{"id":35935,"date":"2026-07-13T08:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T08:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=35935"},"modified":"2026-07-11T17:16:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T17:16:46","slug":"thor-the-deviants-saga-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2026\/07\/13\/thor-the-deviants-saga-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Thor: The Deviants Saga"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Robert Rodi<\/strong>, Stephen Segovia<\/strong>, M. Jason Paz<\/strong> & Jeffrey Huet<\/strong> & various (MARVEL)
\nISBN: 978-1-3029-2295-5 (TPB), 978-1-3020-1399-8 (Digital edition), 978-1-84653-511-6 (Panini UK edition)<\/p>\n

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

Time for another Anniversary shout out…<\/em><\/p>\n

Jack Kirby\u2019s The Eternals<\/strong> first emerged on 13th<\/sup> April 1976 in a title cover-dated July of that year, in a series slightly at odds with and removed from Marvel\u2019s regular company continuity. The new mythology revealed that giant Celestial aliens had visited Earth in epochs past, gene-gineering proto-hominids into three distinct species: Human Beings<\/em>; godly superbeings who called themselves Eternals<\/em> and genetically unstable, ferociously aggressive but highly intelligent creatures dubbed Deviants<\/em>. These subspecies had battled for ownership of Earth in wars spanning the length of human existence, but moreover the Space Gods had periodically returned to check up on their experiment…<\/p>\n

Never a comfortable contemporary fit with the wider Marvel Universe – only S.H.I.E.L.D. ever really got involved the first time around – the series explored Kirby\u2019s fascinations with Deities, Space and Supernature through the lens of very human observers. Once it ended and Kirby left, in the tried and trusted manner of such things other creators subsequently co-opted the concept into the regular continuity.<\/p>\n

Over 19 issues and one Annual, the series avoided contact with Marvel continuity as modern humanity\u2019s military, secret agencies and moneyed movers-&-shakers dealt with the politics and panic of a world-shattering event seen through the eyes of heroic rebel Ikaris<\/em>, human Margo Damian<\/em>, and a potent cast of Earth aliens Ajak<\/em>, Sersi<\/em>, Makkari<\/em>, Zuras<\/em>, Thena<\/em>, Sprite<\/em> and Druig<\/em> who fought and foiled – or occasionally befriended – Deviants including Kro<\/em>, Brother Tode<\/em>, Ransak<\/em> & Karkas<\/em>, with Homo sapiens skulking running or cowering in terror in the background and under the microscope as a Celestial Fourth Host<\/em> hovered above the world in a city-sized ship, pondering final judgement: a process that would take 50 years…<\/p>\n

One of the heroes the Eternals did eventually meet with most often was the bellicose but benevolent Asgardian Storm Lord…
\n\"\"
\nLovingly remastered and skilfully refitted here by Robert Rodi and artists Stephen Segovia, M. Jason, Paz & Jeffrey Huet, the story here originated at the end of 2011 as a 5-issue miniseries and part of wave of publishing projects to support the burgeoning film franchise. It picks up on fresh elements introduced in 2007\u2019s collection Neil Gaiman\u2019s Eternals<\/strong> and opens in the ruins of Asgard as Thor<\/strong> discovers ancient deposed, Deviant monarch Ereshkigal<\/em> has crept in and is searching through the rubble with a horde of brutal monsters…<\/p>\n

The Deviants have also fallen on hard times and face extinction from a deadly plague, inspiring the dire, demi-demonic ex-empress to seek Asgardian tools and weapons to facilitate her return to personal power. After an inconclusive battle, Ereshkigal escapes with the Unbinding Stone of Oshemar<\/em>, an apparently innocuous globe which can literally unmake reality. Utterly unaware of the power of her purloined prize, the Deviant tries and fails to usurp control from the current rulers of the Lemurian undercity which is their last refuge and home, whilst Thor – galvanised by the imminent destruction of the universe – seeks allies and the location of her hidden homeland amongst his old comrades and erstwhile allies in Olympia<\/em>, cloaked Earthly citadel of his old Eternal comrades.
\n\"\"
\nThe city is all but deserted, with only resurrected hero Virako<\/em>, master technician Phastos<\/em> and \u201creformed\u201d Deviants Karkas<\/em> & Ransak the Reject<\/em> occupying the immense mountaintop metropolis. Before the valiant band can formulate a plan, however, the city is invaded by a Deviant army led by apparently ageless and undying Warlord Kro<\/em> and a cadre of elite monster warriors. After a spectacular battle the heroes are temporarily overwhelmed and Phastos captured. Critically, his incredible devices are stolen: taken in the misguided belief that they can reverse the effects of the disease devastating the Deviant population.
\n\"\"
\nWith the Unbinding Stone still in Ereshkigal\u2019s meddling hands and their friend in peril, Thor and his comrades must storm the very heart of Lemuria before personal tragedy becomes universal Armageddon, but at least they have a hidden ally in the heart of the enemy – the outcast Eternal known alternatively as Gilgamesh<\/em> and The Forgotten One<\/em>…<\/p>\n

Also re-entering the mix as the cataclysmic climax builds are the space-scattered, long missing other Eternals, but even if they return in time, what can anybody do against a doom-obsessed potentate possessing a device which destroys atomic bonds and has no off-switch? The only answer to is try and pray and hope to make a miracle…
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\nA grandiose, \u00a0old-fashioned blockbuster spectacle, this rousing yarn is cannily constructed so that even first-time readers can get right into the swing of things, whilst veteran devotees will find plenty of old favourite characters and themes revisited and clarified, with the adventure rattling along to a perfect climax with the portentous promise of more to come.<\/p>\n

Fast, furious, frantic fantasy fun for older kids of all ages and one no Fights \u2018n\u2019 Tights fanatic could possibly resist.
\n\u00a9 2012 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n

Today in 1902 \u201cFather of Turkish Comics\u201d Cemal Nadir G\u00fcler<\/strong> was born, followed in 1919 by hyperprolific comic book scribe Joe Gill<\/strong> (The Phantom<\/strong>, Zaza the Mystic<\/strong>, Fightin\u2019 Five<\/strong>, Blue Beetle<\/strong>, Captain Atom<\/strong>, Peacemaker<\/strong>, Vengeance Squad<\/strong>, Hot Wheels<\/strong>, The Secret Six<\/strong>, every Charlton genre anthology ever) and, in 1931 Puerto Rican superstar writer\/artist\/editor Ernesto Col\u00f3n Sierra<\/strong> AKA Ernie Colon<\/em><\/strong> (Harvey Comics, Star Comics, Manimal<\/strong>, Ax<\/strong>, The Medusa Chain<\/strong>, Arak, Son of Thunder<\/strong>, Dr Solar Man of the Atom<\/strong>, Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld<\/strong>, Damage Control<\/strong>, The 9\/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation<\/strong>, Vlad the Impaler<\/strong>). In 1937 Belgian humour cartoonist Hugo De Reymaeker<\/strong> AKA Hurey<\/em><\/strong>, Hugo<\/em><\/strong> and\/or Fonske<\/em><\/strong> (De Fratsen van Jan Heibel, Anakronis<\/em>), with Mike Ploog (Man-Thing<\/strong>, Ghost Rider<\/strong>, The Monster of<\/strong> Frankenstein<\/strong>, Werewolf By Night<\/strong>, The Spirit<\/strong>) arriving in 1940; master inker Tom Palmer<\/strong> (Doctor Strange<\/strong>, Avengers<\/strong>, Tomb of Dracula<\/strong>) joining in 1942 and military comics specialist Wayne Vansant<\/strong> (The \u2018Nam<\/strong>, Days of Darkness<\/strong>, Katusha<\/strong>) in 1949.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Robert Rodi, Stephen Segovia, M. Jason Paz & Jeffrey Huet & various (MARVEL) ISBN: 978-1-3029-2295-5 (TPB), 978-1-3020-1399-8 (Digital edition), 978-1-84653-511-6 (Panini UK edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times Time for another Anniversary shout out… Jack Kirby\u2019s The Eternals first emerged on 13th April 1976 in a title cover-dated July … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Thor: The Deviants Saga”<\/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":[290,246,102,117,79,107,100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dinosaurs","category-eternals","category-fantasy","category-jack-kirby","category-marvel-superheroes","category-science-fiction","category-thor"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-9lB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35935","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=35935"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35943,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35935\/revisions\/35943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}