Sunday Splash Page #345

 

"Self-Aggrandizing," in Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7, by Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Wilson (penciler), Bob Camp, Mike Esposito, Frank Giacoia, Dan Green, Armando Gil, Chic Stone (inkers), George Roussos (colorist), Jim Novak (letterer)

The last, and best-remembered, of Marvel Two-in-One's 7 Annuals. The Champion (at this point presented simply as a powerful being from another dimension, rather than as the Elder of the Universe he'd become in Engelhart's Silver Surfer) wants to test Earth's worthiness in a challenge of athletic competition, as befits one who devoted himself fully to that pursuit. So he gathers a bunch of the physically strongest heroes on Earth to face him, one at a time, the Earth's survival on the line.

(I know Genndy Tartakovsky did a version of this in a "Dial M for Monkey" cartoon on Dexter's Lab, but I wonder if Akira Toriyama knew anything about it when he had the Cell Games in DBZ.)

Of course, like any guy that talks big about wanting people to bring it, the Champion's very specific about the rules and conditions under which it can be brought. Vision's disqualified for not being within the Champion's prescribed 'life-class.' Namor is sent away because he refuses to train, Doc Samson because he gets kayoed by the training-bot.

Well, OK, hard to argue with that one.

For all his claim of skill, the Champion restricts the challenge to boxing, rather than open it up to any type of fighting. When the Hulk charges, intending to manhandle Champion, he's disqualified because Champion won't soil his hands with a 'mindless brute.' Thor's out for using a weapon, even though he's made it pretty clear he's not putting down the hammer (and can't because he'd still turn into Don Blake in 60 seconds if he did.) The only ones who really box against the Champion are Sasquatch, Colossus, and finally, The Thing.

Beyond that, DeFalco really plays up the challenge, as Reed Richards' devices confirm the Champion is more powerful than Galactus, and the Champion can erect an impregnable force dome around the boxing ring that no one can get through. The first hit Ben takes, he declares was a harder punch than the Hulk or Silver Surfer ever landed on him.

I think the story is usually lauded as a great Thing story for his unwillingness to give up. The ref calls the fight after the 3rd round, but Ben drags himself across the ring, leaving a bloody spit trail behind him, still insisting he hasn't lost. But the Champion touts The Thing as the best among the heroes because he's the only one who understands the spirit of competition, possesses the spirit to play by the rules, to survive and win at any cost.

Setting aside some of that seems contradictory - Can you be willing to pay any price to win and follow the rules? - I'm not sure it tracks. I can see the argument Namor and Thor were too haughty and proud to play along, even with the world at risk. Thor's more insulted at the boxing trunks he has to wear than anything else. But I think most of the others understand the stakes. The narration makes clear the Hulk's been trying to keep his temper reined in, that Colossus and Wonder Man are scared (for different reasons) but going to try their best. I guess the point is Ben Grimm's the only one actually excited at the prospect of this fight, but even that, Sasquatch also talks about having been a world-class athlete and how he's missed pushing his limits. But that's more about challenging himself than testing him against someone else, maybe?

Ron Wilson drew several issues of the monthly Marvel Two-in-One, and would draw plenty of issues of The Thing's subsequent solo book, but the gaggle of inkers doesn't help him here. Some panels are pretty good - the one of Ben, hands taped, marching towards us, the knockout punch Champion lands on Sasquatch - other panels look half-finished or the characters are awkwardly posed or positioned. I don't know which inkers did which pages, so I don't know who to wish Wilson had been able to work with for the entire issue.

And there's a lot to get through, between the set-up, the training, the build for the fight, the other heroes' attempts to intervene, and the actual fights, so much of the story is crammed into small panels, alongside a lot of dialogue. But Wilson works around it, using short, wide panels to demonstrate the Champion's strength, when he knocks Ben the length of the ring (and the panel) with one hit. Or zooming in for a close-up on Ben's battered face (weird to see him with a black eye) as he climbs out of a hole in the ring.