norse gods – Coke & Comics

Journey Into Mystery #98, Story C

Odin Battles Ymir, King of the Ice Giants!

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.

Journey Into Mystery #97, Story C

Tales of… Asgard! Home of the Mighty Norse Gods

Featuring: Tales of Asgard
Release: August 1, 1963
Cover: October 1963
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Jack Kirby
Inked by: G. Bell
5 pages

The inks are by George Roussos, who often used the pseudonym George Bell. This is the first work of his we’ve seen.

The Thor series has not been very good. But I know there are good Thor comics. I even know there are good Thor comics made by Lee and Kirby. We just haven’t seen them yet. There’s been no real consistent artistic voice on the series, with a variety of artists and scripters taking a hand.

Thor is at his best when the stories explore the mythological. He’s generally better in Asgard than on Earth. Indeed, the best Thor story so far introduced Loki, and told the story of how he freed himself from the tree where Odin had imprisoned him. That was the only glimmer of greatness we’ve yet seen.

Here is the next glimmer. After the main tale and a Larry Lieber-helmed sci/fi tale, we get the first installment of a new series: Tales of Asgard. These stories will give Kirby a chance to flex his mythological cred.

Journey Into Mystery #92

The Day Loki Stole Thor’s Magic Hammer

Featuring: Thor
Release: March 5, 1963
Cover: May 1963
12 cents
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: R. Berns
Art: Joe Sinnott
13 pages

I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1.

The somewhat awkward title of this story underscores they haven’t yet decided that Thor’s magic hammer should have a name.

I look forward to the first battle with Loki where he doesn’t steal Thor’s magic hammer.

Now, the title also sounds pretty ominous. For we know that if Loki were to steal Thor’s magic hammer, the thunder god would be helpless within 60 seconds. Indeed, that is what happened in both of Thor’s previous encounters with Loki, both of which involved Loki stealing his magic hammer.

Journey Into Mystery #85

Trapped by Loki, the God of Mischief!/The Vengeance of Loki!/
Release: August 2, 1962
Cover: October 1962
12 cents
Writers: Stan Lee and Larry Lieber
Penciler: Jack Kirby
Inker: Dick Ayers
13 pages

I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor vol. 1. The credits above come from the collection. I see no credits within the comic itself.

This is a pretty exciting story for me. I like the character of Thor, but what excites me most is the mythological world surrounding him. The first 2 issues told of a man in Thor’s body battling aliens and Commies. Now we finally get to Asgard.

“Beyond our segment of time and space, there exists Asgard, the citadel of the Norse gods, which is connected to earth by a rainbow bridge called the Bifrost!”

Why read the Marvel Universe?

In 1989, I was in Walgreens and my mother suggested I pick out a comic book from the newsstand. Thirty years and some 40,000 comics later, she has had time to regret that moment. On that day, I began a hobby which has consumed a large amount of my life’s attention and energy.

The comic was Avengers #309. I think I picked it out because I recognized some of the characters from cartoons I had seen. Thor, Captain America, Sub-Mariner. Perhaps I recognized She-Hulk. The other two characters on the cover were new to me.

The issue begins in the middle of events. Our characters stand atop a giant crater. The top reads, “Stan Lee PRESENTS: The MIGHTY AVENGERS!” Then in bolder letters, “TO FIND OLYMPIA!” Olympia is written is this cool gold font.

The story doesn’t end with this comic any more than it begins. By the final page, Thor is the only Avenger left standing and facing off against Blastaar. We get a little blurb which reads, “Next: The end of the Eternals? The end of the Avengers? You must not miss… Death in Olympia! In 30 days!!” The word ‘Death’ is written in this cool blood-dripping font.