Sunday, December 31, 2023

Both of these 1963 covers are by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

The stories they promote were drawn by Joe Sinnott and written by Robert Bernstein.

   I was a Bernstein fan as a child even though I didn't know his name. The barbershop where I went as a child had DCs, mostly Superman titles. Many of the stories were by Bernstein including this 1961 Swan-drawn one.
 
"I guessed that Loki must be the original ancestor of Mr. Mxyzptlk and that he, too, can be sent to the 5th dimension for 90 days if he could be tricked into saying his name backwards." JIMMY OLSEN #55 (Jimmy the Red, Thor's Best Pal)

Saturday, December 30, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 8 YEARS AGO TODAY

THE LAST WALT SIMONSON THOR COMIC OF 2015

RAGNAROK #7
IDW PUBLISHING
Everything: Walter Simonson
    The Black Elf assassin, Regn, and his young daughter, Drifa, have hunted Thor for countless leagues across the Dusk Lands, to the ruins of Asgard. Now, as Thor calls down the lightning to create a funeral pyre for the dead of Asgard, Regn prepares himself for his greatest challenge, to kill the last god standing, the god responsible for the death of his wife.

Friday, December 29, 2023

Thor first appeared in comics 22 years before his Marvel incarnation.

His series debuted in Weird Comics #1 and lasted five issues.

Thursday, December 28, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 30 YEARS AGO TODAY

The final chapter of the 11 part Blood And Thunder story.
Cover and 22 page story penciled by MC Wyman and inked by Mike DeCarlo.

Not only does Odin, Sif, Doctor Strange and Warlock appear in this Ron Marz tale, so does the Silver Surfer, Beta Ray Bill, Drax the Destroyer, Moondragon, Pip the Troll and Loki.

This is a key issue that establishes one of the continuity foundations of the current THOR storyline.

Doctor Blake does not appear in this issue.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

IN YOUR LCS TODAY


AVENGERS INC #4 $3.99
SALVADOR LARROCA AVENGERS 60TH VAR


TIMELESS #1 $6.99
(W) Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing (A) Juann Cabal 
(CA) Miguel Mercado
BEHOLD THE FUTURE OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!
In a devastating future born from the choices of today, time and space is threatened by the ascension of an ancient evil. The MOON KNIGHT UNENDING has risen - a nightmare born of StarkTech, the Eternal Machine and the God of the Moon - and now all of Earth bows before his overwhelming power! One man stands against Khonshu's coming tide of chaos: POWER MAN, the Marvel Universe's final living super hero. But who is Power Man - and how did he come to wield the unstable powers of the Sentry, the Hulk and the Iron Fist? What dark, deeply personal conflict underpins this mind-bending apocalypse? And at the end of the line, can the Marvel Universe ever truly be saved? 
PLUS - a SHOCKING glimpse into the next year of Marvel stories!
ALEX ROSS WRAPAROUND GATEFOLD VAR

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 3 YEARS AGO TODAY

INCOMING #1 $9.99 
(W) Al Ewing, More (A) Aaron Kud(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Mark Bagley
ONE WILL UNITE THEM!
      A mysterious murder brings together the heroes of the Marvel Universe in the search for a killer - but no one can imagine where the trail will lead, or how it will affect everything in 2020 and beyond! Who is the victim and who is the assailant? The closing chapter to MARVEL's 80th year, which will connect the dots of everything that happened in 2019 and propel the narrative into the coming year! Featuring the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Daredevil, Spider-Man, the Champions, the Agents of Atlas, Valkyrie, the Immortal Hulk, Jessica Jones, Venom, Ghost Rider, the Masked Raider and more!
JSC WRPAD HIDDEN GEM VARIANT

MOLINA PARTY VARIANT

VENOM #21 $3.99 
(W) Donny Cates (A/CA) Mark Bagley
     VENOM ISLAND BEGINS HERE! Thor Odinson appears.  'Nuff said!

SPIDER-HAM #1 $3.99 
(W) Zeb Wells (A) Will Robson (CA) Wendell Dalit
    APORKALYPSE NOW!   Not a dream! Not a hoax! Not an imaginary tail! Spider-Ham finally has his own series! (Again!)
Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham finds himself jumping through time, side-by-side with Peter PARKER, the Spectacular Spider-MAN!  Thor Odinson doesn't appear but Dog Thor does...

Monday, December 25, 2023

Walt Simonson proto-reindeer cover

"Thor was the god of the peasants and the common people. He was represented as an elderly man, jovial and friendly, of heavy build, with a long white beard. His element was fire, his color red. The rumble and roar of thunder were said to be caused by the rolling of his chariot, for he alone among the gods never rode on horseback, but drove in a chariot drawn by two white goats (called Cracker and Gnasher). He was fighting the giants of ice and snow, and thus became the Yule-god. He was said to live in the "Northland," where he had his palace among the icebergs. By our pagan forefathers he was considered as the cheerful and friendly god, never harming humans, but rather helping and protecting them. The fireplace in every home was especially sacred to him, and he was said to come down through the chimney into his element, the fire."
        MYTHS OF NORTHERN LANDS (1895) H.A. Guerber

Sunday, December 24, 2023

WHAT'S BETTER THAN NEW THOR APPEARANCES ON A CHRISTMAS EVE?

IN THE SHOPS 9 YEARS AGO TODAY
AVENGERS #24.now $4.99
Writer: Jonathan Hickman   Art: Esad Ribic
"ROGUE PLANET" - Part 1 of 5
   Captain America and Iron Man plan for the next version of the Avengers.  A runaway planet is on a collision course with Earth. Thor first appears on page 10 in a two page comedy relief sequence that is a definite nod to the Lee/Kirby style of Sixties story-telling. Thor doesn't appear again until two pages at the end of the issue.

Don't be fooled by the big #1. It refers to the issue being the perfect jumping on point because of the beginning of a new story arc. It IS actually AVENGERS #24.
Here's 25% of Thor's participation in the issue.

 Alessio variant cover.
 Bianchi variant cover

IN THE SHOPS 8 YEARS AGO TODAY
AVENGERS AND X-MEN AXIS #9 $4.99 
(W) Rick Remender (A/CA) Jim Cheung
ACT III: NEW WORLD DISORDER
   Who will die? Who will remain inverted?  An old foe must claim the mantle of his greatest enemy to save the lives of all he cares for!  An X-Man's horrifying fate! An Avenger's appalling choice! Thor does something dramatic!


CAPTAIN AMERICA AND MIGHTY AVENGERS #3 $3.99 
(W) Al Ewing (A/CA) Luke Ross
   THE AVENGERS/AVENGERS WAR!  With Captain America and Iron Man bringing the full power of the Avengers against the Gem Theater, can our heroes possibly survive?  Guest-starring Spider-Man! Thor, of course, is involved in the battle.


LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD #9 $3.99
(W) Al Ewing (A/CA) Lee Garbett
   Loki, swashbuckling savior of truth and justice, versus Lorelei -- scheming sister of the noble Enchantress!  Once -- in a time Loki would rather forget -- these two were allies. Now, Loki must bring Lorelei in -- or die trying!  Also : the villainy of Thor -- Marvel's brutish God Of Evil!



MARVELS AVENGERS #1 $2.99
(W) Will Pilgrim (A) Joe Bennett 
   OFFICIAL ADAPTATION OF THE FIRST BLOCKBUSTER FILM!  Iron Man! Thor! Captain America! Black Widow! Hawkeye! The Hulk!


NOVA #25 $4.99 
(W) Gerry Duggan (A) David Baldeon (CA) Zach Montoya
   Over-sized monumental 25th issue and great jumping-on point! Thor appears briefly doing what he does best.
Arthur Adams variant cover

Saturday, December 23, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 14 YEARS AGO TODAY

THOR #605
 Written by KIERON GILLEN
Pencils & Cover by BILLY TAN
        The invisible hand of Loki's sly tricks has made plain the treachery that lay in store...and after the devastating events of THOR: DEFINING MOMENTS GIANT-SIZE and THOR 604, everything comes to a head! The balance of power in Latveria is tipped, and all sides march toward all-out war!

Friday, December 22, 2023

A 2009 HOLIDAY PRESENT FROM MARVEL

ORIGINS OF SIEGE was a special giveaway issue containing everything a reader needed to prepare for a story six years in the making! Showcasing an all-new lead-in story featuring Loki, it also contained an all-new origins section covering the major players drawn by the biggest artists at Marvel. Plus pinups, a checklist and a preview of SIEGE #1!
 
Shops received one free copy of ORIGINS OF SIEGE for every 25 copies of CAPTAIN AMERICA #3 that they ordered, rounded up to the next 25. Shops could also purchase ORIGINS OF SIEGE in bundles of 25 at $10 a bundle. 

Thursday, December 21, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 1 YEAR AGO TODAY


AVENGERS FOREVER #12 $3.99
(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Aaron Kuder
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE - PART THREE: THE SIEGE OF INFINITY TOWER!
The all Steve Rogers Howling Commandos. The interstellar air force that is the Carol Corps. The Star Panther. The God of Fists. The Invincible Ant-Man, Tony Stark. Together, they are the greatest army of Avengers ever assembled. Will they be enough to protect the Avengers Tower at Infinity's End? Because Mephisto has come to claim that tower's secrets, and he's brought an army of his own.

70S AVENGERS ASSEMBLE CONNECTING VARIANT


BLACK PANTHER #12 $3.99
 (W) John Ridley (A) German Peralta (CA) Alex Ross
Just as T'Challa thinks his past secrets lay buried with the dead, the true identity of his latest enemy has left him shaken! Even as he escapes capture and returns to the Avengers, Captain America isn't too pleased with Black Panther's role in creating these new terrorists for peace. The message is clear: If T'Challa isn't ready to be a team player, he doesn't belong on a team. With no kingdom, no Avengers and no allies, who is left to aid T'Challa against this monster of his own making?

WAKANDA #3 (OF 5) $3.99
(W) Narcisse, Evan, Ho Che Anderson (A) Sean Hill, Natacha Bustos (CA) Iban Coello
The spotlight on characters who have defined Wakanda continues, taking us back in time into the heart of KILLMONGER! A haunting story that explores his earliest days under the thumb of Ulysses Klaw, and the early foundations of the man who will one day bear a scar for each of his kills? Plus, the third chapter of Evan Narcisse and Natacha Bustos' History of the Black Panthers, focusing on the mysterious Nehanda as she bands together with the Medieval Avengers!
COELLO VARIANT

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

IN YOUR LCS TODAY

 INCREDIBLE HULK #7 $3.99
      TIM LEVINS AVENGERS 60TH VARIANT


UNCANNY AVENGERS #5 (OF 5) $3.99
   NIK VIRELLA AVENGERS 60TH VARIANT

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 5 YEARS AGO TODAY

THOR #8 $3.99
(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Michael Del Mundo
    After waging war in Hel, Thor finds himself a prisoner of the fearsome warriors of Heven. Can the intervention of Valkyrie and Thor's sister Angela help him escape the unescapable prison of angels?
Patrick Zircher Conan variant.

MARVEL SH ADVENTURES CAPTAIN MARVEL FROST GIANTS #1 $3.99
(W) Leah Williams, Joe Caramagna (A) Ty Templeton, Mario Del Pennino (CA) Jacob Chabot
   It's the middle of winter in New York City, which means all your favorite heroes and villains are trying to beat the cold!  But this time the cold beats back, when a group of fearsome FROST GIANTS make themselves right at home in the city, leaving the heroes of the Marvel Universe no choice but to bundle up and stand against the ice-hearted interlopers!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #6 $3.99 
(W) Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) Leinil Francis Yu (CA) Alex Ross
   "WINTER IN AMERICA" CONCLUDES with a shocking turn of events that will send the Star-Spangled Avenger's life into a sudden dramatic tailspin you won't see coming! ATTENTION THOR COMPLETISTS: Thor has a 1 panel flashback cameo remind Cap readers that Thor Odinson "bent the knee" to Hydra.

EXILES #11 $3.99
(W) Saladin Ahmed (A) Javier Rodriguez (CA) David Nakayama
     The Exiles' beloved Khan-who sacrificed herself to stop the Time-Eater-has miraculously returned! But this time, her gun is trained on her old teammates! And she's not alone. Meet the evil Exiles-Captain Axis; Shuri, a.k.a. Killmonger; Iron Kang; X 2/3rd and SKELE-THOR!

Monday, December 18, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 10 YEARS AGO TODAY


THOR GOD OF THUNDER #16 $3.99
Writer: Jason Aaron 
Artist: Ron Garney 
Cover Artist: Esad Ribic
   Death comes in the mountains of Jotunheim... and there is a traitor among Thor's newly formed League of Realms! As Thor prepares to execute one of his own comrades, Malekith stages his final bloody raid... on Earth.





UNCANNY AVENGERS #15 $3.99
     Writer: Rick Remender   Art:Steve McNiven
The fate of humanity rests in the hands of Thor, but can the God of Thunder defeat the combined might of two Apocalypses? 

LONGSHOT SAVES MARVEL UNIVERSE #4 $2.99
   Writer: Christopher Hastings Art: Jacopo Camagni
       1 panel Thor cameo

Sunday, December 17, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 49 YEARS AGO TODAY


Not only does Thor appear on this backgroundless Gil Kane/Frank Giacoia reaction shot cover, he also shows up in some Sal Buscema/Joe Staton panels inside. 
This issue features the first parts of two origin stories, one of which Thor witnesses.

It was Thor's 32nd 1974 appearance, his 277th of all time.

Saturday, December 16, 2023

IN YOUR LCS 8 YEARS AGO TODAY

  

MIGHTY THOR #2 $3.99
(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Russell Dauterman
   The return of Loki!  But for Lady Thor, will he be friend or foe?
 (1 in 15 COSPLAY VARIANT) 
(1 in 20 DAUTERMAN DESIGN VARIANT)
  (1 in 20 FRENZ MARVEL 92 VARIANT)

 (1 in 25 TRAKHANOV VARIANT)
   

ULTIMATE END #5 $4.99
(W) Brian Michael Bendis (A/CA) Mark Bagley
ULTIMATE NO MORE!  2000 - 2015 
Many Thors appear

MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE SEASON TWO #14 $2.99 

(W) Joe Caramagna (A/CA) Various
   Squadron Supreme have taken over the entire world and reign supreme! The Avengers must strike back from the underground and save the planet once and for all!

Friday, December 15, 2023

ON THE SPINNER RACKS 52 YEARS AGO TODAY

Thor was not on the cover of AVENGERS #97 he did appear on 6 of the 21 interior pages.


It was the 9th and final chapter of the Roy Thomas Skrull epic.



It was drawn "virtually overnight" by John Buscema. 

"After doing two or three issues of THE AVENGERS beginning with ish #93, Neal became so enmeshed in deadline problems that there was naught to do but have valiant John Buscema come to our rescue."
    -   from the Letters Page in response to a fan praising Neal Adams art. 

It was Thor's 24th 1971 appearance, his 185th of all time.

Thursday, December 14, 2023

ON THE SPINNER RACKS December1969/January 1970


It was Ulik's 8th appearance.
This issue has a rare, self-contained Thor story.
It's one of only a half dozen issues of THOR that teamed Kirby with the legendary artist Bill Everett.
Thor makes his 19th appearance of 1969, his 140th of all time.
Loki makes his 4th appearance of 1969, his 47th of all time.
Jane Foster does not appear.