No-one Likes To Be Defeated...

When I tell people that I liked Thunderstrike, they laugh at me. They make fun of his ponytail, his quasi-biker costume, his dodgy, Bowie-esque ear ring. They point and mock and throw things - -

- - and I cry.

Then once I'm done crying I smack them upside their head with a copy of Thunderstrike #9. This is a comic chock full of classic Lee-Ditko style Marvel goodness. It's got an angsty, hero with actual problems (y'know ex-wives, surly kid, gammy leg), a big mean villain who likes to bat the hero around like a hockey puck and a good, old fashioned mystery arch nemesis.

The arch nemesis in question is Bloodaxe, who has been hounding Eric Masterson since back when he was the Thunder God stand in. Last time they met Eric smacked his bottom and took away his evil enchanted axe.

In this issue Bloodaxe is re-united with the axe:The twist is that he discovers the axe in Eric Masterson's closet while attending a party Eric and his room-mate are throwing for all of their friends.

But wait - - does that mean?

You guessed it true believer:
Drink it in folks - that is how you set up the mystery arch-nemesis ploy! De Falco and Frenz pulled it off beautifully. We are totally sucked in, we're left dying to know who from the party is actually Eric's most dangerous foe! Stan and Steve couldn't have done better themselves.

Add to this the fact that this issue has an excellent Thunderstrike-Bloodaxe confrontation - provided you can get past the fact that the costumes kinda make it look like the knife-fight from Michael Jackon's 'Beat It' video.

Show them how funky and strong is your fight!