Thor #356: Review

Jun 1985

Bob Harras, Jackson Guice

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Story Name:

The Power and the Pride

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #356 Review by Peter Silvestro (December 17, 2013)

Review: A cute and snarky cover introduces a cute and sensitive issue, bringing a lot of fun and a little depth to Hercules, in the absence of both Thor and Walt Simonson. You can tell this is a classic run when even the fill-in issues are great. We need a fill-in issue? Thor’s occupied and can’t appear? I’ve got a brilliant idea! says Bob Harras. And brilliant it was.

Comments: Thor appears only in Herc’s fanciful yarn.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #356 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Hercules and Jarvis are walking through Central Park on their way to buy the supplies for a feast Herc is planning. As Jarvis worries about some of the more unusual items, Herc attracts the attention of lovely ladies from all around. Nearby, a boy named Matthew Linden sits under a tree drawing pictures of his hero Thor in his sketchbook. He is beset by a gang of bullies led by Tony, who ridicules his artistic pursuits and threatens to destroy his sketchbook unless he proves Thor isn’t a big loser. They spy Hercules coming and Tony pushes Matt into asking Herc who is stronger, him or Thor? The boastful Avenger launches into a fanciful tale wherein Thor is sulking because Herc always beats him at everything and challenges the Prince of Power to an arm wrestling match. When Thor loses yet again he petulantly bonks Herc on the head with Mjolnir, making him angry. Herc then relates how he mopped up the street with the God of Thunder, shushing Jarvis when he starts to object. He gets to how he ripped the entire island of Manhattan from its moorings to dump Thor into the river, blissfully unaware that Matt is crying as Tony starts to destroy the sketchbook. But Jarvis realizes what is happening and brings the situation to the notice of Hercules. Herc then alters the tale to have Thor reveal he was only toying with his massive opponent and proceed to knock Herc to a land the gods forgot—New Jersey. The mighty hero then dismisses the bullies with a subtle threat and invites Matt and his mother to dinner at Avengers Mansion.

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