Issue(s): Thor #279
Cover Date: Jan 79
Title: " A hammer in Hades!"
Credits:
Don Glut - Writer
Alan Kupperberg - Penciler
Pablo Marcos - Inker

Review/plot:
Roy Thomas' deadline issues were often good news for Don Glut. This period between Thor #278 and Thor #283 gives us a nice break between Thomas' "epics", even if the actual stories aren't very good. This one is largely flashback, with Thor having to rescue Jane Foster from the unlikely alliance of Pluto, Loki, and Ulik.

It's as generic as you can get, although i do like the fact that as soon as Ulik hears that he's being "used" he immediately turns on the boss villains.

If only Pluto learned a little diplomacy, things might have went differently.

The encounter ends with Pluto wiping Jane's memory of the affair, making this insert as harmless as possible.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The framing sequence just has Thor flying around New York and thinking about Jane and so is context free. I'm following the MCP and placing this after Thor #278 and before his appearance in Godzilla and some Captain America and Avengers stories. The majority of the issue takes place in flashback soon after Thor #170. This takes place after Thor annual #7.

References:

• Thor is on Earth because he wants to protect it from the Judgement of the Celestials, which he learned about in Thor annual #7.
  
• Jane Foster "did find the burden of godhood too much to bear" in Thor #136 and that nixed her chances of marrying Thor.
  
• As of Thor #236, however, Jane has been merged with Sif.
  
• Thor had previously been in Pluto's realm in Thor #130.
  
• At the time of the flashback in this story, Thor had last defeated Pluto in Thor #164.
  
• Ulik first appeared in Thor #137.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A