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Thor (1998 series) #2

Dan Jurgens | John Romita Jr.

Thor (1998 series) #2 cover

Story Name:

Deal With The Devil!


Synopsis

Thor (1998 series) #2 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

The Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, and Hawkeye) are shocked to find Thor seemingly dead after his battle with the Destroyer. They attack the armor, animated by Colonel Preston Case, Cap warning them not to give in to anger and be defeated as Thor was. Case responds that he was fed up with the army and is exulting in raw power for the first time in his life, touching off a debate with Cap who is trying to break the neck of the armor with his shield. Cap fails. Wanda tries to keep Thor alive with her magic but Case unleashes another visor blast and Thor is hurled into the water where he sinks…

…and then he finds himself in the presence of Hela, Goddess of Death, who is pleased to finally have him. Thor is defiant but a stranger approaches, an armored figure calling himself Marnot arrives, silencing the nagging Volla the prophetess by making her mouth vanish. Marnot keeps his purposes and intentions a secret while revealing that his job is to fix things when the arrangement of life falls out of balance. But he is not there about Thor; instead, it’s about a mortal named Jake Olson. And as Marnot speaks his piece we see Demitrius Collins visiting Jake’s fiancée Hannah Fairmount to tell her of Jake’s death in an explosion while saving a trapped woman; Hannah is shattered. Marnot informs Thor that Jake died a hero but Thor was so intent on defeating the Destroyer that he failed to protect an innocent caught up in his actions, an EMT whose talents could have led him to save countless lives. Thor is humbled. But Hela insists Thor, being dead, belongs to her. Marnot asks her if that is certain; she checks and discovers that a spark of life remains in Thor, therefor he can return to Midgard. Marnot tells Thor he must atone for Jake Olson’s death; Hela objects but Marnot silences her and she knows he has the power to punish her. For Thor to exist on Earth, so must Jake Olson, though not the real one as even Marnot cannot restore the dead as he sends Thor back; Marnot also bids farewell to Hela, brushing off her threats….

Back at the docks, the Destroyer exults over the defeated Avengers, bound in metal at his feet, as he shows off his possession of Cap’s shield, Iron Man’s arc reactor, and Wanda’s cloak. The villain spots Thor’s hammer and tries to lift it, surprised that he cannot when Thor emerges from the wreckage, gripping the handle. Thor bashes the Destroyer and when he threatens to open his visor, Thor uses Mjolnir to open a porthole in time and space, carrying him into outer space. He frees his comrades and departs, declining to offer an explanation. He flies over the city but an unknown force guides him down through a skylight and into a loft apartment. He lands, striking his hammer on the floor and transforming….

Hannah arrives at Jake’s apartment, distraught over his death, and entering…encounters Jake leaving the shower. She is shocked and Jake does not know who she is….


Characters
Good (or All)
AVENGERS
CAP
HAWKEYE
IRONMAN
SCARLETWITCH
THOR
Plus: Demitrius Collins, Hannah Fairmont, Jake Olson (Duplicate).

Enemies
DESTR
HELA
Plus: Marnot (Hescamar), Volla the Prophetess (Volla).

> Thor (1998 series) comic book info and issue index


Thor (1998 series) #2 cover

Excelsioring your collection:
statue
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Main/1st Story Full Credits

John Romita Jr.
Klaus Janson
Gregory Wright
John Romita Jr. (Cover Penciler)
Klaus Janson (Cover Inker)
Gregory Wright (Cover Colorist)




Review / Commentaries


Thor (1998 series) #2 Review by (February 25, 2025)

Review: Once we get past that splash page with the Avengers posing for a portrait after being told to put on their mean faces, the story straightens out and gets down to business. The Avengers make a stand against the Destroyer and fail; no wonder as Cap is busy warning everyone that Thor failed because he was angry. As it turns out, Thor failed because the Destroyer was made to be unbeatable. And that where the Avengers end up: defeated.

But it’s the death parts that are at the center of the story: Thor, mostly dead, is claimed by Hela who has had this on her to-do list for centuries. But a new character called Marnot intervenes, telling Thor he is still alive but must return to Earth with a new human identity, dead EMT Jake Olson and bingo! It happens, leaving a confused Thunder God in a human body. Marnot is an odd duck as we don’t know who he is or what his motivations are. He might even be the host of a supernatural version of PUNK’D. But it’s a pretty cool issue, though that might depend on how much we were missing the Don Blake days when Thor had a human identity. Yeah, the Jake Olson story kind of straddles the line of suspense and cringe. But that’s the next issue. Here the battle and the Hela scenes are great.

Comments: Thor is bonded with Jake Olson in this issue. The Destroyer and Preston Case return in issues #11-14; the armor without Case returns in issues #36-38. Richard Starkings, Comicraft, Dave Lanphear are credited with lettering.






Thor

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