Marvel's Thor compared to the Myth

[AbdulAziz]

I saw a panel of Thor the Norse God of Worlds Finest comics and searched for him on wikipedia, he sure is far from the Avenger counterpart of his in Marvel comics.

Thoughts?

[Moose967]

Yeah the mythological Thor has red hair, sparks flying from his beard, and needs an iron glove to throw his hammer. I think when Marvel "re-imagined" thor they wanted someone more physically personable than a firery, red headed, hot head who killed at the dropped of a hat, ha ha! I like what Marvel has done though. This latest incarnation of Thor is the best though I think.

[CaptainOtter]

Originally Posted by Moose967

Yeah the mythological Thor has red hair, sparks flying from his beard, and needs an iron glove to throw his hammer. I think when Marvel "re-imagined" thor they wanted someone more physically personable than a firery, red headed, hot head who killed at the dropped of a hat, ha ha! I like what Marvel has done though. This latest incarnation of Thor is the best though I think.

Yeah, I agree. His current form has alot of chraracter. He doesn't feel like a superhero with a norse styled costumed. He has a full set of armor, and feels more like an actual warrior.

[celticguy]

Originally Posted by Moose967

Yeah the mythological Thor has red hair, sparks flying from his beard, and needs an iron glove to throw his hammer. I think when Marvel "re-imagined" thor they wanted someone more physically personable than a firery, red headed, hot head who killed at the dropped of a hat, ha ha! I like what Marvel has done though. This latest incarnation of Thor is the best though I think.

i don'tthink he was supposed to be very bright either in the old myths.

[the_big_billbowski]

Originally Posted by celticguy

i don'tthink he was supposed to be very bright either in the old myths.

that is correct. odin used to send loki on thor's journeys so that he wouldn't be outsmarted.

[brocca]

Dear friends,

twenty-five years ago I liked the fairy tale inspired way John Buscema used to draw the Norse mythology world. The way its drawn today seems to me too inspired by Hollywood movies and it's too dark.

Greetings--

[AbdulAziz]

Originally Posted by the_big_billbowski

that is correct. odin used to send loki on thor's journeys so that he wouldn't be outsmarted.

Loki was actually a friend of Thor? Why did they become enemies in comics? Is Loki the "God of Mishchief" his counterpart of Marvel is?

[the_big_billbowski]

Loki was still the god of Mischief and he was still the harbinger of Ragnorak but prior to that he did travel and go on adventures with the Aesir.

[Gnarl]

Originally Posted by AbdulAziz

Loki was actually a friend of Thor? Why did they become enemies in comics? Is Loki the "God of Mishchief" his counterpart of Marvel is?

The Loki of myth was a far more complex character than Marvels Loki. Like the other Norse, he actually demonstrated character growth through the myth cycle, and more of it than the other gods.

He was the God of mischief, of fire, and of lies. Odins blood-brother. He was also the god who saved Åsgård again and again, and got nothing but mockery for his efforts, normally.

If you prayed to the Norse Gods, it was frequently for them to stay away. Or to keep their portfolios away from you, anyway. Storm, war, death, magic, etc. But Loki would sometimes come through personally for you. Of all the Æsirlords, he was the only one I can remember to show compassion for mortals, and the least among mortals at that.

Even Heimdall only cared for those of his children who lived up to his standards.

[arp2008]

Will the real mythological Thor please stand up?



Marvel's Thor looks cooler.

[carabas]

Originally Posted by brocca

Dear friends,

twenty-five years ago I liked the fairy tale inspired way John Buscema used to draw the Norse mythology world. The way its drawn today seems to me too inspired by Hollywood movies and it's too dark.

It's considerably less dark than the not quite fairy-taley Norse myths though.

[Seraku]

for those who want to read a Thor tale that's deeply entrenched in the original mythos, should check out the work of Simonson or Fraction

[Frodo-X]

Originally Posted by Seraku

for those who want to read a Thor tale that's deeply entrenched in the original mythos, should check out the work of Simonson or Fraction

Yeah, I just read a book of Norse Myths and found that Fraction used quite a few of them for the basis of his three one-shots.

[carabas]

Originally Posted by Frodo-X

Yeah, I just read a book of Norse Myths and found that Fraction used quite a few of them for the basis of his three one-shots.

I quite liked Fraction's specials. By far superior to Sraczynski's work, which I also like very much.

[sherlockbones]

i have to admit that i don´t know the artist, but i suggest that this depiction is rather not a good example of how thor should be imagined if your starting point is "true to mythological sources".

just from the date of production (1872) i think it is very likly to link it to theosphical circles or groups inspired/linked to richard wagner. this is not thor but rather siegfried to me and it would interest me what others read out of a blond warrior slaying ugly cavemen. (notice the swastik on thor´s belt).

to me, marvel´s thor is a fairly good translation to modern times. to my knowledge odin was the god of the kings, whereas thor was the god of the peasants and commons.

they wore his hammer as an amulet or had it as protection under their roof gables. he was the son of the earth and it was important to have his blessings for having a good harvest. this is displayed in his role as protector of midgard in his marvel incarnation.

my favourite marvel version is beared, ironclad thor, walt simonson style.