In this episode:
Mike and Ed discuss Dr. Donald Blake. He has been kidnapped twice (once by communists and once by aliens), and he is a world leader is germ warfare who also makes time to work as a surgeon and a family doctor. Most recently, he invented an android that is strong enough to withstand Thor’s hammer. Is Thor guarding Dr. Blake for his protection, or is he keeping an eye on him in case he “goes bad” like so many other geniuses? Also, is the android meant to protect us from superheroes gone bad?
In this issue:
Thor is secretly Dr. Donald Blake. As Dr. Blake, he has invented an android which Professor Zaxton demonstrates to a crowd at a science convention with the assistance of Thor. The android is amazing - he is able to solve the world’s most complicated mathematical problem and also withstand a strike from Thor’s hammer. The android malfunctions, and Thor disposes of it before it can do serious harm to anyone. Thor returns to his secret identity as Dr. Blake, and heads to his office. Professor Zaxton is waiting for him in his office, and he fills in Dr. Blake on his fiendish plan. You see, Professor Zaxton has invented a machine that can create copies of anything, and he wants Dr. Blake to help him use this technology to create copies of the android that he had invented. He has kidnapped Dr. Blake’s nurse Jane Foster to solicit his assistance. Dr. Blake turns into Thor, and before you know it Professor Zaxton uses his invention to duplicate Thor. He creates an exact copy who also has the opposite of Thor’s personality, and he remains under Professor Zaxton’s control. Thor battles his doppelgänger in the skies above New York City. Thor prevails over his evil copy, and returns to deal with Professor Zaxton, who makes a copy of himself and then falls to his death. Conveniently, the Zaxton copy is the opposite of the original - kind and benevolent. Thor then rescues Jane, and our tale comes to an end.
Assumed before the next episode:
People are wondering what makes Dr. Blake so special.
This episode takes place:
After Thor has defeated his evil doppelgänger.
Episode 69: The Genius of Doctor Donald Blake (Journey Into Mystery #95) -- August 1963