DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Thor #400


 
Writer: Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz
Penciler: Ron Frenz, Gary Hartle, Rich Yanizeski

Synopsis: Asgard's showdown with Seth and Surtur. Also bonus features. 

Comments: This issue is like swipe central. Let's start with the cover. The pose is not from the cover of Journey into Mystery #83, but from a panel in Thor #162. 



Thor and Surtur's fight being observed by the Inhumans is taken from Thor #126 and Silver Surfer #18. 





Thor being held from behind is taken from Thor #132. 





Odin struggling with the serpent form of Seth is take from Thor #145




Sif's pose in battle is taken from Thor #164. 



Thor hitting Surtur with his hammer is taken from Thor #153. 




Thor and Surtur pounding on each other is taken from Thor #166, as is the picture of Thor punching Surtur to the ground. 





Thor smashing the pyramid Surtur throws at him is taken from Journey into Mystery #125. 



I'm not sure it's healthy for Odin to absorb Surtur. 


Earth Force came back a few times, but they never really became a thing. 



Some featurettes about Thor's hammer and who can lift it as well as the women in Thor's life. The same month as this came out, Ron Frenz drew a featurette in Captain America #350 about the women in Captain America's life. 





There's a feature of Hercules and Thor arm wrestling that's narrated by Tom and Ron, but drawn by Gary Hartle. This arm wrestling contest goes on longer than what Hercules said in Thor #356 in which he said he can beat Thor at arm wrestling with little to no effort. 





A story about Volstagg's youth casts him in the role of Little John and Fandral in the role of Robin recreating the legendary first meeting of Little John and Robin Hood when trying to cross the stream. This was written by Ron and Tom, but drawn by Rich Yanizeski. Thunderstrike #18 would have a story written by Tom and Ron, but drawn by Pat Olliffe that established that Fandral was the legendary Robin Hood. 






Not written by Tom or Ron, but there's a story that was written by Ron's brother Randall Frenz and was drawn by Charles Vess. Which is really cool, because not many writers can say they've written something illustrated by Vess. The next issue, #401, was a fill in written by Randall Frenz and drawn by Rich Yanizeski, which is something Ron probably arranged since Randall is his brother and Rich is one of his oldest friends. I used to think that Randall was a pseudonym for Ron that when he was writing, he became Randall. 
















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Randall Frenz Interview

Image
  Superman #149, brothers Randall and Ron Frenz credited on the cover. The Randall Frenz Interview When I first read the issues of Thor #400 and #401 back in high school (this would have been in the early 2000s, years after they were first published in 1989), I saw the name of Randall Frenz. I was familiar with Ron Frenz, the penciler of Thor , The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Girl , but who was Randall Frenz? Was it Ron's real name? Was it his alter ego? I even admitted as much when Ron wished Randall a happy birthday on Facebook.  However, I saw that there was confusion from others online as to who Randall Frenz is. The above commenter is correct, but they should have written  is, not was.  Years later, with the advent of YouTube and a book written by Tom DeFalco titled  Comics Creators on Spider-Man , I also learned that Randall Frenz is Ron's older brother through various interviews that Ron has conducted.  Randall wrote 13 published comic book stor...
Read more

DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Krrish: Menace of the Monkey Men

Image
  Writer: Tom DeFalco Penciler: Ron Frenz Synopsis: A story featuring Krrish, India's superhero.  Comments: Ron wrote on his Facebook page that editor Scott Peterson contacted him when the movie company, FilmKRAFT, behind the Bollywood blockbusters featuring Krrish wanted an old fashioned Marvel comic book, Peterson knew that DeFalco and Frenz's style would play into their sensibilities. I first read this on Hoopla, a library app, and I remember asking Ron about it when I met him in Akron, OH in 2017.  When the project was announced it got a warm write up in Indian edition of Business Insider.    This story is kind a change of pace for DeFalco and Frenz in that it's set in a different country. If go through their body of work, DeFalco and Frenz stay usually in New York City. If one of their heroes travels, they go to a fictional countries like Belgruin and Latveria or other dimensions.  All that talk about powers and responsibility, where have I heard that ...
Read more

Spider-Girl #88

Image
  Writer: Tom DeFalco Penciller: Ron Frenz Synopsis: In the Negative Zone, the full force of the Fantastic Five meet the threat of Apox.  Comments: Fastball Special.  For some reason, this page with Howard, Sandra and Courtney was not in the digital issue of Marvel Unlimited. I had to get it elsewhere.  A nice resolution to the hanging plot threat from Fantastic Five.  I wouldn't violate that NDA. That guy's scary. 
Read more