Thor #130

Thunder in the Netherworld!

Featuring: Thor
Release: May 3, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Stan the Man Lee, Writer
Jack King Kirby, artist
Vince the Prince Colletta, delineator
Artie Pussycat Simek, letterer
16 pages

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” Let there be no further battle! Only the weakling seeks to prove his strength at every turn!”
“Thy words have wisdom, Thor– even as thy limbs have power enow to make Hercules pause! Henceforth, I shall call thee friend!”
“And I thee!”
“What riotous revels we shall enjoy together! What battles we shall share, at each other’s side!”
“Alas, Olympian– revels are not for such as me– And, my hammer swings only for justice– never for the thrill of battle alone!”
“But, what good then to be a god?”
“Thy careless query, Hercules, is far more profound than you suspect!”

Stan the Man Lee. Jack King Kirby. Every issue Stan’s had new nicknames for the creative team. We’ve seen this particular set of nicknames before. And we’ll see it again. These are the nicknames that will stick for Stan and Jack. The Man and The King.

The issue’s title is “Thunder in the Netherworld”. Seems like a missed opportunity to call it “Thunder Down Under”.

Hercules had stupidly signed a contract saying he’d rule the Netherworld and let Pluto free. Hercules thought it was a movie deal. Zeus is enforcing the contract. Hercules’ only way out is for a champion to fight in his stead, to challenge Pluto and the armies of the dead to win Hercules’ freedom.

Thor is that champion.

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Thor #129

The Verdict of Zeus!

Featuring: Thor
Release: April 5, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, writer
Jack Kirby, penciller
Vince Colletta, inker
Artie Simek, letterer
16 pages

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I have received plaudits and accolades from the highest and mightiest of mortals, yet, the words you have spoken shall gladden my heart for as long as memory endures!

Thor and Hercules have beaten back Pluto in Los Angeles, but Pluto escaped, and still has Hercules’ signed contract, which will condemn Hercules to rule the Netherworld in his place. Thor has returned to New York.

People usually credit the turnaround in the Thor stories to Kirby taking more control and bringing in his interest in mythology. But Stan also pulls his weight. I actually have to make a hard choice to get a pull quote out of the issue. I found at least four good options. The first I considered was the most humorous, where Thor shouts to the New York crowd: “The endless prattle of thy voices proves wearisome to mine ears!” Stan seems to have Thor’s Shakespeare-lite dialogue down now.

This unnamed taxi driver is a favorite character of mine. Thor’s sentimental words to him are what I chose for the pull quote above. The cabbie had been a soldier, and thus Thor finds a kindred spirit. He’d fought in World War II, and been wounded in Anzio, Italy, which would have been in 1944.

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Thor #128

The Power of Pluto!

Featuring: Thor
Release: March 3, 1966
Cover: May 1966
12 cents
Stan Lee, writer
Jack Kirby, penciller
Vince Colletta, inker
Artie Simek, letterer
16 pages

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Let silence reign! The God of Thunder doth take his rest!! By order of Imperial Odin!

After the battle with Siedring, the wise and mighty Odin has issued an imperial decree: Thor needs a nap.

I like to imagine the herald yelling extremely loudly about how Thor needs his rest.

Most artists who need to draw a bed just draw a bed. But this is Jack Frigging Kirby. And that’s the bed of Thor.

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