Marvel Two-in-One #26: The Fixer and Mentallo are Back and the World will Never Be the Same!
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciller: Ron Wilson
Inker: Pablo Marcos
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Janice Cohen
Editor: Marv Wolfman
The Guest Star:
Nick Fury
The Villain:
the Fixer; Mentallo
Guest Shots:
Dum Dum Dugan; Deathlok the Demolisher
The Set Up:
Ben's sitting in a pizza parlor, munchin' on his third pie, wondering when Fury's going to show. Suddenly, Fury's on a stool beside him that wasn't there a moment ago. Before Ben can get two words out, Dugan's there on a stool on the other side. Just as quick, all three stools drop into the floor, dropping the three of them into the bowels of a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters...
After a quick trip through and a launch up to a helicarrier, Nick shows Ben some home movies of the Fixer and Mentallo. It seems both recently escaped, and for reasons unknown to S.H.I.E.L.D. (or to Ben) the two of them are gunning for the Thing.
Cut to the two villains, who were just waiting for Ben to hook up with Fury, as predicted by Mentalo's visions. The two break into the helicarrier themselves, and, using the Fixer's gadgets, take control of the brains of a squad of agents. Ben, Nick, and Dum Dum are in the control center when the fightin' mad and controlled agents burst in, weapons blazing...
Clobberin' Time?:
Pg 16, panel 1. To Fury, as the controlled agents attack: "Countin' out them guys ain't mad atcha fer callin' em lamebrains, they musta flipped out! But they're gonna be real sorry they decided to pick on the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing-- 'cause a right now--- It's Clobberin' Time!"
Petunia's Patch:
No Petunia.
Things of Interest:
Marv Wolfman took over as regular writer as of last issue (which was mostly a filler), and with this issue he starts to set up Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. as regular parts of MTIO, and start doing more continued stories. Unfortunately, things don't quite work out, and plans for Nick Fury elsewhere derail the idea.
This is part one of a two-parter, which concludes next issue. It also brings Deathlok firmly into the mainstream Marvel Universe and introduces him into MTIO, where he'll be a supporting character (of sorts) off and on until he is finally destroyed during the Project Pegasus storyline in issues 53-58.
The Fixer saw new life in the late '90s and early '00s in another identity as Techno, in the pages of Thunderbolts.
The first Willie Lumpkin appearance in MTIO happens in this issue on page 26!
I do find myself wondering if this sets the mark of wordiest title for any MTIO issue...
Volume two of Essential Marvel Two-in-One (released on June 13th, 2007) begins with this issue and reprints, in black and white, every MTIO issue up to #52, as well as Annuals #2 and #3.
