she knew nothing of Deathlok. Grimm wasn't able to extract any useful information from her.

Meanwhile, Wundarr was now fully alert and roaming the halls of the complex. He passed by the quarters occupied by the villain known as Solarr, and his powers inadvertently freed him. Solarr tried to attack Wundarr, but found that his own abilities were ineffective against the stranger. He even tried leaping at Wundarr, but the man-child from another planet's protective screen prevented any harm.

Solarr then decided to explore his surroundings. He came to a cell that was holding Max Dillon, the supervillain known as Electro. Dillon was lying in a hospital bed after having suffered injuries sustained from overdosing on electricity and having a building collapse on him (as shown in the Amazing Spider-Man #187). The compound started to shake, and Grimm eventually figured out that it might have something to do with Thomas Lightner.

Nuklo's room was empty, so Solarr opened the cell that contained Klaw. He only found  Klaw's sonic device and angrily tossed it at the nearest wall. It clattered to the ground and emitted a humming sound. Seconds later, Klaw's body solidified. He had been battling his old nemesis, the Black Panther (in issue #15 of the Avenger's solo mag) when his body was absorbed into the claw.

Klaw held onto Solarr for support as they started to plan their escape. Lightner was now preparing to use his Nth Device to project the compound into another dimension, but only after using the machine to restore the abilities he had as Blacksun (last shown in issue #21 of this series). He pressed a button on the control stick and was instantly bathed in energies that were not quite what he was expecting.

By then, Solarr and Klaw had taken command of a shuttle car, until Quasar blocked their path. He was looking for Lightner and was blinded by the villains' burst of brilliant light. Quasar recovered by the time Grimm and Foster arrived. The Thing was itching for revenge against Klaw and the trio pursued the escaping bad guys on another tram.

Solarr used his powers to break the railway, and the heroes' car crashed. Grimm lifted the vehicle off of his companions before playing a good old fashioned game of crack the whip with their opponents. He grabbed onto each end of the track and pulled until it was enough to yank Solarr and Klaw's tram from its mooring. 

As Quasar got vengeance against Solarr, Wundarr made his way to the room that held the Cosmic Cube. The guards outside did nothing to stop the lad from nearing the strange object that started to glow as he approached it. Klaw was now able to join the fray, and erected a sonic barrier between him and his quarry.

Grimm reached out and was able to break through the barrier, laying one of his trademark punches at his old rival. Foster tossed their railcar at Klaw, who was down, but definitely not out. He emerged from the rubble and let loose a powerful blast that knocked the trio to their feet. He readied his weapon once more as he pointed it at the Thing's head.

Although the cover was a bit misleading, as Wundarr played a relatively minor role in the script, this story was another exciting action-packed part of the story. I haven't seen much of Solarr, so it was good to see him taking on a few heroes. I'd first read about Klaw in the first Secret War limited series, and I prefer this version who had his wits about him. 

I'll begin the weekend with a synopsis of the fifty-eighth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Wundarr will play a larger role in the last chapter of this saga. We'll see just what Lightner managed to accomplish and what happened to Ben and company after the final page of this issue. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #56

Happy Thursday, peeps!

Today's topic is the fifty-sixth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover, drawn by Uncanny X-Men artists John Byrne (who penciled the previous three issues of this series) and inker Terry Austin, showed the powerhouse Thundra punching the injured Thing through a wall. The tale was titled "The Pegasus Project Part IV: The Deadlier of the Species!" The issue had a cover date of October 1979.

The story started with Thundra and her fellow wrestlers Letha, Screaming Mimi, Poundcakes, and Titania huddled before an outside entrance to Project Pegasus. Thundra opened the hatch, and as she and her comrades slid down the opening on ropes attached to the surface, the female warrior from an alternate timeline thought back to how she'd arrived there in the first place.

After being defeated by Titania (who drugged her opponent in the ring last issue), Thundra awoke before a stranger who told her why that had just happened. He needed someone strong enough to break into the compound and place a machine at a certain spot in the complex. She made the journey with her comrades and attacked the staff on site, even though she was still doubting the reasons why they were there.

While the female wrestlers were making their way to the designated area, Ben Grimm was standing near the lithe form of Wundarr, the boy trapped in an adult body from another world who he'd watched over for a while. Grimm felt responsible for the boy's state and walked away after apologizing, not knowing that Wundarr woke and said in a low voice that he understood.

Ben turned a corner and ran into his sometime sparring partner, Thundra. She lashed out at the Thing and a brawl began, just as Giant-Man (Bill Foster) and Quasar (Wendell Foster) were picking up the pieces from previous confrontations. They dropped what they were doing when another alarm sounded, running toward the source of that problem. 

Vaughn soon found Letha and Screaming Mimi up to no good. Mimi's sonic screams scattered Quasar's senses for a time until he was able to concentrate and bring his golden bracelets together, sending energy waves toward his opponents that knocked them down for the count.

Foster encountered Poundcakes and Titania in the thermal research area. He was knocked into a vapor tube, but managed to escape and capture his attackers with each hand. Meanwhile, the struggle between the Thing and Thundra raged on. Both titans were rather evenly matched, and the struggle continued until the sight of Quasar, Giant-Man, and several security guards holding Thundra's companions was enough for them to cease hostilities.

Thundra still wasn't quite sure what the commotion accomplished, but in all the chaos, Thomas Lightner had been forgotten. He was continuing to assemble his machine, adding components from the container that was left for him by the female grapplers. He was finally about to complete the Nth Projector, a weapon that he was certain would spell doom for Project Pegasus.

George Perez replaced Byrne on pencils on this issue, and except for a few slight continuity areas, the story continued rather seamlessly. Thundra is one of those characters, like the Sub-Mariner who sometimes alternates between hero and villain. She's been a thorn in Grimm's side for years, and was briefly a member of the Frightful Four. She's also been a staunch ally of the Fantastic Four and has helped them on more than one occasion. I don't think she's ever had her own solo story, but I think that it would be interesting to know a bit more about her background and motivations.

That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll close out the month with a discussion of the fifty-seventh issue of Marvel Two-In-One. Wundarr will play a more prominent role in the fifth part of this saga, and two more foes enter the fray. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #55

Happy Wednesday, peeps,

We're halfway through the week. Time for me to talk about the fifty-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover showed the Thing and Giant-Man squaring off against the menace known as Nuklo. The story was called "The Pegasus Project Part III: Giants in the Earth." The issue had a publication date of September 1979.

An injured Ben Grimm (who was shot at by the cyborg Deathlok last issue), Quasar, Ben Foster, and other members of Project Pegasus were in the middle of a poker game when alarms sounded. They ran to find the source of the problem. Quasar noticed two areas of interest on the facility map. He went to check out the nuclear module, while Bill and Ben went to address the other concern.

The two friends hopped on a lift that stopped suddenly. The villain named Nuklo was underneath the mechanism, using his mighty strength in an effort to prevent the elevator from descending further. The Thing took matters into his own hands by holding the ceiling, as Foster transformed into Giant Man. Grimm had met him before when the superhero was known as Black Goliath (the two interacted in issue #24 of this title), but he hadn't known that he was really Foster until just then.

Together, the Thing and Giant-Man worked to prevent the ceiling from falling down on them before Nuklo moved on to his next objective. As the platform continued its normal path, Foster explained to Grimm how he'd gained his abilities. Ben suggested that he use the name Giant Man, which Foster agreed with.

By the time they reached their intended destination, security forces were already on the scene. Nuklo had been freed, and the guards were off to try to recollect and contain him. As Ben and Bill pursued them, Quasar was making his way across the compound's nuclear reactor controls. He soon learned that the fail-safe controls had been tampered with and that the control rods wouldn't move. Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) then realized that he could use his powers to create a nuclear reaction that would hopefully be enough to serve as a substitute for the faulty system.

Meanwhile, at New York's legendary Madison Square Garden, fans were clamoring for a highly-touted wrestling match between FF ally Thundra and her opponent, Titania. The two were pretty evenly matched at first. Titania was looking for a rematch after her previous defeat at Thundra's hands (as shown in the previous issue) and pricked her opponent with a needle that had been dipped in a toxin that was strong enouogh to fell the mighty woman from an alternate timeline. 

As Thundra's manager, Herkimer J. Oglethorpe, was pondering his future after Thundra's loss, Giant-Man and the Thing were still looking for Nuklo. At one point, Ben tore some protective shielding and wrapped it around his comrade's hands for good measure. They eventually caught up with the escaped man-child who was just starting to understand what he'd done after being scolded by his mentor, Henri. 

Foster dove at their target, seeming very eager to try and prove himself. He pounded away at his opponent until Grimm got a few licks in, and eventually moved Nuklo toward an antigravity chamber that would hold him. His appointed guardian, Henri Sorel, was most displeased with the heroes' resorting to violence. He felt that he had just been getting through to his charge before they intervened.

Ben thought about his actions, and how Nuklo was somewhat similar to Wundarr in that regard. Both had tremendous power with the mind of a child in an adult body. Wundarr had scarcely moved after being moved to his current room at Project Pegasus, but just then, the being from another world awoke after a strange voice seemed to guide him. 

This was another exciting part of this storyline. The revelation of Foster's secret identity helped to forge a long-time friendship with Grimm. I liked his character, and felt that after his short-lived series ended and a brief association with the Champions before that team disbanded, that he needed a good place to fit in. Unfortunately, he wasn't placed in another team, but did go on several adventures with the Thing and company over the years. 

Tomorrow, I'll cover the fifty-sixth issue of this series. We'll learn what happened to Thundra after her loss in the ring, and how she became involved in the main storyline of this saga. We'll also see just what else Dr. Lightner is up to. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Marvel Two-In-One #54

Hello there,

It's time for me to talk about the fifty-fourth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. The cover had Deathlok, a cyborg warrior from the 30th century, standing over an injured Ben Grimm, with shadowed images of Quasar, a stranger standing before the man-child Wundarr, and Herkimer J. Oglethorpe watching Titania battle a mystery opponent in a boxing ring in the background. The tale was titled "The Pegasus Project Part II: Blood and Bionics." The issue had a cover date of August 1979.

The Thing was walking down an empty corridor of the Project Pegasus compound, not knowing that Deathlok was waiting around the next corner. He fired at the Fantastic Four strongman, and his laser was actually powerful enough to wound Grimm. Ben pulverized the weapon and the hand that had held it. Deathlok defended himself, and eventually fled after Quasar and other security staff arrived on the scene.

Quasar helped Ben to his feet as Deathlok ventured further into the complex. He finally found the location he'd been looking for and started assembling a strange device. Quasar was hot on the intruder's trail and confronted him. The Thing had been patched up and assisted his new ally. Deathlok blasted Grimm once more and was eventually reduced to a pile of smoldering ash by Quasar's powers and the laser rifles that were fired by security guards.

While the heroes were pondering the reasons for the strange attack, the female powerhouse known as Titania was at a gym in Manhattan's Lower East Side. She was preparing to face off in the ring against a female wrestler. Titania bested her opponent easily, but the opponent's manager summoned his employees Leta, Titania, and Mimi to attack.

The titan from an alternate timeline quickly tossed all subsequent attackers from the ring. She then jumped out and talked to Oglethorpe. The diminutive manager soon realized that he'd have more things to consider if he wanted Titania to be his marquee attraction. Meanwhile, Tom Lightner was continuing to proceed carefully toward the machine that Deathlok had constructed. His superior from Nth Command reminded Lightner that it was essential that the Nth projector not be discovered by anyone else.

At the same time, Quasar and Ben were four levels above, talking with lab assistant Bill Foster (who we also know as Giant Man). While Grimm was having his ear bent by Foster, Lightner inched closer to Nuklo's quarters. He entered the room and freed the powerful being, who, like Wundarr, was also a powerful adult with the mind of a child. 

After reading this issue for the first time, I wondered if this Deathlok was the same as the one who appeared earlier in this series' run. It's possible that, similar to Thundra, this cyborg emerged from an alternate reality. It also made me anticipate a possible showdown between Wundarr and Nuklo. The art team of John Byrne and Joe Sinnott really meshed well with writers Ralph Macchio and Mark Gruenwald. This was a cleverly laid out storyline that left plenty of readers in suspense after each chapter's end. 

Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll chronicle the third part of this saga with a recap of the fifty-fifth issue of Marvel Two-In-One. We'll see Foster's alter-ego come to the project's defense. We'll also learn more about Thundra's new career and find out what happened to Wundarr. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.