Thor #354: Review

Apr 1985

Walt Simonson, Walt Simonson

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Story Name:

Pickin' Up the Pieces

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #354 Review by Peter Silvestro (December 3, 2013)

Review: Very good issue ties up some loose ends (Balder and Karnilla, the Rainbow Bridge, Surtur’s army) while laying the groundwork for future plotlines (the gods on Earth, the mystery villain, Lorelei, the avalanche). Plus the brief interlude with the giants is funny as is the sight of Loki lying with only his feet sticking up after Thor biffs him. Oh yeah, and Thor fights Death in the middle. Walt really put a lot of effort into a transitional issue. And the second tale gets rid of the previous scripter’s loose ends in the nicest way possible.

Comments: 1. First brief appearance of the Green Liberation Front; their leader will turn out to be Titanium Man. 2. Final appearance of Shawna Lynde, last seen in #334. Final appearance of Nurse Stevens and Brenda Barclay as well.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #354 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Having witnessed Odin and Surtur’s fall into Muspelheim, a shocked Thor tries to smash his way into the underworld to rescue his father. The more rational Loki stops him (and gets clobbered for his trouble), reasoning that if Odin were truly dead, the Odinpower would have passed to them, so Odin must be keeping Surtur a prisoner and Thor would only risk freeing him again. Thor still does not trust this brother….

In the Sahara Desert, Surtur’s demon hordes, cut off from their energy source, are consumed by their own heat. Beta Ray Bill declares victory and Karnilla takes Balder back to her realm in fulfillment of his promise. Bill then returns to New York with the Warriors Three in search of Sif. They find her seriously wounded and Hogun gives her to drink of the Elixir of Recovery and she is healed….

In Asgard, Thor finds the injured Heimdall and explains the loss of Odin; a pair of giants skulking nearby overhear this and plot to invade the Golden Realm. Hela, Goddess of Death appears on the scene to claim Odin. Thor fights her over this, pressing his attack with such fury that she is overwhelmed and driven off; the giants witness this and change their minds about challenging the God of Thunder. Sif soon arrives and comforts Thor who believes he has failed his father. While he plans to exile himself to ponder his destiny, Sif is to return to Earth on a mission from Thor. [In a remote refuge, Frigga becomes aware that Odin is lost and the children comfort her.] Sif arrives in Central Park and explains to the Aesir that they must remain in Midgard until the Rainbow Bridge is repaired. Bill takes on a more humanoid form to accompany her but first she has a request from Thor to deliver to Fandral. [A mysterious villain plans to dispatch his minions to take advantage of the city’s chaos.] Loki arrives to advise Lorelei to hurry to Thor’s side with a sinister plan in mind….

As Thor rides though a snowy valley, a vengeful Hela causes an avalanche and quickly slays the Thunder God’s horse so that the hero is buried under massive snowdrifts….

Story #2

Tales of Midgard

Writer: Walt Simonson. Penciler: Walt Simonson. Inker: Walt Simonson. Colorist: Christie Scheele.

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

By Peter Silvestro

In Chicago, Dr. Shawna Lynde, Nurse Stevens and Mrs. Barclay are wondering what has become of Dr Don Blake. As they consider closing up his office, Fandral enters in human garb (fulfilling Thor’s request from the previous story) and tells them that Don is on a government mission and may not return. He pays them off with Asgardian gold, then gently erases all memory of Don Blake from their minds. As he departs, he removes Don’s shingle from the door as a souvenir for Thor.

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