Friday Night Fights: EGO TRIP!

It's no secret I'm a big fan of Marvel's THOR, a character most of the self-proclaimed sophisticates view as hopelessly passe'.

Naturally, I haven't lost a wink of sleep over that.

In fact, the cornball amalgamation of Norse legend, swashbuckling adventure, Shakespearean dialect, chivalrous morality, and hi-tech Mardi Gras headgear is precisely why I enjoy the Thunder God's tales.

One of the pillars of Thor comics is the "Epic Quest" storyline, in which Goldilocks and his pals have to journey somewhere, find something, or defeat someone (or sometimes all three), invariably with the fate of the entire cosmos in the balance.

One such quest took place in Thor #226-#228 (1974) in a tale written by Gerry Conway (which character didn't he write in the 70's?), pencilled by Rich Buckler (in full Kirby-pastiche mode) and inked by Joe Sinnott (Kirby's greatest inker). Sent by the quest-happy Galactus, Thor, Hercules and Big-G's herald Firelord are sent to find EGO, an insane sentient planet roaming the universe destroying other planets (essentially stealing the food of Galactus). 

Their mission once they found Ego? Shut 'im down!

After the trio spent most of issue #227 fighting their way onto the surface of Mr. Planet McGrumpy Face, then smashing through armies of demonic "anti-bodies", Thor finally muscles his way into the core, hurls the mighty Mjolnir, and blows up Ego's giant brain!*

(click on the panels for brain-exploding bigness) 

Be sure to check out Mighty Bahlactus for more Friday Night Fighting!

*  Again with the "BARROOM" sound effect?  Man, the 70's were all about the subliminal pro-alcohol messaging, weren't they?