By the time the mighty Thor moved from the pages of Journey Into Mystery and into his own series, his regal father, Odin, had already begun disciplining him by striking from on high and either depriving his son of his power in one way or another, or banishing him from Asgard. But in the fall of 1967, Odin carries his anger to the extreme and combines those punishments--and Thor finds himself shorn of all of his power, and cast aside on the planet Earth.
With variations, it's a scene which longtime Thor readers have become familiar with, as prone to tantrums as Odin has proven to be when it comes to bringing Thor into line with what he believes Thor's role should be as an Asgardian, and as a son. Thor would be in the doghouse for six months (our time) before Odin relented and restored his might; but it's really the issues which debut this storyline, at the time still a fresh concept for those following the exploits of Thor, which are perhaps the most appealing, since it's Thor who's been brought down to our level and must make his way as a mortal, rather than his persona of Donald Blake who was already acclimated to a mortal existence.
In a way it's too bad that the dramatic cover by artist Jack Kirby has practically spilled the beans as far as the upcoming fate of Thor, since it's a development you really don't see coming as you flip open the issue and begin reading. Asgard has finished a two-prong battle against the evil Enchanters who attempted a hostile power play against the realm, with Thor and his comrades on Earth proving victorious over their three attackers while the fourth Enchanter has been brutally taken down by Odin. And while Thor, Sif, and Balder wait for some word of the outcome of that fight, they take steps to secure their own captives.
As we've learned here, Thor is already powerless (along with Sif, Balder, and the Enchanters), due to the conditions that Odin established for his match with his own foe. Yet there is still no reason to believe that condition will be permanent, much less used against Thor as punishment--after all, he's done Asgard proud here, acquitting himself well against these foes on behalf of his realm and his king. As for the condition which Thor speaks of that mandates that the Enchanters be taken into custody by Earth forces, given that Earth is where their battle took place--since when? Did that ever hold true for other Earth-based battles involving the likes of the Enchantress, or the Executioner, or Pluto--or for that matter, Loki?
It definitely doesn't seem to be Odin's policy.
It's obvious that Odin isn't in the best of moods, often reacting with anger and fury to affronts to his authority and certainly to attempts at conquest, as if to make an example of the perpetrator(s) for the benefit of others who might be harboring similar ambitions. (Though it bears mentioning that his anger and retribution have never prevented Loki from coming back swinging.) The failed coup d'état of the Enchanters has especially riled Odin for whatever reason, giving him a mad-on that extends well beyond the aftermath of his battle and ripples through his own warriors like thunder. And when Odin's attention turns to the Asgardians on Earth, even the Thunder God is unprepared to face his father's wrath.
Since Thor's continuing preoccupation with the affairs of mortals has galled Odin for some time, it's almost as if he's taking advantage of his current foul mood to finally tie up the loose end of his son's loyalties and settle the matter with him once and for all--in his own favor, of course. And since Thor was already powerless, Odin simply added humiliation to the mix by removing his hammer's enchantment and leaving Thor with only the birthright of his natural strength.
As a result, Thor is left without even the resources of his mortal alter-ego, Blake, forced to make a life for himself on Earth on his own terms and merits and not as the God of Thunder. It's a reality that hits him squarely, as he awakens in an office that he can no longer function in.
Given that at present the book is splitting its space with a separate feature (Tales of Asgard, before segueing to the Inhumans), Thor isn't given much time to ponder his options and instead next appears as a civilian looking for work--which provides ample time for the story to deal in its antagonists, the Circus of Crime, whose strongman has been injured and whose replacement arrives just in time to take his place. The transition feels as if it occurs much too suddenly.
Needless to say, Thor's still considerable physical prowess would allow him to pass any test of strength that the Ringmaster comes up with--most importantly, in this case, lifting a lead construct having the exact weight of a priceless museum statue which, unknown to Thor, is the target of a heist the Circus is planning. But it's clear this stranger doesn't travel in the criminal circles that the Ringmaster and the others do--and so to ensure Thor's cooperation, the Ringmaster employs his hypnotic hat disc which brings Thor under his control long enough to gauge his strength for the job, while ensuring he doesn't remember what it is he's being prepped for.
And so, snapped out of his trance, Thor becomes the newest strongman performer in the Ringmaster's circus. But, always the sly businessman, the Ringmaster decides to make use of the newcomer's resemblance to the "real" Thor by dressing him as such and billing him to the crowds as the Thunder God, with the Ringmaster using his hypnotic ability to make his audiences believe that the feats Thor performs are that of the real McCoy.
As for Thor himself, it's gratifying to see that he deeply laments his fall from grace as well as the fact that he can no longer live his life as the God of Thunder, though with more book space we would hopefully see his mood be more demonstrative in that respect. For instance, he never once thinks of Sif, the goddess he's grown to love and who is presumably now lost to him; we don't see him gazing up at the sky, with a profound sense of loss at no longer being able to command the elements or soar above the heavens; nor does he ever wonder how or even if he could be of any assistance to the mortals that he once fought for without hesitation. And how long does he give himself before having to come to terms with the probability that he might have to live on this planet indefinitely?
Only now, in a modest dressing room in borrowed raiment, do we see indications of Thor's reduced state beginning to sink in for him, mostly at the loss of his regal status.
Soon enough, however, the Circus of Crime is ready to make its move--and with Thor once again unable to recognize what he's doing or why, there appears to be no preventing the Ringmaster and his cohorts from gaining the prize they seek.
But with complications with their escape route disrupting their timetable, the group isn't able to clear out before additional police arrive on the scene in force. It's a situation the Ringmaster can deal with, temporarily--but with his attention diverted, and all the gunfire, his entranced strongman comes out of his stupor, awakening in time to discover that he's inexplicably turned to a life of crime.
Thor is clearly faced with a difficult choice--but not an impossible one, thanks to the decision of the police to stand down while he uses his strength to save the trapped Princess Python from being crushed. But he goes a step further to make his intentions known--several steps, as it turns out.
Thanks to her python, the Princess is able to escape capture and rejoin her comrades at street level where they make their getaway. And it goes without saying that a criminal who's mastered hypnosis will be helpful in evading any roadblocks set up to intercept them.
Back at the precinct, Thor is experiencing for himself a mortal custom that up until now has been reserved for those he'd previously taken into his own custody. (Thor's mug shot must surely have ended up in somebody's collection somewhere by now.)
Depending on how you look at it, Thor catches a break when his bail is posted--but his freedom will come at a cost, when you consider the sinister nature of his benefactor.
 | Mighty Thor #s 145-146 (with scenes from #147) Script: Stan Lee Pencils: Jack Kirby Inks: Vince Colletta Letterers: Sam Rosen and Artie Simek |
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