Thor #130

Featuring: Thor
Release: May 3, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Stan the Man Lee, Writer
Jack King Kirby, artist
Vince the Prince Colletta, delineator
Artie Pussycat Simek, letterer
16 pages

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” Let there be no further battle! Only the weakling seeks to prove his strength at every turn!”
“Thy words have wisdom, Thor– even as thy limbs have power enow to make Hercules pause! Henceforth, I shall call thee friend!”
“And I thee!”
“What riotous revels we shall enjoy together! What battles we shall share, at each other’s side!”
“Alas, Olympian– revels are not for such as me– And, my hammer swings only for justice– never for the thrill of battle alone!”
“But, what good then to be a god?”
“Thy careless query, Hercules, is far more profound than you suspect!”

Stan the Man Lee. Jack King Kirby. Every issue Stan’s had new nicknames for the creative team. We’ve seen this particular set of nicknames before. And we’ll see it again. These are the nicknames that will stick for Stan and Jack. The Man and The King.

The issue’s title is “Thunder in the Netherworld”. Seems like a missed opportunity to call it “Thunder Down Under”.

Hercules had stupidly signed a contract saying he’d rule the Netherworld and let Pluto free. Hercules thought it was a movie deal. Zeus is enforcing the contract. Hercules’ only way out is for a champion to fight in his stead, to challenge Pluto and the armies of the dead to win Hercules’ freedom.

Thor is that champion.

“Never has a cause been more hopeless! Never has man or immortal faced such awesome odds!” That’s a pretty cool image of Pluto as he says these words.

Cerberus guards the gates of the Netherworld. I always thought Cerberus was a dog. But he seems to be very much not a dog.

Let’s pause to check in with Jane’s new roommate Tana Nile, who I still assume is just an ordinary career-oriented woman looking to save on housing costs. She has plans she doesn’t want Thor to know about. Further education perhaps? Maybe an entrepreneurial opportunity? Either way, she enslaves Jane’s mind and sends Jane away, referring to a game of celestial chess. Now Thor will return to find Jane absent and thus not be able to interfere in Tana’s plans. Little does Tana realize that if Jane is missing, this will only further delay Thor’s decision to surrender his godhood.

Thor fights the Crusher. Kind of a dumb name for a warrior of the Netherworld taken out of Greek myth. Sounds like Stan named him.

So how does this epic battle end? Well, it’s basically a stalemate. The hordes of the Netherworld are endless, but also can’t seem to beat Thor. Over the course of the battle, the realm is being destroyed. Turns out Pluto does care about the realm he’s ruled since time’s dawn. He orders the fighting to cease for the good of the Netherworld and agrees to take up his crown. Thor tells Pluto there is nothing for him in the Overworld, and Pluto agrees. “Sure, everybody else wants to be up there and we’ve acted like just being down here is the worst thing that can happen to a person. But trust us. You’re happier down here.” And so Pluto learns to accept his place in society. So Hercules can go back to his aimless fun.

Thor tells Hercules his hammer swings only for justice? Really, because I recall you attacking Hercules for flirting with Jane. And then seeking a second fight with him because he humiliated you the first time. Maybe reflect on recent events before being sanctimonious.

“But, what good then to be a god” asks Hercules. An ironic question. For Hercules doesn’t realize that Thor is even now considering giving up his godhood forever in order to be with the woman he loves.

As they walk off together, Thor remarks, “Hercules, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

I still have no idea what happened to Hippolyta.

We’ll pause Thor’s story here and come back later to learn Jane’s fate. Next issue promises “the strange secret of Tana Nile”. But I assume we’ve already guessed the secret: career-focused woman looking to save money on housing while pursuing her small business ambitions.

Let’s check out the May Bulletins. With a bit of a warning that we’ve not caught up to May in all the titles yet. So there may be spoilers.

• The Beatles apparently like Marvel Comics, per Peter Asher.
• Frankie Ray is outed as Frank Giacoia.
• The year’s annuals are announced, including a new title called Marvel Super-Heroes.
• Thomas has a Yeats poem for Marvel’s competitors concerning a dog’s fleas.

On a personal note, this is the earliest Thor comic in my collection.

Rating: ★★★½, 62/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆

It wasn’t that long ago a score 62 would have been enough to get this on the “Best We’ve Read” page, but we’ve read too many good comics lately, particularly too many good Thor comics. And the top 100 is becoming quite the tight and exclusive list of comics.

I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 4.

Characters:

• Thor
• Pluto
• Cerberus
• Jane Foster
• Tana Nile
• Hercules
• The Crusher

Story notes:

• If Thor is defeated, then he will be banished to rule the Netherworld for eternity.
• Hercules already trapped in Netherworld.
• Thor travels from Olympus to Netherworld.
• Cerberus’ helmet has a ray of destruction.
• Jane wonders why Thor has not returned.
• Tana Nile reads a book on Greek myths.
• Nile unleashes her “aura of majesty” to make Jane helpless. She will take Jane away to prevent Thor from learning her plans.
• The contract means Hercules’ strength has all been sapped away, at least when fighting the Netherworld hordes.
• Hercules’ nickname is “Prince of Power”.
• Once Pluto places crown upon his head, Hercules is sentenced.
• A Cosmic Cannon shell fired at Thor.
• The warriors hit by the Shell are enfolded in the Cosmic Sleep for a century.
• Thor trapped in Turbulence Chamber.
• Tana Nile orders Jane to go far away so that Thor will stay away. Jane is powerless to resist.
• Mankind faces some danger from Tana Nile.
• Pluto tears up contract.
• Hercules and Thor agree they are friends.

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