Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: September 3, 1963
Cover: November 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: Don Heck
5 pages
In this same issue, we saw Thor’s lackluster battle against Cobra. There is also a prose story taken from an old issue of Uncanny Tales, and a new Larry Lieber sci/fi tale. And then this. The second installment of the “Tales of Asgard” series.
We get more detail on a battle spoken of in the previous issue. We see Odin’s great war against Ymir and the Ice Giants. A simple enough tale, but told with a bold forcefulness. This is a better use of Kirby’s talents than a lot of what he has been doing of late.
If it were up to me, I would throw out the Thor stories and expand these “Tales of Asgard” stories, focus their energy here.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 58/100
Significance: ★★☆☆☆
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol.1. It is also available in Thor Epic Collection vol. 1: God of Thunder. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Odin
- Ymir
Story notes:
- This issue also features a text story reprinted from Uncanny Tales #47 and a sci/fi story by Lee and Lieber.
- Goal of Ice Giants: bring frost, desolation, and eternal night to Asgard.
- Odin’s chariot drawn by two winged horses.
- Odin wields magic sword.
- Odin sends ice giants to Surtur’s realm, where his demons will imprison them.
- Odin creates flaming prison for Ymir.
#116 story in reading order
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