Comic Browser: #126 - Whom the Gods Would Destroy! #127 - The Hammer and the Holocaust! #128 - The Power of Pluto! #129 - The Verdict of Zeus! #130 - Thunder In the Netherworld! #131 - They Strike From Space! #132 - Rigel: Where Gods May Fear to Tread! #133 - Behold... The Living Planet! #134 - The People-Breeders! #135 - The Maddening Menace of the Super-Beast! #136 - To Become An Immortal! #137 - The Thunder God and the Troll! #138 - From Asgard to Earth... The Flames of Battle! #139 - To Die Like A God! #140 - The Growing Man! #141 - The Wrath of Replicus #142 - The Scourge of the Super-Skrull! #143 - --And, Soon Shall Come: the Enchanters! #144 - This Battleground Earth! #145 - Abandoned On Earth! #146 - -- If the Thunder Be Gone! #147 - The Wrath of Odin! #148 - Let There Be... Chaos! #149 - When Falls a Hero! #150 - Even In Death... #151 - --To Rise Again! #152 - The Dilemma of Dr. Blake! #153 - --But Dr. Blake Can Die! #154 - ...To Wake the Mangog! #155 - Now Ends the Universe! #156 - The Hammer and the Holocaust! #157 - Behind Him...Ragnarok! #158 - The Way It Was! #159 - Who is the Real Don Blake? The Answer at Last! #160 - And Now... Galactus! #161 - Shall a God Prevail? #162 - Galactus is Born! #163 - Where Dwell the Demons! #164 - Lest Mankind Fall! #165 - Him! #166 - A God Berserk! #167 - This World Renounced! #168 - Galactus Found! #169 - The Awesome Answer! #170 - The Thunder God and the Thermal Man! #171 - The Wrath of the Wrecker! #172 - The Immortal and the Mind-Slave! #173 - Ulik Unleashed! #174 - The Carnage of the Crypto Man! #175 - The Fall of Asgard! #176 - Inferno! #177 - To End in Flames! #178 - Death Is a Stranger #179 - No More the Thunder God! #180 - When Gods Go Mad! #181 - One God Must Fall! #182 - The Prisoner-- the Power-- and-- Dr. Doom! #183 - Trapped in Doomsland #184 - The World Beyond! #185 - In the Grip of Infinity! #186 - Worlds at War! #187 - The World is Lost! #188 - The End of Infinity! #189 - The Icy Touch of Death! #190 - --And So, To Die! #191 - A Time of Evil! #192 - Conflagration! #193 - What Power Unleashed? #194 - This Fatal Fury! #195 - In the Shadow of Mangog! #196 - Within the Realm of Kartag! #197 - The Well at the Edge of the World! #198 - --And Odin Dies! #199 - If This Be Death..! #200 - Beware! If This Be... Ragnarok! #201 - Resurrection! #202 - --And None Dare Stand 'Gainst Ego-Prime! #203 - They Walk Like Gods! #204 - Exiled on Earth! #205 - A World Gone Mad! #206 - Rebirth! #207 - Firesword! #208 - The Fourth-Dimensional Man! #209 - Warriors in the Night! #210 - The Hammer and the Hellfire! #211 - The End of the Battle! #212 - Journey to the Golden Star! #213 - The Demon Brigade!! #214 - Into the Dark Nebula! #215 - The God in the Jewel #216 - Where Chaos Rules! #217 - All Swords Against Them! #218 - Where Pass the Black Stars, There Also Passes... Death! #219 - A Galaxy Consumed! #220 - Behold! The Land of Doom! #221 - Hercules Enraged! #222 - Before the Gates of Hell! #223 - Hellfire Across the World! #224 - No One Can Stop...The Destroyer! #225 - The Coming of the Firelord! #226 - The Battle Beyond! #227 - In Search of...Ego! #228 - Ego: Beginning and End! #229 - "Where Darkness Dwells, Dwell I!" #230 - The Sky Above...The Pits Below! #231 - A Spectre From the Past! #232 - Lo, The Raging Battle! #233 - Midgard Aflame! #234 - O, Bitter Victory! #235 - Who Lurks Beyond the Labyrinth! #236 - One Life to Give! #237 - Ulik Unchained #238 - Night of the Troll! #239 - Time Quake! #240 - When the Gods Make War! #241 - The Death-ship Sails the Stars! #242 - When the Servitor Commands! #243 - Turmoil in the Time Stream! #244 - This is the Way the World Ends! #245 - The Temple at the End of Time! #246 - The Fury of Firelord! #247 - The Flame and the Hammer! #248 - There Shall Come...Revolution! #249 - The Throne and the Fury! #250 - If Asgard Should Perish...! #251 - To Hela and Back #252 - A Dragon at the Gates! #253 - Chaos in the Kingdom of the Trolls #254 - The Answer at Last! #255 - Lo, The Quest Begins! #256 - Lurker in the Dark! #257 - Death, Thou Shalt Die! #258 - If the Stars Be Made of Stone! #259 - Escape into Oblivion! #260 - The Vicious and the Valiant #261 - The Wall Around the World! #262 - Even an Immortal Can Die! #263 - Holocaust and Homecoming! #264 - Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me! #265 - When Falls the God of Thunder...! #266 - ...So Falls the Realm Eternal! #267 - Once More, To Midgard! #268 - Death, Thy Name is Brother! #269 - A Walk on the Wild Side! #270 - Minute of Madness -- Dark Day of Doom! #271 - ...Like a Diamond in the Sky! #272 - The Day the Thunder Failed! #273 - Somewhere -- Over the Rainbow Bridge! #274 - The Eye -- and the Arrow! #275 - A Balance is Struck! #276 - Mine...This Hammer! #277 - Time of the Trolls! #278 - At Long Last--Ragnarok?! #279 - A Hammer in Hades! #280 - Crisis on Twin Earths! #281 - This Hammer Lost! #282 - Rites of Passage #283 - Suddenly--The Celestials! #284 - The City of the Space Gods! #285 - Deviants and Doormen! #286 - Mayhem under Manhattan! #287 - Assault on Olympia! #288 - Fury of the Forgotten Hero! #289 - Look Homeward, Asgardian! #290 - Ring Around the Red Bull! #291 - When Gods Have Joined Together! #292 - If an Eye Offend Thee...! #293 - The Twilight of SOME Gods! #294 - New Asgards for Old! #295 - The Price--and the Pride! #296 - From Valhalla--A Valkyrie! #297 - The Sword of Siegfried! #298 - Dragon's Blood! #299 - Passions and Potions #300 - Twilight of the Gods! #301 - For the Life of Asgard! #302 - The Shape of Things To Kill! #303 - The Miracle of Storms #304 - Reckless! #305 - Hark, the Herald Angel Lives! #306 - Fury of the Firelord! #307 - Wings In the Night! #308 - The Snow Giant #309 - Beware the Bombardiers! #310 - The Maelstrom to Mephisto #311 - Grief More Than a God May Bear #312 - The Judgment of Tyr #313 - Serpent From the Heavens #314 - Acts of Destruction #315 - The Thunder God and the Bi-Beast #316 - Of Beasts and Things... #317 - Chaos At Canaveral #318 - A Kingdom Lost #319 - The Zaniac Craves Blood! #320 - Blake's Menagerie #321 - Magick's Menace #322 - The Wrath and the Power! #323 - ...Comes a Dark Stranger! #324 - Gravitation #325 - A Deal With Darkoth #326 - The Scarab Strikes #327 - The Serpent of Midgard Conclusion: This Battleground Earth #328 - Violence In Video #329 - Stranded #330 - The Coming of the Crusader! #331 - Holy War #332 - Blood of a Goddess! #333 - Like a Bat Out of Heaven! #334 - Runequest #335 - Runequest's End! #336 - Of Gods and Men #337 - Doom! #338 - A Fool and His Hammer... #339 - Something Old, Something New... #340 - Though Hel Should Bar the Way! #341 - The Past Is a Bucket of Ashes #342 - The Last Viking! #343 - If I Should Die Before I Wake...! #344 - Whatever Happened To Balder the Brave? #345 - That Was No Lady #346 - The Wild Hunt! #347 - Into the Realm of Faerie! #348 - The Dark and the Light #349 - Debts of Honor! #350 - Ragnarok and Roll! #351 - Ragnarok and Roll, Too! #352 - Ragnarok and Ruin! #353 - Doom II #354 - Pickin' Up the Pieces #355 - The Icy Hearts (or My Dinners With Thor) #356 - The Power and the Pride #357 - A New Deal From An Old Deck, or, The Credit Card Soldiers #358 - When Dalliance Was In Flower, or, Take the Cash and Let the Credit Go #359 - The Grand Alliance! Or Life With Loki #360 - Into the Valley of Death! #361 - The Quick and the Dead! #362 - Like a Bat Out of Hel! #363 - This Kursed Earth…! #364 - Thor Croaks! #365 - Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, or, It’s Not Easy Being Green #366 - Sir! #367 - The Harvest of the Seasons #368 - The Eye of the Beholder #369 - For Whom the Belles Troll... #370 - Easy Money #371 - Peace On Earth #372 - Without Justice, There Is No Peace! #373 - The Gift of Death #374 - Fires of the Night #375 - Shadows of the Past #376 - Heroes Always Win--Don't They? #377 - This Hollowed Armor #378 - When Loki Stood Alone #379 - There Were Giants In Those Days (Or, A Discourse Between Heroes and Villains) #380 - Mjolnir's Song #381 - Ye Olde Shelle Game! #382 - Journey Into Mystery #383 - This Secret Love--! #384 - Who Shall Be Worthy? #385 - Be Thou God, Or Monster! #386 - When Warriors Clash #387 - Judgment Day #388 - Alone Against the Celestials #389 - When The Thunder Fails #390 - The Hero and the Hammer #391 - The Madness of Mongoose #392 - Quicksand Kills #393 - The Blaze of Battle! #394 - "...And How Shall Mortals Know Ye?" #395 - Enter the Earth Force! #396 - Into the Realm of Death #397 - When the Gods Make War #398 - The Prisoners of the Black Pyramid #399 - When Asgard Dies #400 - Lest the Heavens Perish! #401 - The Wager #402 - Even An Asgardian Can Die!! #403 - When the Executioner Calls!! #404 - Something Is Killing The Great Gods of Asgard #405 - Odin Must Die #406 - War With Wundagore! #407 - Menace of the Living Universe #408 - "The Fateful Decision!" #409 - Doom Is Only Sixty Seconds Away #410 - "Two Dooms to Destroy Me!" #411 - The Gentleman's Name Is Juggernaut! #412 - Introducing the New Warriors #413 - Within Me Dwells A Monster! #414 - Beyond Courage Must I Strive #415 - When Gods Wear Mortal Flesh! #416 - The Hero and the Horror #417 - Only Death Can Save Thee #418 - Fear Kills #419 - The Summons [The Black Galaxy Saga] #420 - If Death Be My Destiny! (The Black Galaxy Saga Part 2) #421 - ... And If Gods Are Men... [The Black Galaxy Saga] #422 - …Then What Are Gods? [The Black Galaxy Saga Part 4] #423 - The Day of Their Return [The Black Galaxy Saga] #424 - Let There Be Life [The Black Galaxy Saga] #425 - The Flame, The Frost and the Fury! #426 - Aftermath #427 - The Homecoming! or How Do You Spend the Night After You've Saved the Universe? #428 - If This Be Juggernaut! #429 - This World Is Mine! #430 - The God, the Ghost, and the Guilty! #431 - Requiem for the Wrecker! #432 - At Death Do We Part #433 - Whosoever Holds This Hammer #434 - ...If He Be Worthy! #435 - The Power of Thor #436 - Savage Reunion #437 - Clash With Quasar #438 - Yesterday Must Die! [The Thor War, Part 1 of 4] #439 - When Hammers Clash [The Thor War, Part 2 of 4] #440 - All The Rivers Run! [The Thor War, Part 3 of 4] #441 - My Brother's Burden [The Thor War, Part 4 of 4] #442 - The Day of His Return! #443 - The Mephisto Waltz #444 - How the Groonk Stole Christmas! #445 - The War and the Warrior #446 - Now Strikes the Starforce #447 - Strange Alliances #448 - Secret Agendas!! #449 - Riot On Riker's Island! #450 - When Gods Make War #451 - Beware the Bloodaxe #452 - With This Axe, I Thee Kill! #453 - When Mephisto Commands...! #454 - The Warriors Three Die At Dawn #455 - Odin Unleashed--! #456 - The Choice and the Challenge! #457 - Final Gauntlet! #458 - To The Victor...! #459 - What Price Victory? #460 - Fragments #461 - Friends and Lovers #462 - Payments #463 - Devotions #464 - Blessed Obedience #465 - Holy Sacrifice #466 - Odin's Tale #467 - Descent #468 - Distant Thunder [Blood and Thunder Part One] #469 - Absolute Power [Blood and Thunder Part Five] #470 - Ruins [Blood and Thunder Part Nine] #471 - Fathers and Sons [Blood and Thunder The End] #472 - If Twilight Falls #473 - New Gods For Old #474 - When Mountains Walked #475 - Survival of the Fiercest #476 - Whom The Destroyer Would Destroy... #477 - Three Who Ride The Thunder #478 - Come The Lightning! #479 - This Mortal Coil #480 - Blitzkrieg In the Balkans #481 - The Living Stone, I Presume? #482 - Long Day's Journey Into Mystery Chapter One #483 - Armor and the Man-God I Sing... #484 - The God In The War Machine #485 - Things Ain't What They Used To Be #486 - The Coming of Kurse! #487 - Hel On Earth #488 - To Hela and Back #489 - Hel and High Water #490 - Against the Dying of the Light! #491 - Worldengine Part One of Four: Nailed Up #492 - Worldengine Part Two of Four: Run Through #493 - Worldengine Part Three of Four: Run Down #494 - Worldengine Part Four: Finished Off #495 - In Mortal Guise #496 - Doin' the Zodiac Rag #497 - Thor Must Die #498 - Life Preservation #499 - Ludwig's Children #500 - Sunlight and Shadows #501 - Out of the Blue #502 - Putting on the Bear Shirt
Iron Man arrives at the landing site of the flying city and is filled in on the backstory (last issue). He inspects the largely intact Stark freighter and has a word with Thor. A chained-up Bi-Beast is brought by, carried by a number of police officers. Suddenly, a huge device drops from the ceiling and fires a beam at the Bi-Beast, reviving him to break free but also tuning the nearest cops into violent maniacs. Iron Man takes on the monsters while Thor uses Mjolnir to create a vortex, trapping the violent cops. The device (a small spaceship) uses a tractor beam to pull the monster into the craft and then it melts a hole in the dome and flies off, with Shellhead in hot pursuit. The hero shoots down the craft which fires back at Iron Man, destroying his circuitry. IM plummets toward the ground, jerry-rigging his boot jets and repulsors to give him a (semi-)soft landing. Thor arrives and they set out to search for the mystery ship and its unknown pilot….
Meanwhile, in the swamp by the wrecked spacecraft, Bi-Beast’s rescuer is revealed to be his former partner the Man-Beast, motivated by pure hate, persuading BB that he will help him destroy Earth when Man-Beast’s only goal is to destroy Counter-Earth. Searching for materials with which to repair the broken craft, Bi-Beast encounters Man-Thing and hurls him aside as harmless; the curious Man-Thing follows BB on his mission. Bi-Beast comes upon a trailer camp and with a demonstration of violence scares the people into driving their campers back to the crash site with their tools and spare parts. A few hours later, after dark, Thor and Iron Man discover the villains and their hostages; Thor brings down lightning to strike terror into the baddies’ hearts and the battle is on with the matchups changing minute by minute and Man-Thing watches silently from a distance. Finally, Thor overcomes Bi-Beast and Man-Beast panics and takes off in the newly repaired ship; the two heroes shoot the ship down and it crashes into a quicksand bog. They assume Man-Beast is dead and take Bi-Beast back to civilization…unaware that Man-Beast is still alive and Man-Thing is watching him carefully….
Review: Man-Thing, Bi-Beast, Man-Beast: sounds like they just decided to move the words around; all we need is Bi-Thing to complete the set. A lot of swampy battles in this issue with a guest appearance by Man-Thing, perhaps Marvel’s most perplexing protagonist. Steve Gerber and others knew how to handle Manny in his own book, a semi-human creature living on pure emotion, easily adapted to mystical and philosophical tales as a catalyst for things to happen. It was a pretty artsy way to go, especially in the 1970s but it (usually) worked. Here, though, Manny doesn’t serve much of a purpose other than to walk around in confusion. He wasn’t an easy character to write for so it’s good that he just wanders around on the fringes of this issue while two heroes fight two bad guys. The climactic battle scene was cool though not very creative and Man-Beast’s backstory was fairly confusing (maybe Man-Thing was thinking too hard about all this?). Iron Man’s plunge from the sky came off a bit silly, and Bi-Beast terrorizing the campers also seemed like a comedy bit. And Bi-Beast couldn’t fit on the cover! All in all not as good an issue as the two surrounding it.
Comments: Part two of three parts. Man-Beast was created by the High Evolutionary in MARVEL PREMIERE #1-2 and previously fought Thor in THOR #134. Bi-Beast returns in QUASAR #14-16. Dave Simons, Chic Stone, and Pablo Marcos shared penciling and inking duties.
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