Marvel Two-In-One #78
Monster Man!
The Thing is upset to hear about a new television show called Monster Man that has adapted his likeness. Adding insult to injury, it is also his godson Frankin's favorite show. Ben decides to sit down and watch it with the Fantastic Four to see just how awful the television series is. Between the hockey villain called Captain Chlorophyll, Monster Man's sidekick Kid Monstro and other hack gimmicks, the Thing loses his temper. Noting that the lead role is played by the Avenger known as Wonder Man, Ben decides to pay a visit to the television studio and takes off on a sky-cycle.
At that moment in Queens, the studio that produces Monster Man is deep in production. When the directors of photography remark on the strange camera they are using, one of them recalls how the camera is specially made by the producer Ted Silverberg. Silverberg catches the two men slacking off and tells them to get back to work. Elsewhere, Wonder Man goes over what he sees as plot contrivances with the current episode they are shooting. Suddenly the entire production is interrupted by the arrival of the Thing who easily bustles past security and confronts Silverberg, telling him that he is going to consult his lawyers to have production halted. To punctuate his point, Ben crushes a film camera into a ball. When Wonder Man comes to greet Ben, he remarks about how Williams has stabbed him in the back and tosses the crumpled camera at him before storming out. After this scene, Silverberg goes to the trailer of his backer, Amos Moses who designed his specially made camera. When Silverberg tells Amos about the possibility of having production shut down, Moses tells him not to worry and sees him out. Nobody is the wiser to the fact that Amos Moses is not who he sees and his plans will have dire repercussions on the human race.
The next day at Avengers Mansion, Wonder Man is in a training session with his teammate the Beast. As he hits a massive punching bag, Simon explains how awful he feels for what Monster Man is doing to the Thing. Letting off some steam by smashing the punching back, Simon thanks the Beast for being his sounding board in order to make up his mind on what to do about the current situation. While at the law office of Nelson and Murdock, the Thing meets with his lawyers Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson to get their legal advice. After looking over the transcripts of the legal documents, Matt regretfully informs Ben that there is nothing they can legally do to halt production. Disappointed, Ben is shocked when he goes outside and is swarmed by children who want to get "Monster Man's" autograph. He brushes the kids off quickly and takes off on his Sky-Cycle. While back at the studio, Simon has gone to tell Silverberg that he is quitting the production. Silverberg reminds Williams that he is under contract. With nothing he can do about the situation, Wonder Man agrees to honor his current contract until he has shot all the episodes, then quit. When this is reported to Amos Moses, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Alone in his trailer, "Amos" reverts to his original form -- that of Xemnu the Titan. The alien recalls how he is the last survivor of his world and that he is seeking to repopulate his planet. Although he has been defeated by the Defenders in the past, he vows that with his special camera he will enthrall everyone who watches the Monster Man show in order to send them to his planet. Watching Wonder Man through a one-sided mirror, Xemnu exerts his telepathic powers on the hero, forcing him to change his mind about leaving the show so that Williams does not quit.
Later that day while Ben and Alicia are watching Franklin, the Monster Man show comes on again. Noticing how en-rapt that Franklin is, Ben finds his attention being drawn to the television as well. When an advertisement comes on, Ben snaps out of it and realizes that there is something strange going on. The Thing decides to pay the television studio another visit and goes there on his Sky-Cycle. Smashing his way in, Ben begins to examine the camera used to film Monster Man and discovers a device that appears to be altering the film. His investigation is interrupted by Wonder Man, who is still under Xemnu's control and attacks Ben before he can talk sense into him. Xemnu makes his presence known and has both Wonder Man and actors dressed up as gun-toting vegetables to attack the Thing. As the battle rages, Mister Fantastic console Alicia Masters, who is concerned about how this television show is upsetting him. Back at the studio, the thing tries to lift a massive barbell to use as a weapon, but Xemnu uses his power over inanimate objects to cause it to wrap around him. Wonder Man then knocks Ben outside and the two continue their brawl, sending them crashing through other sets on the studio lot. As they duke it out on the set of a game show, the mental control that Xemnu holds over Wonder Man begins to wear off. When Xemnu realizes this, he then flees back to his trailer, which has a spacecraft hidden inside that allows him to escape. Silverberg scolds the two heroes for the damages done, but suddenly gets inspiration and allows them to leave. When Ben arrives home, Franklin tells Ben that he is in time for his favorite new television show: The Xemnu the Titan Show.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Thing, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch), Wonder Man, Alicia Masters, Franklin Richards, Beast, Xemnu, Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson, Becky Blake
Continuity Notes
Xemnu the Titan recounts his recent defeats at the hands of the Defenders which occurred in Defenders #3 and 12.
