DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Thunderstrike #9


 

Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Ron Frenz

Synopsis: Bloodaxe regains the axe and discovers Thunderstrike's secret identity. 

Comments: Eric ironically comments on how easy Spider-Man seems to have it. 




Bobby goes out to get a newspaper and Bloodaxe is later seen reading a newspaper. I guess that was more of a red herring back then. Today if someone was seen reading a newspaper, then it would really be suspicious. 




Giant-Man is understating it that's he's "been there." In Avengers #227, a psychiatrist reported that he had four nervous breakdowns in ten years. 




Thunderstrike telling Crystal that he has the axe somewhere safe reminds me of the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indiana Jones is told that they have top men working on the Ark just to show it being put in a warehouse. Although the axe probably would have been safer in a warehouse. 





A lot of topical discussion for the day with Sue Grafton, NYPD Blue, Star Trek and the animated film turned Broadway show is probably a reference to the Beauty and the Beast, which premiered as a Broadway show at time. The person complaining about Next Generation being too PC would probably be complaining about Star Trek or Star Wars being too woke today. Matt Bollors was never given any characterization to be a suspect for Bloodaxe. He was there when Susan was released from the hospital in Thor #453. Ed Marrero is revealed to have been in the military, which I guess adds a layer to his character that he's trained to kill. 


Jackie says "Cute, but hopeless" and Bloodaxe later says "Cute, but transparent." A subtle clue to Bloodaxe's identity. Bloodaxe's alter ego finds the axe in Eric's apartment and transforms. I remember some people thought Bobby was Bloodaxe since Bloodaxe says the party is what the doctor ordered and Bobby had just been to the doctor or it was Dr. Paretsky himself. I remember the editor pointed out to a fan that it's just an expression. 




Bloodaxe now knows Thunderstrike's identity which gives Bloodaxe the upper hand. Eric knows it was an attendee at his party. One of those is correct. 







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