Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: March 4, 1965 Cover: May 1965 12 cents Story: Stan Lee Pencilling: Jack Kirby Inking: Vince Colletta Lettering: Artie Simek 5 pages
Another early scheme of Loki. While Thor flirts with Princess Rinda, Loki schemes with King Hymir. Hymir issues two challenges Thor is honor-bound to accept. Those who fail Hymir’s challenges become his slaves.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: February 4, 1965 Cover: April 1965 12 cents Writer: Stan Lee Illustrator: Jack Kirby Delineator: Vince Colletta Letterer: Artie Simek 5 pages
This is the third Loki-centric story. Not really sure why this is a significant chapter in his life. I guess it’s an early example of him being evil. They seem to make a big deal that this is his first time forming an evil alliance.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: January 5, 1965 Cover: March 1965 12 cents By: Stan Lee + Jack Kirby Inking: Vince Coletta [sic] Lettering: Artie Simek 5 pages
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: December 3, 1964 Cover: February 1965 12 cents A Stan Lee and Jack Kirby fabulous featurette! Inked by: Vince Colletta Lettered by: Artie Simek 5 pages
The story is credited to Stan and Jack without any breakdown of who did what.
Stan refers to this as the “biographies-in-depth” series. There’s not that much depth. This is the second chapter of Loki’s “biography” and the third character spotlighted after Heimdall and Balder.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: November 3, 1963 Cover: January 1964 12 cents Majestically written by: Stan Lee Magnificently drawn by: Jack Kirby Masterfully inked by: Vince Colletta Magnanimously lettered by: Artie Simek 5 pages
We see this story described as the start of a new biography in-depth. There won’t be that much depth. What’s meant is that we have had sequences of this series devoted to Heimdall and Balder respectively. It’s now Loki’s turn to take the spotlight for the next few issues.
This story is set when Thor is a young child, and the universe as well is young. Odin is solidifying his rule and Asgard is at war with Jotunheim. Jotunheim is a land of giants and Laufey is their king. Odin seeks to end Laufey’s rule.
We have before met Frost Giants, Storm Giants, Rime Giants, and Mountain Giants. The inhabitants of Jotunheim are here just referred to as giants. Later comic stories will suggest Laufey is actually a Frost Giant, but he looks nothing like Ymir.
Odin is wielding what appears to be the uru hammer he would later give to Thor.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: October 1, 1964 Cover: December 1964 12 cents Superbly written by: Stan Lee Supremely drawn by: Jack Kirby Savagely inked by: Vince Colletta Sagatiously lettered by: Artie Simek 5 page
The theme of many of these early Thor stories is that Loki is still considered a friend and ally by Thor, yet Loki is always secretly trying to get Thor killed, usually in pretty non-subtle ways. This has been going on since they were children.
Loki has recommended a short cut through a forbidden forest, then goads Sigurd and Thor into battle. Balder is suspicious.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: August 4, 1964 Cover: Ocotber 1964 12 cents Author: Stan Lee Illustrator: Jack Kirby Delineator: Vince Colletta Letterer: Sam Rosen 5 pages
I think the Mountain Giants are a new set of villains. They seem to be careful naming the groups of giants. We’ve met the Frost Giants and the Storm Giants. Now, we meet Mountain Giants. Their queen is Knorda, a normal-sized woman.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: July 2, 1964 Cover: September 1964 12 cents Fantastically written by: Stan Lee Faithfully drawn by: Jack Kirby Fabulously inked by: Vince Colletta Finally lettered by: Art Simek 5 pages
The Tales of Asgard features have recently spotlighted Balder and Heimdall before him. Now we are back to tales of a young Thor.
This is a pretty simple tale in which Thor battles Trolls to free their captives.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: June 2, 1964 Cover: August 1964 12 cents Written and drawn by the prize-winning team of: Stan (The Man) Lee and Jack (King) Kirby Inked by: Vince Colletta Lettering: Art Simek 5 pages
For several months now, Stan has used all kind of creative license in the credits, applying clever nicknames to everybody. Two months ago in Fantastic Four #28, Jack was referred to as “The King”. Now, we get the credits that will resonate through the decades and become basically the official nicknames of the famous duo: “Stan (The Man) Lee and Jack (King) Kirby”.
This might be the first time they’ve ever shown up. Certainly that I’ve come across. Caveat that I’m reading these Marvel stories in reprints, so miss many house ads and letters pages, which are likely sources of the nicknames. This is definitely the first time we’ve seen both “The Man” and “King” within an issue’s credits.
This is the second story starring Balder, depicted here in what looks to be a Disney movie. Loki is jealous of the favoritism Odin shows to Balder, second only to his love for Thor. Loki decides to kill Balder. The only snag is the gift of invulnerability Odin had bestowed upon Balder last issue.
Featuring: Tales of Asgard Release: May 5, 1964 Cover: July 1964 12 cents Written with passion by: Stan Lee Drawn with pageantry by: Jack Kirby Inked with power by: Vince Colletta Lettered with pride by: Art Simek 5 pages
We recently met Vince Colletta over in Daredevil. This issue begins Vince Colletta’s long relationship with Thor, spanning almost a decade. He will be the regular inker on “Tales of Asgard” from here on out, and soon graduate to the main title. He will be the inker for over 60 consecutive issues and remain a frequent inker on the title thereafter.
Contrasting his work with, say, Chic Stone, we see more hatchings to represent shadow and shape than we have been seeing, yet less crispness. The features are often softer and less defined. I’ve seen it described as “atmospheric”.
The next two chapters of “Tales of Asgard” will focus on Balder. Let’s review his history.
