Thor #230: Review

Dec 1974

Gerry Conway, Rich Buckler

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

The Sky Above...The Pits Below!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #230 Review by Peter Silvestro (June 13, 2023)

Review: And that’s it? A battle with a Lovecraftian nasty and it’s over in just two issues? With part two mainly taken up by Hercules freaking out over the memories and the start of a subplot about Odin? So, we have a supernatural being that controls fear and despair and has sent its minions to the surface to drive a bunch of people to suicide—and he is defeated by letting light into a small section of his tunnel? And why was “He” so interested in making people kill themselves one at a time in New York? At one suicide a day, wiping out New York City will take forever as the birth rate will far outstrip “His” plans. And I suspect New York would be happy if there were only one suicide a day. And the big question: Why did they assume that He Who Dwells in the Dark was connected to the rash of suicides? Because in the comic book world only one villain is active at a time? As usual, Rick Buckler’s art makes the tale seem cooler than it is.

Comments: Part two of two parts. Second appearance of the Dweller in Darkness who moves over to be a Dr. Strange bad guy in DOCTOR STRANGE (1974 series) #30-37 and after. The memory inducer was previously used on Hercules in AVENGERS #99; didn’t work then either. And the cover promises a “shocking surprise star whose coming is heralded in this issue!!” I’ve read the comic multiple times and I still have no idea who this refers to.

From Our Blog:

Gwen Stacy, beauty queen of Standard High School, was Peter Parker's (alias Spider-Man) first great love.

Gwen Stacy: Classic Beauty

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #230 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Thor carries the unconscious Hercules to Avengers Mansion where he is met by Iron Man; they put Herc into the memory inducer, hoping to search his mind to discover what has happened to him. Herc becomes so distraught that he smashes the machine to bits, raving about monsters. Sif and Krista arrive, shown to the room by Jarvis, in time to see Hercules’ mad rampage. Thor and Iron Man try and fail to restrain him. Krista bravely approaches him and the mere sight of her calms him down. After a time, he is able to relate the tale of his battle with the shadow man and the demons which dragged him into the sewers—and after that, his mind is blank….

In Asgard, Hildegarde discovers that all entrances to Odin’s throne room are shut and guards posted before them. Hilde grows frustrated and punches out a couple of guards and discovers that Odin is gone. She goes down to confront the Grand Vizier who doesn’t know where the All-Father is either….

Hercules leads Thor back to the manhole where he was captured; Thor sees demons that run out to be merely illusions. They make their way through underground tunnels, seeing sinister shadows everywhere—and then they are attacked by a swarm of demons. As Thor is overwhelmed, Herc realizes that the real weapon employed against them is despair by He Who Dwells in Darkness. Herc steels himself and pushes a massive granite plug up through the earth and away, letting in sunlight which drives the demons away. Thor and Herc then see the shadow of the Dweller-in-Darkness but when Thor attacks, there is nothing there….