Issue(s): Marvel Two-In-One #91
Cover Date: Sep 82
Title: "In the shadow of the Sphinx!"
Credits:
Tom DeFalco - Writer
Ron Wilson - Penciler
Jon D'Agostino - Inker
Lance Tooks - Assistant Editor
Jim Salicrup - Editor

Review/plot:
By the cover, there's no guest star for this issue. Dr. Strange seemed to have the invite on his calendar, but the Thing blows him off...

...and performs the mission solo instead.

The mission involves getting captured by the Sphinx.

The last we saw of the Sphinx, Galactus destroyed his Ka stone and sent him back in time to relive his life in an endless loop. However, "even Galactus was not omniscient" and didn't seem to realize that sending the Sphinx back in time would cause a paradox that allowed him to conspire with another version of himself.

I'll let you wrap your head around that as best you can.

The Thing escapes his chains and fights the Sphinx, who is powerful even without his Ka stone.

He also destroys the device that was rebuilding the stone. It mentally reached out and tried to bargain with the Thing, but he wasn't buying it.

The Sphinx retrieves the partially rebuilt stone and flies off, in a nice end scene, while warning that the Ka stone has plans for the Thing.

I'm actually pretty surprised to see Tom DeFalco using the Sphinx and using a time paradox device. No one seemed to have any immediate plans for using the Sphinx again, either (his next appearance is in a 1986 issue of the Thing's solo series). But it's a decent story; it's kind of cool to see the Thing tangling one-on-one with this normally ultra-powerful villain.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: I've also placed this after Defenders #115, part of the long storyline from Defenders #104-115 involving Dr. Strange. As Jake notes in the Comments, the Thing will be shown returning from Egypt next issue, so there shouldn't be other Thing appearances between this issue and next.

References:

• Galactus forced the Sphinx into an endless time loop in Fantastic Four #213.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I only knew of the Sphinx from the New Warrior's run. Now that I've collected all his appearances, he definitely is a cool villain.

The cover's meant to tease us by making us think this month's guest is apparently being Batman, right?

This needs to move to be right before issues 92-93. #92 starts with the Thing going back to New York from Egypt.

Agree, thanks Jake.