Posted - November 13, 2015

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Marvel Two-In-One No. 12
The Stalker in the Sands



Marvel Two-In-One 12

From old European lore it's time to turn to some tech. As in, Tony Stark. Yup, it's Thing as "somebody who can walk away from a crash". In the Marvel Universe, "tough pilot" spells out as Benjamin J. Grimm, the Thing. And so here's old Benjy, ready for takeoff.


The Thing in the cockpit of Tony Stark's experimental plane

I'm so used to Tony Stark being a genius of applied mechanics that I'm not prepared for what happens next: The plane doesn't fly at all. It falls off its launch tower into a subterranean cavern.


Experimental aircraft wreck in a cavern. The Thing breaking out of the wreck.

Thankfully, Tony was right in choosing the uber-tough Thing as a pilot.

With the maiden flight less than a roaring success and with both plane and pilot initially thought to be missing, Tony naturally changes into his alter ego.


Iron Man Mark II armor

The Mark II during it's heyday. Looking really good.

Underneath the Earth, both the Thing and Iron Man encounter a Marvel power object that forces both of them to kneel.


The Thing and Iron Man forced to kneel

It is called the Power Stone and here, it is being wielded by one called Prester John.


Prester John with the Power Stone

Prester John. Another name from the history books. Back in the day when Europe had only just gotten out of the Dark Ages, the world loomed large and mysterious, travel was both risky and slow, so there were plenty of stories about far off places that no one had ever gone to and no one ever would. One such story was of Prester John. Believed by the Christian world of that time to be a lone Christian king somewhere in the steppes of Asia - territories of the Mongols. Prester John, farthest and fabled outpost of an expanding religion. That's the history books. The Marvel universe places this Prester John in the Middle East and a remnant of the fabled Kingdom of Avalon. He's as crazy as they come, and, with the Power Stone under his control, very dangerous.

Having mastered both the Thing and Iron Man he leaves them alone in the cavern paralyzed in their kneeling position. Fortunately the paralysis can be broken by a well-aimed repulsor ray and a hard knock from stony hands. And with that it's time to deal with Prester John.


Thing and Iron Man attacking Prester John

Iron Man is repelled!


Iron Man is repulsed by Prester John

And so is the Thing.


The Thing gets a trouncing from Prester John

The principle is simple: As long as you don't succeed, keep trying. And. . .


Iron Man distracts Prester John with his repulsor ray while the Thing grabs the Power Stone

Repulsor rays distract long enough for a superhuman grab at the power stone. And for a superhuman arm to throw the power object into the sky. Just imagine how far the Thing can throw something.


The Thing throws the Power Stone into the sky

The object does not go very far though. In the manner of all strange arcana it blinks off to who knows where.


The Thing, Iron Man, and Prester John look on as the Power Stone blinks out

Next: Marvel Two-In-One 13 I Created Braggadoom