Thor
has happened upon a battle in a distressed area of New York City and
intervened. The High Evolutionary resents his interference in this combat
between his Godlings and his latest batch of New Men. Thor orders them to
leave, H.E. responds with a violent blast from his hand weapon and a fight
ensues. Thor surrounds them with a whirlwind to keep out the New Men and the
Godlings (also the police and the public) while they settle their dispute. A
cop fires into the whirlwind and the bullets ricochet, injuring bystanders.
Thor calls for a halt to the fight, suggesting a safer place to meet and H.E.
blasts the distracted Thor, knocking him out. Ignoring the police challenging
them, High Evolutionary picks up Thor and has Luminor teleport them elsewhere….
Sif,
Balder, and the Grand Vizier were watching from Asgard and Sif determines to
rescue her beloved Thor. The Grand Vizier warns her against such action but
must turn his attention to other worlds as well. In his viewing device, he checks
out the Netherworld and discovers Ymir the Frost Giant and Surtur the Fire
Demon locked in battle, still vying for the Twilight Sword which can bring
about Ragnarok….
High
Evolutionary and company arrive at their secret lab far beneath the city
streets. He rebukes the Godlings and New Men for letting their rivalry spill
out into the open, endangering Project New Dawn. Thor awakens and is told he is
a guest. H.E. relates what has happened since they last met: After observing
the birth of a Celestial in the Black Galaxy, he was recovering from his
injuries aboard his starship New Wundagore. He told his followers that
he intended to return to Earth but Count Tagar and the New Immortals rebelled,
wanting to explore space. H.E., too weak to oppose them, departed from the ship
and flew back to Earth. His landing on a mountain road caused the wreck of a
van transporting prisoners. He put the survivors into stasis and stole some
animals from the Bronx Zoo to turn into his latest batch of New Men: Simbus
(lion), Tantaro (elephant), and Urson-Wellz (bear). He then used the convicts
to create the Godlings in his Bio-Pool: Blitziana (electrical powers), Loga
(fire powers), and Luminor (light powers). The New Men became jealous of the
care lavished by H.E. on the Godlings and started to quarrel with them, leading
to the above-ground battle Thor witnessed. H.E. explains that the Godlings were
modelled on the Asgardians, with Blitziana mirroring Thor and Loga being a
nicer version of Loki. Now, Bellam, Godling of War, a burly dude with a battle
axe for a right hand, is birthed from the Bio-Pool and has gone berserk. H.E.
orders his Godlings to subdue him, though they prefer to be called the Godpack.
But only when Thor adds his strength does the madman fall. H.E. announces a
return to Wundagore and invites Thor to join them. Thor, having always felt out
of place among mortals, agrees to go so he can keep company with beings not
unlike himself. H.E. chooses to leave the New Men behind to fend for
themselves…
…but
the New Men overhear this and resent it. Man-Beast, now calling himself
Karnivore, steps out of the shadows and suggests they join him, promising to
make them a fighting force to overthrow the Godlings….