Marvel Two-in-One #15: The Return of the Living Eraser!


Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artists: Arv Jones & Dick Giordano
Letterer: Karen M.
Colorist: P. Rache
Editor: Marv Wolfman

The Guest Star:
      Morbius, the Living Vampire

The Villain:
      the Living Eraser

Guest Shots:
      None

The Set Up:
      Alicia Masters is working in her studio late at night on a bust of Ben. Through the skylight, silhouetted against the moon, we see... Morbius, the Living Vampire. Morbius sneaks in, and Alicia screams. Ben is just down the hall, coming up with a bouquet of flowers, and crashes to the rescue. After a quick tussle, Morbius flees (Alicia begging Ben to help him, not hurt him).
     Not far away, we see the Living Eraser emerge into our dimension, and erase some poor wino who just happened to be there. The Living Eraser is one of those super-villains who talks to himself, apparently, and he recites his origin story there in the alley. About the time he finishes, a hungry Morbius swoops in from behind him for dinner. Ben hears the yells, and drops from Alicia's window to the fight below. As Morbius and Ben exchange blows, the Living Eraser gets up and 'erases' both of them into another dimension.
     Realizing things have changed more than slightly, Ben and Morbius cease fighting, and begin working together to try to figure out what to do now...

Clobberin' Time?:
      Pg 15, panel 6. Ben drops from Alicia's apartment window towards where Morbius, below, has chosen a new victim. To Alicia, as he drops: "Don't you worry none about me, baby! Worry about ol' paste-puss instead! 'Cause it's definately-- Clobberin' Time!"

Petunia's Patch:
      Pg 16, panel 3, as he and Morbius are being erased: "Hey! What in the name o' Aunt Petunia is happenin'?"

Things of Interest:
      The Living Eraser's only previous appearance was in Tales to Astonish 49. That appearance was reprinted in Essential Ant-Man Volume 1.
     In the letters page in issue 18, Ron Wilson is given credit for drawing this issue's splash page.
     Marvel Value Stamp #79, Series B, is printed on the Letter's Page in this issue.
     The Letter's Page includes a letter from Ralph Macchio, who would later go on to co-write this book, among others. Dear Roy, MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE issue #13, the Thing and Power Man team-up, in a story called :" I created BRAGGADOOM, the Mountain that Walked like a Man." Roy, start writing this book -FAST." No reply is made.