Thor #275

Sep 1978

Roy Thomas, John Buscema

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Story Name:

A Balance is Struck!

Synopsis

Thor #275 synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Rating:

All the Aesir are in shock: an arrow has pierced the invulnerable breast of Balder the Brave. Loki readily admits to his complicity: he is the one who gave an arrow of mistletoe, the one living or unliving thing which could harm Balder as it was overlooked by Frigga when she made creation promise not to harm him. Now Loki exults in the imminent arrival of Ragnarok, the end of all things. Odin halts the warriors from destroying Loki and orders Hermod the messenger to ride the eight-legged Sleipnir to Hela to see if there be any way Balder could be released from her realm of death. Harris Hobbs tells Red and Joey what will happen: Hela will agree to release Balder from death only if the entire world weeps for him; so it does—but a giantess named Thokk refuses so Balder is doomed, along with the universe….

Hobbs films a brief news update on Balder then his cameraman Red Norvell hits on Sif who rejects his advances. The disgruntled staffer is approached by Loki who tells him how he can be as powerful as Thor, which may melt Sif’s heart….

Odin assembles the warriors of Asgard for the day of Ragnarok. Blind Hoder asks to be executed for his inadvertent killing of Balder; Odin forgives him and names him an archer in the army. But what can the blind god do? Loki’s wife Sigyn offers to guide his arrows in battle….

In Jotunheim, Loki, with Red Norvell filming his actions, rallies the Trolls and Dwarves to march on Asgard. Thor suddenly appears to challenge him. Loki conjured up the axe that Odin used to slay Ymir the giant and assaults Thor. The God of Thunder has a superior weapon in Mjolnir but Loki has cast spells on Thor to weaken him in Jotunheim. At a disadvantage, Thor summons his Belt of Strength (last seen in JiM #91) and takes down Loki with a single blow. Thor then hammers his way through the trolls and dwarves facing him and returns Loki and Red to Asgard. There, he asks Norvell to hold his Belt of Strength while he delivers Loki to the All-Father. Learning that (as prophesied) Thokk refuses to weep for Balder, Odin risks all on a gamble: he surrounds Balder’s body with some of his own power, trapping the brave warrior between life and death. If the Odinshield fails or Odin falls, Balder will die….

Review / Commentaries

Thor #275 Review by Peter Silvestro (April 7, 2015)

Comments: Part three of six parts. First appearance of Sigyn, Loki’s wife. THOR ANNUAL #7 takes place between the departure of Hermod on page 5 and Thor’s reappearance on page 12. Oddity: on the cover Thor battles Loki in a cave; in the issue it’s out in the open.

Review: Still not the best depiction of Ragnarok but very good with a maximum of incidents in the epic. Sigyn is an interesting character, making it clear her commitment to Asgard is stronger than her marital bond with Loki. Too bad we don’t see much more of her. Hoder will also show up intermittently over the next few years but he is too bland to be especially memorable.

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