Two
kids fishing late at night in Rutland, Vermont, see a flaming object fall from
the sky. They investigate and see a figure rise from a pile of broken amber.
They panic and flee, only to be frozen in place by a spell from the newcomer.
This figure shoots a fiery bolt into the air which crosses the country and comes
down in Nevada, breaking open a cliff and releasing Crusher Creel, the
Absorbing Man….
As
Thor broods over his exile at Avengers Mansion, waited on by Jarvis, Sif and
Hildegarde fly out to the Hudson River. Sif wants to understand why New York
attracts so many. Then Absorbing Man lands, forced to travel across the
continent by a painful impulse in his head in order to kill Thor. Turning to
metal, Creel goes on a rampage, calling for the Thunder God to come face him.
Changing into their warrior gear, Sif and Hildegarde attack the villain but are
quickly subdued. Thor, alerted by the police, arrives and, seeing the fallen
Sif, burns with hatred toward his enemy….
In
Rutland, a mystery figure approaches the home of Tom Fagan, asking for shelter.
Calling off his dogs, Satan and Diablo, Fagan invites the man inside….
Thor
and the Absorbing Man bash each other for several pages….
The
scene is witnessed from Asgard by the Grand Vizier but Karnilla the Norn Queen
doesn’t care, her only concern being for her beloved Balder….
On
Earth, the Warriors Three take Balder on a camping trip but he doesn’t care,
his only concern being for his beloved Karnilla….
Thor
and Creel bash each other some more until Thor is sent flying through the
window of a grocery store. Creel is drawn away to the north and Thor allows him
a head start, following him to discover who has set him against the God of
Thunder. Creel comes down in Rutland, at the home of Tom Fagan. He is greeted
by his master, Loki, who has a grand scheme in mind for killing Thor….