Marvel Two-in-One #97: Yesterdaze!


Writer: David Michelenie
Penciller: Ron Wilson
Inker: Jon D'Agostino
Letterer: Rick Parker
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Tom DeFalco

The Guest Star:
      Iron Man

The Villain:
      Ted Silverberg; some dinosaurs

Guest Shots:
      Mr. Fantastic; Human Torch; Invisible Girl; Franklin Richards

The Set Up:
      Ben receives a contract and a check (made out to a charity) in the mail for $10,000 if Ben agrees to act as himself in a movie for one day. Stardom in his eyes, he jets out for Southern California...
     Out in Hollywood, producer Ted Silverberg is buying from a scientist a cheap version of an Nth Projector, a device that sees through time and creates holographic images of what it sees. Silverberg reveals that he's going to ask an unsuspecting Ben to attack some holographic dinosaurs, and then he'll film Ben making a fool of himself when he tries to clobber them. Little does he know that if he leaves the device on too long, the creatures are actually physically transported here.
      Meanwhile, Tony Stark, Iron Man's alter ego, had just jetted into town as Stark Enterprises is apparently backing the picture Ben is involved in. The two meet up at the gate, and head on in for the filming...

Clobberin' Time?:
      Nope.

Petunia's Patch:
      Nope. I think she'd be humiliated to be found in here anyway.

Things of Interest:
      Well, if you read the plot synopsis you already have a pretty good idea why this issue gets an awful rating out of me...
      This whole issue hinges on extreme stupidity- Ben signing a contract with no concern for his image, the scientist selling a machine that'll see through time for $5000, and Tony Stark flying out to L.A. to check on his company's investment in a movie with a total budget of $30,000! What the heck was the writer thinking?
     What passes for 'clever' in this issue: Tony meets up with a starlet named "Bo Drip".
     Ted Silverberg, Hollywood director, had previously appeared in MTIO 78, in which he was also trying to exploit Ben's image. The whole Hollywood parody thing was done much better there, only 19 issues earlier.

     Very forgettable images: Ben humiliating himself for no good reason by dressing like Marlon Brando. Y'know, if it was a necessary part of the story, I wouldn't mind, but this is just having Ben humiliate himself for a cheap snicker...