Journey into Mystery #86
On the Trail of the Tomorrow Man
In the distant future of the 23rd Century, a scientist named Zarrko has grown bored of his peaceful society. This is a world where weapons have been outlawed.[1] Seeking to conquer his own time, Zarrko has developed a time machine so he can go back in time and steal the powerful bombs developed centuries ago.
In the present day, Thor has volunteered to help the United States Army with new weapons tests. First Thor helps test the speed in which a new missile can be launched. From there, Thor agrees to stand in front of a new cobalt bomb so scientists can test the effects of the explosion. However, before the bomb can be detonated, Zarrko appears in his time machine and steal the device. Thor tries to stop him, but Zarrko manages to flee into the future. Luckily, Thor’s hammer managed to chip a piece of the time-machine’s hull allowing them to deduce that Zarrko came from the future.
Thor then goes to a nearby mountain top and summons his father, Odin and asks his father to send him into the future. Odin instructs his son to tie the scrap of metal to Mjolnir and by spinning his hammer faster than the speed of light he can breach the time barrier and travel into the future. Thor does as he is told and soon finds himself in the future year of 2262. Already a month has past since Zarrko’s return and his threats to use the cobalt bomb have forced the leaders of the world to surrender to him. Thor assures the people of this world that he will liberate them and asks them to hear his plan.
When Zarrko becomes aware of Thor’s presence in this era he orders two of his guards to try and run the thunder god down in their futuristic cars. However, a man in a cloak knocks down a tree, causing the cars to crash. Thor and this cloaked individual then race into Zarrok’s headquarters. There, the rogue time traveler activates a trap door, sending Thor falling into a room of magnetic mirrors that will pummel him to death with their magnetic force. However, the controls are smashed by the man in the shroud, who throws Mjolnir at the device. As it turns out, the man in the cloak is actually Thor, and the man trapped below was a decoy to distract Zarrko.
Zarrko then tries to banish Thor to another dimension with a delta-electron gun. However, Thor uses his super-powerful lungs to blow the weapon out of Zarrko’s hands before he can succeed. Zarrko then unleashes an army of robots on his foe. When one of the robots grabs his hammer, it is a race against time before Thor a minute elapses and Thor loses his power. Quick thinking, Thor rips up the floor and bursts a water main, causing the room to flood and short out the robots. He manages to get Mjolnir back with a second left to spare.
Zarrko then tries to escape in a ship, but Thor summons a powerful storm to crash the ship. The turbulence knocks the cobalt bomb loose and Thor catches it. When the ship crashes, the authorities pull Zarrko out of the ship. The impact has stricken Zarrko with amnesia, ending any future threat Zarrko may pose in the future.[2] With the danger over, Thor returns to his own era and returns the cobalt bomb so the weapons testing can continue.
Later, when Don Blake returns to his medical practice, all Jane Foster can talk about is the news about Thor’s recent adventures. Blake tells her he hadn’t heard because he finds the news nerve-wracking. Once in the privacy of his office, Don muses what Jane would think if she knew that Don was too busy making the news to read about it.[3]
Recurring Characters
Thor, Zarrko the Tomorrow Man, Jane Foster, Odin, General Ross
Continuity Notes
Per the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #12, this reality is a possible future/alternate reality designated Earth-6297.
This amnesia proves short-lived as Zarrko will regain his memory and seek revenge against Thor in Journey into Mystery #101-102.
This story is expanded upon in Thor: First Thunder #3.
Topical References
The narration of this story states that the present-day events take place in the year 1962. Later when Thor travels through time he is seen passing the years 1965, 1972, 1991, 2013, 2015, 2000, 1980, and 1974. These dates should all be considered topical. As the Sliding Timescale moves forward the present day of this story keeps moving forward as well. In terms of the “Modern Age” of the Marvel Universe, these events take place during “Year One” (All Earth-616 Marvel stories published between November 1961 and October 1965)
Likewise, all references to the present day taking place in the twentieth century should be considered topical as the Modern Age has been pushed forward that it doesn’t start until after the start of the twenty-first century.
