From the Mouths of the Marvels:

"The rage in my heart - - the justice of my cause - - the strength in my sinews - - these are the spells which shall defeat the master of evil!"”

- - Thor, page 4

Asgardian might vs. Absorbing menace! A battle for the ages!!!

Thor and Tales of Asgard
from Journey Into Mystery #115
April 1965 • 21 pages

Publication Date: February 4, 1965

Letters Page: No letters page was published in this issue

I: Feature Story: "The Vengeance of the Thunder God"

Pages: 16

Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Frank Giacoia (credited as Frankie Ray)
Letters: Artie Simek

First Appearance: John and Ann

Villain: Absorbing Man, Loki

Guest Appearance: Harris Hobbs, Jane Foster, John and Ann, Odin

Cameo: Collins

Synopsis: Thor races up the ramparts of Loki's castle, where he aggressively pursues the recovery of Jane Foster from his evil half-brother's clutches. As they fight with each other, the Absorbing Man is on Earth and taking over a small farm house, threatening the husband and wife who live there. The journalist Harris Hobbs directs some police men to the area he last saw the Absorbing Man, aka Crusher Creel, and warns them of the convict's immense power.

While Loki and Thor continue to wrestle with each other, Odin arrives and halts their conflict. Loki immediately lies about the nature of their battle, saying Thor was the one who brought Jane Foster to Asgard, so he could give her the gift of immortal life. Odin cannot know the real truth, so he orders them both to go through the Trial of the Gods. Thor realizes the significance of what this means, and he begs Odin to allow him to finish his business on Earth with the Absorbing Man. Odin gives him 48 hours.

The God of Thunder carries Jane Foster down to Earth where he leaves her in bed to rest, then sets out to find the Absorbing Man. Crusher Creel is busy terrorizing John and Ann, the owners of the house. He shows off his powers to absorb anything: glass, bronze, even silk! But John defends his wife and stands up the super-powered creep.

The police begin to surround the house, but Thor calls out his A-1 Avengers Priority Rating, and they allow him to dictate the plan to attack the Absorbing Man. Thor requests that Harris Hobbs head into the house and trick the villain into chasing him outside. He falls for the bait and soon he's outside the house, facing down a police bazooka and Thor's hammer!

Crusher Creel takes everything Thor throws at him and more, turning into steel, wood, rock and flame. Eventually, Thor whips his hammer around to such a degree that he generates the element of helium, and once Creel absorbs the thin gas, he turns into the ephemeral element and flies into the stratosphere and floats out into space.

Thor bypasses the accolades from the police, Hobbs and John and Ann, and heads straight to check on Jane. Then, he goes to Asgard, to face up to the Trial of the Gods!

--synopsis by Gormuu

Issues Reprinted
Thor and Tales of Asgard from
Journey Into Mystery #111-120 and Annual #1

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.

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