Marvel Two-In-One launched in 1974, teaming the Thing with a different hero each month. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!Spoilers appear below – You’ve been warned!
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: June 1977
Cover Price: 30¢
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Ron Wilson
WHO stars in this issue?
the Thing – Benjamin J. Grimm was bombarded by cosmic rays in a space exploration flight, alongside three friends. The cosmic rays gave each of them different powers, and they formed the Fantastic Four. Ben underwent the most physical change of the foursome: his skin mutated into orange rock and, as a result, he gained super-strength.
Namor the Sub-Mariner – Namor is the hybrid son of a human and an Atlantean. He possesses the power of flight and super strength that is enhanced with hydration. His mother was the Queen of Atlantis, thus making him its prince.
WHAT happens?
Reed Richards believes that Professor Louis Kort is the only one who can remove the Fixer’s mind-controlling device from Deathlok, without killing him. So, the Thing loads up the comatose cyborg into the Fantastic Four’s Sling-Jet and takes flight for Kort’s lab in London (he also brings his girlfriend, Alicia, along for the ride).
As they fly over the ocean, Namor spots the Fantastic Four plane and flies alongside to say “Hello”. At that very same moment, he is attacked by Piranha (we later learn it’s one of many Piranha duplicates). Alicia urges the Thing to lend Namor some aid, so they delay their trip as the Thing jumps into the deep waters. They’re swarmed by a horde of Piranhas and brought to their amphitheatre (as is Alicia).
The villains command that the heroes fight, or else they’ll harm Grimm’s girlfriend. Namor and the Thing duke it out but, as planned, they end up smashing the amphitheatre and bringing it down upon the Piranhas. Namor swims ahead to rescue Alicia before she can be crushed by the falling stone. After some parting words, the Thing and Alicia get back into the Sling-Jet and continue their journey to London.
WHERE does the story take place?
The story takes place beneath the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
WHEN does the villain next appear?
These copycats of the Piranha have not been seen but the original returned in the Defenders vol. II #7.
WHY is Sub-Mariner the guest-lead?
After the Sub-Mariner’s series was canceled in 1974, he was featured in the first ten issues of Super-Villain Team-Up (from 1975 to February 1977). By the time this issue came out, there wasn’t a Sub-Mariner series to put a marketing push behind – so it seems like this was just for fun!
HOW was it?
Meh. It was overly coincidental that out of the entire Atlantic Ocean, the Thing’s plane just happened to be in the same place as Namor was swimming. And, on top of that, the Piranhas picked that exact time to ambush Namor? OK – Now you’re really pushing the believability. (I know, I know – it’s just comics, right? Well, we can demand some level of quality storytelling, can’t we?) Anyhow, once you get behind the hard-to-get-beyond coincidences, now our heroes have to take on the duplicates of a lame Namor villain (not even the villain, himself? Yeesh!). I suppose the only fun part was we get some slugfest scenes of the Sub-Mariner and the Thing trading blows – but really, all this issue does is delay the advancement of Deathlok’s freedom from the Fixer’s control.
Note: This issue’s letters column features commentary on Marvel Two-In-One #25.
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