Thor #237
Ulik Unchained
Sif sacrificed herself to save the life of Jane Foster by merging herself with the mortal woman.[1] Reunited at last, Jane and Don Blake go out for dinner to celebrate their reunion. After dinner, the pair go for a walk together. Jane then tries to convince Don to take a vacation, although he is reluctant as he just restarted his medical practice. Their conversation is cut short when the witness some crooks trying to make a getaway in a speeding car.
Running into a nearby alley, Don Blake transforms into Thor and quickly deals with the crooks and turns them over to the authorities. Jane makes herself useful by helping an elderly woman who was winged by a bullet in the ensuing gunfight. Little do they know that they are being observed by Ulik and an army of Rock Trolls that are loyal. Retreating back underground, Ulik decides that time is ripe to strike.[2]
Meanwhile, in California, Odin continues to live under the mortal guise of Orrin, with no memory of his past. He has gone to the beach to reflect on his recent feats of strength. His friend, Judy, and another member of the commune are concerned with Orrin using his strength and try to convince it that he needs to use his power to help people in need.
Back on the east coast, Hercules and Odin’s vizier try to enjoy the Coney Island amusement park. The vizier is concerned that Kamo Tharnn might seek revenge over the theft of his Runestaff. Hercules is prepared to face whatever may come as he and Sif’s mission to save the life of Jane Foster was a just cause. That’s when the Farris wheel begins to break down while people are still riding on it. Quickly, Hercules braces the wheel and prevents it from falling over, saving countless lives in the process.
Elsewhere in the city, Jane has taken Thor back to the co-op apartment that was owned by her late aunt. The pair are about to get romantic when the city suddenly experiences a total blackout. Looking out the window, Thor spots Rock Trolls on the street and goes out to face them. This leads to a clash between Thor and Ulik.[3] While Thor is distracted, Ulik’s minions go into the apartment building and capture Jane. When Thor discovers that the Rock Trolls have his beloved, he has no choice but to surrender and do Ulik’s bidding.
Recurring Characters
Thor, Ulik, Jane Foster, Hercules, Odin
Continuity Notes
Sif is not really gone, but merged with Jane Foster. They will later swap places in Thor #244 and later in 249 onward until they are separated in issue #334-335.
This story suggests that the Rock Trolls domain exists underneath New York City. This is not the case contradicting Thor #137, which states that it exists under Asgard. Official Index to the Marvel Universe: Thor suggests that the Rock Trolls could teleport their entire domain to Earth. I’m of the mind that an explanation is simpler than that: that there are portals between the Rock Troll’s domain and locations under Earth’s surface.
Readers are reminded that Thor and Ulik last fought in Thor #210-211.
Topical References
Jane Foster tries to convince Don to go on vacation by telling him that late night host Johnny Carson does it all the time. This is topical because Carson has been dead for years.
One of the crooks that Thor nabs states that he had a chance heavyweight title in 1966. This should be considered a topical reference due to the specific date.
The prices for rides, food, and prizes at Coney Island are range between 35 and 50 cents. These prices should be considered topical as they represent how much these things cost when this comic was published in 1975.
