ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1971 to Feb 1972

Thor was not on the Gil Kane cover of AVENGERS #97. He did appear on 6 of the 21 interior pages. Thor's 24th 1971 appearance, his 185th of all time.

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. 

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1971 to Feb 1972

The newest issue of THOR featured the mind-boggling Mangog. John Romita becomes the second artist to do a Mangog cover. Kirby,  of course, crafted the first 3 Mangog covers.

And a new use is found for Thor's hammer.

Words by Gerry (Law & Order) Conway. Art by John Buscema and Vince Colletta.

in your LCS 2 YEARS AGO TODAY

 
IMMORTAL THOR #5 $4.99

(W) Al Ewing (A) Martin Coccolo (CA) Alex Ross

THE ALL-NEW THOR CORPS!

Toranos has returned - and to face him, the King of Asgard has gathered his army. But if even an army of storm gods could not stop the Elder God of Thunder...what then? This is the story of THE IMMORTAL THOR...and the battle that will define him.

25 COPY INCV FELIPE MASSAFERA VARIANT

DUSTIN NGUYEN HOWARD THE DUCK VARIANT

PEACH MOMOKO NIGHTMARE VARIANT

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1970/Jan 1971

John Buscema channels his inner Kirby for this cover.

Big John depicts in 3 panels what the King probably would have presented in 2 pages. 

Brother Sal Buscema depicts a half dozen iconic characters on this cover

Inside Sal depicts Hulk and Thor battling each other.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1969/Jan 1970

It was Ulik's 8th appearance.

This self-contained Thor story is one of only a half dozen issues of THOR that teamed Kirby up with the legendary artist Bill Everett.

Thor's 19th appearance of 1969. 140th of all time.

Loki's 4th. His 47th of all time.

Jane Foster does not appear.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1968/Jan 1969

 The third 1968 appearances of Galactus and Ego.

The second time that they appeared together.

Lee's synopsis makes you wish that you hadn't missed the previous issue.

Kirby depicts the Black Galaxy in a two-page collage!

Giving this cosmic tale an epic feel was four Kirby full-pagers

This dynamic 2 page sequence hints at the eye-popping battles in this 20 page cosmic masterpiece.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1967/Jan 1968

The second Unconscious Thor Cover

This was Thor's 16th appearance of 1967, his 104th of all time.

The Wrecker's second appearance. He debuted in the previous issue. He was featured on both covers, both by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta, as were the interior pages of both issues.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1966/Jan 1967

In the 16 page lead story a 40 issue subplot was finally set to rest and Ulik, toughest of the Trolls, was introduced. 

Plus the 5 page Tales of Asgard back-up spotlighted the grimmest of Thor's questing companions.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1965/Jan 1966

If you read the previous issue you would have recognized the shadow on this Jack Kirby/Vince Colletta cover as telegraphing the 3rd appearance of Hercules in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY.

Hercules was not the villain, of course. It was actually this over-matched (even with a Norn stone) schmuck. Art by Kirby/Colletta

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1964/Jan 1965

Thor's 29th 1964 comic appearance.

Not only does the 16 page lead story that deliver what the cover promises but there also is a 5 page Tales Of Asgard back-up featuring a childhood tale of  Thor and Loki. Art by Kirby. Cover and lead story embellished by Chic Stone. 

Vince Colletta did the TOS finishes.

It was Loki's 7th 1964 appearance.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1963/Jan 1964

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #101 was the 15th and final Thor appearance to hit the racks in 1963.

There was a 13 page lead story guest starring the Avengers, plus a 5 page "Boyhood of Thor" back-up. Both drawn by Jack Kirby and George Roussos.

I was buying comics back then but instead of that I chose to buy this

If only they had put young Thor on the cover, given him a dog and had Curt Swan draw it, maybe I wouldn't have waited 3 years before I bought my first Thor comic.

ON THE SPINNER RACKS Dec 1962/Jan 1963

Stan Lee's philosophy was every issue was someone's first. His sentimental plot combined with the Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers art for a perfect jumping-on-point issue.

Thor and Don Blake's 7th appearance.

Nurse Foster's 6th appearance

Odin's 4th appearance

Asgard's 3rd appearance.

11 YEARS AGO TODAY: A Young Asgard

Skottie Young, that is!!

ANGELA ASGARDS ASSASSIN #1 $3.99 (JIMENEZ VAR) (QUESADA DESIGN VAR) (YOUNG VAR)

(W) Kieron Gillen, Marguerite Bennett (A) Phil Jimenez, Stephanie Hans (CA) Stephanie Hans

    All her life, Angela -- the finest warrior of Heven -- was raised to hate Asgard with every fiber of her being.  And now Angela knows the truth about her identity: She is Thor's sister. She is an Asgardian.     Cast out of her home and wanting nothing to do with Asgard, Angela must now strike out on her own!  But what does Angela have that both Asgard and Heven want? And why are they so eager to get it? Of course Thor shows up to help his sister kick off her series.

IN YOUR LCS 5 YEARS AGO TODAY

THOR #10 $3.99

(W) Donny Cates (A) Nic Klein (CA) Olivier Coipel

   THE DARK PRISON OF DONALD BLAKE! For years Doctor Donald Blake has wandered a land far from Midgard, the place he once thought home. Now he has returned to the Ten Realms - but it is not the place it was, nor he the man who once shared a body with a god. New terrors await in what is perhaps Donny Cates' darkest story yet!

KLEIN VARIANT

LASHLEY KNULLIFIED VARIANT 

OTTLEY VARIANT

IN YOUR LCS 44 YEARS AGO TODAY.

 

Thor's 22nd 1981 appearance. His 436th of all time.

Doug Moench provides the complex plot. Keith Pollard layouts are finished by a solid foursome of inkers. This is the only splash page.

If you are a Man-Beast fan. This is the issue for you.

IN YOUR LCS 10 YEARS AGO TODAY

RAGNAROK #7 $3.99

(W/A/CA) 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. 

 

Art Adams variant cover

MARVEL THOR 8IN RETRO ACTION FIGURE SET $80

      Capturing Marvel's God of Thunder in all his 1970s glory, this retro-style action figure set features a cloth-costumed Thor just as he looked when he was released by the Mego Corporation in his first action figure appearance! With his hammer, helmet, and long golden hair, Thor comes packaged inside a vintage-style window box. Thor also comes with two extra heads and outfits to change into his alter ego, Dr. Donald Blake, as well as a more modern take on the hero, complete with an updated hammer. All are packaged in a display-ready gift tray. Limited to 3,000 sets! Designed and Sculpted by EMCE Toys!

NEW IN YOUR LCS 31 YEARS AGO TODAY

Thor makes his 400th appearance in the title formerly known as JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY

    Behind the simple but effective cover by Lou Harrison is an epic 50 page story written by the legendary Roy (the Boy/the Super-Adaptoid) Thomas.

    31 of the pages were penciled by M.C. Wyman and embellished by Mike DeCarlo.

    Keith Pollard provided 9 pages of full art.

    The team of Stewart Johnson and Carmen Imperato were responsible for 10 pages.

    Plus there was a 22 page Tales of Asgard back-up starring the Warriors Three that was both exciting and heart-warming. It was written by Glen Greenberg with art by Robert Walker and Jim Amash.

IN YOUR LCS 36 YEARS AGO TODAY

    What the cover promises the 17 page story delivers, Ron Frenz and Joe Sinnott depicting a Thor battle. Hercules guest stars and there are two mystery villains.

    Plus a 5 page Beta Ray Bill back-up tale drawn by Ron Lim and Mike DeCarlo.

IN YOUR LCS 35 YEARS AGO TODAY

Thor's 31st appearance of 1990

Ron Frenz collaborates with Joe Sinnott on the cover and the 22 interior pages. Co-plotter Tom DeFalco provides the variation of Marvel Misunderstanding that causes Thor to battle Excalibur.

Helping to make this a better than average issue are appearances by Ulik, the Enchantress and the cover-featured Wrecker (with his Wrecking Crew)!