Featuring: Thor
Release: December 1, 1966
Cover: February 1967
12 cents
In all the unmeasurable universe, surely there be none, save Stan Lee and Jack Kirby who couldst create such wonderment!
And, ne’er again shall we see the like of
Vince Colletta, inker, and
Sam Rosen, letterer
16 pages
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|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #43 | Reading order | Thor #137, Story B |
| Thor #136, Story B | Thor | Thor #137, Story B |
The invasion is begun! Asgard must fall!
Last issue ended with Thor and Sif meeting. We pick up here with them hanging out. It’s not impossible he went to Earth between that meeting and now, but there’s no evidence he did. And I will need him with the Avengers on Earth soon. A new 3-part arc begins here. Thor will briefly travel to Earth in this story, but be busy. In the next arc, he travels to Earth and seems like he might have a bit of time on his hands.
This is to explain why we’ve gotten a bit far ahead in our Thor reading. We’re about to reach February 1967 for Thor, when we’re still in March 1966 for Hulk. Thor’s just been too busy for an Avengers meeting…. and Peter Parker already has his motorcycle for that meeting… and Matt Murdock was captured by the Owl when Spider-Man fought the Rhino… before Senator Byrd shut down Stark’s factories…
As last issue, Thor describes Sif as the raven-haired sister of Heimdall he knew as a child. But again, when we met Sif in her youth in Journey Into Mystery #102, she was described as the sister of Balder, and appeared to be blonde. Unless they are implying Heimdall and Balder are also brothers, this seems to be a contradiction. Or maybe there are two different women named Sif, sisters to Heimdall and Balder respectively.
Thor is watching Sif throw spears. But when she brags about her skill, he has to show off his own skills a bit. It’s a guy thing. Of course, his own “skills” involve an enchanted hammer. We now know he has even named his special hammer: “Mjolnir”.
We first met Trolls in Avengers #1 and have seen them in these pages a few times, often in the ancient stories. These are specifically Rock Trolls, and Asgard has been at war with them for some time. That war is coming to the foreground.
The Trolls capture Sif and send Ulik, their most powerful warrior, after Thor. Ulik is armed with metal pounders, strong enough to shatter a mountain.
We met Geirrodur, king of the Trolls, in ancient times in Journey Into Mystery #101.
Ulik is just the foe Thor needs. A brawler who can match him in power. This is the best slugfest Thor’s had since he took on Hercules.
Grak seems to be the Troll counterpart to Heimdall. He guards the gates and opens the portals by which they can get around. He opens the way for a full-scale invasion of Asgard.
Save Asgard or go to Earth and save Sif? Asgard has plenty of warriors. It will hold until Thor returns.
Rating: ★★★½, 65/100
Significance: ★★★★☆
I like Ulik and this is a good brawl… this goes amongst the Best We’ve Read, unfortunately leaving no room for the introduction of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos in Sgt. Fury #1.
Though it’s going right at the bottom, so probably will be kicked off soon.
I read this story in Thor Epic Collection vol. 3: The Wrath of Odin.
Characters:
- Sif
- Thor
- Ulik
- Geirrodur
- Grak
Story notes:
- Asgard is at war with the Nation of the Trolls, and Trolls spy on Thor and Sif and seek to capture them. Trolls plan to capture Thor’s hammer.
- Thor tells Sif to run, but that’s not her style.
- Trolls retreat to the tunnels with Sif as captive, but they think Ulik can defeat Thor.
- Thor claims no Asgardian has before stood at the threshold of the forbidden underkingdom of the Trolls.
- Ulik is the mightiest of the Rock Trolls. His weapons are metal pounders that can shatter a mountain.
- Geirrodur is king of the Rock Trolls. Geirrodur plans to use Sif to lure Thor to Earth, where he can be defeated as Don Blake.
- Sif subjected to Vapors of Quietude to be rendered unconscious.
- Tunnel of Wind Currents takes Sif to Grak.
- Trolls have a base beneath the Bifrost.
- “The madder a troll becomes… the more powerful grow his limbs”. Ulik is similar to Hulk in this way.
- Ulik has two toes.
- Ulik seems to be winning when he vanishes. Geirrodur has used a Troll secret ray to send Ulik to Earth with Sif.
- Grak opens the Invasion Shaft and the Troll invasion of Asgard begins.
| Previous | #558 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #43 | Reading order | Thor #137, Story B |
| Thor #136, Story B | Thor | Thor #137, Story B |
