In Drawing Crazy Patterns, I spotlight at least five scenes/moments from within comic book stories that fit under a specific theme (basically, stuff that happens frequently in comics). Note that these lists are inherently not exhaustive. They are a list of five examples (occasionally I'll be nice and toss in a sixth). So no instance is "missing" if it is not listed. It's just not one of the five examples that I chose.

Today, based on a suggestion from reader Maurice F., we look at times that Don Blake appeared in a comic book without his Asgardian alter ego! Maurice was responding to a bit I did in the most recent From a Different Point of View where I discussed how Don Blake became the go-to doctor in the Marvel Universe for a while there. Generally speaking, though, when Don Blake would get involved, the writers would find a way for Blake to also turn into Thor in the issue. However, there were a few instances where only the good doctor guest-starred in the comic book. Here are five of them!

IRON MAN #66-67

In Iron Man #66 (by Mike Friedrich, George Tuska and Mike Esposito), "Iron Man" is possessed by Doctor Spectrum and Thor shows up to fight his possessed friend and it seems like Thor has actually KILLED Iron Man!

As it turned out, it was actually Iron Man's friend, Eddie March, filling in for Tony Stark!

Don Blake, though, tells Tony that he might be able to save Eddie's life...

The next issue, then, is all Don Blake trying to save Eddie...

while Iron Man protects the operation from an attack by a bad guy...

AVENGERS #199

Yes, Don Blake WAS, in fact, Carol Danvers' doctor when she had her insanely messed up pregnancy in Avengers #199 (by David Michelinie, George Perez and Dan Green)...

INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #11

This classic one-shot by Bill Mantlo, Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott sees the world come down with the "Green Flu," which basically turns everyone into the Hulk. Doctors Stephen Strange and Don Blake team-up to try to find a cure...

FANTASTIC FOUR #537

At the end of his 1998 series, Thor was seemingly killed along with all of Asgard via Ragnarok.

In Fantastic Four #536, Mjolnir crashed on Earth. In the following issue (by J. Michael Straczynski, Mike McKone and Andy Lanning and some other inkers), Don Blake returns, as well, and he is heading to go pick up the hammer (which he did in Straczynski's later Thor series)...

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #19

During "World's Most Wanted" (by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca), Tony Stark goes on the run to protect the secrets he has hidden in his mind (this was during the period where he had the Extremis virus, so his mind was almost literally a machine, and thus vulnerable).

Ultimately, Tony's only solution was to effectively make himself brain dead. Norman Osborn wanted to pull the plug on Tony, but Tony had a living will and his health proxy was, who else? - Don Blake!

Thanks for the suggestion, Maurice!

If anyone else has a suggestion for a future Drawing Crazy Patterns, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!