Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: December 2, 1963
Cover: February 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: G. Bell
Lettered by: Art Simek
5 pages
Forces of Evil are set to attack Asgard, but Heimdall stands vigilant. However, Loki has created a hole in Asgard’s defenses and somehow kept it secret from even Heimdall. He tricks Thor into thinking he discovered this gap, and suggests that Thor guard it. This leads to the young Thor having to battle the Forces of Evil alone.
The Norn Hag was introduced in the present in the main story. She helped Loki by taking him to the Well of Centuries. In this ancient tale, she stands with the Forces of Evil who are invading Asgard.
Also with the Forces of Evil is someone described as the “Last of the Ice Giants”. I thought Ymir was the last of the Ice Giants and that Odin trapped him in a flaming prison. Is that supposed to be Ymir? Escaped from his eternal prison? Not certain.
We meet our first Rime Giants. We have previously met Ice Giants and Storm Giants. Rime Giants seem to possess the power to weave spells. This one turns Thor into a tree.
Thor must do noble deeds to earn Odin’s uru hammer. We saw in the last issue he could lift it a little higher than before, and Odin noted he would be able to lift it higher with each deed of valor. This had been the first hint that worthiness was related to the ability to lift the hammer. Previously, the comic had been quite clear that the hammer was just very heavy. However, the former interpretation is reaffirmed this issue, as Odin’s remarks are clarified. Odin rewards Thor with additional strength for his noble deeds. It is this additional strength which allows Thor to lift the hammer even higher.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 56/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 2. It is also available in Thor Epic Collection vol. 1: God of Thunder. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Heimdall
- Thor
- Loki
- Norn Hag
- Skoll
- Haiti
- Geirrodur the Troll
- Ulfrin the Dragon
- Odin
Story notes:
- Full title of feature: “Tales of Asgard, Home of the Mighty Norse Gods: The Boyhood of Thor”.
- Heimdall much older than Thor.
- Forces of Evil: Norn Hag riding Ulfrin the Dragon, Rime Giants, Last of the Ice Giants, Skoll and Haiti, Wolf Gods, and Geirrodur the Troll.
#158 story in reading order
Next: Journey Into Mystery #102
Previous: Journey Into Mystery #101
