Thor #252: Review

Oct 1976

Len Wein, Tony De Zuniga

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Story Name:

A Dragon at the Gates!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Thor #252 Review by Peter Silvestro (September 24, 2014)

Review: Two big battle stories for Thor? Strange. Well, there’s nothing new to the Ulik fight—until next issue at least. The real fun is in the second tale, with a cocky young Thor against a pretty cool baddie; this part seems fresh and new rather than being a rehash of earlier tales.

Comments: 1) Part one of a two-part story. 2) First installment of “Tales of Asgard” since issue #145. Also part one of a two-part story, set after “’Death’ Comes to Thor!” in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #102.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #252 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Thor appeals to the Grand Vizier to conjure up Mimir the dread guardian of the Dark Well of Wisdom to find where Odin has gone. Mimir appears and is angry at being asked the same question as last time (issue #240). For that, the spirit demands that Thor bring him the Ruby Eye of the dragon that guards the Golden Gates to the Realm Below. Thor accepts the mission and descends into the crater leading to the underworld. Wending his way through that desolate land, Thor crosses a rough bridge over an ocean of fire and finds the dragon he seeks. But Ulik the champion of the Trolls is also there to claim the Ruby Eye because the survival of his people depends on it. The two old enemies clash and the fight takes them out onto the fragile bridge. Ulik feigns injury—and kicks Thor off the bridge into the waiting flames below….

Story #2

The Weapon and the Warrior! [Part one]

Writer: David Kraft. Penciler: Pablo Marcos. Inker: Pablo Marcos. Colorist: Glynis Wein.

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

By Peter Silvestro

Having just won the right to carry Mjolnir, young Thor rides from Asgard in search of adventure. In the wilderness, he finds a youthful Storm Giant and challenges him to battle. Thor conjures up a mighty storm but the Storm Giant is immune to such things (duh). His opponent hurls a huge rock that takes the young god by surprise unhorsing him. The giant places his foot on Thor’s hammer and uses troll magic to cause the ground to swallow Thor up to the waist. The giant then hefts an enormous rock to smash him into oblivion….

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