wundagore – Coke & Comics

Thor #136

To Become an Immortal!

Featuring: Thor
Release: November 3, 1966
Cover: January 1967
12 cents
A proud phantasmagoria of pageantry, presented by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Delineated by Vince Colletta
Lettered by Artie Simek
16 pages

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Thor #135, Story B	Reading order	Thor #136, Story B
Thor #135, Story B	Thor	Thor #136, Story B

I did but provide the time– the setting– But, only in the heart can be found the final enchanted ingredient– men call love!

Let’s reflect on the relationship between Jane, Don, and Thor. To understand this love triangle, we first need to understand the relationship between Don and Thor. And we don’t.

We reflected on the nature of their relationship back in issue 129. It seems Don is Thor and Thor is Don. They have two bodies, but one mind, one set of thoughts, and one heart, one set of feelings.

There is plenty of evidence to contradict that interpretation, but that is how they are usually written. Don is Thor and Thor is Don. Don is mortal and Thor is immortal. Thor is ancient, older than humanity, and had a life long before Don. And Don presumably had a life before Thor, before he found that cane in the mountain. Though we have learned very little about that life, only that he had studied medicine and become a world-renowned surgeon and robotics expert. We’ve seen no glimpses of his past life, nor met any relatives. But presumably he has these things. But now he is Thor. Mind, heart, soul.

In fact, Thor and Don seem closer than Hulk and Banner. Who definitely seem to to be two distinct characters with opinions about the other, who share only some thoughts and feelings.

So where does Jane fit in?

Thor #135

The Maddening Menace of the Super-Beast!

Featuring: Thor
Release: October 4, 1966
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby feature fantasy!
Delineation by: Vincent Colletta
Lettering by: Artie Simek
16 pages

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Thor #134, Story B	Reading order	Thor #135, Story B
Thor #134, Story B	Thor	Thor #135, Story B

“The universe is vast, beloved– and doth contain worlds without limit! One such world shall someday be home for the Knights of Wundagore! Then mayhap a new star shall burn more brightly!”
“And when it does, we two will know the reason why!”

It will be later in the issue before anybody names this new villain. The title and cover suggest his name is the Super-Beast. So that is what we will call him. Though the next issue blurb last issue had referred to him as the Man-Beast.

Super-Beast’s thing is that he has undergone a million years of evolution. He’s a mix not just of man and wolf, but of where man and wolf will be in a million years.

So he knows future karate and generally has knowledge of future combat. He knows science that won’t be discovered by humanity for tens of thousands of years.

But does any of that make sense? Is knowledge an evolutionary or genetic trait?

Thor #134

The People-Breeders!

Featuring: Thor
Release: September 1, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
A Stan Lee * Jack Kirby fantasti-classic!
Inked by: Vince Colletta
Lettered by: Sam Rosen
16 pages

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Thor #133, Story B	Reading order	Thor #134, Story B
Thor #133, Story B	Thor	Thor #134, Story B

I am accomplishing… in one brief experiment, what nature would take a million centuries to achieve!

I loved the Galactus saga and the character of Galactus. Fans of the era also loved Galactus. What to do with that? Move on and never see him again? Or recycle the Galactus story again? The former is better than the latter. Best is to use him sparingly when there is a new story to tell about him.

With these ageless characters like Eternity and Galactus, we must remember that years to us may be like moments to them. How many different times should they run into humans in those brief moments? Eternity had noted Dr. Strange was the second mortal to ever stand in his presence. The first must have been a few centuries earlier, like yesterday to Eternity.

Galactus had been devouring planets for eons, but Earth was the first planet he attempted to consume that contained an advanced civilization. So you expect it to be some time before it comes up again. And since he vowed to never consume the Earth and Galactus’ word is “cosmic truth itself”, we expect he’ll never do that again.

So when would we see Galactus? Well, Galactus is the devourer of worlds. Ego is the living planet. Conflict seems almost inevitable.

Why the conflict now, when both are ageless? Perhaps Thor’s battle with Ego attracted Galactus, and it’s not just coincidence.

Either way, Galactus journeying into the Black Galaxy to confront Ego a galaxy away from Earth is a good and sensible use of the character. A character I am excited to see again. As long as they don’t overdo it, and the stories they tell with him are new stories.