My Hammer!! He Sliced It In Two!! If Fate Decrees That I Do Battle With No Weapon--Then So Be It! But, Though Only Death Can Be The Outcome, I Shall Fight While A Single Breath Remains Within Me! 
- —Thor
Appearing in "To Kill a Thunder God!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Kim
- United States Army
- Charlie (Behind the scenes)
- Vietnamese Natives
- Asgardian Guards
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Asgardians
- Monkeys
- Frost Giants
- Elephants (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Earthspace
- Asgard
- City of Asgard
- Dungeon of No-Escape
- City of Asgard
Items:
- Mjolnir (Destruction)
- Norn Stones
- Destroyer ⏵ (First appearance)
Synopsis for "To Kill a Thunder God!"
Having save the life of Kim, the sister of a Viet Cong general, he brings her to a US military base in Vietnam for protection before leaving for a private place to check and make sure that all the mystical stones that he has come looking for are there. Loki however, has been manipulating events drawing a crooked and abusive explorer to stumble upon Thor and knock him out with sleeping gas and take him hostage, hoping that he could ransom Thor off for money.
This explorer has been in the region investigating strange and out of place Norse artifacts and soon deciphers their inscriptions to find that they unearth a long buried Asgardian tomb. Playing right into Loki's hands, the explorer enters the tomb and finds the Destroyer, an ancient suit of enchanted armor. Loki then uses his magic power to transfer the explorer's soul into the armor bringing it to life.
When Thor revives later, he is advised by the natives of what had happened and tracks the explorer back to the tomb where he finds the man's inert body. He is soon attacked by the Destroyer, and Thor finds that his strength and hammer have no effect on it. Loki soon realizes that the Destroyer will do more than destroy the jewels that prove that he cheated at the "Trial of the Gods" but also destroy Thor as well. This realization also leads Loki to believe that Odin's wrath would lead to an investigation in Thor's death which would implicate himself as a mastermind. With this, Loki begrudgingly realizes that he will have to save Thor from the Destroyer. Seeking to trick Odin into stopping the Destroyer, Loki is horrified to find that Odin has entered the uninterpretable Odinsleep to recharge his powers. His attempts to rouse Odin are stopped by his royal guard and Loki is locked in the dungeon.
Back on Earth, the battle between Thor and the Destroyer rages on, with Thor constantly on the defensive, until he is trapped when the Destroyer briefly changes the floor into liquid and back to solidity once again trapping Thor in it. On Asgard, Loki attempts to break free of his cell, but is stopped once more and shackled as well. Finally, back on Earth, the Destroyer wanting to be returned to his own body sends a final mystical blast towards Thor, one he hopes will destroy the Thunder God.
Appearing in "The Crimson Hand!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Morduk (First appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Odin (Referenced)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Asgard
- City of Asgard
- Rainbow Bridge (Referenced)
Items:
- Crimson Hand (First appearance)
- Gjallarhorn
Vehicles:
- Odinship (First appearance)
Synopsis for "The Crimson Hand!"
When The Enchanted Discs On Yon Glove's Palm Make Contact With Another's Hand, Neither You Nor He Can Mouth Any Words Unless They Be The Solemn Truth!
Preparing for their quest to stop the person responsible for causing the Oversword from crumbling, Thor visits with Morduk who not only charts Thor a course to follow, but gives him a special glove that compels those who shake hands with Thor to tell the truth.
This glove proves advantageous when Thor meets someone that Loki wishes to hire as their ships overseer. When Thor shakes his hand, the man admits that he intended to kill Thor while on their voyage, leading to a fight between the two which Thor easily wins and sends running, much to Loki's chagrin.
With all their preparations set, Thor and Loki set sail on their adventure.
Notes
- The cover art is homaged in:
- Mighty Thor #476 (July 1994) - credits for Story 1:
- A Story Steeped In Splendor By...Stan Lee
- Artwork Bathed In Beauty By.....Jack Kirby
- Inking Dipped In Drama By........Vince Colletta
- Lettering Couched In Clichés By...Artie Simek
- credits for Story 2:
- Story By: Stan Lee The Legend Teller!
- Art By: Jack Kirby The Legend Maker!
- Inking By: Vince Colletta The Legend Portrayer!
- Lettering By: Artie Simek The Letterer!
- references: Journey Into Mystery #116