Story continues from AVENGERS WEST COAST #55.
Having ended the Acts of Vengeance mini-event, Thor returns
to New York wondering about Hercules, last seen pursuing Ulik the Troll. Thor
turns back into Eric Masterson, joining Susan Austin for a meeting with his
lawyer Samantha Joyce about the coming custody battle. Sam tells him that the
case is tilted against him but encourages him. Eric leaves, not knowing that
Susan is in love with him….
Ulik has set a trap for Hercules at a company’s loading
dock. He jumps down on Herc, clobbering him then dropping a huge truck on him….
Police detective Marcus Stone tells his partner Vinnie Evans
that he is retiring because his wife wants him to; he and Vinnie visit a new
crime boss in town at his palatial headquarters in a huge skyscraper. They warn
him the police will be watching but he denies being a criminal and mocks them
for their insignificance. Stone and Evans leave and are alerted by radio of an
incident involving super-powered people….
Susan Austin arrives at school to pick up Kevin Masterson
but learns from his teacher Ed Marrero that the boy’s mother has already gotten
him….
Elsewhere, Eric Masterson is arriving late for a business
meeting but hears of the same incident on the office radio and takes off,
changing to Thor on the way. Thor arrives to find Ulik has defeated Hercules
and with his strength enhanced by Loki’s magic, he takes on the God of Thunder
who beats him brutally. Seeing the monster down, Herc rushes forward to humble
him but Ulik just hurls him away and the Greek god crashes into an automobile
transport truck. Thor rushes to his rescue but the collapsing truck buries Thor
under a mountain of cars and after 60 seconds without Mjolnir, he turns back to
Eric Masterson under the pile. Ulik crashes his way through the police forces,
his enhanced power beginning to wane, and climbs to a roof for a getaway.
Marcus Stone pursues him and confronts him, shooting but the bullets do not
harm the monster. Stone is angry at the troll and continues to fire while Ulik
stalks him when a lucky shot causes the bad guy to lose his footing on the
parapet and he plunges to the street below, knocking him cold. By this time,
Eric has gotten his hand on Mjolnir once more and rushes to the scene where he
congratulates Stone on his victory while the detective merely throws away his
retirement papers….
Back at home, Hercules is in a funk over his recent bouts of
fear. Susan arrives to tell Eric that she doesn’t know where Kevin is, when Marcy Masterson
walks in, having taken the boy on a shopping spree and reminding Eric
that she is going to take Kevin away from him….