Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Two-In-One, Vol. 5

Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Two-in-One #5

by Bill Mantlo, Alan Kupperberg (Illustrator), Allyn Brodsky (Writer)

Collects Marvel Two-In-One (1974) #47-60, Annual (1976) #4. Benjamin J. Grimm - the world's one and only Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing - doesn't shy away from any fight. And in this Marvel Masterworks edition, he'll have to plow through the Machinesmith, the hated Yancy Street Gang, Graviton, Crossfire and even his younger self! But he's not fighting alone: The Thing will battle alongside Jack of Hearts, Doctor Strange, the Inhumans, Moon Knight and the Human Torch - as well as the Marvel Universe's greatest poker club! But all this action is just a prelude to Gruenwald, Macchio, Byrne and Pérez's all-time classic: the PROJECT PEGASUS SAGA! The Project is part advanced energy research facility and part super villain prison - and that makes for one dangerous (and exciting!) combination when the inmates break out! Plus: Don't miss the incorrigible Impossible Man's attack on the Marvel Bullpen!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Comic Book

320 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2020

About the author

William Timothy Mantlo is an American comic book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics.
(source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Tim Deforest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Grimm is one of the best characters to come out of the Marvel Universe, with his gruff exterior and monstrous appearance never managing to conceal his compassion and innate heroism. Along with Spider Man over in Marvel Team-Up, Ben is the perfect character to anchor a team-up book.

This volume includes the classic 5oth issue, in which Ben travels back in time to try to cure his earlier self, but the two Bens end up getting into a fight. A few issues later is the Pegasus Project story arc, which allows Ben to team up (or fight with) a number of characters in one of my favorite arcs of all time.

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

What highlights this collection of late 70s issues of Two-in-One is the six issue Project Pegasus storyline by Gruenwald and Macchio, but especially the artistry of three of Marvel's best pencillers of the era: Byrne, Perez and Miller. Populated by a lot of b-list or obscure characters today like Wundarr/Aquarian, Quasar, Goliath/Giant-Man, Thundra, Deathlok, Impossible Man, Moon Knight, Jack of Hearts, and even the Yancy Street Gang. The villains are often even more obscure though not all: Machinesmith, Crossfire, the Nth Man, Klaw, Solarr, Yogi Dakur, Nuklo, Graviton, etc.

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Project Pegasus story was a great addition to the book. It finally resolved Wundarr's story and helped make Ben a better person. He has most often been shown as a bundle of rage. Here we get to see his sensitive side. Especially when singing in the shower.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thing meets his past self. He plays Poker with Nick Fury, and is involved with a rock solid 6 part story concerning Project Pegasus. All that wrapped up with a couple of light-hearted stories, and you got yourself a pretty good volume.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marvel Two-in-One #47-48 - In this 2-part arc, Ben teams up with the Yancy Street Gang and Jack-of-Hearts to defeat Machinesmith, The Corporation, and a mob boss, The Carnation. It starts off as silly as the previous stories were, but tension ramp up. Still, not great, but entertaining. (3/5)

Marvel Two-in-One #49 - Doctor Strange guest-stars and he and Ben almost meet. Almost. Definitely a Lovecraft inspired tale that some nice campy, scary humor. Otherwise there’s not to this one. (2/5)

Marvel Two-in-One #50 - Ben Grimm meets Ben Grimm. A potential cure for being The Thing is discovered but it’s only going to work on a much younger man. So travels back in time to give the cure to his younger self. Temporal shenanigans ensue as only John Byrne can deliver. (5/5)

Marvel Two-in-One #51 - This is a fun one. Poker Night at Avengers Mansion gets derailed when some old malcontents decide to steal some top secret equipment held by SHIELD. Ben, Nick Fury, Ms. Marvel, the Beast, and Wonder Man head to the helicarrier to make short business of the threat so they can get back to poker night. Early Frank Miller art, before he went all incel or whatever, good stuff. (4/5)

Marvel Two-in-One #52 - Moon Knight helps Ben track down an international threat hell bent of taking out every superhero in the business. Another good one, fast paced and thrilling. (4/5)

Marvel Two-in-One Annual #4 - Black Bolt and the Inhumans -