Question about MTIO's cancellation in 1983

[tilleycs]

I recently finished reading Marvel Two-in-One #'s 51-100 and Annuals 3-7 (I lack several issues from the first half of the title from having a full run - #46 being one of them - so I figured I'd just read the 2nd half of the run).

 

One thing I noticed in issue #100 (and the issues leading up to it) is the lack of a cancellation announcement. I don't know how common it was (or wasn't) to announce that a certain issue was the last one, but I've seen it done in several titles over the years. Sometimes it's even commented on by someone who'd found out somehow and written in to the letters page about it.

 

Does anyone know why it was never announced in MTIO? Had the creative team even been told it was being cancelled (not sure if that ever happened in the industry)? Just curious if anyone has information from back then.

 

Is anyone else around here a fan of the title? Just curious what your thoughts were and what some of your favorite issues/storylines were from that title.

[bullseye]

Kind of like a "Everyone working on MTIO step forward, ah ah ah! not so fast you two..."?

 

I don't remember any notification of DD restarting with the new creative team, or most books for that matter. currently diamond lets people know in the ads, but i am not sure if it is in print in the book before the last issue if at all, will look at a copy of gambit or excalibur when they end though hehe.

[mrwoogieman]

Didn't they put out a Thing mini before MTIO ended that lead to a new solo Thing title as a replacement for MTIO?

[bobpfef]

The Thing #1 was published the following month from MTIO #100. It was just a continuation of the title, just starting with #1 so more people would buy it

[mrwoogieman]

Yeah, that's what I'm guessing too. I just looked at Mile High and couldn't find a Thing mini from around that time so I guess I was wrong about there being one. I have a vague recollection of the title change being addressed in a Bullpen Bulletins at the time, but, I can't recall what it said (imagine if I could! ).

[Sal]

iirc the solo Thing title was tied into Secret Wars...they were going to have Ben hang back on the Beyonder planet and figure some stuff out.

 

obviously that didn't last too long. i suppose there wasn't enough creative juice to have Ben starring in three books at once, so they dropped Two-In-One

[mrwoogieman]

By the way, I have a MTIO # 1 in about VG if you're interested, maybe some of the others in like condition on your list as well.

 

I'll check tonight and PM a list (it'll be mighty short, however).

[tilleycs]

iirc the solo Thing title was tied into Secret Wars...they were going to have Ben hang back on the Beyonder planet and figure some stuff out.

 

The Thing's solo title started before the Secret Wars mini. The Secret Wars storyline of him staying on that planet (because he could change back and forth between being human and being The Thing) begins with issue #11.

 

I never realized that his solo title started right after MTIO was canceled. I was never a fan of MTIO back when it was being published, because I just couldn't get into a lot of the guest stars (and I assumed that every story was just a stand-alone story, which I've since learned isn't true).

 

I was surprised how long the Project Pegasus storyline ran. It started before #51 and ran through #85 (as far as some of its effects and characters). From some of the dialogue and references, it seems to have been a storyline in Iron Man as well (I'll find out once I start on that title).

 

It was also interesting how they handled multi-part stories. They'd have a guest star in the first issue, and then just introduce another guest star in the next issue and add them to the story (while keeping the previous guest star in the action). The official "Project Pegasus" story was a 6-parter, which was pretty long back then.

 

And some issues didn't have guest stars at all. Weird. Overall, good reading material. Big to MTIO.

[Sal]

iirc the solo Thing title was tied into Secret Wars...they were going to have Ben hang back on the Beyonder planet and figure some stuff out.

 

The Thing's solo title started before the Secret Wars mini. The Secret Wars storyline of him staying on that planet (because he could change back and forth between being human and being The Thing) begins with issue #11.

 

I never realized that his solo title started right after MTIO was canceled. I was never a fan of MTIO back when it was being published, because I just couldn't get into a lot of the guest stars (and I assumed that every story was just a stand-alone story, which I've since learned isn't true).

 

I was surprised how long the Project Pegasus storyline ran. It started before #51 and ran through #85 (as far as some of its effects and characters). From some of the dialogue and references, it seems to have been a storyline in Iron Man as well (I'll find out once I start on that title).

 

It was also interesting how they handled multi-part stories. They'd have a guest star in the first issue, and then just introduce another guest star in the next issue and add them to the story (while keeping the previous guest star in the action). The official "Project Pegasus" story was a 6-parter, which was pretty long back then.

 

And some issues didn't have guest stars at all. Weird. Overall, good reading material. Big to MTIO.

 

i guess i did not rc. (shrugs)

 

this was a series drawn by Ron Wilson, so I avoided it like the plague, even with the Byrne covers and story

[shadroch]

I'm pretty sure there was advance notification of the switch from TIO to The Thing series. I know that TIO was one of the worse selling Marvel titles in my shop,but I sold out of Thing #1. By the time the Rocky Grimm,space cadet storyline came along,sales had tanked again.BTW-the Thing issue where he keeps Pietro from dosing his daughter in the mists is one of my all-time favorites. I've never forgiven Byrne for backtracking from that storyline.

[Dr_Neff]

I also recall notification - I think it was in Marvel Age? I was excited to buy the new Thing Series

 

My favorite was the Serpent Crown Affair storyline

[tilleycs]

I'm pretty sure there was advance notification of the switch from TIO to The Thing series.

 

Do you remember where it was? They didn't say anything in the title, and the cover of the last issue didn't say that it was THE last issue (I know Grimm is saying something about it being "The End", but with the wreckage around them, that could be taken several different ways).

 

I know that TIO was one of the worse selling Marvel titles in my shop,but I sold out of Thing #1.

 

I'm not surprised about MTIO not being a big seller back then. Sorry, but even though The Thing is my favorite character, an issue with him and someone like Stingray, The Living Mummy, Triton, the Blue Diamond, etc. isn't likely to pique my curiosity. They even did an annual w/ Thing and Black Bolt (great idea, have the guest star for the 48-page annual be someone who can't even speak...).

 

I remember buying Thing #1 from the 7-Eleven at the end of my street. I bought almost the entire run off the stands. I thought there were some really good stories in it. I also liked Thing's fight with the Inhumans.

[shadroch]

I don't recall where the notification was. Obviously it would have been brought to the dealers attention thru the various distributors order forms and bulletins.I'd guess that in addition to the previously mentioned Marvel Age,it was brought up in the Marvel Bulletin pages.I also vaguely recall a promotional poster that was similar to the first issue cover.