Members - Thor

THOR [Thor Odinson]

Founding Member – Active: Avengers V1 #1

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83 (Aug 1962)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers #1 (Sep 1963)

Origin: Journey into Mystery #83 (1962), Thor #159 (1968), Thor Annual #11 (1983)

Other storylines of note: Journey Into Mystery #112, Avengers (1963) #140-151, Stand-off (Avengers V3 #63, Iron Man V3 #64 and Thor V2 #58), Ragnarok (Thor V2 #80-85), Avengers Prime #1-5, Siege.

History:

Thor is one of a race of other dimensional beings known as Asgardians and worshipped by the norse people of Earth as gods. In fact Thor is the son of Odin, lord of the Asgardian gods, and Gaea, the eldest Earth goddess. Thor was raised in Asgard by Odin and his wife Frigga along with his step-brother Loki. When Thor became headstrong and arrogant, Odin decided to teach his son a lesson in humility by fusing Thor’s persona with a mortal body that Odin created in the form of lame physician Dr Donald Blake. Originally Thor / Blake believed that Blake’s discovery of a cane in a Norwegian cave had caused the merging of the two identities. As Blake he lived amongst the mortals of Earth learning of their frailty and their spirit. Then as Thor he became a protector of Earth and its inhabitants. As time passed Thor’s memory of his Asgardian heritage returned and began spreading his time between Earth and Asgard.

Thor eventually discarded the Donald Blake identity. For a time he used the name Sigurd Jarlson, an identity arranged by Nick Fury the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Later in two separate acts of selflessness Thor allowed his body and spirit to be merged with dying mortals. The first was architect Eric Masterson and later paramedic Jake Olsen.

Powers and Abilities:

Thor’s powers and abilities include strength, endurance and resistance to injury. He ages slower than a mortal. He is immune to conventional disease, and highly resistant to injury. His flesh and bones are several times denser than a human's.

On the death of Odin Thor became Lord of Asgard and inherited the Odinforce, which enabled him to tap into the near-infinite resources of cosmic and mystical energy.

Thor is trained in the arts of war and is a skilled warrior, proficient in hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, and hammer throwing. Thor is usually armed with Mjolnir, a hammer forged from uru metal and virtually unbreakable. Mjolnir allows Thor to command the powers of the storm, causing rain, thunder and lightning and can channel the storm’s fury into devastating blasts of energy Mjolnir can absorb other energies into itself, which Thor can then release. Mjolnir almost seems alive at times and when his will is strong enough, the hammer can pass through nearly any barrier to reach. Thor is able to use the hammer to fly and at times has been able to open portals to other dimensions.

Mjolnir has many enchantments. One of these included allowing Thor to transform into his civilian guises. At these times the hammer usually assumed the appearance of an old wooden cane. A disadvantage of this enchantment was that Thor would also transform into his mortal form if he was separated from Mjolnir for more than 60 seconds.

Other enchantments control who may use Mjolnir. To date only Thor, Odin, Tiwaz, Red Norvell, Beta Ray Bill, and Captain America [Steve Rogers] have been found worthy and there was a time when even Thor could not lift Mjolnir. In his most recent incarnation Thor once again shares his existence with Donald Blake – an entity that has evolved from the original Odinspell that created the Donald Blake persona.

Publication History:

Thor first appeared in a 13 page feature of Journey into Mystery #83. This series was re-titled The Mighty Thor as from #126.

When Thor was believed to have been slain by Onslaught, the series reverted to Journey Into Mystery effective from #503. This anthology title featured a number of stories arcs the first being The Lost Gods, an extended epic about a number of Asgardian heroes.

A second volume of Thor launched in July 1998 ran for 85 issues was written up until #79 by Dan Jurgens and Included the death of Odin and Thor’s ascension to Lord of Asgard.

A third series written by J. Michael Straczynski and pencilled by Olivier Coipel premiered in September 2007. Issue #13 became #600 as the original Journey Into Mystery numbering was adopted and then as of #622 the title reverted once again to Journey Into Mystery featuring stories about Loki and other Asgardians while Thor’s adventures moved to a new series, “The Mighty Thor” debuting in June 2011.

Writers and Artist of Note:

Although Thor’s early adventures were plotted by Stan Lee they were often scripted by Larry Lieber or Robert Bernstein (as R Berns). Pencilling was primarily undertaken by Jack Kirby or Joe Sinnott. Lee and Kirby established a long run on Thor lasting from #101 to #179. After Kirby’s departure from Marvel, John Buscema and Neal Adams each drew the title before Buscema assumed the regular pencilling which continued almost uninterrupted from #182 to #278. During this time scripting was handled by Gerry Conway, Len Wein, or Roy Thomas. Walt Simonson enjoyed a somewhat brief but celebrated run handling both the writing and art from #337 to #367. He continued to write the series until #382.

The other notable creative run on Thor was by Marvel's editor-in-chief at the time, Tom DeFalco. Working primarily with artist Ron Frenz, DeFalco stayed on the book until #459 (Feb. 1993).

J Michael Stracynski’s run first with Olivier Coipel and the Marko Djurdjevic was also significant and involved the return of Asgard but in this instance above Oklahoma.    

Avengers Membership:

It was the long-standing feud between Thor and his step-brother Loki that led to formation of The Avengers. Loki used images of the Hulk to lure Thor into battle with the green-skinned giant. When the Hulk’s young ally Rick Jones tried to clear the Hulk from being implicated by Loki’s illusions, Iron Man, Ant-man and the Wasp also became involved.

Agreeing to meet formally from time to time and battle foes that individual heroes might struggle against Thor became one of the founding Avengers. Originally considering himself a little above his team mates Thor gradually came to enjoy the friendship and camaraderie of his fellow Avengers. Along with Captain America and Iron Man Thor was referred to as one of the “Big Three” and there were few Avengers adventures that did not involve at least one of these three heroes.

Often regarded as one of, if not the, most powerful Avenger, Thor took his first extended leave of absence in #16 to attend the Trial of The Gods as depicted in his own series appearing in Journey Into Mystery. Thor returned to the ranks of the Avengers and repeatedly took extended leave of the Avengers as he became involved in epic adventures in space or Asgard. During one of these absences the role of Thor was assumed by Eric Masterson (whose identity had since been split from Thor. Masterson confided in Captain America who allowed Masterson to also fill Thor’s roster in The Avengers (and referred to in official documents as Thor II). On Thor’s return Odin granted Masterson an enchanted weapon of his own and he adopted the name Thunderstrike, retaining his Avengers membership and standing.

Eventually the demands of his role as the Lord of Asgard brought Thor into conflict with his team-mates and in a story-arc that crossed through Avengers V3 #63, Iron Man V3 #64 and Thor V2 #58 involving a battle against both Iron Man and Captain America Thor renounced his Avengers membership.

The cycle of Ragnarok resulted in the destruction of Asgard and the death of all Asgardians. After a long absence Thor returned to this plane of existence and recreated Asgard in Oklahoma. Following the super-hero registration act Civil War, Iron Man attempted to recruit Thor as a registered hero but Thor wished nothing to do with the outside world. However the Skrull Secret Invasion once again brought Thor alongside the Avengers … old and new.

While moving through the wreckage of Asgard, Thor, iron Man and Steve Rogers were transported to a realm of limbo where that battled beside each other and reformed their friendship.

When Steve Rogers was appointed America’s “Top Cop” following Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign and Siege he insisted that Thor was a core member of his new Avengers team.

Post Script:

In Avengers #3 the team confront The Hulk and The Sub-Mariner. JIM #112 takes Thor's battle with the Hulk and shows it in greater detail.