Issue(s): Journey Into Mystery #84
Cover Date: Sep 62
Title: "The Mighty Thor vs. The Executioner"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Plot
Larry Lieber - Script
Jack Kirby - Penciler
Dick Ayers - Inker

Review/plot:
First of all, as i was disappointed to learn, that's not the Asgardian Executioner, it's just some evil commie dictator.

Don Blake is back in America and working as a doctor. The Executioner and his evil army of communists have taken over the country of San Diablo and are repressing the peasants, who have formed a democratic revolutionary movement. Don Blake travels there with a group that is providing charitable medical help to war victims. He is going with his nurse, Jane Foster, who loves him as much as he loves her, but neither will admit it. Blake thinks a girl could never love him because he is lame. It's certainly the reason i don't love him.

The evil commie dictator doesn't want doctors to help the peasants, so he sends a fleet of fighter jets to destroy their boat, but Don Blake turns into Thor (who is looking really underfed in these early issues) and defeats them.

Then, after landing, the evil commies attack the doctors again, but Don Blake turns into Thor and defeats them. Then Jane Foster is captured by the evil commies and Don Blake surrenders. The evil commies are about to execute him but he tricks the dictator into bringing his cane within grabbing range, turns into Thor and defeats them.

The evil commie dictator is shown to be a self-serving bastard who tries to flee with all the money while his soldiers fight the democratic resistance.

In the end, Jane asks Don where he was while Thor was fighting, and Don lamely says that he was hiding behing the executioner's wall. "Golly," Jane wonders, "Why couldn't you be brave and adventurous like - Thor!" *Sigh*.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - First Jane Foster

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Tales Annual #3

i'm tired of these women who keep wondering why their men aren't more "adventurous" and "brave". blake shows up at the executioner's base camp alone in order to rescue her. he calls the guy a coward. that's pretty friggin' adventurous for a lame doctor if you ask me. stupid, but adventurous.

It does seem to be a weird trope, where so many heroes of the early eras were essentially in "love-triangles" with women who were in love with their alter egos. Like some strange understated cuckold fetish or something.

I say its a bit of the "Superman" effect with Blake: considering at this point they want to essentially make Thor into "Superman" before bringing in the true arrogance and mythology that being Thor associates with, it just leads to this whole concept of the female love interest having no interest in the main character but in their alter ego. Its pathetic but what can you say, Silver Age and all.

And when I saw "Executioner" in the title, I was hoping to see some random Skurge cameo...I mean if he could take over a future time with the Hulk stopping him later, why not try to take things over here before the real Asgardian intrigue starts? He could have made a fortune and maybe given Amora more to do or something!

My favorite part is at the end when the commies are trying to escape, they're carrying bags of money with dollar signs on them like something out of Looney Tunes.

Huh, only a 2 on the historical significance for Jane's first appearance? She's been a fairly significant character for years.

Agree, MSM. I've increased it.