I am about to put my lower intake manifold gaskets on. This is my first venture with these series 2'*... Any help would be much appreciated. I do not have a torque wrench handy... Any ideas on the best way to handle the situation? RTV? Bolt pattern?

No RTV, no way around it, sorry, get a inch pound torque wrench. Start at the center bolts and go back and forth until you have them all. Start with half torque, then full torque, same pattern.

One addition. You do use black RTV in the corners where the rubber gaskets meet up with the LIM gaskets.

Any idea of the proper ft/lbs?

it'* inch pounds and IIRC if it'* a N/A engine it'* 80 in/lbs on the upper lower I forget.

For the LIM, should be 89 inch pounds, go around twice, remember, half torque, then full torque. The LIM floats inside the heads and the rubber part is what seals. If you full torque one side you will pull the LIM to far to one side.

Just did my LIM'* 15lbs on the Lower bolts and RTV on the ends of the side gaskets. Also dont forget to clean up the lower bolts and re apply thread sealer with teflon.

Series 2 L67 (SC):
LIM bolts: FSM states 13ft lbs, that is with nylon gaskets. I use 15ft lbs with aluminum gaskets in this position. Work your way from the inside bolts to the outside bolts in a criss cross fashion.
UIM/SC bolts: FSM states 17ft lbs.

Series 2 L36 (NA):
LIM bolts: Some FSM'* are incorrect (96/97) and say 89 inch lbs. That is the torque for the UIM bolts. The correct spec on the LIM bolts is 13ft lbs. Like the L67 if using the aluminum gaskets in this position I automatically use 15ft lbs. Work your way from the inside bolts to the outside bolts in a criss cross fashion.
UIM bolts: These are tricky, the FSM states to torque in steps. Use ~40in lbs, then 60, 70, 80, 89. Watch the UIM near the bolt as you torque it, go very slow and watch all of these very closely. if the manifold appears white and looks like it is about to break, stop torquing that bolt and continue on to the next. This is fairly common with the nylon manifold.

As for RTV, I buy only Permatex Ultra Copper RTV as it will work in all fluids and temperature ranges. Put a dab in the corners where the head meets the block, put the gaskets on and then put another dab in each corner on top of the gaskets. Black rtv is also good, I just happen to buy only the one tube because the goop drawer was overfull with all the various colors.