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Thor #475: Review

Jun 1994
Roy Thomas, M. C. Wyman

Story Name:

Survival of the Fiercest

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Thor #475 Review by (October 17, 2023)

Review: Some epic battle bits though the clash of two races of evolved creatures is over sooner than expected. Thor finally decides to hang around with the Godpack because Roy Thomas has a lot of ideas to try out, taking Thor in a new direction. The Don Blake part is going to be rather goofy though not Steve Gerber-level goofy.

Comments: Part four of four parts. Title is a play upon “survival of the fittest.” The events of THOR ANNUAL #19 take place during the first half of this issue. First appearances of Anak, Zefra, and Riger. First use of the name Ani-Mutants for the New Men; their next appearance is in AVENGERS #380. Karnivore is spelled “Karnivor” throughout this issue. Thor calls Zefra, Riger at one point, which she answers to. This Don Blake is a copy created by Sigyn, Loki’s wife, to be revealed soon (issue #482). Jane Foster’s previous appearance in this series, not counting flashbacks and the like, was #394; her son Jimmy was introduced in that issue. Yugoslavia broke up into five smaller nations in 1991-92 (it was a long process). Some copies have an embossed stiff cardboard cover, priced at $2.50, fifty cents more than the standard cover. 






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #475 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

The High Evolutionary’s ship arrives at Mount Wundagore and Transian Special Forces troops try to take Thor and the Godpack (plus H.E.) prisoner. When the team balks, the soldiers open fire—but the Godpack are bulletproof and fight back. Blitziana (electrical powers), Loge (fire powers), Luminor (light powers), and Bellam (axe for hand) take down the soldiers swiftly, while H.E. restrains Thor so the Godpack can gain some combat experience. The last soldier tries to escape but H.E. blasts him. This man is questioned and he explains how the Transian army was sent to secure the borders with troubled Yugoslavia and they discovered the laboratory on Wundagore and were told to confiscate the tech. Bellam wants to kill the soldiers but Thor stops him. H.E. concedes that Thor is right, only because hostages are more valuable than corpses….

In Asgard, Odin is informed by the Grand Vizier that Thor is now in Wundagore….

Elsewhere, Karnivore (formerly Man-Beast) has renamed the New Men the Ani-Mutants and has them fighting to the death to build them into a force strong enough to best the High Evolutionary’s forces, even executing those who aren’t considered vicious enough. When Simbus asks about Thor, Karnivore shows him their secret weapon against the God of Thunder….

The group reassembles the lab including the Bio-Pools. Soon High Evolutionary creates Anak (super-strength), Zefra (super-speed), and Riger (super-sight and -hearing). The Godpack are all fellow convicts rescued from a van by H.E., giving them a common bond even though they do not remember it yet Thor still feels alienated from the group. He wanders off into the caverns and discovers a tunnel; he follows it and discovers Dr. Donald Blake in an exact replica of the cave in Norway where he found the stick that would transform him into Thor. Since Don Blake was merely a shell which Odin created as Thor’s human identity, the Thunder God is quite puzzled, as is Blake who knows nothing of what must transpire. He carries Blake back to the main lab to discover chaos: the Godpack in deadly combat with the Ani-Mutants. The tide of the melee pushes the Ani-Mutants back toward their drill-ship so Karnivore pulls out his secret weapon: a captive Jane Foster, demanding the Thunder God fight for him against his allies. Rather than let Thor sacrifice himself for her, Jane throws herself from the top of the ship; Thor swoops at great speed and catches her. He deposits her with Don Blake, confusing her mightily, and returns to the battle. Anak disables the ship with a couple of punches. Karnivore, having used his force to clear a path to the High Evolutionary, attacks his creator with bared claws. Thor intervenes and, as the Godpack watches, he beats his foe brutally. Karnivore, realizing he cannot overpower Thor, flees, jumping in an escape module from the drill-ship and sailing off. Thor, unable to pursue, vows vengeance. Jane recovers her captive son Jimmy Kincaid from the wrecked drill-ship. The badly injured High Evolutionary agrees to call his Godlings the Godpack from now on. Thor, having decided to remain with them, spins Mjolnir to reassemble the molecules in his outfit to create a new distinctive armor. Recognizing their grievances, H.E. apologizes to the captive New Men, promising to aid in their rehabilitation. The reconstruction begins. Don Blake asks for a ride back to Oslo….

Characters: Thor, High Evolutionary, Godpack, Odin, Man-Beast/Karnivore, Don Blake Construct, Jane Foster, Jimmy Kincaid, Blitziana


Preview Pages
Click sample interior pages to enlarge them:




M. C. Wyman
Mike DeCarlo
Ovi Hondru
Lou Harrison (Cover Penciler)
Lou Harrison (Cover Inker)
Lou Harrison (Cover Colorist)
Letterer: Phil Felix.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Donald Blake Construct, Godpack (Godlings), Jimmy Kincaid.

> Thor: Book info and issue index

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