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Marvel Two-In-One #74Issue(s): Marvel Two-In-One #74 Review/plot: ![]() ![]() ![]() ...but Alicia's father the Puppet Master has just gotten out of jail and, thanks to a Seasons Greetings card the Thing sent him at Alicia's insistence... ![]() ...he shows up too. It's cool seeing him mingle with the FF, setting up the potential for some kind of reform. ![]() ![]() When Franklin offers him one of his presents, the Puppet Master instead says he'd love to revisit his homeland. This is really just a scheme to get some new radioactive clay, since his old supply has degraded over time. But as far as Alicia is concerned, it's an opportunity to take her father back to his homeland. Which, it turns out, is Transia, the tiny city-state that holds Wundagore Mountain, which is the source of the Puppet Master's clay. This creates a shared origin between the Puppet Master and Mr. Doll, which makes a lot of sense. It also gives us an opportunity to check in on Bova and Modred the Magician... ![]() ...who in his idiot-child state shrinks down both the Puppet Master and the Thing, thinking they are bad guys (he was half-right), and forcing them to work together ![]() In the end they are able to convince Modred to restore them to normal size, and the Puppet Master gives him a doll to play with. ![]() Christmas stories are usually too precious for my tastes, and this one does have its saccharine moments, but i do like the development for the Puppet Master. And i like Gruenwald's characteristic tying things together. I really wish Frank Springer had worked out a better look for the Puppet Master, though. Statement of Ownership Total Paid Circulation: Average of Past 12 months = 176,565. Single issue closest to filing date = 175,674. Quality Rating: C+ Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Fantastic Four #221-222, but this has to take place between FF #228-229 because the Human Torch has brought Lorrie Melton to the Christmas party and they don't start dating until #228, and they break up at the end of the #229-231 arc. Just a reminder that i don't put any effort into lining up seasons or Christmases in my project. With the sliding timescale, i figure they just celebrate Christmas randomly in the Marvel universe. References:
Crossover: N/A Continuity Insert? N My Reprint: N/A Inbound References (2): showCharacters Appearing: Alicia Masters, Annie Christopher, Bob Landers, Bova, Carol Landers, Diane Arliss, Franklin Richards, Gilbert Vaughn, Henry Croft, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Jeannine O'Connell, Lorrie Melton, Modred the Mystic, Mr. Fantastic, Namorita, Puppet Master, Quasar, Stingray, Thing, Willie Lumpkin, Wundarr (Aquarian) CommentsHope you enjoyed your time off, fnord. We missed you! Are we assuming that Gilbert Vaughn is the guy standing just behind son Wendell, his face partly obscured by Ben's word balloon, or the white-haired and bearded guy standing just in front of that guy (in between Quasar and Stingray)? If the former, then the latter is unidentified in the lettercol. I thought maybe a no-longer-amphibian Dr. Henry Croft...? Posted by: Matthew Bradley | August 30, 2017 2:17 PM The lettercol lists Gilbert among the people "coming in the door", so i assume he's the one further back, next to Quasar (who is also "coming in the door"). So yeah, the guy with the more wild beard is unidentified. And looking at him, i agree with you that it's meant to be a post-amphibian Henry Croft. I've added him. Nice catch. Posted by: fnord12 | September 1, 2017 1:29 PM Comments are now closed. |
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