Thor #334: Review

Aug 1983

Alan Zelenetz, M. D. Bright

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Story Name:

Runequest

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #334 Review by Peter Silvestro (August 10, 2020)

Review: Thor goes sci-fi once more in an attempt by the creators to wrap up the long-overdue matter of Jane Foster’s absence from the comic. Keith Kincaid seems like a really nice guy and all that so it’s cool that he joins the perilous expedition in search of his beloved. And there are weird aliens to liven up the plot! An interesting moment comes when Thor tries to summon a storm to defeat the Kt’kn but the sky doesn’t change; what he gets is a dust storm, the only kind this planet has. And Odin is still fussing over Thor not wanting to live with his parents but be out on his own; some parents never give up. PS Neat cover!

Comments: Part one of three parts. Sif and Hercules previously met Kamo Tharnn in issue #235 when they stole his Runestaff. The Kt’kn were introduced in ASTONISHING TALES #2 through their leader, the Faceless One; they returned in MS MARVEL #23 before meeting Thor and their final appearance to date is in MAXIMUM SECURITY: DANGEROUS PLANET. Joke: Keith Kincaid recognizes Wasp, Captain America, and She-Hulk but not Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau).

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #334 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Thor changes into Dr Donald Blake to make his rounds at the hospital but discovers that many patients are afraid of him and other staff are joking about him because of the suspicions that he murdered Jane Foster. The hospital administration doesn’t like the publicity he is bringing to them so Don offers to go on vacation. At his office, he receives a call from Dr. Shawna Lynde, angry that he hasn’t called her. And when he tries to turn into Thor in an alley, newspeople snap his picture and try to get an interview. As Thor, he carries his accuser, Dr. Keith Kincaid, to his hotel room and there tries to vouch for Don Blake’s character. Keith explains that he had a rough life on his road to becoming a physician and Jane Foster saved his life and he is broken by her disappearance. Thor then makes the decision to reveal to Keith that he is Don Blake and explains about the Runestaff and the possibility that Jane is on another planet. Thor picks up Sif and they head with Keith to Avengers Mansion where they are greeted by Jarvis and Captain America, She-Hulk, and Captain Marvel (M. Rambeau) are training. Team leader Wasp offers them the use of a space-Quinjet which can be modified to run on the power of Mjolnir. Thus, they take off for a distant world….

In Asgard, Odin learns what Thor is doing and wonders when he will ever leave the affairs of Midgard behind and return home….

The ship arrives at a planet Sif recognizes from her previous visit to find the Runestaff but now the world is under attack by the insectoid Kt'kn (a/k/a the Ktkn);from a prison transport ship that has crashed. Thor and Sif battle the invaders and Keith joins in with a raygun found on the Quinjet. Thor calls up a dust storm which sweeps the Kt’kn away. Entering the palace of Kamo Tharnn, they find the place a shambles and their quarry in chains; Kamo Tharnn agrees to give them the Runestaff in exchange for his freedom. Once he is released, he turns over the staff to them and Sif undergoes the ritual to summon Jane Foster’s essence from within her…and nothing happens….

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