Marvel Two-in-One #4 (July 1974)

Back in January 2022, I took a look at an issue of the team-up book called Marvel Two-in-One. The premise of that title was simple: Ben Grimm, the Fantastic Four's ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing teamed up various characters in the Marvel Universe in adventures of his own. The title would be most famous for the Project Pegasus saga. I thought it would be fun to take a look at another issue of the book. This is Marvel Two-in-One #4!

The cover is a Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott piece. It's pretty cool! It depicts Ben Grimm and Steve Rogers doing what they do best: clobberin' bad guys. I think some would not like the masthead logos taking up a third of the cover. It doesn't bother me personally, but I can imagine there was a more efficient way to free up some space. Maybe just Ben and Cap's heads on the corner box?

"Doomsday 3014!"
Writer: Steve Gerber
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Frank Giacoia
Colorist: Petra Goldberg
Letterer: Charlotte Jetter
Editor: Roy Thomas
Editor-in-Chief: Len Wein

The story begins with the ever-lovin', blue-eyed idol of millions at the Central Park Zoo, being as cheerful as ever, accompanied by a friend.

“Mama always said there’d be days like this…”

In case you're wondering, the man Ben is with is Wundarr the Aquarian. First appearing in Adventure into Fear #17 (October 1973), Wundarr was originally created as a Superman pastiche. Instead of being adopted by Ma and Pa Kent pastiches, he ended up physically maturing inside his pod but would mentally remain a baby. He would go on to be a part of the Project Pegasus Saga. This story is set before Wundarr would end up in Project Pegasus.

At this time, Ben Grimm was basically a babysitter to Wundarr. The Aquarian is fond of the rocky powerhouse, referring to him as his "Uncle Benjy". Awwww.

Ben goes to get Wundarr some cotton candy. However, Wundarr unintentionally causes a bit of havoc. 

The animals are rising up!

Remember, Wundarr has the mind of a child...and the strength of Superman at that time. He had let the animals out of their cages, not realizing they were in them for a reason. Ben is left having to deal with the rampaging animals. However, he soon will get some backup. 

"I have to take off my mask to enter a hospital! Weird."

Yup, Mr. Steve Rogers himself, the original Captain America. Steve sees people fleeing from the zoo, but Ben has the rampaging animals taken care of.

However, Steve spots some looters taking advantage of the chaos to get some free food from the concession stands. Mmmm...free food...

Right, sorry. Cap easily takes care of the looters. He beats up Nazis as a morning workout, a bunch of looters is nothing to him. Let me ask you a question. What is better than two superheroes? Three, that's what! Another hero is on the scene, one Nita Prentiss, aka Namorita. 

"Oh Neptune, he got knocked stupid again."

She had met Wundarr in Marvel Two-in-One #2. And speaking of the future Aquarian, Ben Grimm is pretty angry at him. His anger is understandable, as he could have unintentionally gotten someone killed. Nita speaks up in his defense, pointing out that he's very child-like, and means no harm. She also reveals that she's been attending college on Long Island, and she can take Wundarr in. Ben is all too happy to let her. Cap wonders why Ben let Wundarr go, but Ben assures the Star-Spangled Avenger he'll explain the Aquarian's deal over coffee at the Baxter Building.

Cap, Ben, and Sharon arrive at the Baxter Building to see Reed Richards and Medusa tinkering with Doctor Doom's time machine, which the Four have had in their possession since the events of Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962). And it's very nice to see Medusa. Remember when Marvel actually remembered the Inhumans existed?

As Cap and Sharon shoot the breeze with the scientist and the Inhuman queen, Ben looks over the old time machine, and accidentally turns it on. The group of heroes enjoys a rare bit of good old rest and relaxation. However, this moment of peace is fleeting, as a scream is heard from the lab. The heroes run in and discover a strange woman on Doom's old time platform.

"Oh. This is not Alburquerque."

The woman freaks out, screaming she has done nothing wrong, and wants to know why she's here. Okay, she did forget to return a library book on time, but that is hardly a federal case. She expresses disbelief that she's in the presence of Captain America or the Fantastic Four...as they've been dead for a thousand years.

This whole thing gets the woman so flustered, she just faints.

The group are able to get her to a couch. When she wakes up, she's better able to explain her situation.

Ben points out that in her state, she mumbled something about "baboons". However, the woman corrects him. Not "baboon", but Badoon. She is named Tarin, and she comes from the future year of 3014. She explains that in the year 3007, the Brotherhood of Badoon, a species of reptilian aliens conquered the Earth and the majority of its interstellar colonies. Their invasion slaughtered much of humanity, but Earth's heroes were still remembered. The Guardians of the Galaxy named their starship after Captain America, for example. 

Hearing this, Captain America wants to travel to 3014 and kick some Badoon head in. After all, the Badoon are tyrants, and if there's one thing that gets Steve Rogers in a punching mood, it's tyrants. The Thing agrees to come along. Reed and Medusa stay behind to operate the time machine. Sharon Carter is coming along as well. After all, she's a trained SHIELD agent. And with that, we got a party. Let's get this campaign started!

Ben, Steve, Sharon and Tarin travel to Tarin's home place and time: The New York City of 3014. Ben notices that the city seems deserted. Tarin explains that the Badoon have a strict curfew. All humans must be indoors before nightfall. If not, they face the Zom Patrols. And one just happens to show up.

"Braaaaaaains..."

Our heroes fight the Zoms. They're forced to go all out as the Zoms feel no pain, being humans turned into living automatons created by the Badoon.

And to make things worse, the Zoms got some backup. Big backup.

"GIVE MONSTER HUG."

Thanks to the monster, the tide of battle is turned. The Zoms manage to overcome the heroes, and they carry them off to an unknown destination. Unnoticed by the Zoms or the monster, Tarin has escaped. The story ends with her vowing to make the Badoon pay for what they have done today. 

I enjoyed this comic. I really did. It was a fun action-packed ride. I do wish we got to see Ben and Cap interact more. After all, that's the point of these team-up tales, seeing characters that normally don't get to interact with each other do so. But I was happy with what we got here. I liked the cameos by Reed and Medusa. A nice reminder that the Marvel Universe is supposed to be a shared universe, the characters' stories being interconnected. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2013 trade paperback Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers Vol. 1. It can also be found in the 2018 trade paperback Marvel Two-in-One Epic Collection Vol. 1: Cry Monster. Thanks for reading this blog entry!