Thor #390

Apr 1988

Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz

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Story Name:

The Hero and the Hammer

Synopsis

Thor #390 synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Rating:

Thor returns to Hydrobase to yell “Avengers assemble!” merely to announce that he is back from outer space. The assembled Avengers (She-Hulk, Captain Marvel (M. Rambeau), Sub-Mariner, Black Knight, Doctor Druid, Marrina, Stingray) are there but he does not recognize Steve Rogers in the new guise of The Captain. Cap demonstrates his identity by dodging the ricocheting Mjolnir and then recruits Thor in helping clean up the mess left by their battle with the Super-Adaptoid (AVENGERS #290), while incidentally making Captain Marvel feel her inadequacy as the leader of the team. Then everyone moves on to their regular lives while Thor and Cap have a talk….

Meanwhile, Asgard is being subjected to sneak attacks by the forces of Seth the Serpent-God and once again, the Warriors Three bring an enemy retreat. The ruler Balder presides over honors to the dead while wondering where Thor is….

Seth, meanwhile, is rejoicing in the success of his hit-and-run tactics, while assembling an enormous army for the final invasion of Asgard. Seth then summons his huge minion Grog and dispatches him to Earth to destroy Thor, the last detail before the invasion….

The Captain relates to Thor the circumstances of his being stripped of the Captain America title and the Thunder God is outraged; Cap also reveals that there has been a falling-out between him and Tony Stark (see IRON MAN #228). Thor is so confused about all this that he is in a prickly mood when Grog the God-Crusher and the rest of Seth’s minions, including a giant assault craft, attack via a portal. Thor and Cap take on the enemy forces in a sight that stuns newly arriving Black Knight: two mighty heroes fighting side by side against an overwhelming host. Thor is separated from Mjolnir and held down while Grog attacks him with a power lance; Cap throws himself on the hammer and is covered in enemy attackers—but he throws them all off with the power of Mjolnir. He hurls the hammer to its owner and calls down a hurricane that blows the enemy away while smashing Grog into the ground so hard that he drills a hole through the island into the ocean. Seth’s forces flee through the portal while Thor plugs the giant leak with the enemy assault craft and uses lighting to seal it in place. Grog is imprisoned for transportation to the Vault while Cap and Thor share a moment between two guys worthy enough to lift Mjolnir….

Epilogue: Seth is royally peeved by this turn of events….

Review / Commentaries

Thor #390 Review by Peter Silvestro (October 18, 2024)

Review: This is it! Captain America is proved worthy enough to wield Mjolnir! At movie screenings of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, Cap catching Thor’s hammer always receives the biggest cheer from the audience. Well, here’s where it first happened in a milestone issue that falls in the middle of the classic “Cap No More” story arc and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. This issue is a classic for that moment alone though the battle scenes and the personal details of “The Captain’s” plight are also very well done. Excuse me for getting a bit too emotional when Marvel confirms a fact I’ve always known.

Comments: This story is set at the time when Steve Rogers is “The Captain,” having been stripped of his title as Captain America (CAP #332-350); officially this issue falls between Cap #340-341. First appearance of Grog the God-Crusher (not to be confused with Gorr the God-Butcher of later vintage) who will show up over the next ten issues or so. Colorist Christie Scheele and letterer Jack Morelli, a married couple, swap their first names for this issue’s credits.