Marvel Two-In-One #20
Showdown at Sea!
1942: When a giant Nazi ship in the shape of a Swastika strikes at buildings in New York City, the Thing strikes out at the ship to prevent it from wrecking the city further. Climbing on top, he is shocked to find that it is piloted by one being; the disembodied brain of a Nazi scientist calling himself "Brain Drain". Hypnotizing Ben, he forces the hero to explain that he has traveled back into the past to prevent the Nazi's from taking advantage of a chunk of Vibranium that was accidentally sent back in time. With Ben's tale explained, Brain Drain is shocked to find that Ben has shaken off the effects of his hypnosis. The Thing then tries to trash the ship, forcing Brain Drain to stop his attack and return to the Nazi's hidden ship off the coast of upstate New York.
Ben is about to finish his handiwork when he is suddenly surrounded by Nazi operatives Skyshark, Master Man, and U-Man who gang up and easily overpower the hero, or so it seems. Waiting for their guard to lower when Brain Drain identifies that Ben is really wearing an exoskeleton that might give the Nazi's more secrets, Ben reveals that he was only playing possum and attacks. However, Ben's efforts are ineffective and he is easily overpowered again. Before the Nazi's can kill him, the Liberty Legion arrives and attacks the super-villains. As Jack Frost, Red Raven, Patriot, Thinman, and Blue Diamond dispatches U-Man; Red Raven, Whizzer, and Miss Marvel deal with U-Man. When Ben attempts to smash Brain Drain, the villain launches himself on a rocket, escaping the fight.
Also escaping is Skyshark who manages to secure his escape by ejecting Slicer out of his Stukka and leaves him to be captured by the Liberty Legion. Recovering the other half of the Vibranium cylinder, the Thing notices that the Watcher has appeared again, signaling that his mission is over. Returning to New York City with the Liberty Legion, Ben bids them farewell and returns to his own time in his time machine.
Arriving in the present just as the Fantastic Four burst through the doors he forced closed on them, Reed wants to know how Ben recovered the missing half of the cylinder. Exhausted after his ordeal, Ben walks away telling them he'll relate the story another time because all he wants to do is see if Alicia is still awake.
Recurring Characters
Thing, Liberty Legion (Patriot, Miss America, Blue Diamond, Thin Man, Jack Frost, Red Raven, Whizzer), Watcher, Master Man, U-Man, Sky Shark, Brain Drain, Slicer, Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch)
Continuity Notes
Any references to Ben serving in World War II, and references to the modern era of this story being in the year 1976 should be considered topical references relative to the date of publication due to Earth-616's Sliding Timescale. Per History of the Marvel Universe #2 and The Marvels #1, Ben served in the Sin-Cong Conflict and not World War II.
The Thing is in human form in this story following the events of Fantastic Four #167. Reed constructed his exoskeleton in Fantastic Four #169 to replicate his lost powers. Ben wears this suit until Fantastic Four #175 when he is forcibly mutated again by Galactus.
Ben recaps the events of Fantastic Four Annual #11 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1 wherein the Fantastic Four went back in time to World War II to prevent the Nazis from obtaining Vibranium, and later Ben ventures back to 1941 where he encounters the Liberty Legion. When the FF interacted with the Invaders they created a divergent reality because they were interacting both the Sub-Mariner and Captain America decades before they first met, in Fantastic Four #4 and 25 respectively. This divergence has been designated Reality-76611. Ben’s interaction with the Liberty Legion, however, did not create a divergence because he had not previously met any of the members in the present day.
