DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Thor #457

 


Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Ron Frenz

Synopsis: Eric journeys into the deep recesses of his own mind to rescue Thor. 

Comments: When Tom DeFalco was Editor in Chief at Marvel, he usually wasn't credited as that on the comics he wrote. For some reason, he's credited on the opening page of this story. 



Stellaris is apparently one of the women Eric thinks about, which foreshadows her return in Thunderstrike.  I guess his feelings for Samantha Joyce are platonic. 



Eric meets Shatterfist who he encountered for the first time in Loki's time vortex in Thor #440. He technically still hasn't met him. 




The first and last time Ron Frenz gets to draw Thanos in a comic. Eric fought Thanos during the Infinity Gauntlet crossover which the Thor title did not participate in. 




Eric finally finds Thor in his mind and is able to free him. They have a heartwarming reunion. 





Thor decides to marry Sif and give Eric his hammer, designating him as his successor on Earth. The next few issues are what vary from DeFalco and Frenz's original plan in that Eric was supposed to die and then Thor would take up the hammer once more. When they learned Eric would get a spinoff series for Thunderstrike, they had to keep him alive for a few more years. 




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