Friday, October 26, 2012

Here's another issue you should always buy. Really!

If for no other reason, than it may never be reprinted. Maybe. Marvel Two-In-One #99, "Sshsss" Written by Bill Mantlo, pencils by Bob Hall, inks by Kevin Dzuban.


The Thing is spending a creepy, rainy night alone at the Baxter Building, when he is startled by a mysterious hissing sound, then a power outage. Luckily, the Thing still smoked back then, so he had a lighter; and he discovers a badly injured and scalding hot Rom, Spaceknight. Once Ben gets him to one of Reed's "sensor-slabs," Rom's analyzer activates it to repair him; and Rom recaps what happened to him: the Dire Wraith witches raised the dead Firefall. Or at least his armor, inhabited by the "Living Flame of Galador," or maybe the ghost of same. Either way, it scorches the hell out of Rom; but he's game to try again with the Thing backing him up.
As Rom defeats Firefall, Ben is spooked by the boogeyman nature of the witches, even though he's seen dump trucks full of weird crap by this point in his career. The witches take control of the Thing, and Rom is forced to use his Neutralizer to defend himself, negating the cosmic rays and turning Ben back to human. The heroes rally against the Dire Wraiths, and Rom banishes the lot of them to Limbo; but Ben demands to be turned back into the Thing, for fear of losing Alicia Masters. This is a bit of a poke in the eye to Rom, who was a few human parts in a metal Spaceknight shell; but sure enough Ben returns to his rocky self.

This was the second-to-last issue of Marvel Two-In-One, a book I'd have to describe as inconsistent--not just because of its team-up nature, I mean in terms of quality--but fondly remembered. It was rarely essential, but usually had at least a couple nice little moments. Something to be said for that.

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

The only issue of Marvel Two-In-One I ever owned but loved, was when Ben was the hospital after getting his ass handed to him by the cosmic being, The Champion. Ben's friends fear he'll be attacked by a bunch of his old enemies, which is exactly what happens, and thus leaving Ben all alone and vulnerable to attack. Then the Sandman shows up and just sits and talks with Ben for the rest of the issue. Great stuff.