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Where to begin with Thor...?

Started by BaltimoreLauren,

37 posts in this topic

ComicConnoisseur

ComicConnoisseur

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So after watching 'The Incredible Hulk Returns', I find myself fascinated with Thor. I know very little about him outside of what was explained in the movie, so I'm asking you guys and gals: Where should I begin (reading) with Thor?

 

Thor is by far Kirby's best work (although there were quite a few issues in the early part of the run that he didn't do). I know I've said this often but it bears repeating that Kirby enjoyed drawing that stuff the most.

 

Enjoy!

It`s unbelievably great, I hope the upcomming Thor movie gets more people to notice how great that stuff was!

 

300px-Thor-126.jpg

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rjpb

rjpb

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Read JIM 83 - 110 or so to get familiar with characters and backgrounds, then go to Walt's run from 337 on. Classic saga.

 

:o But that would be missing out on the excellent late SA stuff. The early stories introduced a lot of the characters but once the series hit it's stride, the stories got much more in depth and the characters were fleshed out rather than just relying on "villain of the month" issues.

 

Agreed the early issues aren't that great - and plenty of non-Kirby art. The post JIM Thor books by Lee and Kirby are a blast to read, and cheap in reader grades.

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jimjum12

jimjum12

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I would also go with the Masterworks to start with. When the movie comes out they will probably be released in softback, but the hardbacks sure are nice. Thor was the scond run I put together after the FF and they were awesome. My favorite stuff was the "Tales of Asgard" backup features and the storylines that involved Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandrall. Like most of the Marvels, Thor became very slick and sophisticated around 1965. ....from 112 on they really started building to a crescendo that never really ended. Please give us your critique after you're finished, Lauren. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

P.S. There is also a recent storyline by creators whose names I can't recall that is also great. I checked the trades out from the library.

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Stryfe1000

Stryfe1000

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So after watching 'The Incredible Hulk Returns', I find myself fascinated with Thor.

 

Hard to believe that's what got you interested in Thor... hmlol

 

For the record...I agree!

 

Ditto from me.

 

Actually I hope that any interest in Daredevil comes from Trial of the Incredible Hulk rather than the ***spoon*** awful film with Ben Affleck :sick:

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That Ron Dude

That Ron Dude

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The first 15 or so issues are not that great. I would read them only to be familiar with the origins of the characters. They will be a slog. Your brain will feel as though it was removed and replaced with maple syrup. They are, in many ways, on the level of the Lois Lanes or Jimmy Olsens of the day. By 135 though they are brilliant. By 160 they are some of the best things ever published in comics. You read them and say, "These guys were knocking out one of these per month?" If you look as some of the Thor's from that period, Kirby will be more interesting in one panel, and make that almost every panel, then most comic artists will be in an entire book. I don't use the word genius lightly, but they are works of genius. Pick up Marvel Essentials 1 if you want to read the origins, Marvel Essentials 2 for great comics, and 3 for some of the best comics ever.

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the blob

the blob

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putting aside the JIM issues and up to about 145-150 or so, you can get reader copies of most of the issues on up from there for $3-$4 or less, going down to a lot less for 90's stuff (though there was a period in there post-simonson and pre-zeck where Thor looks pretty terrible...I don't know whether the stories are any good as I have never wanted to read them the covers look so terrible). i know TPBs are convenient and what not, but I always wonder about spending that sort of money when the originals might be the same price. particularly when it comes to stuff from the last 30-35 years. heck, forget about it from the collectibility standpoint, think about the environment! (of course, TPBs help keep the folks at Marvel employed, so maybe think of it as a donation to Marvel)

 

but i guess your question is where to begin...and it would seem that the cheapest way to get the first couple of years of JIM are the essentials. even low grade Marvel Tales are going to start to add up to get all those stories unless you also want the other reprints in there and obviously all but the later JIMs are still a chunk of change even if beat up.

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Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer

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The current Thor series started by JMS and now by Kieron Dillon is pretty good

 

Actually the previous volume, issues #80-#85 are pretty darn good. What bothers me with the current version is that there are way too many questions from that arc that are left unanswered. I don't like how they have returned Thor and Asgard back into the fold, just way too odd.

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drdonaldblake

drdonaldblake

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So after watching 'The Incredible Hulk Returns', I find myself fascinated with Thor. I know very little about him outside of what was explained in the movie, so I'm asking you guys and gals: Where should I begin (reading) with Thor?

 

thor 126-171 are some of the best work marvel produced

 

with great stories like the Ragnorok saga

 

the essential thor TPB"s are great

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