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Thor #58: Review

Mar 2003
Dan Jurgens, Alan Davis

Story Name:

Standoff Part 1 of 3

Review & Comments

Rating:
4.5 stars

Thor #58 Review by (February 2, 2021)

Review: Thor is now a hands-on god and he runs directly into problems of diplomacy and realpolitik. It seems like matters of justice aren’t so easy when competing claims of nations are at stake. And it’s important to note that Thor’s chief interest is protecting his people who are under threat in a foreign nation, not overthrowing all of the governments he doesn’t like. That’s the same reason for the US invasion of Grenada in 1983 (partially). And now Iron Man has to fight his old friend at the behest of US political interests which aren’t always in the interests of what’s right. Anyway, that’s a subject which will not repay examination—at least not on a comic book site. Anyway, the battle scenes are well done, and everything clicks in this first installment of the politically charged crossover.

Comments: Odin was killed by Surtur in issue #40; Asgard was brought down over New York at the end of issue #50. First appearance of Slokovia, which is not the same place as Sokovia in the MCU; Slokovia only appears in this three-part crossover. The three parts of the Standoff crossover feature interlocking covers.






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #58 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

In Slokovia, the dictator’s storm troopers uncover an underground sect that worships Thor and executes them all on the spot….

In Asgard, now hovering over New York City, Heimdall is aware of this and sends word to All-Father Thor. Thor consults with his advisors: Amora the Enchantress, Balder, Sif, and Thialfi. Thor plans to head to Slokovia to bring justice but Balder questions the wisdom of answering mortals’ prayers. Thor becomes angry and shuts him up. Amora sides with Thor and Sif with Balder but Thor’s mind is made up. So Balder, leading the Warriors Three, delivers notice of the coming judgment to the Slokovian army and then they start decimating the military….

Iron Man is called to the Pentagon: he is told that the Asgardians’ adventures in Slokovia are considered a possible threat by Doctor Doom in neighboring Latveria and Thor may be endangering the balance of power in the region. The top brass ask Iron Man to speak to Thor….

Tony visits Asgard to meet with his old friend and questions Thor’s judgment, asking if he is planning to overthrow every government he disapproves of, while the All-Father sees it as protecting his worshippers who cried out to him for protection. Thor teleports to Slokovia to see what’s going on, forcing Iron Man to fly the long way around to Eastern Europe. On the way, Doctor Doom contacts him hinting at dire consequences for the world if Thor is not stopped. The Slokovian army fires a weapon given them by Latveria that sprays nerve gas over the battlefield, killing their own soldiers; Thor creates a whirlwind that sucks the gas into the sky and heads toward the dictator’s palace. He finds Iron Man blocking his way, threatening to fight him if he won’t halt…. 

Story continued in IRON MAN (1998) #64.



Alan Davis
Robin Riggs
Dave Kemp
Alan Davis (Cover Penciler)
Alan Davis (Cover Inker)
Richard Isanove (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Balder
Balder

(Balder the Brave)
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom

(Victor Von Doom)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Tony Stark)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)
Warriors Three
Warriors Three

(Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg)

Plus: Thialfi.

> Thor: Book info and issue index

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