Tag: ularic

Journey Into Mystery #121

The Power! The Passion! The Pride!

Featuring: Thor
Release: August 3, 1965
Cover: October 1965
12 cents
Another towering triumph for Stan Lee, writer!
Another fabulous feat for Jack Kirby, illustrator!
Another amazing achievement for Vince Colletta, delineator!
Another day, another dollar for Artie Simek, letterer!
16 pages

Previous#394Next
Journey Into Mystery #120, Story BReading orderJourney Into Mystery #121, Story B
Journey Into Mystery #120, Story BJourney Into MysteryJourney Into Mystery #121, Story B

But, no matter how awesome the odds may be, I am son of Odin, Prince of Asgard! I would ever choose the eternal sleep, rather than a moment’s cowardice!

Kirby’s taken some artistic license with that cover. He metaphorically depicts Thor as gigantic compared to the city and bystanders caught in their battle. Absorbing Man is literally gigantic. But Thor is not, and I don’t think forced perspective is enough to justify Thor’s apparent size compared to those buildings.

As the length of stories is expanding, so is the length of action scenes. We pointed out that Fantastic Four #42 was entirely action start to finish, with the set-up and wrap-up in surrounding issues. This isn’t entirely that, as there are some interludes. We need to check on Jane. And Loki. And that lost Norn Stone. But most of the page count is just Thor battling Absorbing Man.

Continue reading “Journey Into Mystery #121”

Journey Into Mystery #119

The Day of the Destroyer!

Featuring: Thor
Release: June 1, 1965
Cover: August 1965
12 cents
Who but Stan Lee could have written this tale?
Who but Jack Kirby could have drawn it?
Who but Vince Colletta could have inked it?
Who but Artie Simek could be called Artie Simek?
16 pages

Previous#346Next
Mystic Comics #6PRELUDE
Journey Into Mystery #118, Story BReading orderJourney Into Mystery #119, Story B
Journey Into Mystery #118, Story BJourney Into MysteryJourney Into Mystery #119, Story B

Interesting grid layout for the cover. Haven’t seen too many of those from Kirby. I’m guessing that’s because something went very wrong here. As all four cover panels are just taken from the interior art.

Either Kirby didn’t finish a cover or his cover was rejected. This looks like somebody scrambling at the last minute to get something, anything on the cover before the book got printed.

This is the June issue of Thor. We’ve read almost consecutively since January and are now 3 months ahead of the rest of our reading. We’re going to pause after this issue, despite the inconclusiveness of the ending. We need to check in on our other heroes. Because we’re mostly in March with our reading, I don’t want to worry too much about June things right now. Like, let’s not focus on the fact that “Marvel Comics Group” has apparently become “Marvel Pop Art Productions”. We’ll reflect on that when we reach June properly.

For now, a recap. Loki has helped an evil and unnamed hunter locate the Temple of Darkness, which housed the Destroyer, a mindless being imbued with the power of Odin who would one day defend Earth in its hour of need. The Destroyer took the hunter’s mind, and has awakened too early, and thinks Thor is who it’s meant to destroy.

It’s already destroyed his hammer.

But Thor really just wants to bring his bag of Norn Stones to Odin to prove Loki cheated in the Trial of the Gods. All-wise, all-seeing Odin is not aware of these Stones because he’s currently taking a nap.

Loki likes to torment Thor, but is afraid his latest scheme will result in Thor’s death. He doesn’t mind Thor being dead, but fears the punishment of Odin if he is blamed. He has thus attempted to wake Odin and save Thor, but was thrown in prison for it.

Whew. That’s where we left off.

Oh, and the Destroyer was moments away from killing Thor, and still is.

Continue reading “Journey Into Mystery #119”