Thor #412
The New Warriors
The mastermind who has been pitting villains against heros who have never faced them before has brought the Juggernaut to New York to battle Thor.[1] However, before the Juggernaut can finish off the weakened Thor,[2] the New Warriors — Night Thrasher, Firestar, Marvel Boy, Namorita, Nova, and Speedball — arrive to stop him.
The power house is able to shrug off attacks from the New Warrior’s strongest members prompting Marvel Boy to suggest to Night Thrasher — their leader — that they should get outside help. Thrash refuses and orders him an Firestar to pull Thor to safety while he creates a distraction. Although Night Thrasher doesn’t have any super-human abilities, his skateboard abilities and agility keep him out of the Juggernaut’s reach.
As Thor begins to revive, the mastermind behind this attack watches from his hideout. He is furious over the New Warrior’s interference as the neophyte hero team are preventing Thor’s final humiliation.
Back at the scene of the battle, Night Thrasher becomes consumed with rage and begins trying to attack Juggernaut directly to make “them” pay for some horrific crime.[3] Seeing that their leader is in danger, Firestar pulls Night Thrasher away allowing Nova and Namorita to toss two freight cars at their foe. Unfortunately, this only provides the heroes a minor reprieve as the Juggernaut easily smashes out of all the rubble.
Meanwhile, back at Eric Masterson’s home, Susan Austin is watching the news with Hercules — aka “Harry Cleese” — while Eric’s son Kevin plays.[4] That’s when Kevin’s mother Marcy comes for pick up her son. She tells Susan to pass a message along to Eric and let him know that she is claiming legal custody of their son. Hearing this makes Herc realize that this recent development will tax Thor’s patience for sure.[5]
Back at the scene of the battle, Thor has managed to recover from his sudden bout of weakness and confronts the Juggernaut again. This time he brings down the full fury of the storm onto his foe. However, the Juggernaut shrugs off the powerful jolt of lightning. When this doesn’t work, Thor uses the power of Mjolnir to until the concrete under his feet buckles under the pressure causing the Juggernaut to fall into a pit of his own making. Nova and Namorita then fill the pit with steel beams from a nearby construction site and Firestar uses her microwave abilities to melt them into a steel prison. Before the Juggernaut can break free, Thor then uses Mjolnir to create a dimensional vortex that dispatches the Juggernaut to an alien world where he can’t harm anybody, ending his threat.[6]
As the mastermind behind this attack curses the Juggernaut’s failure, Thor thanks the New Warriors for their help. He is impressed by their teamwork and tells them that as long as they fight for justice with honor and nobility the world will marvel at what they will able to accomplish.
Recurring Characters
Thor, New Warriors (Night Thrasher, Firestar, Marvel Boy, Namorita, Nova, Speedball), Juggernaut, Hercules, Loki
Continuity Notes
It’s Loki. The mastermind is Loki. Avengers West Coast #55.
Thor has been stricken with these dizzy spells since Thor #402. Little does he know that these are being caused by Loki who has been linked to Thor after giving him a portion of his power back in issue #398. Thor will not learn the truth until issue #413.
In New Warriors #1, Dwayne Taylor explains he became Night Thrasher to avenge the death of his parents who wre murdered by criminals. They were gunned down right before his eyes, as explained in New Warriors #25.
The news reports talk about a special congressional session on super-heroes was recently attacked by super-villains, the whole thing is chronicled in Fantastic Four #334-336.
Masterson and Thor were merged together in order to save Eric’s life in Thor #408. This union will remain in play until they are separated again in Thor #457. Eric has been in a custody battle with Marcy since his first appearance in Thor #391.
This isn’t the last we see of ol’ Juggy as he’ll turn up like a bad penny again in Thor #428-429.
Topical References
Lots of topical references in the Masterson living room. CRT televisions, Alf comic books. VCRs. All topical. You know the drill by this point I hope.
Freedom is Only a Choice Away
Beta Ray Bill has been captured by Captain Orack, the leader of a slave ship. Like the other slaves, Bill has found himself strapped into a machine that uses their psychic energies to power Orack’s ship. Bill has been desperate to escape since Orack has become aware of the convoy of his people he has been protecting since their home world was destroyed.[1]
Needing to get free, Bill exerts his will to try and take over the ship and begin defying Orack’s orders. This causes enough feedback that it allows Bill and the others to break free. As Orack and his men rush to the prisoner hold, Bill tells Orack to bring it as he is ready to get revenge for being enslaved.
Recurring Characters
Beta Ray Bill, Captain Orack, Skrull
Continuity Notes
Beta Ray Bill has been trying to find a new home for his people since their world was destroyed by Surtur’s demons. See Thor #337-340.
Acts of Vengeance Reading Order
Thor #410, Avengers Spotlight #26, Damage Control (vol. 2) #1, Amazing Spider-Man #326, Incredible Hulk #363, Spectacular Spider-Man #158, Web of Spider-Man #59, Avengers #311, Captain America #365, Fantastic Four #334, Quasar #5, Iron Man #251-252, Avengers West Coast #53, Thor #411-412, Captain America #366, Avengers Spotlight #27, X-Factor #50, New Mutants #84-85, Wolverine (vol. 2) #19-20, New Mutants #86, Power Pack #53, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #11, Amazing Spider-Man #327 , Marc Spector: Moon Knight #8-9, Uncanny X-Men #256-258, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #12, Spectacular Spider-Man #159, Daredevil #275-276, Web of Spider-Man #60, Avengers #312, Punisher (vol. 2) #28-29, Amazing Spider-Man #328 , Alpha Flight #79-80, Spectacular Spider-Man #160, Web of Spider-Man #61, Avengers Spotlight #28, Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #9, Captain America #367, Quasar #6, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #13, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #10, Punisher: War Journal #12-13, Avengers West Coast #54, Avengers #313, Fantastic Four #335-336 , Avengers West Coast #55, Damage Control (vol. 2) #2-4, Amazing Spider-Man #329
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