Thor #221: Review

Mar 1974

Gerry Conway, John Buscema

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Story Name:

Hercules Enraged!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #221 Review by Peter Silvestro (March 8, 2023)

Review: A fun issue, nothing deep just a pretext for an issue-long battle between two of comics’ heavy hitters. Yes, they come off as a couple of boneheads but that what we love about Hercules and we see that even the noble Thor can descend to his level.

And we bid a not-so-fond farewell to Silas Grant, who was introduced in issues #197-199. Well and good. But he has been in nearly every issue since then and contributed exactly nothing to any of them. He’s just in the background, with even the artist not remembering if he is around or not. Tana Nile has had the same problem but she had quite a bit to do years earlier and would be a significant character years later but Silas Grant did nothing. Usually I consider killing off a minor character as “cheap drama” but sometimes that’s better than no drama at all. At least he sticks by Tana and departs when she does; that’s a small mercy at least.

Comments: Part one of three parts. Final appearance of Silas Grant. Tana Nile is not seen again until STARMASTERS #1 in 1996, followed by many other science fiction titles. Hercules’ friend Krato may be the same person as Kratos in the following issue; then again, maybe not.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #221 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

The mighty Thor fights his way through the gates of Olympus, clobbering all soldiers who stand in his way, demanding an audience with Hercules. Zeus sees him coming and Ares tries to persuade him that the Asgardians are all evil. Hercules shows up and denies this, noting that Ares is a notorious liar. Entering the city, Thor is challenged by a warrior named Krato, defending Herc’s honor. Thor defeats him easily which angers Herc so that the takes on the Thunder God and the two start bashing one another….

Flashback time: Saying their goodbyes to the Rigellians after last issue’s adventure, Thor learned that Tana Nile was going to remain with her people and Silas Grant chose to stay with Tana. The Starjammer returned to Asgard where the heroes were met by Hildegarde telling them about her sister, Krista. In the throne room, Odin relates the story, scattered though it is over several issues starting with #217, how Krista vanished and the mystic globe showed her a slave in chains at the feet of Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, with Hercules by his side. Enraged, Thor heads off to challenge the Greek Demigod, ignoring Sif’s pleas that things might not be what they seem. Odin denies Balder’s request to accompany Thor, as that would look like an army coming against Olympus….

So back in the home of the Greek Gods, Thor and Hercules continue bashing each other and damaging property, neither one stopping to ask for an explanation. Meanwhile, we learn that Ares, allied with Pluto, is behind this brouhaha, igniting a war between the Greek and Norse gods and then conquering Olympus once the gods have destroyed each other. Eventually, Zeus calls a halt to the fight, asking Thor to explain himself. Thor tells him of Krista; Zeus testifies that Herc has hasn’t left Olympus in weeks, attending a particularly entertaining festival. So the two combatants shake hands and agree to go after Pluto together….