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Thor #257

Mar 1977

Len Wein, Tony De Zuniga

Story Name:

Death, Thou Shalt Die!

Synopsis

Thor #257 synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Rating:

As Thor and the Warriors Three set out on the search for Sporr, the monster which has carried off Sif, Relstor, leader of the world-ship Levianon, relates the history of his people. Their world was a peaceful paradise until an ecological disaster doomed it. Before its final destruction, refugees set out in the massive ship in search of a new home. Sadly, the people were far too used to their decadent lifestyle and the ship fell into disrepair. Then a meteor hit introduced the alien Sporr into their system where it now preys on the weak and aged among them. The party encounters the monster again and again it barricades the corridor against pursuit….

In Asgard, Balder surveys the enemy forces encamped outside the gates and questions his ability to lead; Karnilla is annoyed once more….

Thor clears the blocked passage with his mighty strength, and the search party continues They come face-to-face (sort of) with Sporr, a huge blob with a single eye. The Thunder God and his warriors attack and after a great struggle ending with Thor calling down lightning on their enemy, they kill it. Thor tears down the door the monster was guarding to find…all of the missing people unharmed. Sif explains that Sporr was a kindly alien who wanted to create a leisurely paradise for the infirm among the Levians—and their fear caused them to turn it into hell.

Epilogue: a warship zooms through space; it is a pirate ship commanded by none other than Thor’s old foe, the Grey Gargoyle….

Review / Commentaries

Thor #257 Review by Peter Silvestro (October 30, 2014)

Review: Nice wrap-up to the tale, with a poignant “don’t judge by appearances” lesson of all good science fiction epics. A nice touch having Relstor’s wife beg him not to go on the quest, humanizing the people who would prove far from ideal by the end. I have no idea why the kid whose grandfather was snatched was in the story; to put a personal touch on the horrors of the people, perhaps?

Comments: Part two of two parts. Part three of “The Quest for Odin.” The title comes from “Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne. This two-part tale marked the only appearances of Sporr and the Levians.

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Len Wein

Tony De Zuniga

Glynis Wein

Jack Kirby (Cover Penciler)
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Balder
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Karnilla
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Sif

Thor
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Warriors Three
(Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg)

Grey Gargoyle
(Paul Pierre Duval)

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Thor #257

Death, Thou Shalt Die!

Synopsis

Review / Commentaries

Main/1st Story Full Credits