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!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: 1976
Cover Price: 50¢
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema

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. At this point in Marvel Continuity, Ben Grimm was reverted back to human form but he operated an exo-skeleton armor created by Reed Richards that was made to look exactly like the Thing.

Liberty Legion– a super-team that fought the Axis influence in the United States during World War II. The team consists of the Whizzer, Miss America, Red Raven, Jack Fost, Blue Diamond, Thin Man and the Patriot.

WHAT happens?

After the events in Fantastic Four Annual #11, Reed Richards surmised that the missing half of the vibranium they recovered was destroyed in the blast. But, the Watcher’s presence seems to indicate that everything was not fixed with the timestream. With the rest of the Fantastic Four gone, it’s up to the Thing to figure out what happened to the rest of the vibranium cylinder – and he seems to have a hunch that, when it was sent back in time, it was broken in half by a “time wedge”. One half ended up in occupied Europe (see FF Annual #11), now it’s up to the Thing to go back in time again to recover the other half, lest its presence in the past change the present!

This time, he arrives in New York City of 1942 – just in time for SkyShark‘s air raid on the Big Apple. Before the Thing can even catch his wits, the Liberty Legion bursts into action to stop the German attack on American soil. They manage to destroy all of the Stukas but one – SkyShark makes a hasty retreat accompanied by the Japanese villain, Slicer. The Liberty Legion hops into the Thin Man‘s plane to chase after the Nazi villain – leaving the Thing behind in their NYC headquarters.

The Liberty Legion assumes that SkyShark is bound for the government’s aircraft plant in upstate New York – although, we discover that he’s veered off to a secret base (a metal platform in the Atlantic Ocean). Once the Legion arrives at the plant, they discover it’s being attacked by Master Man – so they leap into action against the Nazi villain. But, they’re not able to defeat him – he breaks into the plant and runs away with their experimental cockpit, which he was sent to steal for SkyShark.

Meanwhile, Meranno the U-Man steals an experimental jet engine from another laboratory out from under the Legion’s noses. And, back at Legion HQ, the Thing spies a jet-propelled, Swastika-shaped aircraft that’s destroying the city!

WHERE does the story take place?

New York City in 1942 with a side mission to upstate New York.

WHEN does the villain next appear?

The villains (SkyShark, Slicer, Meranno and Master Man) will all appear in Marvel Two-In-One #20 – the continuation of this story.

WHY are the Liberty Legion the guest-leads?

After the early success of the Invaders, Roy Thomas expanded Marvel’s “golden-age” super-hero line-up by introducing the Lethal Legion – the homefront version of the Invaders. They took over the lead of Marvel Premiere for two issues in 1976 but didn’t prove popular enough to maintain an ongoing. It would appear that their inclusion here was Roy Thomas’ way of getting them some more audience exposure.

HOW was it?

As a Marvel Two-In-One issue, it wasn’t very good since the Thing has very little to do. Nearly the entire issue was either a flashback to events from Fantastic Four Annual #11 or Liberty Legion action – of which, the Thing was left out of since they left him at their HQ when they took off for action. I enjoyed the time-travel aspect of the first part of the story but this just feels redundant. Actually, worse – it just feels like a way to ram the Liberty Legion down the readers’ throats. I’m hoping the story improves in its concluding chapter.

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