Marvel Two-in-One #29: Two against Hydra


Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciller: Ron Wilson
Inker: Sam Grainger
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: (unidentified!)
Editor: Marv Wolfman

The Guest Star:
      Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu

The Villain:
      Hydra

Guest Shots:
      Spider-woman

The Set Up:
      Ben and Alicia have arrived in London with Deathlok, still trying to save the cyborg. Having an hour to kill, Ben and Alicia do a little romantic tourism, taking in the sights (so to speak). When they finally try to meet up with Professor Kort (the scientist who can hoepfully save Deathlok), they find him missing and his house ransacked. Ben heads upstairs to look for clues, leaving Alicia in the living room.
     Passing by on the street outside is Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Alicia screams, and Shang-Chi enters to find a big orange monster behind her (guess who?), and a ruckus develops. Eventually, the misunderstanding is settled, and Ben and Shang-Chi hook up to try to find Dr. Kort and his kidnappers, who are deduced to be the hordes of Hydra...

Clobberin' Time?:
      Pg 16, panel 1. Ben hefts a couch and swings it at Shang-Chi. "An' when I get mad, I just wanna do one thing. An' buddy-boy, that means-- It's Clobberin' Time!"

Petunia's Patch:
      No Petunia in here.

Things of Interest:
      This is Ben's second martial artist Kung Fu-er in five issues, as we got Iron Fist just back in issue 25. Though its kind of fun seeing Ben teamed-up with someone from so different of a world-view, it might be too much too soon in this case.
     Shang-Chi had his own book, Master of Kung Fu, at this time.
     I have no idea who the colorist was for this issue- there's an empty spot next to the title 'colorist' on the splash page, and its not identified in later issues.
     I know they need an excuse for a fight, but... I have a little trouble believing, as Shang-Chi says, that though he's heard of the Fantastic Four, he's never seen pictures of them!
     The appearance of Spider-woman in the last panel means that this Deathlok-London storyline has an odd trifecta- the final three issues of Marvel Spotlight featured, in order, Nick Fury (31), Spider-woman (32), and Deathlok (33). Each of them got picked up and carried on in this MTIO storyline...