—Fandral the DashingThough I hold life most dear... let my broadsword strike!
Appearing in "The Growing Man"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Growing Man ⏵ (First appearance)
- ⏴ Kang the Conqueror ⏵
Other Characters:
- Jane Foster (Mentioned)
- Olson, the janitor
Races:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Growing Man"
Following the defeat of the Rock Trolls, Thor is commended for his contribution in the battle. After the celebration ceremonies are over, Odin retires to the Pool of Peace for rest and relaxation. There he is visited by a troubled Thor who asks permission to return to Earth as he fears that something may be happening in his absence.
This proves to be a prophetic concern as, back on Earth, a scientist who had been called upon to inspect a man the size of a doll that a museum expedition had unearthed the previous night discovers that the find had somehow grown to be human-sized. The scientist is unable to determine if the figure is from the past or the future, and his rapping on its chest armor activates the humanoid who begins to grow even larger as force is used against him. Calling for his master to give him instructions, the Growing Man begins to rampage throughout the city, increasing in size as he does so.
Meanwhile, back in Asgard, Odin grants Thor's request to return to Earth, and when Sif asks if she may join the Thunder God, Thor declines, advising her that he is doing "man's work" before Odin transports him back to Earth. Appearing in New York City, Thor returns to his office and reverts to his mortal guise of Donald Blake. There Blake is reflecting on his dual role in life when he is interrupted by the office janitor who asks Blake if he knows when Jane Foster will be back. Unfortunately, Blake has no answer.
Elsewhere in a suburban park, the Growing Man has led the police on a merry chase of wanton destruction, and continues to overpower them. Suddenly, the Growing Man's master reveals himself to be the future tyrant, Kang the Conqueror, who uses a special device to shrink the Growing Man back down to a miniature size.
In desperation, the police pick up Donald Blake, who they know has ties to Thor, and bring the doctor to the scene in hopes that he can call Thor in to stop Kang. When the police leave Blake unattended, the doctor taps his cane and transforms into Thor once more.
Kang has once more let loose the Growing Man, and Thor manages to hold his own against the foe in spite of its ever-increasing size. That is, until Kang gets the drop on Thor from behind and manages to overpower the hero with his advanced future technology.
Kang explains to Thor that he had hidden the Growing Man on 20th Century Earth, planning to eventually use it against his enemies. He has come to the past now, to when the Growing Man was accidentally revived, because he needs to use it against his enemies in his own time, after which he will return to the 20th century and wipe out all human life. As Kang shrinks the Growing Man again so he can transport him in his time machine, Thor reveals that he had just been feigning defeat in order to learn Kang's intentions, but Kang manages to enter his time machine, camouflaged as a nearby rock formation, and activates a cosmic force field that he claims is impenetrable.
Unwilling to allow Kang to escape with such a weapon, Thor uses his hammer to create a universal infinity vortex around the time machine which causes it, Kang and his stimuloid to be displaced beyond all time and all space, leading Thor to believe that his enemy is vanquished for good.
Appearing in "Tales of Asgard: The Battle Begins!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Races:
- Elder God/Asgardian Hybrid
- Asgardians
- Djinn
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "Tales of Asgard: The Battle Begins!"
Continued from last issue...
Having found an entryway into the land of Zanadu to get revenge against Mogul, the ruler of Mystic Mountain for his eradication of Hogun's people, Thor and the Warriors Three must fight against Mogul's defender, the evil Devil Jinni.
Although the Jinni has superior mystical powers, Thor and the Warriors Three are able to fight back against it until nightfall, when the approaching darkness causes the Jinni turn into smoke. Mogul is furious over his slave's inability to stop the intruders, and decides to take matters into his own hands.
With their latest obstacle out of their way, Hogun leads the others down into the city of Zanadu in hopes of facing Mogul one-on-one.
This story is continued next issue...
Notes
- In this issue, Thor recalls how Odin had banished the memory of him from the brain of the mortal girl, Jane Foster. A footnote references the events in Thor #136.
- In this issue, Kang refers to his time travel vehicle as his time machine. However, in future recaps of these events, Kang will refer to that vessel as either as his time-sphere or his timeship/time-ship.
- There are conflicting accounts as to what exactly happened to Kang, the Growing Man and the time machine after Thor surrounded them with that infinity vortex.
- In Avengers #269, Kang told some captive Avengers that the infinity vortex had obliterated his time-sphere and flung him into Limbo, the misty realm outside of all time and space that was ruled by Immortus, and that he had soon found there a fortress containing the skeletal remains of Immortus.
- In Thor Annual #17, a chronicle of his life story that Kang had recorded claims that the infinity vortex had failed to entrap his timeship because it was already on its way back to the 41st century where Kang used the Growing Man to swiftly defeat rebel forces who had revolted against his rule.
- In Avengers: Forever #9, Kang's autobiography tapes claim that the infinity vortex that Thor created around the time-ship had cast Kang into Limbo where he soon found that fortress that contained the skeletal remains of Immortus.
- Although no official attempt to reconcile these conflicting accounts has been made, there would seem to be only two logical alternatives:
- One explanation would be that the events of this story actually took place in two very similar timelines, one of which was Earth-616, with each timeline having its own versions of Thor, Kang, the Growing Man and Kang's time machine. In one timeline, Kang's time machine departed slightly earlier than its counterpart did, enabling it to avoid the infinity vortex and safely return its Kang and his Growing Man back to the future, while in the other timeline, the time-sphere was obliterated by the infinity vortex, causing that Kang to be cast into Limbo.
- The other possible explanation is that the events of this story took place in only one timeline, Earth-616, but that Thor's use of the infinity vortex somehow caused a divergence within itself that had split the time machine and its occupants into two variants of themselves. One variant of the time machine safely escaped back to its future with its Kang and his Growing Man while the other variant was destroyed and its Kang was cast into Limbo.
- Whatever happened to Kang after this issue's story, Immortus was ultimately responsible, given that he later admitted that he had manipulated Kang into entering Limbo and finding his ersatz remains.