nastrond – Coke & Comics

Thor #136, Story B

There Shall Come a Miracle!

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: November 3, 1966
Cover: January 1967
12 cents
Garnished with glory in the Marvel tradition by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Delineated by: Vince Colletta
Lettered by: Sam Rosen
5 pages

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Thor #136	Reading order	Daredevil #19
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Never before hath a blessed blanket of rain so caressed the barren wasteland of Nastrond! Rain… which is truly the harbinger of life… the promise of the new day which is yet to be! And, in time to come, the soil shall turn green once more… the grass shall grow, and plants shall sprout above the place where Fafnir fell! For, such is the way of life… life universal.. which can never vanish whilst faith endures!

We come to the finale of the battle in Nastrond. Its king Fafnir had once rebelled against Odin and he and the entire land were sentenced to death in Odin’s wrath. But Fafnir lived on, transformed into a dragon. He now battles Thor for the fate of Nastrond.

It is claimed that if Thor can defeat Fafnir, there will be a miracle in Nastrond.

Thor #135, Story B

The Fiery Breath of Fafnir!

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: October 4, 1966
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
Proudly produced by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Delineation: Vince Colletta
Lettering: Sam Rosen
5 pages

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Thor #135	Reading order	Thor #136
Thor #135	Thor	Thor #136

So be it! No matter what may now befall… the flesh of my flesh shall face it as one to the manner born… as only the Thunder God can! The Son of Odin knows full well… evil hath many faces… And, wheree’er it may be found… no matter what its guise… it must be summarily crushed… for such is the will of Odin! Only with the defeat of Fafnir can the dead domain of Nastrond live again! Thus must it be! And that which must be, ever shall be! For such is the wonder! Such is the way! Now, verily… I have spoken!!

We continue the Fafnir saga. Last issue, Volstagg was captured by the dragon king Fafnir.

This issue Thor and his remaining two warrior friends confront Fafnir.

Thor #134, Story B

When Speaks the Dragon!

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: September 1, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby pictorial presentation
Delineated by: Vincent Colletta
Lettered by: Artie Simek
5 pages

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Thor #134	Reading order	Thor #135
Thor #134	Thor	Thor #135

In this land once lived an evil race who dared defy regal Odin himself! So monumental was Odin’s wrath, that he laid waste to the countryside, so that nothing here could live!

We get a clean beginning to a new arc. The cleanest break between stories in a while, but I’m still just reading these Tales of Asgard stories alongside the main Thor adventures without regard to their flow.

Thor and his three warrior friends ride to Nastrond. Here there once lived “an evil race” who “dared defy Odin”. So Odin laid waste the countryside so that nothing could live there. This is referred to as Odin’s kingly wrath.

Perhaps it’s worth reflecting on how righteous Odin really is here. Or how wise. Thor does not take this time to reflect. He just seems rather impressed by what to me seems like Odin’s utter madness.