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Thor by Walter Simonson
The Mighty Thor by Walter Simonson, Vol. 3
Few people have ever left their mark on one character quite the way Walter Simonson has. His work on the Mighty Thor swept the Norse God of Thunder to heights never before seen and rarely achieved in his wake. Spanning epic tales of heroism and treachery, love and war, Simonson's is often considered the definitive Thor. From the majesty and mystery of fabled Asgard to the gritty streets of New York City, Thor was never the same. That is the mark of a true visionary. This third volume continues the collection of Simonson's epic run, including the classic "Balder the Brave" miniseries! COLLECTING: Thor 357-363, Balder the Brave 1-4
264 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 2013
About the author
Walter Simonson
1,305 books179 followersWalt Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' Thor from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned work Star Slammers, which he inaugurated in 1972 as a Rhode Island School of Design thesis. He has also worked on other Marvel titles such as X-Factor and Fantastic Four, on DC Comics books including Detective Comics, Manhunter, Metal Men and Orion, and on licensed properties such as Star Wars, Alien, Battlestar Galactica and Robocop vs. Terminator.
He is married to comics writer Louise Simonson, with whom he collaborated as penciller on X-Factor from 1988 to 1989, and with whom he made a cameo appearance in the 2011 Thor feature film.
He is married to comics writer Louise Simonson, with whom he collaborated as penciller on X-Factor from 1988 to 1989, and with whom he made a cameo appearance in the 2011 Thor feature film.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 20, 2019
While the rainbow bridge destroyed, Asgard's mightiest warriors are stranded on Earth. Thor alone stands between Loki and the throne of Asgard but what can Thor do while he's enchanted by Lorelei?
Thor by Walter Simonson, Volume 3 contains issues 357 to 363 of Simonson's revered run on Thor, as well as Balder the Brave 1-4. And it's dynamite.
A lot more is going on in this book than my teaser indicates. Odin and Surtur are missing, presumed dead. Asgard is in ruins. Thor is enchanted by Lorelei and Loki wants the throne of Asgard. And there's this epic quest to hell but I'll get back to that in a minute.
You can tell Walter Simonson was waiting his whole life to tell some of these tales. Thor's adventures are lovingly rendered, with echoes of Jack Kirby visible. I still marvel that Simonson was able to hit the deadlines every month with his detailed style and still find time to write the stuff. A lot of Norse mythology is woven into the backstory of the tales and I caught a Lord Dunsany reference or two.
The word "epic" is as overused as "genius" these days but this tome is definitely an epic. In the aftermath of the Surtur saga of the last volume, it would have been easy for Simonson to coast for a while but he does not rest on his laurels. Simonson played the long game and bounces from one epic to the next. While the Lorelei subplot kind of fizzled, it got Thor to where he needed to be: Heading up a group of Asgard's finest on a mission to Hel! Hela and company give Thor quite a bit of trouble and make a hero out of an Asgardian I wouldn't suspect.
Even setting aside that marvelous adventure, the rest of the volume has a lot going for it. Balder goes solo for a few issues, Beta Ray Bill and Sif watch over earth and try to figure out how to get the Asgardians home, and Thor suffers some grievous wounds, leading to Bearded Thor sometime in the next volume.
I'm as pleased as Volstagg at a buffet that Walter Simonson's Thor run has stood the test of time as well as it has. Four out of five Mjolnirs.
Thor by Walter Simonson, Volume 3 contains issues 357 to 363 of Simonson's revered run on Thor, as well as Balder the Brave 1-4. And it's dynamite.
A lot more is going on in this book than my teaser indicates. Odin and Surtur are missing, presumed dead. Asgard is in ruins. Thor is enchanted by Lorelei and Loki wants the throne of Asgard. And there's this epic quest to hell but I'll get back to that in a minute.
You can tell Walter Simonson was waiting his whole life to tell some of these tales. Thor's adventures are lovingly rendered, with echoes of Jack Kirby visible. I still marvel that Simonson was able to hit the deadlines every month with his detailed style and still find time to write the stuff. A lot of Norse mythology is woven into the backstory of the tales and I caught a Lord Dunsany reference or two.
The word "epic" is as overused as "genius" these days but this tome is definitely an epic. In the aftermath of the Surtur saga of the last volume, it would have been easy for Simonson to coast for a while but he does not rest on his laurels. Simonson played the long game and bounces from one epic to the next. While the Lorelei subplot kind of fizzled, it got Thor to where he needed to be: Heading up a group of Asgard's finest on a mission to Hel! Hela and company give Thor quite a bit of trouble and make a hero out of an Asgardian I wouldn't suspect.
Even setting aside that marvelous adventure, the rest of the volume has a lot going for it. Balder goes solo for a few issues, Beta Ray Bill and Sif watch over earth and try to figure out how to get the Asgardians home, and Thor suffers some grievous wounds, leading to Bearded Thor sometime in the next volume.
I'm as pleased as Volstagg at a buffet that Walter Simonson's Thor run has stood the test of time as well as it has. Four out of five Mjolnirs.
May 30, 2023
Simonson takes a bit of a breather with a really light bank heist storyline involving Beta Ray Bill and Sif, that feels mostly like the standard, garden-variety plots that Thor unfortunately saw a lot of before now. Still Simonson imbues it with his own magic with the Bill/Sif relationship subplot.
But then, along comes Thor, riding straight into Hel. And Simonson was firing on all cylinders, art and story-wise.
I truly understand why everyone says this was the best run. For my money, I think I'm still leaning toward Jason Aaron's run as the best, but this is a very close second.
But then, along comes Thor, riding straight into Hel. And Simonson was firing on all cylinders, art and story-wise.
I truly understand why everyone says this was the best run. For my money, I think I'm still leaning toward Jason Aaron's run as the best, but this is a very close second.
August 25, 2022
Another good volume, but it didn't get the greatness of the last one. Although the battle on Hel was awesome. Really captured the old Viking's tales and battles. But, the first part of this book, with Lorelei again enchanting Thor to love her was a little lame. Let's get the last one!
August 30, 2019
The first three issues in this volume are just okay. Lorelei once again tries to make Thor fall in love with her, while Beta Ray Bill and Sif fight a disposable bank robbing crew in New York. These issues feel like a (relatively) lighthearted interlude between two huge storylines. About that second storyline: Thor recruits an Asgardian army to go into Hel to retrieve the stolen souls from Hela, and it’s awesome. There are many standout sequences here, but Skurge’s sacrifice strikes me as the best and most powerful. This scene will be familiar to you if you’ve seen Thor: Ragnarok. Elsewhere, I was pleasantly surprised with the Balder miniseries, as I’ve been lukewarm towards his story so far. It’s a fun adventure where he goes into Jotunheim to save Karnilla from the frost giants. The ending sets up an intriguing direction for his character, and the larger story Simonson is telling.
I love the way Simonson integrates bits from the myths into his run. You can tell how much he loves mythology and storytelling, taking influences from not only the Norse myths, but also epic fantasy and Jack Kirby’s Fourth World.
I love the way Simonson integrates bits from the myths into his run. You can tell how much he loves mythology and storytelling, taking influences from not only the Norse myths, but also epic fantasy and Jack Kirby’s Fourth World.
May 4, 2021
I’m absolutely in love with Walt Simonson’s Thor and this volume contained some delightful moments, such as more hi-jinks involving my favorite Simonson creation, Beta Ray Bill on Midgard*, and an all-time classic Thor moment when “he stood alone at Gjallerbru” (no spoilers!). Old comics are hard for some to read because they’re so wordy, but Simonson’s extravagant writings are a logical match for this entry into the fantasy-genre.
However, it did take me three to four years to read this one because it simply did not reach the stellar heights of Simonson’s earlier “Surtur Saga,” nor was this one ever as exciting. And I enjoyed Balder’s miniseries, being a true fan of this incarnation of the Thor mythos, but it wasn’t exactly what I’d call the best or most thrilling moment in Simonson’s run.
Having read the incredible First and Second volumes of Walt Simonson’s run on Thor, and knowing what is to come in Three and Four, I think it’s safe to say this is probably the weakest out of Simonson’s collected run - apart from “Like A Bat out of Hel,” which is one of the greatest single Marvel issues of all time, or certainly one of Thor’s at the very least. True fans should read this for story reasons, and those interested in continuing Simonson’s run should at least skim this one over, but it you’re a new reader looking for an entry point into one of the greatest runs of all time, I recommend you just start at the beginning.
(editor’s note: Earth)
However, it did take me three to four years to read this one because it simply did not reach the stellar heights of Simonson’s earlier “Surtur Saga,” nor was this one ever as exciting. And I enjoyed Balder’s miniseries, being a true fan of this incarnation of the Thor mythos, but it wasn’t exactly what I’d call the best or most thrilling moment in Simonson’s run.
Having read the incredible First and Second volumes of Walt Simonson’s run on Thor, and knowing what is to come in Three and Four, I think it’s safe to say this is probably the weakest out of Simonson’s collected run - apart from “Like A Bat out of Hel,” which is one of the greatest single Marvel issues of all time, or certainly one of Thor’s at the very least. True fans should read this for story reasons, and those interested in continuing Simonson’s run should at least skim this one over, but it you’re a new reader looking for an entry point into one of the greatest runs of all time, I recommend you just start at the beginning.
(editor’s note: Earth)
April 22, 2018
FROG-THOR!!! The Verminator!!!
A lot of older comics don't hold up well to modern reading - both storylines and art don't age particularly well. The art here is the weaker link, but Simonson manages some extraordinary tales in this collection (note - the version I read had Thor 360-369, which is different from the description, but the cover matches). There's the aforementioned Frog Thor issues, which shouldn't work but really do come across surprisingly well. There's a trek for Thor to Hel to collect some mortal souls which is epic in scope and may reflect where the Skurge storyline of Thor:Ragnarok originated. Then there are some shenanigans about the new ruler of Asgard which give Malaketh and Loki both some moments of sun. The final issues reflect a mysterious floating castle which also have some good parts. All told, the issues build off each other well and all the stories are better than I would have expected once you dig through the 'thees' and 'thous' of the dialog. Simonson's work here is timeless and still eminently readable.
A lot of older comics don't hold up well to modern reading - both storylines and art don't age particularly well. The art here is the weaker link, but Simonson manages some extraordinary tales in this collection (note - the version I read had Thor 360-369, which is different from the description, but the cover matches). There's the aforementioned Frog Thor issues, which shouldn't work but really do come across surprisingly well. There's a trek for Thor to Hel to collect some mortal souls which is epic in scope and may reflect where the Skurge storyline of Thor:Ragnarok originated. Then there are some shenanigans about the new ruler of Asgard which give Malaketh and Loki both some moments of sun. The final issues reflect a mysterious floating castle which also have some good parts. All told, the issues build off each other well and all the stories are better than I would have expected once you dig through the 'thees' and 'thous' of the dialog. Simonson's work here is timeless and still eminently readable.
September 17, 2025
Thor by Walter Simonson Vol. 3, calificación 3.5/5 estrellas.
Balder the brave se roba el show en el propio comic de Thor Odinson de Walt Simonson. Con arte de Sal Buscema.
También Balder y Skruge The Executioner opacaron a Beta Ray Bill.
Thor pierde la compostura manipulado por Loki y Lorelei. Por lo menos vuelve en sí cuando Amora lo manipula para que encuentre a Lorelei y Loki en la cama.
Balder the brave se roba el show en el propio comic de Thor Odinson de Walt Simonson. Con arte de Sal Buscema.
También Balder y Skruge The Executioner opacaron a Beta Ray Bill.
Thor pierde la compostura manipulado por Loki y Lorelei. Por lo menos vuelve en sí cuando Amora lo manipula para que encuentre a Lorelei y Loki en la cama.
March 22, 2024
This has the very iconic scene of Skurge's last stand at Gjallerbru, which I had heard again and again be vaunted as one of the great Bronze Age moments. I guess I found it all a little underwhelming. The remastered coloring still sucks. Also get ready to spend a lot of time with Balder the Bland.
July 8, 2025
Continuing Simonson's run - this collection might be a little choppy (by focusing on Simonson's work, it includes the Balder miniseries, but omits the Power Pack and Secret Wars II tie in), but still very enjoyable and includes some key moments including the first appearance of Frog Thor!
April 29, 2020
Awesome art and a great story.
August 4, 2020
Vintage art, interesting stories.
September 4, 2020
I wasn’t really into the Balder the Brave miniseries, but it was good to revisit the rest.
October 1, 2024
Midpoint of one of the best runs on Thor. Excellent for any Thor fan.
October 14, 2026
Not even Loki saves this comic, it’s that bad.
July 15, 2014
Not as exciting as the climax to the Surtur Saga, but not every comic can be world threatening mayhem. or at least, I don't think a book works well when that's attempted. There has to be some character balance. We get that here on several levels.
I admit the Lorelei subplot (finally resolved here, thank goodness) was more annoying than interesting, especially when it became clear she was more petulant child than actual threat. There was some humor in those issues as it was resolved, but humor rarely works well for me in any of the Thor books I read. I'm just glad this one was over. The one plus? It was fun to see Simonson use this to get inside Sif's head a bit.
The Balder issues were exactly the kind of character driven story that works in comics, just enough drama and action to keep things moving, but the real story grows out of human motives as much as an existential threat and we see the character revealed as a person as well as being revealed as a warrior.
The Thor issues that followed the blessed end of the Lorelei bits were also well done. While the invasion of Hel had plenty of fighting--as it should--it also told us a lot about a number of characters--Sif and Frigga even in their brief moments back in Asgard, Thor in his determined pursuit of the protection of his human charges, Balder with Nanna and leading the Asgardians out of Hel, and Skurge the Executioner in a nice swan song moment after he discovers he'd been duped by Hela and Mordonna.
And as always Simonson draws about as beautiful an issue of Thor as any artist who's ever attempted the book. His consistently great art work is a highlight of the whole run. It is at least as great as the stories he told, and he told killer stories. Fun, intelligent funny books right here folks.
I admit the Lorelei subplot (finally resolved here, thank goodness) was more annoying than interesting, especially when it became clear she was more petulant child than actual threat. There was some humor in those issues as it was resolved, but humor rarely works well for me in any of the Thor books I read. I'm just glad this one was over. The one plus? It was fun to see Simonson use this to get inside Sif's head a bit.
The Balder issues were exactly the kind of character driven story that works in comics, just enough drama and action to keep things moving, but the real story grows out of human motives as much as an existential threat and we see the character revealed as a person as well as being revealed as a warrior.
The Thor issues that followed the blessed end of the Lorelei bits were also well done. While the invasion of Hel had plenty of fighting--as it should--it also told us a lot about a number of characters--Sif and Frigga even in their brief moments back in Asgard, Thor in his determined pursuit of the protection of his human charges, Balder with Nanna and leading the Asgardians out of Hel, and Skurge the Executioner in a nice swan song moment after he discovers he'd been duped by Hela and Mordonna.
And as always Simonson draws about as beautiful an issue of Thor as any artist who's ever attempted the book. His consistently great art work is a highlight of the whole run. It is at least as great as the stories he told, and he told killer stories. Fun, intelligent funny books right here folks.
Read
February 17, 2014More epic tales of grand adventure (the spine of the book is essentially the Harrowing of Hell replayed by the hordes of Asgard and Valhalla, using assault weapons they've borrowed on a recent trip to Midgard, and every bit as entertaining as that sounds). But there are also some surprisingly deft and peculiar romantic subplots, of which the most moving is that in which Sif and Beta Ray Bill become entwined. It's essentially Brief Encounter except even better, because Beta Ray Bill makes everything better.
April 29, 2014
There's stuff in here that's epic even by today's standards - no wonder it blew everyone away when it first came out in the 80's.
June 17, 2015
Genius never a dull moment when Walter gets his asgardian on
April 17, 2018
This was an okay book with an iconic moment for a Thor supporting character, but not much else. Save for the iconic Skurge scene, this collection is just okay. It retreads some simple plotting and is a slower read due to its pace. There are still some gems in this read including some fantastic art from Simonson, but I’d only recommend this for diehard Thor fans who don’t have it yet. To read my full review go here: http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews