Thor #363: Review

Jan 1986

Walt Simonson, Walt Simonson

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Story Name:

This Kursed Earth…!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #363 Review by Peter Silvestro (February 4, 2014)

Review: Nice issue though it seems rushed for having to be built around the Secret Wars II tie-in thus the fight is brief and Beyonder learns a lesson. The Power Pack kids seems out of place and help Thor but drag the issue down a little. The best scene is Thor’s confrontation with the derelicts, showing them just what he has done for the unappreciative human race. But forget all that—it’s the final page that makes this story: Thor is a frog! Can’t wait for the next issue!

Comments: This issue ties into the SECRET WARS II miniseries which was running at this time; the story falls between issues #6 and 7. Malekith appears in flashback. First appearance of Kurse in a Thor comic. Thor’s Belt of Strength first appeared in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #91.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #363 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Prologue: Kurse—Algrim the Dark Elf as transformed by the Beyonder (SECRET WARS II #4)—crawls out from under the wreckage of the building Power Pack had dropped on him (POWER PACK #18) and heads off on his mission of vengeance against Thor….

Meanwhile, the scarred Thor returns to Midgard from his mission to Hel and restores the captive souls to their bodies. As he walks the streets he is heckled by a gang of hoboes for not caring about little people—so he unmasks to show them what he has suffered for the human race….

Subplots, all in one place: The Power Pack kids meet the defeated Beta Ray Bill and they head off to warn Thor of Kurse. In Asgard, Loki fires his Cosmic Transmuter at an ordinary New York housewife as part of his latest scheme. At the edge of Asgard a bunch of kids discover Surtur’s fallen sword and a huge machine draining its energy.

The Beyonder tunes in on Kurse as the villain catches up with Thor and he decides to continue with the experiment. After some heavy punching, Thor dons his Belt of Strength; the Beyonder then increases Kurse’s strength to surpass it. Just as Thor believes he may finally be defeated, Power Pack and Beta Ray Bill arrive to join the battle. The villain’s memory is jarred and he remembers that it was Malekith, not Thor, who dropped him into the fiery pit. The Energizer (a/k/a Katie) absorbs the power of the two heroes’ hammers and unleashes a blast that fells Kurse. The Beyonder appears, marveling over the trust, sacrifice, and family feelings that motivated the heroes and the kids and he decides to choose to be good. Thor suggests that Kurse be sent to Hel to pursue his former king. The cosmic being vanishes, Bill escorts the kids home, and Thor prepares to return to Asgard. Suddenly a housewife (seen earlier) rushes forward to kiss Thor—and Loki’s trap is sprung: Thor is transformed into a frog!!