Thor
returns to New York in a driving rainstorm and heads to Avengers headquarters
where he is admitted by Jarvis. Jarvis is the first mortal to admire Thor’s new
armor and he is pleased. But he was hoping to see Hercules or Thunderstrike but
all Avengers are away. After a brief call to Information, Thor telephones Don
Blake, asking to come over; the angry Blake at first refuses but soon agrees to
the request. On his way over, Thor sees a woman in the rain, about to be hit by
a car. He leaps in the way, allowing the car to smash against him. The driver
is angered and demands restitution and a mob gathers, denouncing Thor’s
arrogance. Ironically, the woman he saved is aware of none of this. Thor flies
away…
…only
to be stopped by a huge hologram of the High Evolutionary in the sky. HE
politely asks Thor to return to Wundagore but Thor will not until HE explains
his purpose in creating the Godpack and the reason he wants Thor to join. The
Godpack also appeals to Thor to return but he says them nay, continuing on his
mission to see Don Blake…
…who
is living in a rundown building in a poorer part of the South Bronx. Blake
tells Thor he agreed to this meeting only so he could again tell Thor to his
face that he will never forgive him for stealing his life. Thor asks if there
is any way to atone and Blake asks him to try to get Jane back for him. Thor
balks, realizing this visit was a mistake, and departs, followed by Blake’s
invectives….
But
we learn there is more going on: Grotesk, last of his race and leader of the
Lava Men, has set a trap for Thor; knowing of some connection between Thor and Don
Blake, he has been watching the mortal. And now the trap is sprung: The front
of Blake’s building collapses, dropping him into a chasm which Thor rescues him
from and the Living Rock begins to grow and expand into a mountain. When the
Avengers faced this Rock before, Henry Pym calculated its most vulnerable spot
and Hulk smashed it, ending the threat. Thor tries striking at it but realizes
the vulnerable spot must have shifted. He heads underground and does battle
with a horde of Lava Men, knocking them about until Grotesk appears and
challenges him. The two clash, with Thor generally winning but he hurls his
hammer and the Lava Men merge into a huge rock that blocks Mjolnir from
returning to its master. The Lava Men swarm over Thor as Grotesk holds Don
Blake hostage. But Thor refuses to surrender as any second the Living Rock
could reach critical mass, destroying the Earth which is the nihilistic
Grotesk’s goal. The Godpack arrives and helps Thor overcome the Lava Men; Thor
recovers Mjolnir and lays down some more beatings. Riger, with his
super-senses, locates the true vulnerable spot. Zefra, the super-fast Godling,
swoops between Grotesk and Blake, separating them and Thor hurls Grotesk into
the vulnerable spot, causing it to implode. Thor captures the Lava Men’s king
Basallo who reveals that they were all under the bad guy’s control so Thor
allows them to go in peace. Thor takes the now-homeless Don Blake back to
Wundagore. The High Evolutionary reveals to the Godpack that they were created
to fight for him against the New Immortals, his rebellious space-faring
creations. The Godpack vow to serve him in this coming war and Thor joins with
them in pledging loyalty to the HE….