thor loses hammer – Coke & Comics

Strange Tales #123, Story B

The Challenge of Loki!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: May 12, 1964
Cover: August 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan (Miracle Man) Lee
Illustrated by: Steve (Marvel Man) Ditko
Inked by: George (Mystical Man) Bell
Lettered by: Art (Magical Man) Simek
9 pages

This is the most cover real estate Dr. Strange has yet gotten. A full vertical half of the page. Really moving up in the world.

Stan’s “clever credits” aren’t entirely original this time. He refers to himself as Miracle Man… but that was already a name he himself gave to a Fantastic Four villain. Marvelman is the British superhero who is not actionably copied from Captain Marvel.

For the entirety of the series, as well as of Amazing Spider-Man, Ditko has done all his own art. For the best. For the next three issues, George Roussos will be inking Ditko on Dr. Strange. It is a sad sight to see.

Stan the narrator often speaks directly to the audience, and he often apologizes to them. I haven’t taken note of any apologies prior to this, but it almost seems like he’s trying to apologize that Thor looks different from normal. Because Ditko’s style isn’t Kirby’s.

Journey Into Mystery #98

Challenged by the Human Cobra!

Featuring: Thor
Release: September 3, 1963
Cover: November 1963
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Illustrated by: Don Heck
13 pages

The issue begins with Thor throwing a temper tantrum. “It isn’t fair!” he cries. The narrator notes it may surprise us to see a superhero throw a temper tantrum. No, I’ve been reading Fantastic Four.

Of course I imagine Thor’s voice sounds like Tommy Wiseau as he shouts.

An ex-convict named Klaus is bitten by a radioactive cobra and gains the powers of a cobra. This is pretty well-established as what happens when radioactive creatures bite you.

Journey Into Mystery #93

The Mysterious Radio-Active Man!

Featuring: Thor
Release: April 2, 1963
Cover: June 1963
12 cents
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: R. Berns
Art: Jack Kirby
Inking: Dick Ayers
13 pages

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

Another Cold War story, but this one tying itself closely to current events, seeming to be set during the Sino-Indian War.

Thor takes quite the interest in particular geopolitical concerns.

This allows us to align the comic’s timeline with our own. The Sino-Indian War mainly took place October-November 1962, about 6 months before this comic came out. And since it takes some number of months to go from concept to the comic being finished, printed, distributed and appearing on stands, they were drawing from pretty current events.

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.