Appearing in "The Challenge of the Crypto-Man!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Crypto-Man (First appearance)
- Jasper Whyte (First appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Mrs. Whyte
- NYPD
Locations:
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Dr. Blake's Office
- Manhattan
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Challenge of the Crypto-Man!"
While patrolling the skies, Thor spots three strange lights in the sky and goes to investigate them. He is struck by a stun ray created by inventor Jasper Whyte. Whyte then uses a device to steal half of Thor's strength and flees the scene before Thor can come around. Returning to his lab, Whyte transfers the stolen strength into his creation: A robot known as the Crypto-Man. With the robot activated and the power transfer a complete success, Whyte begins the next part of his plans.
Meanwhile, a weakened Thor returns to his office and sees that there is a patient inside waiting for him. Thor instead goes to the roof to change back into his mortal form of Donald Blake before entering his office conventionally. Blake recognizes the patient as Mrs. Whyte, and she explains that her son Jasper has gone missing. She explains to Blake that Jasper was a brilliant scientist that made his colleagues jealous. She asks for Blake's help in trying to find him.
While elsewhere in the city, has sent his Crypto-Man out on a rampage, terrorizing the city, to which the police cannot deal with. When Blake hears of the robots rampage, he changes into Thor to stop it, wondering if there is a connection between the robot and Jasper. Finding the robot, Thor goes into battle against it, but finds that their equal strength makes them an even match. The Crypto-Man manages to defeat Thor and escape.
As Thor pulls himself out of the rubble of their battle, Jasper Whyte approaches the Thunder God and boasts over his creations defeat. Undaunted Thor continues after the creature, with Whyte trailing behind mocking the Thunder God the whole way. Traveling in the sewers, Jasper tells Thor that he instructed the Crypto-Man to destroy an atomic power plant. Thor finds that the Crypto-Man has made it to his location, and Jasper boasts that he will succeed. However, when Thor tells Jasper that the Crypto-Man may cause an explosion that will harm thousands of people, including Whyte's own mother, Jasper reconsiders his revenge and goes in after the Crypto-Man.
Turning his control beam device to maximum power, Jasper attempts to stop the Crypto-Man before Thor can fight it. This causes an explosion that ends the Crypto-Man's menace and seemingly kills Jasper in the process. Later, after resuming his Donald Blake guise, Thor breaks the bad news to Mrs. Whyte. However, instead of telling her the whole story, he tells in such a way to suggest that Jasper had died a hero saving the city. With his recounting done, Blake leaves the woman to grieve the loss of her son privately.
Notes
- Although it's never depicted in this story, and is predicted by Jasper Whyte and noted to have occurred by Thor, it's assumed that with the destruction of the Crypto-Man, Thor's strength was restored to him.
- This issue contains a letters page, The Hammer Strikes. Letters are published from Peter M. Parrella, Nick Hathaway, Ross Fanucchi, Ian Jull, and Marlene Jablonski. The letters page also contains a Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation.