Marvel Two-in-One #22: Touch Not the Hand of Seth!


Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciller: Ron Wilson
Inker: Pablo Marcos
Letterer: Karen Mantlo
Colorist: Don Warfield
Editor: Archie Goodwin

The Guest Star:
      Thor

The Villain:
      Seth, the Egyptian god of death

Guest Shots:
      Human Torch; Thomas Lightner

The Set Up:
      After last issue, Ben, the Human Torch, and Janice Lightner stand over the motionless body of Thomas Lightner, one half of the villain Blacksun. As far as they can tell, he has no life signs, but in an attempt to save him Johnny comes up with some heat-related pseudo-science that doesn't quite make sense but which enables them to put him in stasis, and rush him back to New York City and a hospital. They know just the doctor- this guy who used to work with the Avengers on occasion named Dr. Donald Blake (known better to us as the mighty Thor!).
     Back in NYC, Dr. Blake is in surgery. Outside, in the hospital, a mysterious dark figure who speaks in a very godly manner is making his way up to the operating theater, leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake. He reaches the operating room, and Dr. Blake just has time to finish the vital parts of the operation and get the nurses and the patient to safety as the figure demands Dr. Blake pick up his cane and face him as Thor. He does so, and the figure reveals himself to be Seth, the Egyptian god of death.
     About this time, Ben, Johnny, Janice and the body have arrived on the rooftop, and are making their way through the hospital. Its more than obvious that something is wrong, and while Johnny maintains the body, Ben pushes forward to find out what the fuss is all about...

Clobberin' Time?:
      Pg 31. As the Thing and Thor face a very Harryhausen army of skeletons, Thor sayeth "Aye, Ben Grimm! Battle as thou hast ne'er battled before-- for a world doth hang in the balance!!". To which Ben replies "You heard the man, ya bony yahoos! He's got his way o' sayin' it-- but I prefer it short and sweet! Line up, boys-- It's Clobberin' Time!"

Petunia's Patch:
      No Petunia

Things of Interest:
      This issue is the first of a two-parter, and finishes up next issue. Thor is also the titled guest star there, and this is one of the very few times that two consecutive issues of MTIO that feature the same hero as the primary guest star. Something similar happened with MTIO Annual 1 and issue 20, both featuring the Liberty Legion, but this is the only time it happens in two regular issues. MTIO issues 37 and 38 feature Matt Murdock / Daredevil as the titled guest star, but the first bills him as Matt Murdock, the lawyer, and the second bills him as Daredevil, the superhero. MTIO issues 57 and 58 feature Wundarr / the Aquarian, but again, he's billed as Wundarr in 57 and in his new identity of the Aquarian in 58.
      Sign o' the times: The letters page of this issue contains the Howard the Duck Weekly Campaign Update #1.