Featuring: Thor
Release: February 4, 1965
Cover: April 1965
12 cents
Story by: Stan Lee the sage of the Marvel Age!
Penciling by: Jack Kirby the rage of the Marvel Age!
Inking by: Frankie Ray for his wage in the Marvel Age!
Lettering by: Artie Simek from his cage in the Marvel Age!
16 pages
| Previous | #337 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Journey Into Mystery #114, Story B | Reading order | Journey Into Mystery #115, Story B |
| Journey Into Mystery #114, Story B | Journey Into Mystery | Journey Into Mystery #115, Story B |
Recall last issue Thor and Absorbing Man were locked in battle when Balder transported Thor away to Asgard because Loki had imprisoned Jane Foster.
I noted that starting just about last issue, the Thor title is finally getting good. In the old stories, Mr. Hyde or Cobra would kidnap Jane and Thor would fight them.
Admittedly the plot of this issue is that Loki kidnaps Jane and Thor fights him. But it’s good.
At least Loki imprisoning Jane makes sense, as Loki is well aware of Thor’s secret identity– which makes one question the value of the secret identity. Mr. Hyde would just pick the right victim by chance.
Admittedly the plot of next issue is that Enchantress and Executioner kidnap Jane, but I still maintain these stories are getting better.
This is the first we’ve heard of Loki’s sword, I think. He speaks of it as though it’s a weapon on par with Thor’s hammer. That doesn’t sit quite right with me. The dynamic I know, and that we’ve seen, is that Thor is the powerful one with the powerful weapon; Loki relies on magic and guile.
But Absorbing Man is still at large on Earth. Harris Hobbs remains on the case.
We have multiple story threads. This is more sophisticated storytelling than had been previously seen in Thor stories, though still not as sophisticated as the average Spider-Man issue.
I can’t always figure Odin out. He knows Loki is evil and a liar, and he must remember that he has repeatedly banished him to eternal prison in the last year alone. Yet, Loki claims he didn’t kidnap Jane, and Odin is upset to see Thor still in love with Jane. So he orders the Trial of the Gods.
Odin grants Thor 48 hours to take care of his affairs on Earth before the Trial. This will involve taking care of the Absorbing Man, and perhaps the Masters of Evil as well.
Thor makes Jane forget the entire ordeal with a touch. Superman would do it with a kiss.
It’s Thor vs. Absorbing Man Round 2.
Thor wins the day by getting the Absorbing Man to turn into helium and float away into space.
The caption accompanying Absorbing Man floating into space is a bit odd. Clearly, the dude is now gaseous and floating into the void. Yet the narrator explains he’ll soon be returned to prison. Seems like another example where the script censored the art, to make it clear that nobody dies. See also Avengers #16 where we see Black Widow lying on the ground near a man with a smoking gun, then Hawkeye crying over her limp body, as the narrator informs us she is now in the hospital.
Notice how this story isn’t really ending. One story is just flowing into the next.
This must be happening almost simultaneously with the last Avengers story we read. Here’s my take on the chronology. Avengers #15 opens with a routine, unhurried Avengers meeting. Then the Avengers leave to go about their business. It’s after this that the events of the last two Thor issues take place. Then, after defeating Absorbing Man and before visiting Jane, Thor responds to Captain America’s emergency summons, which leads directly into the Masters of Evil battle and into issue 16. At which point Thor leaves in a hurry because his 48 hours is almost up and the Trial of the Gods will begin.
More precisely, Thor’s chronology:
- Avengers #15, pages 1-2
- Journey Into Mystery #114
- Journey Into Mystery #115, pages 1-15
- Avengers #15, pages 6-20
- Avengers #16, pages 1-4
- Journey Into Mystery #115, page 16
That’s my current theory as to the order of events. Hopefully the coming issues won’t contradict it.
We know a couple relevant facts. In Journey Into Mystery #114, Thor considered calling the Avengers for help, suggesting this was before the Avengers getting replaced at the end of Avengers #16. Notice also the dialogue near the end of this issue, where bystanders repeatedly call Thor an Avenger, suggesting they at least are unaware of any news items about the Avengers change in line-up. On the other hand, Thor leaves in Avengers #16, citing the Trial of the Gods, suggesting Odin had already declared it, as he did as the end of this issue.
The MCP instead places all of issue 114 and beyond after Avengers #16. But I think that placement is contradicted by the several points of evidence above.
Final note. We need to start paying attention to Thor’s speech patterns. Been pretty normal so far, but he uses the word “naught” twice this issue. More often than I use it in a normal day. He also uses the word “thou” once, though he says “you” instead dozens of times.
Before we get to the Trial of the Gods, we will finish this comic, which next features a tale of Loki’s past. And then we will have to check in with Daredevil.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 58/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
These Thor stories are definitely getting better. You’ll notice this is the fourth highest score we’ve given any Thor story. After the introduction of Thor, the introduction of Loki, and last issue.
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 3. It is also available on Kindle.
Characters:
- Thor
- Loki
- Jane Foster
- Harris Hobbs
- Absorbing Man/Crusher Creel
- Odin
Minor characters:
- John and Ann (victims of Absorbing Man)
Story notes:
- Loki speaks of his enchanted sword as though it’s on par with Thor’s enchanted hammer.
- Loki also pledged never to harm a mortal.
- Harris Hobbs reporter for Affiliated press (first time learning first name).
- Loki lies and claims Thor brought Jane to Asgard; so Odin orders the Trial of the Gods.
- Absorbing Man absorbs/becomes/gains: glass, silk, bronze, iron, Thor’s power, Thor’s hammer’s power, heat, earth (rock/wood/steel), and finally… helium.
- Thor transmutes elements by spinning his hammer at cyclotronic speed.
- Absorbing Man will float through space in gaseous form until his power fades; then he’ll be returned to Earth and prison.
| Previous | #337 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Journey Into Mystery #114, Story B | Reading order | Journey Into Mystery #115, Story B |
| Journey Into Mystery #114, Story B | Journey Into Mystery | Journey Into Mystery #115, Story B |
