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: September 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.
Mystery Menace - A mutated Alicia Masters (girlfriend of the Thing; step-daughter of the Puppet Master)! Complete with fangs, web-spinners and eight new spidery legs.
Spider-Woman - As a child, Jessica Drew was lethally poisoned by radiation. To save her life, her father injected her with an experimental serum (devised from an irradiated spider’s blood) and then placed in a genetic accelerator by the High Evolutionary. When she emerged, she found that she had developed a number of super-powers including super-strength, speed, immunity to poisons and the ability to generated a “venom blast”.
WHAT happens?
The explosion cleared Spider-Woman‘s head of Hydra’s control but, unfortunately for the Thing, she cannot recall where Alicia Masters was hidden away. Hoping to make up for previous injustices, she offers her help in finding the Hydra base where Alicia’s been taken to. Those bombers, Chauncy and Trevor, made off with the fifth and final piece of their map. With the map complete, they’re able to locate the treasure of Heinrich Buerer – which was buried long ago under the House of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Hydra has their hands on the formula that Kort created to duplicate the process that created Spider-Woman – and they intend to use it on their first test subject: Alicia Masters. Hours later, on the Victoria Embankment, the Thing and Spider-Woman are attacked by the mutated Alicia. The Thing is now faced with a hard battle … against the woman he loves!
And, back at the House of Parliament, Chauncy and Trevor have unearthed their long-sought-after treasure chest. But, what’s in it?
WHERE does the story take place?
This issue continues the story based in London.
WHEN does the villain next appear?
The villainous group, Hydra, appears in the very next issue as their plans continue.
WHY is Spider-Woman the guest-lead?
Spider-Woman debuted in the penultimate issue of Marvel Spotlight (February 1977) and then subsequently appeared in the previous two issues of Marvel Two-In-One. Her story continued into this issue and will continue into the next issue, as well – all, it seems, as a way to grab attention for her own series (also written by Marv Wolfman), which debuted in April 1978. It went on to last for 50 issues! At the time, she was the first Marvel heroine to have a solo series last that long. (That record was later broken by She-Hulk [60 issues] and Spider-Girl [100 issues]).
HOW was it?
Now that Spider-Woman’s been freed form Hydra’s influence, she gets a lot more limelight in this issue. There’s also a lot of attention drawn to the Thing’s tough decision on how to do battle with the mutated Alicia. She’s being controlled by Hydra to kill him while he’s trying to detain her without hurting her. There’s a lot of good emotion going on here. To top it off, we’ve still go the mystery of what’s in the treasure chest that Trevor and Chauncy have been working hard to locate.
Note: This issue’s letters column features commentary on Marvel Two-In-One #27.
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