Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1992-01-01 00:10:10 |
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Thor #444
Issue(s): Thor #444
Cover Date: Feb 92
Title: "How the Groonk stole Christmas!"
Credits:
Tom DeFalco - Script
Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz - Plot
Ron Frenz - Penciler
Al Milgrom - Inker
Len Kaminski - Assistant Editor
Ralph Macchio - Editor
Review/plot:
The cover of this Christmas issue promises the most shocking super-foe of all, but then says that the most shocking super-foe would probably be Dr. Doom (who, for what it is worth, is appearing in Tom DeFalco's Fantastic Four Christmas issue). But they were probably right the first time, because i'm pretty shocked to see an entire issue devoted to a Grinch Who Stole Christmas gag.
Shocked, and dismayed.
The "Groonk" is some kind of monster that is living with a group of homeless people. Thor catches him stealing presents in a misguided attempt to help his homeless friends, and in the end Thor lets the creature go, earning him a scolding from Captain America.
Cap does offer Eric the option of living at Avengers mansion since he's being evicted. And a number of Eric's friends hold him a Christmas party.
In another Christmas miracle, Susan Austin wakes up from her coma after the surgery performed by "Donald Blake" (really Mephisto) in the previous arc.
Odin save me from these Christmas comics.
Quality Rating: D
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: Christmas.
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
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Comments
Ugh. The Groonk! I was livid at the time that they were wasting issues on this junk instead of resolving the Thor storyline. I understand more now about scheduling around a big crossover event and about there being nothing wrong with the occasional comedy issue (even if it's not particularly funny). But, back then, I didn't care about that. I just cared that I wasted my money on the Groonk!
I'm surprised Aloysius R. Jamesley wasn't showing standing on the sidelines trying to instruct Tina Sapristi in the proper method for preparing a holiday feast, and lecturing everyone else on the correct way to decorate a Christmas Tree :)
I remember that when I read this issue back in late 1991 that I kept expecting there to eventually be some sort of twist to Susan Austin emerging from her coma, because the only reason she recovered was due to "Donald Blake" aka Mephisto performing life-saving surgery on her. I guess I was waiting for some sort of twist like Mephisto had turned her into a demon or stolen her soul during the operation, but nothing like that ever occurred, and Susan's subsequent recovery was written to be completely normal. I can only conclude this to mean that Mephisto, in addition to his work as a divorce attorney, moonlights as a surgical specialist. Old Scratch really is a jack of all trades.
