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Thor #326

Dec 1982
Doug Moench, Alan Kupperberg

Thor #326 cover

Story Name:

The Scarab Strikes


Synopsis

Thor #326 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

Cairo: a trio of gunmen shoot their way into a museum and make off with a statuette called the Eye of Horus….

Two weeks later, the Scarlet Scarab breaks into a museum in Chicago in search of the Eye of Horus and is enraged when he doesn’t find it….

The next day, Dr. Donald Blake reads about the rash of Egyptology museum break-ins across the country and becomes quite curious when a patient mentions having seen a streak of light near the museum (we know it was the Scarlet Scarab). Don calls Dr. Shawna Lynde to ask if there is another Egyptian museum in the city and she directs him to the Oriental Museum on the South Side….

Soon after, Thor goes to the museum and speaks with the curator who tells him that three Egyptians tried to sell him an artifact they hinted was the Eye of Horus the day before. Thor and he set up a trap and that night the Scarlet Scarab enters and Thor leaps out to catch him. Scarab accuses the curator of hoarding stolen Egyptian treasures; the curator says everything there is with the permission of the Egyptian government. Scarab is looking for the eye of Horus and won’t believe that the museum doesn’t have it. Thor and Scarab fight, endangering the relics so they take the battle outside. Thor soon discovers that the Scarab’s ruby drains his enemies of power and transfers it to the wearer so Thor calls down lightning to knock the ruby off the Scarab’s chest. At this point they realize each other is a good guy and Scarab explains that he is the son of the original WW2 era Scarlet Scarab, following in his father’s footsteps and making his mission the recovery of his nation’s stolen treasures. The curator has been told by the police where the trio of baddies is holed up and tells the two heroes to quit fighting and work together….

Thor and Scarlet Scarab head to the waterfront where, against the wishes of the police, they smash into the hideout and capture the bad guys after a boat chase. Thor tells Scarab that he can take the statuette but the baddies must remain here to face American law. The Scarab is cool with that and he leaves….

Epilogue: Don takes Shawna to the Oriental Museum though he’s seen it before….

“The Rescue”

Writer: Doug Moench. Pencils: Alan Kupperberg. Inks: John Tartaglione. Colors: Don Warfield.

Synopsis: From the besieged Asgard, Odin dispatches Balder the Brave and the Warriors Three to rescue Idunn from the clutches of the bad guys. Loki and Tyr are hurt by this development but decide it doesn’t matter. The siege going against them, Sif suggests to Odin that they all flee to Midgard for safety where Thor can aid them, a course of action endorsed by the oracle Mimir. And so they go….


 

Review / Commentaries


Thor #326 Review by (June 8, 2020)

Review: Some interesting points in this tale of a foreign hero adventuring in the stomping grounds of one of the familiar heroes. For one, the curator seems to be aware of the trope that two heroes meeting for the first time must fight and it ticks him off so that he has to tell the two to make nice and get on to part two (working together to catch the real baddie). Then there’s the fact that Thor completely ignores the angry cop who doesn’t want superheroes interfering in ordinary police business. And Scarlet Scarab is a pretty cool hero who probably wasn’t used more because how often does one need another country’s national superhero to make a guest appearance? And the theme of stolen archaeological treasures shows up relatively early in that issue’s history though the curator has all his bases covered. And we won’t ask why Thor thought he could wait in the museum at night to catch bad guys who were trying to sell something, not steal anything. Anyway, fun issue.

Comments: The original Scarlet Scarab had his origin in INVADERS #23 and 25; this is the first appearance of his son and successor. Story 2: Part three of four parts.




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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Alan Kupperberg
John D'Agostino
George Roussos
Ed Hannigan (Cover Penciler)
Brent Anderson (Cover Inker)
Unknown (Cover Colorist)


Characters

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Balder
Balder

(Balder the Brave)
Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)
Warriors Three
Warriors Three

(Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg)
Plus: Idunn, Scarlet Scarab (Dr Faoul), Shawna Lynde.

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