Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Two-In-One Vol. 8

More classic team-ups starring the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing from the Fantastic Four!

For sixty years and counting, the Thing has been one of Marvel’s most beloved icons! The exploits of the Fantastic Four’s ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing have always been defined by finding the biggest bad guy available and walloping the heck out of him. But the stories that open the penultimate MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE MASTERWORKS take a more urgent tone as the Thing races to find anyone and everyone who can save his compatriot Giant-Man from the ravages of cancer. It’s a moving saga that reveals the heart of the FF’s gruffest member. The Thing will also give you a dose of the action you crave, battling micro-sized gladiators alongside Ant-Man, slinging suds (and knuckles) with Sandman and even seeing if he can help Machine Man and Jocasta put a dent in Ultron’s adamantium exterior!

COLLECTING: MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE (1974) #83-93

Tom DeFalco’s earliest comic-book scripts were for Archie and DC; he soon moved to Marvel, where he wrote Avengers, Machine Man and other titles, also launching Dazzler, a hit series of the early ’80s. In addition to writing long and well-received runs on Amazing Spider-Man and Thor, DeFalco edited many titles, eventually becoming editor in chief. During the 1980s, he headed the creative team that provided fictional biographies for G.I. Joe members, originally included with Hasbro’s toys and later used as the basis for multiple storylines on the animated series. Perhaps his best-known work is multi-title character Spider-Girl, whom he introduced in 1998. DeFalco has authored multiple books, including Ultimate Guides for Avengers, Fantastic Four, Hulk and Spider-Man.

Currently a publisher, critic and literary agent, David Anthony Kraft wrote for some of Marvel’s earlier steps into the horror field, e.g. anthologies Creatures on the Loose and Haunt of Horror. His quirky and well-remembered Defenders run included both dramatic and whimsical storylines, such as “Who Remembers Scorpio?” and “Defender for a Day.” He wrote most of the Savage She-Hulk series and worked on licensed properties 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jack Kirby and Logan’s Run with George Pérez. His work further appeared in Captain America; Thor; Marvel Two-in-One; Marvel Premiere; and two of Marvel’s black-and-white magazines, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and Rampaging Hulk. He also edited Marvel’s in-house fan magazine FOOM. Elsewhere in publishing, he has written children’s books featuring Spider-Man, the Hulk and the Fantastic Four. 

Jan Strnad is best known for writing the “Mutant World” feature for Warren Publishing’s 1984, DC’s Sword of the Atom miniseries and related one-shots, “New Tales of the Arabian Nights” in Heavy Metal Magazine, Fantagraphics’ Dalgoda, and several Dark Horse Star Wars titles. He has written for animated TV series from both Marvel (Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men) and Disney (Aladdin, Darkwing Duck, Hercules), plus the feature-length Aladdin: The Return of Jafar.

Ron Wilson began penciling the Thing’s Two-in-One adventures in 1975 and remained for most of the title’s run. He subsequently illustrated follow-up series Thing until its end in 1986. Wilson also contributed art for Avengers, Captain Britain, Power Man and other titles, including the entire run of Marvel’s licensed Masters of the Universe series. At DC, he provided character designs for the Milestone imprint.

From his early work as letterer at Seaboard-Atlas, Alan Kupperberg went on to contribute to Marvel’s black-and-white magazines — including Crazy, for which he wrote and illustrated the sardonic shenanigans of Obnoxio the Clown. The regular artist on Roy Thomas’ Invaders, Kupperberg contributed as both writer and artist to Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, What If? and multiple Spider-Man titles. He also illustrated the Howard the Duck and Incredible Hulk comic strips; and wrote, penciled, inked, colored and lettered Obnoxio the Clown vs. the X-Men. At DC, he penciled Blue Devil, Fury of Firestorm, Justice League of America and more. He has also worked on animation projects for Don Bluth Studios and Nickelodeon.