Paneling: Thor #341

It’s Thanksgiving Day here in the US, but it’s also Thursday, or Thor’s Day, and thinking about crossovers as I have all week – a week that started out with a story featuring the Odinson – brought to mind an unofficial crossover from long ago.

This issue marks the start of an exciting new chapter in Thor’s life.

For years, he had lived on Midgard (Earth) in the mortal guise of Dr. Donald Blake, but a recent encounter with everyone’s favorite space horse has led to the enchantment that could cause Thor to transform into Blake being removed by Odin.

The short version is that a misunderstanding between Thor and the cybernetic alien warrior Beta Ray Bill led to conflict, as it so often does, and in the course of that conflict, Beta Ray Bill, who proved worthy, took possession of Mjolnir.

In Asgard, Odin decreed that the question of ownership of the hammer should be decided in combat where neither has any advantage (in the first fight, Mjolnir was out of Thor’s hand for too long, causing him to turn back into Blake who was easily knocked out by the much stronger Bill).

Bill wins, but Odin decrees that Asgard needs a fully empowered Thor, so Bill can’t have Mjolnir. However, Bill doesn’t walk away empty handed, as Odin commissions a new magic hammer called Stormbreaker for Bill to wield. As a special bonus, Odin transfers the transformation enchantment from Mjolnir to Stormbreaker to allow Bill to transform back into his original, non-enhanced, non-horsefaced form.

That wasn’t mere largesse on Odin’s part. He removed the enchantment from Mjolnir because he no longer saw the need for it. Thor had long ago learned the humility that his life as a mortal was meant to teach him, and further, it was time for the thunder god to stop screwing around on Earth and come home to Asgard permanently.

Thor says no deal to that last part. He will always be ready to defend the Realm Eternal when called upon to do so, but he’s not ready to give up life on Earth just yet.

And that’s where this issue comes in, as Thor returns to Earth. He initially heads to Avengers Mansion, which leads to him having the adventures depicted in Secret Wars.

That is depicted here as a brief interruption.

Sometime later, Thor is back, though this time he heads to S.H.I.E.L.D. to talk to Nick Fury about establishing a new mortal identity on Earth.

Overall, there isn’t much of a change to his appearance other than putting him in very tight-fitting regular clothes and pulling his golden locks back into a ponytail.

It’s a good look, but it’s not really much of a disguise.

However, Nick hits upon an idea, which is our first hint at the little unofficial crossover contained in this issue.

Thor isn’t so sure about it, but Nick says there’s a perfect opportunity to try it out, as there are several reporters on site of a press conference, and if he can fool them, he can fool everybody.

On his way out the door, he bumps into one of those reporters who happens to be walking by. A very familiar-looking reporter who is accompanied by a woman who looks equally familiar.

And it’s after Thor helps the reporter to his feet and walks away that we get to the fourth panel on the eighth page brought to us by writer and artist Walter Simonson that fully sells the joke.

There is a lot more that goes on in this issue:

• Loki plotting!
• Karnilla, Queen of the Norns, plotting!
• Lorelei, sister of the Enchantress, plotting!
• A mighty weapon being forged, the sound of DOOM! ringing in the air with every hammer blow on the molten metal of the blade!
• A fight with a dragon!
• A voice from the past calling to Thor!

But the main focus here is that cheeky little panel.

I can tell you that back in 1983 I thought this was hilarious, and it’s popped up in my mind a lot lately because this issue saw the introduction of Thor’s short-lived alter ego Sigurd Jarlson, who is currently at the center of The Mortal Thor.

This week seemed like a good time to take a look at the panel as part of the crossover thing.

Years later, Thor and Superman would officially meet in what proved to be the last DC/Marvel crossover for a long time…which provides you some hint as to what tomorrow’s post is going to be.

In any case, Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate, and as always, what I’m most thankful for is comics, and for those of you who take the time to read these posts.

And on that latter point, I would love to have occasion to be even more thankful, so while you’re here, take a look around and check out what else there is to see and make that thankfulness line* shoot up.

*Ad revenue

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