List RulesVote up the Thor comic book story arcs every fan must read
Thanks to the pop culture explosion that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the character of Thor is now more popular that he has ever been, and most people’s list of Thor’s greatest adventures and their favorite Thor storylines contain more than a few memorable movie moments. However, to focus solely on the big screen, and not on the best Thor comics out there, would be to miss more than a half-century of published excellence.
Technically, all Thor story arcs are inspired by a canon much older than Marvel Comics, or even the medium of comic books in general. However, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby took the Asgardian roots of Norse mythology and crafted them into their own version of events—one that is infinitely more memorable and dynamic than the source material. That being said, Thor is clearly at his best when he straddles the line between past an present, keeping one foot in the legendary realm he was born into, and the other in the world of costumed superheroes.
This newly-rebooted Thor series saw the God of Thunder returning from a lengthy absence due to yet another Ragnarok. After years away from the pages of Marvel Comics, Thor has a big to-do list—including rebuilding Asgard in Oklahoma and giving Iron Man a serious talking to after the events of Civil War.
Thor #362 isn’t just the most memorable single issue in Thor’s publishing history, it’s one of the best issues in the entirety of Marvel history. The reasons why actually have very little to do with Thor, and more to do with Skurge the Executioner—a former one-note villain who receives a truly epic send-off in this tale. The respect this moment earned the now-deceased character is clear in the following quote: “And when a new arrival asks about the one to whom even Hela bows her head, the answer is always the same: He stood alone at Gjallerbru... and that answer is enough.”
Casual Marvel fans may not even realize that Thor isn’t the only mythological figure to feature on an Avengers roster, but well-read fans recognize Hercules as a worthy hero and a long-time frenemy of Thor’s. Their rivalry began in this Stan Lee and Jack Kirby classic, pitting Greek mythology against Norse legend.
For a character with such a lengthy history of lengthy epics, Thor still has a number of memorable single issues, and Thor #380 is one such example. It features a classic matchup between Thor and the Midgard Serpent, a monster destined by prophecy to eventually slay the God of Thunder!
Stephan Roget
