Episode 145: Superhero Emergency Fund - Law and Logic (Journey Into Mystery #108) -- August 1964

Last week, due to human error, we published both of our two weekly episodes on Monday instead of Monday and Thursday. We will try not to let it happen again. Apologies.

In this episode:

Mike and Ed discuss the Avengers Emergency Fund. Thor created a shockwave damaging the structure of buildings across half the state. He has admitted to the damage and directed those concerned to the emergency fund. But how does the fund work? Who decides who gets the money and when? Do you fill out a form? Do you have to sue? Do you need a lawyer? Mike walks Ed through the legal questions as we ask: “Are we now at the point where we need super-lawyers?”

Behind the comic:

This is the first meeting of Thor and Dr. Strange. At this point, Stan Lee has managed to guest his heroes in each other’s stories with regularity, but Strange is still the odd man out. Having the sorcerer battle Loki makes a ton of sense. Also interesting here is that when Strange needed surgery, it was performed by Dr. Donald Blake.

In this issue:

Thor strikes the ground with his hammer, causing damage halfway across the state. All to save Billy from getting run over by a truck (the hammer strike caused a runaway truck to move, avoiding a clueless Billy chasing a ball across the street). Thor volunteers that he will reimburse the city for the damage he caused (which, again, extended halfway cross New York State) by accessing the Avengers Emergency Fund. He then flies away to see Dr. Strange, who has hailed him through his astral form. Strange is taken to the hospital and operated on by Thor in his mortal guise of Dr. Donald Blake. Later on, Loki appears, separates Blake from his cane (which he uses to turn into Thor), and kidnaps Blake’s nurse/love interest Jane Foster. Blake then goes to Dr. Strange for help finding his cane, which he does. This allows Blake to transform into Thor, track down Loki, and rescue Jane.

Assumed before the next episode:

Thousands of people are trying to figure out how to make a claim to the Avengers Emergency Fund.

This episode takes place:

After Loki has been defeated by Thor once more.

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