Thor vol. 2 #9Thor vol. 2 #9
Title: “Answers”
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: John Buscema
Inker: Jerry Ordway
Colors: Gregory Wright
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Thor flies through the sky angry. He is thinking about Asgard and how Tokkots spoke of returning there. Thor wants to go to Asgard, but events on Earth are delaying him. Thor lands next to NYPD’s O’Neal. O’Neal says that it is good to see Thor again. Thor asks if he knows him. O’Neal says that they met a few weeks ago, but guesses mere mortals don’t make much of an impression with him. Suddenly a beam strikes at Thor. Thor stands his ground, but O’Neal is sent flying from the concussive force. Thor looks at the one that created the beam. Thor says that he thought that Replicus was long gone. The cops say that it sounds like Thor knows it. Thor says that he defeated Replicus long ago. Replicus starts to fly away. Thor throws his hammer into Replicus and knocks him out of the sky. Replicus crashes into a car as he lands. Replicus says that he shall not be stopped. Thor says that the last time they fought that they were too evenly matches for his taste. Thor says that he will finish this quickly so that he can attend to more important matters. Replicus says that he shall not be stopped, and fires a bootjet into Thor. Replicus says that this must end and fires a beam from his head at Thor. Thor deflects the beam with his hammer, and says that nobody wants this to end more than him. Replicus’ cable fingers unravel and start to wrap around Thor. Thor punches Replicus. He says that usually Thor doesn’t use his full strength among mortals, but that isn’t happening today. Thor wallops Replicus with his hammer and destroys him. O’Neal thanks Thor and says that there is no way they would have been able to stop Replicus without him. O’Neal turns to Jake Olsen’s partner Demetrius and says that because of Thor’s efforts that they won’t need his abilities. O’Neal asks Demetrius where Jake is. Demetrius says that Jake took the day off so that he could take his fiancée and her kid to the Giants game. Thor says that he had forgotten that game was today. A cop comes over and says that they traced the radio signal that was controlling Replicus. Thor says that he will write the final chapter in this act of villainy. Demetrius says that there is something familiar about Thor.
A short distance away, one guy asks what the deal is and says that he thought the other guy could control Replicus. The other guy says that he thought he could too, but nobody told him that Thor was going to show up. Thor smashes through the wall. Thor tells them that the police are aware of their activities, and that they will surrender to the m right away. The two men agree. Thor flies out through the hole in the wall that he just made. Thor says that he has other matters to attend to. Thor flies to the stadium and changes into Jake.
Inside the stadium, Mandy is telling her mom that she knew Jake wouldn’t show. Suddenly Jake is there with chilidogs and malts. Mandy thanks Jake. Hannah thanks him too, and says that the important thing is that he and Amanda get along. Jake says that if football and junk food is what it takes so be it. Thor thinks to himself however, that he is growing very uncomfortable in this life. He says that it is clear that Hannah loves Jake Olsen, but that it is a love that isn’t returned. Thor says that he couldn’t give his heart to anyone while the matter of Asgard still concerns him.
In Asgard, Odin remains bound and chained. Perrikus asks Odin how it feels to go from being a commander and god to not being able to wipe your own nose. Odin tells Perrikus to go away, and that he is beneath his notice. Perrikus says that Odin has lost, and that his only regret is that he’ll never get to dance on the bones of his son Thor. Suddenly Tokkots returns to Asgard. He says that he has good news for Perrikus as he has seen Thor. Perrikus asks Odin if he is alive. Odin says that it is just an imposter, and that Thor died with Midgard’s heroes. Perrikus tells Adva to take him to Thor now.
After the game and the dinner that followed,
Jake walks with Hannah and Amanda. Hannah thanks Jake for dinner.
Jake suggests that they try Scandinavian food next time. Amanda
thanks Jake for the Giants jacket that he bought her. Hannah goes
to hail a cab. Amanda tells Jake that she hasn’t been his
biggest fan, but that as long as he makes her mother happy that
is all that matters. Amanda hugs Jake. Hannah and Amanda get in.
Hannah asks Jake if he is sure that he doesn’t want to come
over for coffee. Jake says that he is working at 8am tomorrow.
Hannah and Amanda leave. Jake says that he can finally go. 
He runs into
the alley and transforms into Thor. Thor says that even though he
can’t transport to Asgard directly that there are other
realms where answers might be learned. Thor spins his hammer and
transports himself to the land of the trolls.
Thor calls out to Orikal. Orikal rises out of the flame and says that as long as these flames bind him that he is the slave of Gerriodur, but that since Gerriodur is missing like so many others Orikal tells Thor to speak. Orikal asks Thor why he is there. Thor tells Orikal to tell him of Asgard’s fate and he will be in his debt. Orikal says that a tragedy has struck Asgard, but that Gerriodur has not freed him to speak about this. Thor says that he is the Prince of Asgard and gives him permission. Orikal says that Thor’s permission means nothing to him. Thor tells Orikal to talk or he is going to unleash a storm that will rip this land asunder. Marnot pops up and says that a tantrum will not help. Marnot says that it is time to give answers. Thor says that it is time for him to strike Marnot down. Marnot says that if he does that he won’t learn anything. Thor tells Marnot to hurry up, and that his patience is long gone. Marnot tells Thor to watch his tongue and to remember that he is the one that gave him second life. Marnot says that things have changed, and that now it is time for the veil to be lifted.
Marnot says that this tale did not begin recently, but long ago when Thor was just a lad. Asgard shined brighter than the brightest star, and Odin was the highest of them all though his knowledge of the rest of the universe was not fully developed. Odin was sending out scouts to explore and discover. One day, Odin’s vizier brings in Lonkarr the scout. Lonkarr says that he returns to Asgard with dire news. Odin says that if Lonkarr is upset then he is too because Lonkarr is known as a reasonable man. Lonkarr in his travels came across a far away city of gods that was comparable to Asgard… Narcisson. Narcisson was in many ways the opposite of Asgard. Where Asgard is light, Narcisson was dark. It was a land without reason or soul filled with gods who ruled with an iron fist. Lonkarr recognized Narcisson’s aura of evil, and decides that it might be better to go scout the planet that Narcisson rests above. Lonkarr lands his winged horse on the planet. The people of the world mistake him for one from Narcisson and start begging him for favor. One of the women offers up her four-year-old daughter for sacrifice. Lonkarr says that no god of honor would tolerate such behavior. Lonkarr is suddenly attacked by a blast form a woman named Tserron. Tserron says that these minions are theirs, and that they will tolerate no interference. After nearly a full day of battle, Lonkarr plunges his sword into Tserron’s chest. As Lonkarr tries to escape to go warn Odin, Perrikus arrives. Perrikus says that if Odin is Lonkarr’s king then he and all Lonkarr’s kind will pay because Lonkarr has killed the bride of Perrikus. Perrikus allows Lonkarr to escape so that he could find them and declare war.
Thor says that he has dreamed of the night Odin was preparing the warriors. Marnot says that the dream was a memory because there was a battle, and it was bloody. The Dark Gods attacked shortly after Lonkarr returned. The battle was without glory because of the immense number of fatalities. It was not only a battle of gods, but a battle of philosophies. The Asgardians allowed their subjects freedom, but the Dark Gods ruled with terror. After two weeks of battle the fight was finally over… the Dark Gods had defeated the Asgardians. Perrikus stands by Zelia’s side as Odin lies on the ground. Zelia tells Odin that she grants him the choice between life and death. She says that if he swears fealty to her and becomes her consort that she will spare him and his children. Odin refuses and Zelia orders Perrikus to kill Odin. A young Thor throws Odin a broken spear and tells Odin to defend himself. Thor’s brave actions inspire Odin to fight harder and allow Odin to be victorious when defeat was certain.
Orikal confirms what Marnot says. Marnot says that the Dark Gods were banished to a barren corner of the universe, and Perrikus was held hostage in a special cell known only to Odin. Thor asks why the memory of this has eluded him for so many years. Marnot says that Odin blocked the memories of everyone in Asgard, except his own, because of the trauma from the extreme loss of life. Marnot says that it is the Dark Gods who inhabit Asgard, and that they know Thor is alive and on Earth. Thor says that his father and brethren are doubtless prisoners, and swears that there will be war unto death once more.
Lightning Crashes rating: 7.5 out of 10
The flashback is pretty cool, but this issue has a very set-up issue feel preparing for the coming battle. Not much happening plot wise, at least as far as the present is concerned. John Buscema and Jerry Ordway do a great job filling in for Romita. As much as I enjoy Romita’s style my biggest problem with him is when he draws new characters that I can’t always define what I’m seeing. Seeing another artist doing Perrikus really helps me get a better mental picture of him