Thor #469: Review

Dec 1993

Ron Marz, M. C. Wyman

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

Absolute Power [Blood and Thunder Part Five]

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #469 Review by Rob Johnson (May 27, 2023)

This is part 5 of the Blood And Thunder crossover, continuing from Warlock & Infinity Watch #23 where Adam Warlock joined Silver Surfer in failing to bring mad Thor to his senses.

It will continue in Silver Surfer #87 where SS and Warlock go to Dr Strange for help, and the Infinity Watch catch up with them there.

From Our Blog:

Gwen Stacy, beauty queen of Standard High School, was Peter Parker's (alias Spider-Man) first great love.

Gwen Stacy: Classic Beauty

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #469 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

Story continued from WARLOCK AND THE INFINITY WATCH #23.

In Warlock Chronicles #6 Adam Warlock learned about mad Thor's rampage and got Pip The Troll to teleport them both to where he was about to kill Silver Surfer. In Warlock & Infinity Watch #23 Adam sent Pip back to inform the rest of the Infinity Watch and was left to fight Thor alongside the Surfer.

Now Pip is back on Monster Island telling Gamora, Moondragon and their guest Maxam what's happening (Drax The Destroyer is too busy playing jacks to pay attention), but based on his track record they don't believe him. Or rather they do believe that Warlock is fighting Thor and he sent Pip back with orders to wait until he calls for them, but they don't think they should follow Pip's suggestion to ignore the order and go to the rescue anyway. So Pip tries to influence his 'buddy' Drax but the brain-damaged strong guy can only ask "Who's Thor?". Pip reminds him about the long-haired guy with the hammer and the Destroyer remembers having a long fight with the Thunder God (WIW#21 during Infinity Crusade). Which makes him angry enough to throttle Pip and demand to be taken to Thor. Since that was what Pip wanted anyway he just has to wait while the other 3 pile on Drax to try to drag him off so that they all go together when the Troll uses the Space Gem to take them there.

WIW#23 ended with Warlock and injured Silver Surfer retreating to lick their wounds and figure out a new plan, leaving Thor calling them cowards. This issue repeats a bit from the end of that issue where SS recovers to be disconcerted by the fact that the other is able to control his surfboard, which Adam puts down to the fact that they 'shared souls' (in Infinity Gauntlet #6). Now they head for Earth to seek help.

Thor is still ranting about how he's added the pair to his list of foes who will suffer his vengeance when Drax attacks. The Thunder God recognises him and his glad to fight him again, this time to kill him. He lays the brute low with Mjolnir and then starts talking to his imaginary friend, proclaiming that after he's trashed Asgard he'll destroy the universe. Pip has told them about Thor's delusion and now Moondragon uses the Mind Gem to probe the Asgardian's mind and sees the Valkyrie at his side, a figment of Thor's imagination which yet seems to have him under her spell. Heather Douglas tries to 'exorcise' the phantom, which makes Thor's brain hurt until he crumbles to the ground ...

... but the Valkyrie emerges from his mind to help him up as flesh and blood. And Thor is still insane and angry. To him nothing's changed because he always saw her as real. But now the 2 of them attack the Watch. The Thunder God scatter Gamora, Maxam and Moondragon while his companion's sword gives Drax pause. Heather's mind-blast has no effect so Maxam bulks up to go toe-to-toe with the God. Gamora tackles Valkyrie with a flying kick freeing Drax to gang up on Thor. Gamora's agility keeps her out of the path of her foe's sword but not her mailed fist. Meanwhile Thor bests his 2 foes. In particular a punch to the gut makes Drax cough up the Power Gem he swallowed.

Valkyrie urges Thor to pick the Gem up because it will increase his power dramatically. He puts it on his brow and declares that now is the time to lay waste to his home. The Infinity Watch know that they're definitely outclassed now, and Pip teleports them away to find Adam.

Story continued in SILVER SURFER (Vol. 3) #87.

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::