Thor
and Hercules return to the surface world to be greeted by Police Detective
Sergeant Ralph Blumkenn who informs them that a couple of suicidal patients
held at Bellevue (psychiatric hospital) became normal while the heroes were
away. When the huge hole in the ground created by Herc is pointed out, the two
swing into action, Herc hurling the granite plug from the river bottom into the
air and Thor knocking it back into the hole with Mjolnir. Blumkenn then tells
Thor that one of the suicidal patients has been asking for him, Jane Foster.
Thor becomes emotional and heads to the hospital. Reviewing his history with
Jane for the benefit of the newer readers, he finds her comatose in her room
and stands beside her, touching her hand….
Elsewhere,
Madame Cynthia, a phony medium, is conducting a séance for the Carwell family,
an older woman who has lost her son and the son’s widow, Anne. Suddenly, her
son/accomplice is possessed by a spirit and transforms into a savage calling
himself Armak, the First Man. He seizes Anne Carwell and crashes through the
wall….
At
the hospital, Thor has kept vigil by Jane’s side for two days. Sif and Krista
find them there. A doctor tells Sif that Jane, seriously injured in her suicide
attempt, has only a couple of days to live. Sif, determined to save her,
returns to Asgard, pushing past Heimdall and heading for Odin’s throne room.
There she finds Hildegarde who informs her that the All-Father is missing….
On
the city streets, Armak, holding Anne Carwell, is causing some property damage
while challenging men to fight. He encounters Hercules, who throws a punch that
Armak withstands; the caveman returns a blow that sends Herc crashing back.
Krista sees the battle unfold on the TV news then slaps Thor across the face to
get him to go to the aid of his friend. Reluctantly, Thor heads to the fight
and takes on the bruiser while Herc rescues Anne, who fills him in on the
much-needed context. Armak hurls a car at Thor who smashes his way through it
with a swing of Mjolnir. Their brawl takes them to a construction site where
they fall into an elevator and are sent to the top of the building. Herc and
Anne have brought Madame Cynthia to the site and she calls to her son through a
bullhorn, asking him to stop. Her voice distracts Armak and Thor hits him,
sending him over the edge to his death. There he transforms back to Arnold and
calls Anne beautiful and dies. Anne is confused and Herc vows to unravel the
mystery. Thor rushes back to the hospital, praying he finds Jane still alive….