DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Thunderstrike #18


 

Writer: Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz
Penciler: Ron Frenz and Pat Olliffe

Synopsis: Thunderstrike meets Seth and Fandral recounts a tale from his youth. 

Comments: Seth's tour of his genetically created troops reminds of Attack of the Clones where Obi-Wan saw the creation of the Clone Troopers. This comic was published years before that movie. 




The servant of Seth who stumbles against him reminds me of the servant of Dr. Doom who stumbled against him in Fantastic Four #57. 




Seth knocks out Bloodaxe using the term of endearment "my dear", something usually reserved for women when being said by a guy, hinting at Bloodaxe's true identity. 


For attacking him next, Seth brands Thunderstrike with his mark like he did with Hogun in Thor #395. 




After Stellaris gets Bloodaxe to safety, Thunderstrike decides to just blow a hole in the complex and let the river do his work for him. 





In the back up story, plotted by Ron Frenz, scripted by Tom DeFalco and penciled by Pat Olliffe, Fandral reveals he was the Robin Hood and was married to Maid Marian. His connection to Robin Hood was hinted to before in Thor #400, also plotted by Frenz, where his first meeting with Volstagg was like when Robin Hood first met Little John. In Thor #450, Rigger compares him to Robin Hood. So I guess Ron fulfilled Fandral's arc here. Fandral's creator, Jack Kirby even modeled Fandral on Errol Flynn who played Robin Hood in 1938. 














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