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Thor #458: Review

Jan 1993
Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz

Story Name:

To The Victor...!

Review & Comments

Rating:
4.5 stars

Thor #458 Review by (August 17, 2022)

Review: Reluctant hero Eric Masterson broods through this issue up until he is hypnotized into being a bad guy. Issue #457-459 are setting up his move into a book of his own so here’s hoping he can get a grip on himself and maybe someday he’ll be a success (spoiler: No.)  And it looks like he’s going out with a bang.

Comments: Cover is a homage to THOR #126. First story: Part three of four parts. Ron Frenz and Tom DeFalco collaborated on the plot. Shatterfist first met Eric Thor in issue #440 when plucked from Eric’s future. Shatterfist’s henchmen wear masks like Fred Flintstone, Captain America, and DC’s Flash (is that legal?). The letters column includes ones by future comics creators Aaron Kaufman, Jonathan Thompson, and Erin Johnson; at least I think they are the same people.                   





 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Thor #458 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Eric Thor returns to Earth, uncertain over his new status as Thor’s permanent replacement on Earth. He changes back into Eric Masterson and goes to see his son Kevin. At the Steele apartment, he is surprised to find Susan Austin there; she explains that Marcy had hired her as she was out of a job once Eric shut down his company. He meets his ex Marcy and she confesses to some marital problems. He responds sarcastically and quickly has to apologize. Then Kevin comes out and father and son have a bright reunion….

In Asgard, Thor senses a deep conflict within Odin. The All-Father confesses that he is troubled by the prospect of Mjolnir permanently in the hands of a mortal; Thor expresses full faith in Eric Masterson though Odin confides to Balder that forces are already taking shape to resolve the issue….

Eric has a great day playing ball with Kevin and learns that his stepfather Bobby Steele has been vanishing for days at a time for no clear reason. Eric realizes Bobby’s last disappearance coincides with the arrival of Bloodaxe and wonders…. Later, as he patrols as Thor, Eric comes across a bank robbery. He intervenes and discovers Shatterfist and his henchmen are the culprits. Eric fights them and inadvertently gives the lead villain the cool name of Shatterfist (he was thinking of going with Power Glove). The baddie gets the upper hand against Eric until an elderly bank guard holds a gun to his head….

Discouraged, Eric goes to Avengers Mansion, greets Hercules and Black Knight and goes to the gym to talk to Captain America. Cap is fighting five robots for practice and explains how he is always practicing; because of the horrors he has seen in his long career, he needs to always be at his best to protect the American Dream. Even more discouraged because he is no Captain America, Eric leaves only to be told by Jarvis that he has a woman visitor waiting in the garden. Eric goes out to the garden to find Sif, who confesses her love for him; they kiss and she is revealed to be Amora the Enchantress and now Eric is under her power. She tells him that Thor has stolen his true love and sends him to get her back. She gloats but Odin reveals that he knows of her perfidy….

Eric Thor goes to Asgard where he finds Thor Odinson and Sif together. He attacks Thor who is able to dodge his every blow while asking what has gotten into his old friend. When Sif tries to intervene, Eric instinctively clobbers her. Believing her dead, Thor announces that they are now in a fight to the death….

“When Odin Commands!”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Geof Isherwood. Inks: Geof Isherwood. Colors: Mike Rockwitz. Letters: Rick Parker.
Synopsis: Balder comes to Odin with the news that the two Thors are now fighting to the death. Odin says that the Odinson must live with his decision to grant Mjolnir to Eric, which Balder disputes only to be rebuked by the All-Father and apologize. Odin sets off on a journey to Nidavellir where he asks Eitri of the Dwarves to forge a new weapon. The Uru is poured into its mold and Odin casts the spells to effect the final separation of Eric Masterson from Thor….


Preview Pages
Click sample interior pages to enlarge them:




Ron Frenz
Al Milgrom
Mike Rockwitz
Ron Frenz (Cover Penciler)
Al Milgrom (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)
Letterer: Rick Parker.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Balder
Balder

(Balder the Brave)
Black Knight
Black Knight

(Dane Whitman)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)
Jarvis
Jarvis

(Edwin Jarvis)
Thor
Thor

(Eric Masterson)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)

Plus: Kevin Masterson, Marcy Masterson, Susan Austin.

> Thor: Book info and issue index

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