Marvel Two-in-One #25: A Tale of Two Countries!


Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciller: Ron Wilson
Inker: Sam Grainger
Letterer: Irv Watanabe
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Marv Wolfman

The Guest Star:
      Iron Fist

The Villain:
      General Chonga and a lot of martial artistry types

Guest Shots:
      None.

The Set Up:
      Ben and Alicia are at Shea Stadium, taking in a Jets game, when a Goodyear Blimp fles overhead, zaps Ben, and proceeds to hoist him out of the Stadium while Alicia sits there confused. In the blimp, we see a small group of eastern martial artist types wondering if they're doing the right thing, but deciding that they couldn't afford to be turned down, so they must be.
     Ben comes to, hanging in a room with Iron Fist trussed to the wall across from him. Introductions are made, and I.F. promptly breaks loose and sets Ben free as well. Deciding against a fight (since they're in a dirigible over the ocean), the two wait it out, and are eventually (once over land again) dropped into free fall. Once on the ground, they're told that they were brought there to train an army in combat. If the army can beat them, the logic goes, it can easily deal with its enemies...

Clobberin' Time?:
      No Clobberin'.

Petunia's Patch:
      Page 26, as numbered in the original comic, as Ben is about to be stabbed, he uses Petunia as an oath (and approaches but doesn't quite hit a full "clobberin' time") - "Final thrust my Aunt Petunia! If anyone gets a last clobber, baldy -- it's the ever-lovin' Thing!"

Things of Interest:
      The plot is not quite as awful as the summary above would indicate (there is a twist that explains that nonsensical logic), but it is still pretty bad...
     The first volume of Essential Marvel Two-in-One (released on November 2, 2005) ends with this issue; it had reprinted, in black and white, MTIO #1-25 (excepting #21, the Doc Savage issue), Annual #1, Marvel Feature #11-12, Marvel Team-Up #47, and Fantastic Four Annual #11 (the lead in to MTIO Annual #1). If you've enjoyed the summaries up to now, go find this book!
     I do appreciate the page 10 mention of Howard the Duck's 1976 failed presidential run. "Get Down, America!"
     Special thanks to Mark Pearson for pointing out the Petunia mention, which I missed when first researching/writing this. I think this is the fourth missed Petunia/Clobber Mark has found for me!