Random Reads: The Thing Meets Doc Savage

As I mentioned way back in the early days of DotGK, when Marvel lost the rights to Doc Savage, fandom lost the chance to see some very cool/interesting/strange team-ups. Like this one from Marvel Two-In-One #21 (August 1976) teaming the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing with our favorite Man of Bronze. Much like Gerry Conway's plot for the Spider-Man/Doc Savage team-up in Giant-Size Spider-Man #3 (October 1974), writer Bill Mantlo came up with a plot that affects both the 1930s Doc and our present day hero, Bashful Benjy. What makes this team-up even better than the Spidey/Doc one is that Savage (along with Monk and Renny) actually meets and shares the adventure with the Thing (plus the Human Torch). Artists Ron Wilson and Pablo Marcos do a nice job on their end; I especially dig the look they gave the villain, Blacksun (or Black Sun. They spell it both ways for some reason). I do find it interesting that they went with the look Doc wore in his short-lived color series, rather than the look he was wearing in his black and white mag--which was going strong when this ish came out. But, Ol' Groove's mind just works that way. Ya can ignore me and g'head and read and enjoy "Black Sun Lives!" I won't mind. Honest.