{"id":31090,"date":"2024-12-14T09:00:16","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T09:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=31090"},"modified":"2024-12-13T19:05:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T19:05:01","slug":"the-mighty-thor-omnibus-volume-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2024\/12\/14\/the-mighty-thor-omnibus-volume-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mighty Thor Omnibus volume 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" \"\" \"\"
\nBy Stan Lee<\/strong> & Jack Kirby<\/strong>, Vince Colletta<\/strong>, Bill Everett<\/strong>, Frank Giacoia<\/strong>, \u00a0& various (MARVEL)
\nISBN: 978-0-7851-6813-3 (HB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

Win\u2019s Christmas Gift Recommendation: A Epic Jewel of Historic Import\u2026 10\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times.<\/em><\/p>\n

Even more than Fantastic Four<\/strong>, The Mighty Thor<\/strong> was the arena in which Jack Kirby\u2019s restless fascination with all things Cosmic was honed and refined through dazzling graphics and captivating concepts. The King\u2019s string of power-packed signature pantheons began in a modest little fantasy\/monster title called Journey into Mystery<\/strong> where – in the summer of 1962 – a tried-and-tested comic book concept (feeble mortal transformed into god-like hero) was revived by the fledgling Marvel Comics to add a Superman<\/strong> analogue to their growing roster of costumed adventurers.<\/p>\n

This monumental tome re-presents pioneering Asgardian exploits from JiM<\/strong> #121-125 and The Mighty Thor<\/strong> #126- 152, plus The Mighty<\/strong> Thor <\/strong>Annual<\/strong> #2, and a clod-ly godly gift parcel from Not Brand Echh<\/strong> #3, altogether spanning cover-dates November 1965 to May 1968 in a blazing blur of innovation and seat-of-the-pants myth-revising and universe-building. It is lettered throughout by unsung superstars Art Simek and Sam Rosen, and an unjustly anonymous band of colourists. As well as a monolithic assortment of nostalgic treats at the back, this mammoth tome is dotted throughout with recycled Introductions – \u2018So Utterly Godlike\u2019<\/em> & \u2018The Spectacle and Excitement\u2019 <\/em>by Stan Lee, and Mark Evanier\u2019s \u2018The Best at Their Best\u2019<\/em> – taken from earlier Marvel Masterworks<\/strong> editions, and also includes editorial announcements and \u2018The Hammer Strikes!\u2019<\/em> newsletter pages for each original issue to enhance overall historical experience\u2026<\/p>\n

Once upon a time, lonely, lamed American doctor Donald Blake<\/em> took a vacation in Norway and encountered the vanguard of an alien invasion. Trapped in a cave, Blake found a gnarled old walking stick, which when struck against the ground, turned him into the Norse God of Thunder! Within moments he was defending the weak and smiting the wicked. As months swiftly passed, rapacious extraterrestrials, Commie tyrants, costumed crazies and cheap thugs gradually gave way to a vast panoply of fantastic worlds and incredible, mythic menaces.<\/p>\n

From JiM<\/strong> #110, the magnificent warrior\u2019s ever-expanding world of Asgard was a regular feature and mesmerising milieu for the hero\u2019s earlier adventures, heralding a fresh era of cosmic fantasy to run beside the company\u2019s signature superhero sagas.<\/p>\n

Every issue also carried a spectacular back-up series that grew to be a solid fan-favourite. Tales of Asgard – Home of the Mighty Norse Gods<\/strong> gave Kirby space to indulge his fascination with legends and allowed both complete vignettes and longer epics – in every sense of the word. Initially adapted myths, these little yarns grew into sagas unique to the Marvel universe where Kirby built his own cosmos and mythology, underpinning the company\u2019s entire continuity.<\/p>\n

Here we resume mid-melee as Thor, having defeated The Destroyer<\/em> and Loki<\/em>, returns to America only to clash once more with the awesome Absorbing Man<\/em>. The Thunderer\u2019s attack intensifies in \u2018The Power! The Passion! The Pride!\u2019<\/em> but soon seemingly sees the end of Thor: a cliffhanger somewhat assuaged by \u2018Maelstrom!\u2019<\/em> wherein Asgardian Argonauts epically encounter an uncanny storm. This Tales of Asgard<\/strong> serial formed part of \u201cthe Quest\u201d which further unfolds as a band of hand-picked warriors on Thor\u2019s flying longship endure further hardship in their bold bid to forestall Ragnarok…
\n\"\"
\nIn JiM<\/strong> #122\u2019s \u2018Where Mortals Fear to Tread!\u2019<\/em> triumphant Crusher Creel<\/em> is abducted by Loki to attack Asgard and Odin himself: an astounding clash capped by cataclysmic conclusion \u2018While a Universe Trembles!\u2019 <\/em>Meanwhile, \u2018The Grim Specter of Mutiny!\u2019<\/em> invoked by seditious young Loki is quashed in time for valiant Balder<\/em> to save the Argonauts from \u2018The Jaws of the Dragon!\u2019<\/em> in the ever-escalating Ragnarok Quest.<\/p>\n

With the contemporary threat to Asgard ended and Creel banished, Thor returns to Earth to defeat the Demon<\/em>, a \u201cwitchdoctor\u201d empowered by a magical Norn Stone left behind after the Thunder God\u2019s Vietnamese venture. Whilst the Storm Lord is away Hercules<\/strong> is dispatched to Earth on a reconnaissance mission for Zeus<\/em>. \u2018The Grandeur and the Glory!\u2019<\/em> opens another extended story-arc and action extravaganza, bouncing the Thunderer from bruising battle to brutal defeat to ascendant triumph…<\/p>\n

Previously, in Journey into Mystery Annual<\/strong> #1, in undisclosed ages past the God of Thunder fell into the realm of the Greek Gods for landmark heroic hullabaloo \u2018<\/em>When Titans Clash! Thor vs. Hercules!\u2019<\/em> and now with the Greek godling clearly popular with readers, he properly enters the growing Mavel Universe.<\/p>\n

Issue #125 – \u2018When Meet the Immortals!\u2019<\/em> – was the last Journey into Mystery<\/strong>: with next month\u2019s \u2018Whom the Gods Would Destroy!\u2019<\/em> the comic was re-titled The Mighty Thor<\/strong> and the drama amped up, culminating with \u2018The Hammer and the Holocaust!\u2019 <\/em>In short order Thor crushes the Demon, seemingly loses beloved Jane <\/em>to Hercules, is deprived of his powers and is subsequently thrashed by the Prince of Power, yet still manages to save Asgard from unscrupulous traitor Seidring the Merciless<\/em> who had usurped Odin\u2019s mystic might…<\/p>\n

Meanwhile Tales of Asgard<\/strong> instalments see the Questers home in on the cause of all their woes. \u2018Closer Comes the Swarm\u2019<\/em> pits them against the flying trolls of Thryheim<\/em>, whilst \u2018The Queen Commands\u2019<\/em> sees Loki captured until Thor answers \u2018The Summons!\u2019<\/em>, promptly returning the Argonauts to Asgard to be shown \u2018The Meaning of Ragnarok!\u2019 <\/em>In truth, these mini-eddas were, although still magnificent in visual excitement, becoming rather rambling in plot, so the narrative reset was neither unexpected nor unwelcome…<\/p>\n

Instead of ending, the grandiose saga grew in scope with Thor<\/strong> #128 as \u2018The Power of Pluto!\u2019<\/em> introduced another major foe. The Greek god of the Underworld tricks Hercules into replacing him as ruler of his dread, dead domain, just as the recuperated Thunder God is looking for a rematch, whilst in Tales of Asgard<\/strong> Kirby pulls out all the creative stops to depict the \u2018Aftermath!\u2019<\/em> of Ragnarok – for many fans the first indication of what was to come in the King\u2019s landmark Fourth World<\/strong> tales half a decade later…<\/p>\n

\u2018The Verdict of Zeus!\u2019<\/em> condemns Hercules to the Underworld unless he can find a proxy to fight for him, even as at the back of the comic, assembled Asgardians face \u2018The Hordes of Harokin\u2019<\/em> as another multi-chapter classic begins. However, for once the cosmic scope of the lead feature eclipses the serialised odysseys.\u00a0 \u2018Thunder in the Netherworld!\u2019<\/em> depicts Thor and Hercules carving a swathe of destruction through an unbelievably alien landscape; the beginning of a gradual sidelining of Earthly matters and mere crime-fighting in this series. Thor and Kirby were increasingly expending their efforts in greater realms than ours…<\/p>\n

\u2018The Fateful Change!\u2019<\/em> then reveals how a younger Thunder God trades places with Genghis Khan-like Harokin – leaving the drama on a tense cliff hanger mimicked in this epic omnibus by Lee\u2019s recycled essay \u2018The Spectacle and Excitement\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Cosmic calamity recommences with the Thunderer and his Olympian rival returning triumphant from Hades. Thor even secures a pledge from his terrifyingly inconsistent father Odin that he may wed mortal love Jane Foster, but, hurtling back to Earth finds her long gone and erstwhile roommate Tana Nile<\/em> exposed as a superpowered Rigellian Colonizer who has just taken possession of Earth. \u2018They Strike from Space!\u2019<\/em> was mere prologue for a fantastic voyage to the depths of space and a unique universal threat…<\/p>\n

In Tales of Asgard<\/strong> the assembled Asgardians face different dramas as young Thor impersonates dynamic reiver Harokin until exposed, even as colossal companion Volstagg<\/em> steals the enemy\u2019s apocalyptic wizard-weapon \u2018The Warlock\u2019s Eye!\u2019<\/em> before the next instalment sees \u2018The Dark Horse of Death!\u2019<\/em> arrive, looking for its next doomed rider…<\/p>\n

Thor<\/strong> #132 also reveals the Thunderer explosively laying down the law on \u2018<\/em>Rigel: Where Gods May Fear to Tread!\u2019<\/em> and single-handedly liberating Earth. The following issue is a certified Kirby Classic, as \u2018Behold… the Living Planet!\u2019<\/em> introduces malevolent Ego<\/em>: a sentient world ruling a living Bio-verse and a stunning visual tour de force that piled one High Concept after another upon Thor, his new artificial ally The <\/em>Recorder <\/em>and the reeling readership, whilst Harokin\u2019s tale terminated in one last ride to \u2018Valhalla!\u2019<\/em>
\n\"\"
\nThe invasion threat ended, Thor returns to Earth in search of Jane, and after diligent efforts finds her with \u2018The People Breeders!\u2019<\/em> – a hidden Balkan enclave wherein pioneering geneticist The High Evolutionary<\/em> is instantly evolving animals into men. His latest experiment creates a lupine future-nightmare – \u2018<\/em>The Maddening Menace of the Super-Beast!\u2019<\/em> so it\u2019s just as well the Thunder God was on hand.<\/p>\n

Back in Asgard and an undefinable time agone, \u2018When Speaks the Dragon!\u2019<\/em> and \u2018The Fiery Breath of Fafnir!\u2019<\/em> pit Thor and his Warriors Three<\/strong> comrades Fandral<\/em>, Hogun<\/em> and Volstagg against a staggering reptilian monstrosity: a threat finally quashed in #136\u2019s \u2018There Shall Come a Miracle!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

The lead story in that issue is a turning point in the history of the Storm Lord. \u2018To Become an Immortal!\u2019<\/em> has Odin transform Jane into an Asgardian goddess and relocate her to Asgard, but her frail human mind cannot cope with the Realm Eternal\u2019s wonders and perils and she is mindwiped(!), mercifully restored to mortality and all but written out of the series.<\/p>\n

Luckily for the despondent Thunder God beauteous warrior-maiden Sif<\/em> is on hand to lend an understanding ear and shoulder to cry on…<\/p>\n

With this story, Thor\u2019s closest link to Earth was neatly severed: from now on adventures on Midgard are as a tourist or beneficent guest, not a resident. Asgard and infinity were now his true home, a situation quickly proved by the bombastic clash \u2018If Asgard Falls…\u2019 <\/em>Set in the Gleaming City during the annual Tourney of Heroes (and originally published in The Mighty Thor Annual<\/strong> #2, 1966) this a martial spectacular of outlandish armours and exotic weaponry that turns decidedly serious when the deadly Destroyer is unleashed amidst wildly warring warriors in full competition mode…<\/p>\n

Although Thor had lost his human paramour, he rediscovered a childhood sweetheart, now all grown up and a fierce warrior maid to boot. A good thing too, as \u2018The Thunder God and the Troll!\u2019<\/em> (#137) debuts bestial menace super-troll Ulik <\/em>and depicts open warfare between the Asgardians and their implacable, monstrous foes. During the spectacular carnage and combat Sif is captured and Thor rushes to Earth to rescue her, whilst legions of deadly subterranean troglodytes attack the very heart of the eternal kingdom…<\/p>\n

Tales of Asgard<\/strong> feature was gradually wrapping up, but still offered Kirby somewhere to stretch his creative muscles. \u2018The Tragedy of Hogun!\u2019<\/em> shares gripping revelations of the dour warrior in an Arabian Nights pastiche also introducing sinister sorcerer Mogul of the Mystic Mountain<\/em>. In \u2018The Flames of Battle!\u2019<\/em> Thor reunites with Sif but is deprived of magical mallet Mjolnir courtesy of exotic technology the trolls have mysteriously developed. Do the malign invaders have a potent new ally or a terrifyingly powerful slave? Trapped on Earth, the hammerless hero has no means of returning to the realm beyond the Rainbow Bridge whilst in Asgard, the war goes badly and the gods are close to final defeat…<\/p>\n

In Tales of Asgard<\/strong>, \u2018The Quest for the Mystic Mountain!\u2019 <\/em>finds Hogun and his comrades edging closer to victory and vengeance, culminating in a truly stunning Kirby spectacle in #139 as the wandering warriors discover \u2018The Secret of the Mystic Mountain!\u2019<\/em> In the lead story of that issue, \u2018To Die Like a God!\u2019<\/em> wraps up the Troll War in eye-popping style as Thor and Sif invade the bowels of the Earth to save humanity and Asgardians alike…<\/p>\n

With Mighty Thor<\/strong> #140, extended epics give way to a short run of compete, single episode tales heavy on action, starting with \u2018The Growing Man!\u2019<\/em> as Thor heads to Earth and discovers New York under attack by a synthetic warrior who grows larger and stronger with every blow struck against him. Time-travelling tyrant Kang the Conqueror<\/em> is behind the Brobdingnagian brute, whilst in back-up \u2018The Battle Begins!\u2019<\/em>, Hogun & Co are menaced by a terrifying genie.<\/p>\n

Mark Evanier\u2019s \u2018The Best at Their Best\u2019<\/em> precedes Thor<\/strong> #141, where the Storm Lord faces \u2018The Wrath of Replicus\u2019<\/em> – a bombastic, bludgeoning epic involving gangsters, aliens and super-robots, counter-pointed by stunning fantasy as the wandering Asgardians meet \u2018Alibar and the Forty Demons!\u2019 \u2018The Scourge of the Super Skrull!\u2019<\/em> then pits Thunderer against an alien with all the powers of the Fantastic Four<\/strong>, even as, in Asgard, a new menace is investigated by Sif and indomitable Balder the Brave. The back-up tale sees Kirby\u2019s seamless melange of myth and legend leap into overdrive as \u2018We, Who are About to Die…!\u2019<\/em> depicts young Thor and the Warriors Three confounding all the mystic menaces of Mogul. Thor <\/strong>#143 returns to extended epics with \u2018…And, Soon Shall Come: the Enchanters!\u2019<\/em> (inked by magnificent Bill Everett) as Sif and Balder encounter a trio of wizards plotting to overthrow All-Father Odin, only to fall prey to their power. Escaping to Earth they link up with Thor, but they have been followed…<\/p>\n

Everett also inked Tales of Asgard<\/strong> instalment \u2018To the Death!\u2019<\/em> as comic relief colossus Volstagg takes centre-stage to seduce Mogul\u2019s sinister sister…
\n\"\"
\nColletta returns for \u2018This Battleground Earth!\u2019<\/em>, as two Enchanters attack the warriors on Midgard whilst the third duels directly with Odin in the home of the gods. At the back, Mogul declares \u2018The Beginning of the End!\u2019 <\/em>At the height of the battle in the previous issue Odin had withdrawn all the powers of his Asgardian followers, leaving Sif, Balder and Thor \u2018Abandoned on Earth!\u2019<\/em> Now victorious, the All-Father wants his subjects home, but again his wayward son opts to stay with mortals, driving Odin into a fury. Stripped of magical abilities, alone, hungry and in need of a job, the former god becomes embroiled with the Circus of Crime<\/em> and is hypnotised into committing an audacious theft…<\/p>\n

Tales of Asgard<\/strong> wrapped up in spectacular fashion with \u2018The End!\u2019<\/em>, to be replaced in the next issue with The Inhumans<\/strong> – but as that\u2019s a subject of a separate volume, the remainder of this chronicle is all-Aesir action, beginning in #146\u2019s \u2018…If the Thunder Be Gone!\u2019 <\/em>Deprived of all power except his natural super-strength, Thor is helpless against the mesmerism of the nefarious Ringmaster<\/em>, and steals a life-sized, solid gold bull at the villain\u2019s command. When the police interrupt the raid, our hero awakens to find himself an outlaw and a moving target. Things get worse when he is arrested in \u2018The Wrath of Odin!\u2019<\/em>: left a sitting duck for the vengeance of malign brother Loki<\/em>. However, the god of Evil\u2019s scheme is thwarted when Sif and Balder rush to Thor\u2019s rescue, provoking Odin to de-power and banish them all in \u2018Let There be… Chaos!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

As all this high-powered frenzy occurs, a brutal burglar is terrorising Manhattan. When Public Enemy #1 The Wrecker<\/em> breaks into the house where Loki is hiding, the cheap thug achieves his greatest score – intercepting a magic spell from the formidable Norn Queen<\/em> intended to restore the mischief maker\u2019s evil energies. Now charged with Asgardian forces, the Wrecker goes on a rampage with only the weakened Thor to challenge him…<\/p>\n

Thor <\/strong>#149 enters new territory \u2018When Falls a Hero!\u2019<\/em> as – after a catastrophic clash – the Wrecker kills the Thunderer. \u2018Even in Death…\u2019<\/em> has the departed deity facing Hela, Goddess of Death<\/em>, as Balder and Sif hunt the Norn Queen and Loki. Hoping to save her beloved, Sif enters into a devil\u2019s bargain, surrendering her soul to animate unstoppable war-machine the Destroyer, unaware her lover has already convinced Death to release him. In \u2018…To Rise Again!\u2019<\/em> the Destroyer, fresh from crushing the Wrecker, turns on a resurrected Thor as Sif is unable to communicate with or overrule the death-machine\u2019s pre-programmed hunger to kill. The situation is further muddled when Odin arbitrarily restores Thor\u2019s godly might, leading the Destroyer to go into lethal overdrive…<\/p>\n

Meanwhile in the wilds of Asgard, Ulik the Troll attacks Karnilla<\/em>, Queen of the Norns and Balder offers to be her champion if Sif is freed from the Destroyer. An astounding turning point comes in \u2018The Dilemma of Dr. Blake!\u2019<\/em> as Thor joins his lost companions against Ulik, only to lose his newly re-energised hammer to Loki, who flees to Earth with it…
\n\"\"
\nTo Be Continued…<\/p>\n

However there\u2019s one last reading treat in store as Marvel\u2019s superhero spoof title Not Brand Echh<\/strong> #3 provides a barbed and pitiless pastiche of \u201cJazzgardian\u201d life in \u2018The Origin of Sore, Son of Shmodin!\u2019<\/em> by Lee, Kirby & Giacoia. It\u2019s followed by artistic and historical treasure including original and unused cover art and pencil pages, editorial Marvel Bullpen Bulletins<\/em> and Thor Kirby covers from reprint titles Special Marvel Edition<\/strong> (#3 & 4) and Marvel Spectacular<\/strong> #1-19, plus Maximum Security: Thor vs Ego<\/strong> (2000).<\/p>\n

These Thor tales show the development not only of one of Marvel\u2019s fundamental continuity concepts but more importantly the creative evolution of the greatest imagination in comics. Set your common sense on pause and simply wallow in the glorious imagery and power of these classic adventures for the true secret of what makes graphic narrative a unique experience.
\n\u00a9 2022 MARVEL.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Stan Lee & Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, Bill Everett, Frank Giacoia, \u00a0& various (MARVEL) ISBN: 978-0-7851-6813-3 (HB\/Digital edition) Win\u2019s Christmas Gift Recommendation: A Epic Jewel of Historic Import\u2026 10\/10 This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times. Even more than Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor was the arena in which Jack Kirby\u2019s … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “The Mighty Thor Omnibus volume 2”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,94,290,102,288,117,79,127,107,256,100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-avengers","category-dinosaurs","category-fantasy","category-hercules","category-jack-kirby","category-marvel-superheroes","category-nostalgia","category-science-fiction","category-sword-sorcery","category-thor"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-85s","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31090"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31098,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31090\/revisions\/31098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}