As much as I enjoy the early Fantastic Four comic books for their wild and imaginative costumes, villains, heroes and locations Marvel Comics' Mighty Thor is in some respects even more imaginative.
Way back in the early 1960s Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics' Stan Lee was on a role. Every new hero he introduced only added to the popularity of Marvel Comics.
Having great success with The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Spider-Man and other heroes Lee decided he wanted to do something totally different-a new type of superhero-a god.
As a fan of Vikings he decided to explore their Norse religion. He chose to create a hero out of an existing legend.
Scouring the various Norse Gods he settled on The God Of Thunder and in issue #83 of Marvel’s anthology title Journey Into Mystery he introduced Thor.
Banished to earth and stripped of his memory Thor was transformed into a mere mortal: the cripple Dr. Don Blake.
While on a trip in Norway, Blake witnesses the invasion of rock aliens and takes refuge in a cave. While there he finds and old wooden cane.
He strikes it and The Mighty Thor is reborn.
In the following issues of Journey Into Mystery the mythology and legends of the Norse Gods are revealed introducing Asgard, The Rainbow Bridge, Thor’s father Odin and his evil stepbrother Loki and other incredible characters and locations.
Various mythical and earthbound villains are introduced as well as Thor’s love interest Jane Foster.
Stan Lee and penciller Jack Kirby let their imaginations run wild introducing some of the most imaginative and fantastic worlds, costumes, etc. even created for comic books.
Marvel Comics Essential Thor Vol. 1 reprints, in glorious black and white, Journey Into Mystery issues #s 83 to 112.
Witness the power and might of Thor and the incredible worlds and characters that populate his universe.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will." — Romans 12:2
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