Comic Browser:

#406
#407
#408
#409
#410
#411
#412
#413
#414
#415
#416
#417
#418
#419
#420
#421
#422
#423
#424
#425
#426
#427
#428
#429
Selector

Thor #411: Review

Dec 1989
Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz

Story Name:

The Gentleman's Name Is Juggernaut!

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Thor #411 Review by (June 16, 2021)

Review: This is Thor’s entry in the Acts of Vengeance series, wherein various villains team up to fight heroes they wouldn’t normally face. And the Thor-Juggernaut matchup seems like a natural but has never happened before so maybe the little-known Acts series was a good idea. The action scenes are pretty cool with an interesting hitch: there is an emphasis in this issue on the trouble caused to ordinary mortals by superhero antics, anticipating Civil War which would ironically be the final appearance of most of the New Warriors. And we have Thor blamed for everything in the brief dialogue exchange: “He saved those people!” “Yeah, but it’s his fault they were in danger!” A nice tough of realism that pops up every so often in the early Marvel years, becoming a frequent theme starting in the more cynical 90s and continuing through to our current iconoclastic times.

Comments: Issue bannered “Acts of Vengeance.” First story: Part one of two parts. First appearance of the New Warriors as a team; also the debuts of Night Thrasher, Andrew Chord, and Tai. Avengers Island is sunk in AVENGERS #311. Ron Frenz and Tom DeFalco collaborated on the plot. Second story: Part one of three parts.






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #411 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Eric Masterson is at home, with his pal Hercules lounging around, concerned about the news that Avengers Island has been attacked. He is worried that it seems like every superhero is being attacked these days. Herc doesn’t care….

The mystery villain (spoiler: it’s Loki) has been searching for Thor but can’t find him as he is unaware that Eric is the new human identity of the Thunder God….

Juggernaut is being held in the British prison at Crossmoor when he is suddenly teleported to New York City and begins a joyous rampage. Eric sees this on TV and changes into Thor, flying downtown to meet the enemy. Thor confronts Juggernaut and is punched across several streets to land in a storefront, followed by a car which the Thunder God manages to knock out of the path of pedestrians. The villain then hurls a crowded bus at Thor who creates a whirlwind to lift it and deposit it carefully on a nearby rooftop. But Thor is growing weary from the mystery malady that has been afflicting him of late….

Various teens and young adults across the city are viewing the super battle on TV and then prepare to take action….

Wealthy Dwayne Michael Taylor is notified of the signal by his aides Andrew Chord and Tai, and suits up for action (he’s the Night Thrasher)….

As Thor weakens, Juggernaut starts hitting him with railroad cars. Fed up, the Thunder God hurls Mjolnir at Juggernaut’s face. It lands but does no damage then the villain grabs its strap so on returning to Thor, it pulls the villain back with it to collide with Thor for some severe damage. It looks like Thor is down for the count but then the New Warriors (Firestar, Namorita, Night Thrasher, Nova, Marvel Boy, Speedball) arrive to challenge Juggernaut….

“The Psychic Slaveship of Space!”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Ron Lim. Inks: Mike DeCarlo. Colors: Nel Yomtov. Letters: Michael Heiser.
Synopsis: Beta Ray Bill is awakened from coldsleep by Skuttlebutt who has detected a heavily armed spacecraft which may pose a threat to the Great Fleet. Bill assumes his Thor form and flies out to meet the ship by the power of his hammer Storm Breaker. The other ship detects him and assumes he is some sort of guided missile and Captain Orack orders his men to fire; Bill dodges the weapons which tips Orack off that he is dealing with a sentient being so the ship opens its doors to Bill. Once Bill is inside though, the doors slam shut and several crewmen attack Bill but he easily throws them off. The captain fells Bill with a psychic blast….

Bill awakens to find himself and several other aliens strapped into a huge machine. Orack explains that this is a slaveship, powered by the psychic energy of captives. And now his ship has detected the Great Fleet—a virtual storehouse of new slaves….

 


Preview Pages
Click sample interior pages to enlarge them:




Ron Frenz
Joe Sinnott
Nel Yomtov
Ron Frenz (Cover Penciler)
Joe Sinnott (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)
Letterer: Michael Heisler.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Marvel Boy
Marvel Boy

(Noh-Varr)
Nova
Nova

(Richard Rider)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Firestar (Angel Jones), Namorita, New Warriors, Night Thrasher (Dwayne Taylor), Speedball (Robbie Baldwin).

> Thor: Book info and issue index

Share This Page


Elektra