Thor decides it is time to go to the ruins of Asgard to
investigate the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the Norse gods. He
spins Mjolnir and opens a portal to the Golden Realm…but as soon as his foot
touches the ground, a powerful invisible force hurls him back to Midgard….
In Asgard, the Dark Gods reign. Majeston Zelia calls on
Perrikus to provide sport. Tokkots, a winged gargoyle who speaks in rhyme,
desires to kill Odin but Zelia reveals that Odin’s fate is to see all hi
subjects die and the chosen victim is brought out, a starved and wretched
Balder. Tokkots demand Balder’s life but Zelia blasts him out of her presence.
Arriving at the Rainbow Bridge, Tokkots witnesses Thor’s abortive attempt to
enter Asgard and he follows the Thunder God through the portal back to Earth. In
the arena, Perrikus refuses to waste his time battling the wretched Balder.
Balder raises himself up and swings his sword which breaks against the weapon
of Perrikus, who calmly slashes back at Balder, felling him. All before Odin’s
eyes….
Peter Parker brings Aunt May to Memorial Hospital to get her
prescription filled. While they are there, EMTs Jake Olson and Demitrius
Collins rush in with a gunshot victim, Jake rattling off the details. Dr. Jane
Foster snidely reminds him about the last time he played doctor (issue #5) and
he backs down. Peter takes the opportunity to snap some photos of heroes in
action; Jane tells Demitrius to call security but he threatens Peter, even
after he identifies himself as a news photographer. Jake intervenes with a warning
for Peter, while finding him familiar. Then both Jake’s and Peter’s pagers go
off. The two EMTs head out while Peter tells Aunt May to wait for her
prescription—but Pete has it in his pocket. Reaching the Midtown area, Pete’s
Spider-Sense goes off…just moments before Tokkots comes tearing up through the
street from below. And whatever the monster touches ages. A new car decays into
a wreck in seconds. Jake and Peter dash into separate alleys to change into
their heroic forms and Thor and Spider-Man meet in the sky. Thor suggests Spidey
get behind him for safety which doesn’t please Pete. Tokkots stands on a building
parapet and the entire side of the structure crumbles and falls toward a crowd.
Spidey webs it all together and Thor catches it, allowing the people to escape.
Aunt May arrives at the scene, looking for Peter. The two heroes face the
monster once more: Thor hurls Mjolnir, which passes through Tokkots and wrecks
the tail rotor of a news chopper, sending it plunging toward the ground. And
Tokkets divides himself in two, doubling the danger….
The story continues in PETER PARKER: SPIDER-MAN (1999) #2.
Odin, Balder, Spider-Man, Aunt May,