Marvel Two-in-One #2: Manhunters from the Stars!
Writer: Steve Gerber
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Letterer: Artie Simek
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Editor: Roy Thomas
The Guest Star:
Prince Namor, the Submariner.
The Villain:
Tuumar and Zeneg, two Dakkamites come to retrieve Wundarr, and their robot, the Mortoid
Guest Shots:
Wundarr; Namorita; The Human Torch
The Set Up:
The issue starts with Namorita (Namor's cousin) rescuing Wundarr, who literally plummets out of the sky and into the ocean nearby. She quickly learns he's got only the mind of a child, but when the Submariner rushes up, a scared Wundarr leaps away into the sky, Hulk-like. Namorita quickly convinces Namor to go after him.
The villains of our piece, in their spaceship above the earth, quickly relate Wundarr's backstory, and we learn that they've had Wundarr's father killed, and wish to do the same to Wundarr lest he someday return and avenge him.
The Thing and the Human Torch have just taken in a Kung Fu movie, and a morose Ben ditches Johnny and heads out for a walk. Wundarr plummets out of the sky in front of him and proceeds to throw a tantrum, which, with his strength levels, involves hurling cars on the crowded New York streets. While Ben fights it out with a confused Wundarr, the observing Dakkamites activate their Mortoid robot, and the Submariner (with Namorita in tow) makes it there at last, intent on protecting Wundarr from Ben...
Clobberin' Time?:
Sorry, not this issue!
Petunia's Patch:
Page 31, Panel 5. As the bad guys attempt to escape with the unconscious Wundarr, Ben yells to Namor: "C'mon fish-man -- looks like them crumbs ain't learned their lesson yet! We got us some teachin' ta do! Or, as my Aunt Petunia usedta say -- CHARGE!!"
Unofficial Index:
The Thing appears here between Fantastic Four #144 and #145. The Sub-Mariner appears here between Sub-Mariner #69 and Giant-Sized Super-Villian Team-Up #1.
Tuumar and Zeneg and the Mortoid all have their first appearance here. The Mortoid never again appears, but Tuumar and Zeneg are next seen in Quasar #4.
This is Wundarr's second appearance; his first was in Adventures into Fear #17 and he next appears in MTIO #3. Namorita appears here between Sub-Mariner #69 and a flashback in Code Of Honor #1. The Human Torch last appeared in Fantastic Four #144 and next appears in Amazing Spider-Man #130.
The floating island Hydrobase is seen here as well.
Things of Interest:
Wundarr's only previous appearance was in Adventures into Fear #17. The idea behind him is basically "What if Superman's father forgot to put teaching programs in when he launched Superman into space"- Wundarr is effectively a weaker Superman with the mind of a child. Wundarr would go on to become a supporting character in MTIO, and Wundarr would soon come to look on Ben as a father figure, and give Ben an outlet for the gentle side he doesn't like to show.
Classic Ben scene: after Johnny Storm drags him to a kung fu movie, on the walk home an unimpressed Ben crunches a light post, saying "Lookee here, junior. Now them's fingers o' doom!"
The letters page in this issue contains Marvel Value Stamp #63: The Sub-Mariner. Considering that he's this issue's guest-star, I wonder if that was coincidence or if it was planned that way? In either case, if you want more information on Marvel Value Stamps, I recommend that you check out Marvel Value Stamps: The Unofficial Index.
New Warriors' fans should find this issue, as well as subsequent issues where Namorita appears, of interest, as these are some of the very few appearances the character has prior to the New Warriors series, and are perhaps those where she is of the most interest, and is given the most to do.
