Journey
Into Mystery #122
Journey
Into Mystery #122
Title: “Where Mortals Fear to Tread!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Creel turns victoriously and says that nothing on Earth can
stand up to him. Thor gets up and wonders if Creel thought he could be
dispatched that easily. Thor says that he was merely stunned. Thor grabs Creel’s
shoulder and turns him around. He tells Creel that he presumes too much and that
he will not yield while a breath of life remains. He says that he won’t hit
Creel while is back is turned the way Creel did to him. Creel says that he can
still absorb Thor’s strength when he hits him. Thor says that he hasn’t
forgotten and will hit Creel so fleetingly that he won’t have time. Thor knocks
Creel down and asks what he says to that. Creel realizes that even with Thor’s
strength that he couldn’t take many hits like that. Creel decides that he has
nothing to be afraid of and that he just has to hit Thor back. Creel swings his
ball and chain, but hits a car as Thor leaps over the strike.
Thor
reminds Creel that he told him brute strength wasn’t enough. He tells Creel that
it has to be mixed with speed and skill and then shows him how by hitting Creel
and knocking him down. Thor asks Creel if he thinks he is his equal and says
that such base insolence can’t go unpunished. Thor smacks Creel again. He tells
him to yield because the fight will go on and on until he does.
Loki watches the fight and realizes that though he gave Creel the strength to challenge a god that not even he could give Creel that valor of Thor. Loki says that this is just a minor setback and that Thor will still taste defeat. Loki says that until now his plan has been going perfectly. He looks and sees that even more of Odin’s picked warriors are heading out of Asgard on routine patrols. He says that Odin is so unsuspecting of danger that he permits a skeleton force to remain in the golden city. He says that with Thor still on Earth that the time has come for him to strike. Loki says that he will bring the Absorbing Man to rally at his side. Loki aims his attractor beam at Earth and saves his human puppet from defeat while insuring his own victory.
Thor hits Creel again and tells him to surrender. Creel thinks to himself that he can’t take much more of this. Creel says that it isn’t fair. He asks what good his strength is if he can’t land a blow. Thor tells Creel to surrender and says that Creel’s very voice is offensive to his ears. Then suddenly a bolt of light hits Creel and he is gone. Thor remembers seeing it before and realizes that it is Ularic’s attractor beam. Thor says that his foe must be in Asgard. Suddenly Thor notices an explosion from the building above him. Jane Foster shouts out to Thor for help. Thor flies up and tells Jane to stand back from the window while his hammer strikes. Thor sees Jane inside as he smashes the window in. He wonders if it can really be her. Thor gets in and sees that Jane has been overwhelmed by the fumes from the explosion. Thor says that Blake can be of more help to her than Thor can. He bangs his hammer against the ground and transforms back into Dr. Blake. Suddenly the man in the mask takes a picture of Blake holding Jane. He says that at last he has his reward. Blake realizes that he must have seen him change. He asks who the man is and asks why he has been holding Jane captive. The man tells Blake that he meant her no harm and that she was just bait to lure him. He tells Blake that he would have risked everything to get that one picture. Blake says that if he has learned what he suspects he has learned that he can’t let him keep that knowledge. The masked man pulls off his mask to reveal that he is Harris Hobbs. Blake says that they met the first time Thor fought the Absorbing Man. Hobbs says that he knows Blake’s secret now.
Creel appears before Loki and asks where he is. Loki tells Creel to face his master. Creel says that he doesn’t know who he is, but that nobody can call themselves the master of the Absorbing Man. Loki says that he is the one that Creel his powers and that he knows how to nullify them. Creel says that he isn’t buying it. He swings his ball and chain at Loki and tells him to nullify this. Instantly, Creel is transported to an intensely snowy and wintery landscape. Creel turns into a living snowman. He wonders how long he can take the cold and that he needs help before he freezes to death. Creel realizes that this must be the work of the guy he swung at. Instantly, Creel is back before Loki. Loki tells Creel that he is safe for now, but that he can send him back there anytime. Creel says that he isn’t about to forget a thing like that. Loki tells Creel that if he serves him faithfully that they can share dominion over the universe, but that if he defies him that his punishment will be swift and merciless. Creel says that he gets the picture and says that he is Loki’s boy.
Loki and Creel walk into the halls of Odin’s imperial
castle. Some of the men see Loki. Creel thinks about how Loki told him he was in
Asgard, but that he doesn’t understand where Asgard is. The men asks Loki by
whose right has his servitude to Ularic ended. They recognize Creel as a mortal
and tell Loki that he has committed the gravest crime. Loki tells them not to
speak to him of crime and that soon his wish will be imperial law. He says that
the mortal is more than he seems and that he is the weapon he will use to
dethrone Odin. Creel tells them that he can beat them all and that what Loki
says goes. Loki tells Creel to attack now. Creel starts to tear into the
Asgardian warriors. They each take a turn at attacking Creel, but he only grows
more dangerous with each assault. One warrior tries to hit Creel with his mace.
Creel
blocks it with his ball and chain and says that he was hoping that he would try
that because he has never turned into a living mace before. Creel plows through
the warriors like a battering ram. One says that no power save Thor or Odin
could stop him. One realizes that he must have some plan for defeating Odin or
they wouldn’t have dared such an attack.
Blake tells Jane that she is going to be fine and that she just needs some rest. Jane asks how he found her. She asks who the man was that kept her captive and why he did it. She says that she feels like a pawn in a game. Blake tells her not to worry about that and that he will tell her all about it when she is stronger. He tells her to rest and that she is safe. Jane says that she always feels safe near him and asks him to promise that he won’t disappear for such a long time again. Blake thinks to himself that he wishes he could make such a promise. A nurse tells Blake that there is a call for him. Blake realizes that it is Hobbs, whom he agreed to meet in secret. Jane tells Don that he has a strange look in his eye. She asks if this has anything to do with the hooded man and asks if he is going to leave her again. Blake tells her to rest and that he will be gone no longer than necessary.
Blake goes up to the roof and transforms into Thor. He says that his secret identity must never be revealed and that Hobbs is about to learn that the picture that he risked so much may be the most dangerous object any mortal ever possessed. Thor flies into the air and lands in front of Hobbs. Thor says that he isn’t there to discuss terms. He says that Hobbs has the photo and that he wants it. He says that there is nothing more to say. Hobbs tells Thor not to try and strong arm him. He says that he doesn’t have the photo and that it is in a safe place. Hobbs says that Thor has to deal with him and that he holds all the cards. He tells Thor that he isn’t trying to cause any trouble, but that as a reporter that he has a job to do. He says that if Thor gave him the scoop on his dual identity that it would be the scoop of the century. Thor says that Hobbs presumes to much. He says that the god of thunder is not grist for the newsman’s mill. Thor slams his hammer against the ground and sends Hobbs flying. Thor says that Hobbs possesses that which no mortal has the right to possess and that he may not keep it. Hobbs tells Thor to rage all he wants and that he isn’t afraid. He says that he knows Thor is pledged never to harm a human. Thor says that he doesn’t need to cause bodily harm and that there are other ways. Thor spins his hammer and creates a vortex. Thor says that Hobbs is about to learn how foolhardy it is to incur the wrath of Thor. Hobbs is sucked into the vortex. Thor tells him not to fear and that he will not be harmed. Thor transports Hobbs back to the time of the dinosaurs. Hobbs says that it isn’t possible. Thor says that anything is possible with him. He says that he could leave Hobbs below and that it wouldn’t affect his oath to never harm a human. He says that whatever happens to him afterward would be no concern of his. Hobbs says that he can’t and mustn’t. Thor says that maybe Hobbs would prefer another time. He takes Hobbs millions of years into the future. He says that the Earth is about to collide with another dying world. He says that humans have long since left for the stars, but that Hobbs might not be too lonely what with the new race evolving. Hobbs begs Thor to take him back. Thor returns them. He compliments Hobbs’ courage, but says that he can’t allow him to keep that picture. Hobbs thanks Thor for showing him his power without harming him. He says that he vows to destroy the evidence and asks Thor for one more boon. He asks Thor to take him to Asgard and that he swears never to reveal what he sees. He says that Thor can even erase it from his memory. Thor asks what his motive would be. Hobbs says that he would have done what no other newsman had done. Thor decides that since he has to go to Asgard anyway that he will take Hobbs.
Absorbing Man, in spear form, is defeating the last of his opponents. He asks Loki what to do next. Loki says to head into the throne room and that he will find and defeat Odin. Suddenly Odin appears and asks who dares to invade his sanctum. Creel says that Odin doesn’t look so tough to him. Odin says that no one talks to him that way. He blasts Creel with a cosmic bolt, but Creel just absorbs the power. Odin says that it is true and that his rule is being threatened for the first time in a millennium. Creel says that all that matters is power and that he has it to spare. Creel says that now that he has absorbed Odin’s force that he will fire it back at him and see if he can take it.
Lightning Crashes rating: 8.5 out of 10
Absorbing Man against Odin! Man what a set up! Oh by the way… Thor’s “I was just resting my eyes” excuse about Creel merely stunning him doesn’t cut any mustard with me. Creel stood over Thor and talked for quite a while. Thor was down… obviously not dead, but beaten. Oh and on a last note, Harris Hobbs should go to jail. I get that he’s a “newsman”, but I’m pretty sure that abduction… nice abduction or not… doesn’t fall under the freedom of the press. Kirby is just unreal. I love his mace Creel and his spear Creel.
Title: “The Grim Specter of Mutiny!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Loki swings his sword. He says that Thor’s vanity. Many men side with Loki and tell Thor to turn back. Thor calls them spineless dolts and says that he will hear no more. He says that they sail to save Asgard and that there is no turning back. Loki says that he claims command of the ship and tells the men to put Thor in chains. Thor asks if they dare to mutiny and that his hammer will answer for him. Thor and Loki’s sides collide.
Fandral, ally of Thor, takes on a dozen men.
Hogun fights for Thor and says that they are going to learn that his wrath is to be more feared than the Pillars of Utgard. His opponent begs off saying that it was Loki’s fault, but Hogun says that the word mutiny makes his hackles rise.
Volstagg tells Thor that he has his support. Volstagg says that the sight of him will make men tremble. Thor tells him to go ahead and do some fighting too. Volstagg says that he was just waiting for the right moment to strike, but just then he is hit in the back of the head with a mace. Volstagg falls over and crushes a group of Loki supporters. A wave washes over the side and wakes up Volstagg. Suddenly everyone hears Balder sitting on the ship’s figure head blowing his horn as if serenading the Pillars of Utgard. Balder thinks to himself that if this doesn’t save the ship that they are doomed. The ship passes between the pillars.
Lightning Crashes rating: 8 out of 10
Cute interlude showcasing the Warriors Three. Poor Volstagg.Review and pictures by The Leader