Thursday, November 6, 2014

AN UNEXPECTED TWIST WITH T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENT -- MENTHOR !!!


The most unexpected twist of all came with T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent -- Menthor!

Mentor by Gil Kane & Mike Esposito
Original art from T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #4
John Janus of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents was the agent to receive the Menthor helmet.
In truth, Janus was actually an enemy of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. (The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves) planted in the organization by S.P.I.D.E.R., an evil organization bent on world conquest. He was a powerful agent, expert in wrestling and karate.



 

The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent with the Super Helmet!

Menthor #72-674  "At Last We Have Menthor, Without his Super Helmet! Destroy Him! Quick!"
Every T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent vows to give his life for his country if necessary--is MENTHOR about to fulfill that vow?

"Turnabout"
Reprints THUNDER Agents #2
"Dynamo vs Mentor" 
Reprints THUNDER Agents #3
"The Great Hypno"
Reprints THUNDER Agents #4 
"Menthor vs the Entrancer"
Reprints THUNDER Agents #5


T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS #7  Death of Menthor!
However, by wearing the helmet that gave him him mental powers, it was turning Janus good and became more permanent, until he made the ultimate sacrifice for his fellow agents.


I was shocked! One of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (in issue #7) killed off! The story was reprinted in T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #18.




He died by being shot a half-dozen times in the back by one of the Warlord's minions as he tried to warn his fellow agents about an ambush.It was violent, gripping and he was never brought back!
Blue Ribbon Comics #12
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2 JC Comics
Menthor from Blue Ribbon Comics #12
Menthor by George Perez, from Wally Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1
In Blue Ribbon Comics #12 it's revealed the personality of the first Menthor -- John Janus-- now resides in the Menthor helmet! This follows the storyline from T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2
(JC Comics series.)


Omni Comix #3
Years later, in Omni Comix #3 magazine, the Menthor helmet did come to be worn by another agent.

A new Mentor, Toby Henston, was incorporated in the DC Comics' T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents series. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Tower Comics. I even mailed in coupons, along with a quarter, for the comics I missed and received those comics in the mail. It was a fun time!

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!

1 comment:

  1. Tower comics were so damn good. Especially loved the minimalist approach to dialogue when the pictures told the story, quite unlike all the Stan Lee impersonators running rampant at the time.

    Really enjoying your blog as I favor offbeat and off-brand comics as well. DC and Marvel are okay but my heart belongs to Archie, Charlton, Tower, Gold Key, Dell, etc.

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