Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson, Vol. 3

Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson #3

by Walter Simonson (Writer/Artist), Sal Buscema (Artist)

Spanning epic tales of heroism and treachery, love and war, writer/artist Walter Simonson's groundbreaking work on THE MIGHTY THOR is regarded as that long-running title's definitive run. From the majesty and mystery of Asgard to the gritty streets of New York City, Thor has never been the same. This third volume continues the collection of Simonson's legendary run, reprinting THOR #360-369.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Comic Book, Fantasy, Superheroes, Fiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Walt 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.

Reviews

[Nicolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Simonson is one of my favorite comics creators, and it is his seminal work on Thor that I enjoy the most from his varied bibliography.

I have a lot of the individual issues from his Thor run and I have also plan to buy one of the hardcovers released that collect his work on Thor. Though the original hardcover releases of his Marvel Visionaries series have gone out of print, Marvel Comics just released an oversized hardcover omnibus featuring in one cover the entire Simonson’s work on Thor, with new recolored art.

This trade paperback, which is printed on glossier paper than the original newsprint of the individual issues, is still based on the original color guides of Max Scheele. This is hardly the edition I wanted my comics to be in but the bargain price and the stories inside made this a good buy. Reading an arc of Simonson’s Thor would be easier now that I have a paperback I can read to death.

Simonson’s Thor is as good as comics get. He manages to put his mark on a character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby based on Norse Mythology. Simonson manages to make this character accessible by foregoing the Shakespearean speech but maintaining the formal cadence of the dialogue. I enjoy that there is an earthy feel to his Asgard as Simonson incorporates historical Norse architecture and less of the towering spires of the original Kirby.

This volume, which collects issues 360-369 have two of my favorite stories. The first is issue 362, the last part of a cycle that that has Thor travelling to Hel on a quest. This is the issue were the Executioner, a long time, minor villain, stays behind to guard a bridge to give Thor, Balder and the Einherjar to escape and redeem his lost honor. Rereading that story still gives me goose bumps. It is that good.

The second is a three part tale that has the Thunder God turned into a frog. An interesting take on the frog prince dynamic, this was Simonson channeling Carl Barks and his legendary work on Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge.

I wish comics were still this good. Simonson developed into a truly talented creator in this run of Thor. His art was both dynamic and fantastic, and can switch genres with ease, from high fantasy, fairy tale, to superhero. There was a never a dull moment in any of his issues of Thor. This should be essential comic reading.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thor #360 -- "Into the Valley of Death": If my memory serves, my favourite stretch of Walt Simonson's The Mighty Thor is about to begin, but before we get there Simonson needs to tie up the loose ends of the Surtur battle and add some new stitches for what's to come. To that end, we get the Asgardians returning from Midgard to begin the rebuilding of the Golden Realm; we get Frigga holding onto Odin's Great Sceptre until a new ruler can be chosen; we get Sif pouting over being punched by Thor, even though she knows he struck her because he was under the spell of Loki (apparently this thread is going to need more time to be tied off); we get the Warriors Three back bearing cheesy gifts; and we get -- oddest of all -- the Einherjar adopting the automatic weapons of the US Army. Now we have gun toting Asgardians. But all of this (well ... most of it) is about to be put aside for Thor's journey to Hel. Sweet.

Thor #361 -- "The Quick and the Dead": For fans of Norse Mythology, Thor's journey to Hel is one of the best issues written by Simonson. Garm guards the gates of Hel, while Hel(a) rules the lowest reaches of Yggdrasil with her decaying touch. Balder's wife Nan[n]a shows up in a cool cameo, and we even see creepy Modgud who's busy guarding Gjallarbrú, the bridge to Hel. And for fans of the comics we get the horrific scarring of Thor's beautiful face. It's a moment that I remember most fondly from all those years ago, and I've always loved the way Simonson chose to render the horror. It's all left to our imagination. Thor's face, mangled and mauled during his wrestling match with Hel, is all in black shadow. We can't tell how bad the damage is by looking at Thor, but we can tell how bad the damage is by watching the reactions (and reading the thoughts) of those around him. Their reactions ain't pretty, and neither is Thor anymore.

Thor #362 -- "Like a Bat Out of Hell": Thor is entering his grim phase now that his face is destroyed, which is a big plus for the coming issues, but this issue is most interesting because of the Executioner's (Skurge's) redemptive act of sacrifice. He destroys Naglfar (the ship made from the toe and fingernails of the dead) with his axe, then he holds the rear of Thor's column, fighting off the hordes of the dead that Hel sends against the Asgardians. It's pretty cool, actually, though not as emotionally stirring as it sounds. Skurge is a bit of a putz, after all.

Thor #363 -- "This Kursed Earth": If there is anything I hate about comics, it is when Marvel or DC decide to do a multi-issue, multi-title cross over series. Money grab aside, I've never found that style of storytelling coherent enough to be a complete success. Even the Civil War (which I consider the best of the bunch) was too uneven to be called truly exceptional. As far as I know, though, Secret Wars II and all its crossovers, of which this issue of The Mighty Thor is one, is where all this multi-madness began. So we get the Beyonder wandering around Earth, fucking with superheroes to educate himself, and blah blah blah. The issue is pretty poor. It's mostly a slug fest between Thor and Kurse (with cameos from Beta Ray Bill and Power Pack), and it's a huge disappointment after Thor's kick ass journey to hell. At least we get brooding, wounded, scarred up Thor when he's not duking it out with Kurse, and Thor in this state is about as compelling as Thor gets, so the hint of this Thor mitigates the Secret Wars tie in just a touch.

It's not a great issue, but it sets up something very, very cool: the last page sees a Loki spell, channeling the power of Surtur's sword, coming to fruition. A charmed woman walks up to Thor and gives him a smooch. And the next thing you know ... Thor's a frog. Super sweet!

Thor #364 -- "Thor Croaks!": So my friend Manny Rayner is reading Ulysses, and I am reading The Mighty Thor. At least my book has a talking frog, and that frog is Thor himself. As the issue opens, Frigga declares the "Great Althing" to decide on a new ruler of Asgard will take place in a fortnight. Loki shows up with a smile on his face, certain that Thor won't make it because he's become an amphibian. Meanwhile, Thor finds himself embroiled in a Central Park war between the Rats and the Frogs, and giant, ass-kicking Bull Frog that Thor is, he lends his power to the battle and aids the Frogs. A fortnight later, he's engaged in a plan to attack the Rats in their sewer home, when he stumbles upon a Pied Piper. The lilting tones of the Piper's pipe enslave Thor, and we leave him jumping into the mouths of a dozen sewer alligators. While back in Asgard, Loki steps up at the Althing only to find Thor (Thor?) join him on stage (a plan cooked up by Heimdall and Harokin). What the fuck is going on? I'll fill you in tomorrow.

Thor #365 -- "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, or It's Not Easy Being Green.": Turns out the Piper is a Morlock, and when it comes down to it he admires the big bullfrog's determination (even Frog Thor is tenatious), so he recovers his pipe and sets his alligators on the rat armies to aid the Frog of Thunder. It's easy to mock this strange detour in the Thor story, but my fondness has been reiforced during this rereading. I love this story. I love Thor as a frog fighting a war against the rats. Moreover, the spell cast by Loki seems to fit with the sort of mischief Loki was famous for in the real Norse Myths, giving this a touch of old world charm that many of the other Thor stories could use. To finish this disjointed entry: the best part of the issue is when Frog Thor lifts Mjolnir and becomes a 6'6" Frog Thor, standing tall and driving his chariot into the heavens. Thor has never looked better. Really.

Thor #366 -- "Sir!": Loki's plans are about to come to fruition. He turns the tables on Heimdall's ruse to buy time, lifting Harokin's fake Mjolnir (Harokin is standing in for the missing Thor), thus proving himself worthy of the power of Thor to the huddled masses of Asgard. So who should rule Asgard? Loki, of course. Not so fast, though. Frog Thor shows up and starts kicking Loki's ass. The God of Mischief is about to end up in Hel, but elsewhere in Asgard, Volstagg bumps into a mountainside and drops an avalanche onto the magic machine that is tapping the mystic energies of Surtur's sword, thus making the Frog spell work. The spell breaks, Thor is restored, Loki is saved, and the "brothers" head back to the Althing where the people of Asgard offer Thor the Asgardian crown. He refuses, though, because his vow to protect Midgard is too important to break. So he declares Balder the true ruler. Cue a drawing of Loki's brain at work. You're in deep doo doo, Balder. The end.

Too bad Frog Thor is gone :( I loved Frog Thor.

Thor #367 -- "The Harvest of the Seasons": I like to think of this as the coming of Thor's beard. Balder is set to be the new Liege Lord of Asgard, and Thor is free to brood over his love for Sif and grow a neatly trimmed blonde beard to cover Hela's devastation to his face. So he does. And while other things happen in this issue, like the return of Beyonder's buddy, Kurse, the return of Malekith, the obligatory scheming of Loki, and Sif's most recent decision to run off with Horse-Face Bill, all that really matters to me is Thor's beard. Nice choice, Walt. It fit Thor so well, he was sporting the beard this past summer.

Thor #368 -- "The Eye of the Beholder": All that Kurse and Malekith stuff is resolved as this issue opens, but Balder still hasn't arrived to be crowned, so Thor drags Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun out of Asgard to search for the Brave one who has fallen prey to yet another bit of Loki scheming (shocking isn't it?).

But that is when things get really good because I was able to twist everything in my mind. I turned Thor #368 into Star Trek - The Original Series, Season 4, Episode 1. Captain Kirk (Balder) is tricked into the lair of some Big Bad Alien (Slaggnbir the Troll), where he is forced to fight the BBA to save three Beautiful Space Women -- Gertha, Unn and Kossi -- who turn out to be the real danger because as soon as Kirk has killed the BBA, the BSW trigger amnesia in Kirk and turn him into their sex slave. Meanwhile, Mr. Spock (Bearded Thor) stumbles upon the Spaceship of the BBA (the castle), and when he walks into the ship, he finds the BSW controlling his Captain. Cue cliffhanger music and the half time commercial. Conclusion of TOS 4.1 tomorrow in my recounting of Thor #369. Bet you're as excited as I am.

Thor #368 -- "For Whom the Belles Troll": Captain's Log, Stardate 6125.6, First Officer Spock reporting: Following Captain Kirk's disappearance while investigating the derelict vessel of the Big Bad Alien, I proceeded to the ship to conduct my own investigation. It was there that I discovered Captain Kirk in thrall to three Alien Women, undoubtedly they would be subjectively beautiful to humans. I was quick to assess the situation and realized that the Alien Women had used a set of Aesirian bobbles containing a Thrall-field and Illusion Projector. Once I destroyed their bobbles, the Alien Women were revealed as Jotnir (Trolls). Captain Kirk and I were forced to terminate them once they attacked us with murderous intent.

Then Captain Balder and Mr. Thor fly off into the sunset to have that drink to honour their dead comrade, Lt. Skurge, which ends the long, long arc of Asgardian tales in Simonson's Thor. Back to Midgard next time, home of more "super-hero" driven tales; it will be a nice change, but I'm going to miss the Asgardian stuff.

[Sesana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just might be as good as it gets on Thor. It's certainly as good as I've ever read. I think Thor works best when thoroughly grounded in his mythological roots. The action is grand and heroic, and the characters are appropriately larger than life, without being marble figures that are impossible to relate to. And the stories feel like myths, like something that could be told on a cold night in a warm mead hall. Simonson is so good in this collection that he can even give Thor an extended storyline as a frog. It's nowhere near as silly as it probably ought to be, and that's entirely due to Simonson's skill as a writer and his understanding of how to draft a myth. I've greatly enjoyed everything that I've read of Simonson's run on Thor so far, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone with an interest in reading the comic book version of the character and little background in decades of Marvel continuity.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apart from a journey to Hel and back, this volume features the introduction of Frog Thor and some wonderfully awesome Balder. Absolutely brilliant and so much fun. At times really wacky (I mean, seriously, Frog Thor!) but then also deeply touching (Volstagg's concern for his daughter, for example), absolutely hilarious and finally just, well, *epic*. (I don't throw this word about lightly, trust me. If anything ever deserved to be called epic, this comic does.)

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some epic moments in Hel but Thor as a frog too. There’s only so much I can reasonably endure.

At least, now I know why Thor became a bearded hipster before it was fashionable.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 3 is even better than Volume 2. Put it this way, Simonson is so damn good, that you don't even flinch when Thor is transformed into a frog for more than an entire issue! It also contains a lot of the Asgardian stories, including redemption for a former villain in Hel itself. I also enjoyed the depth the characters were examined in, including Sif and Thor's relationship with the Beta Ray Bill triangle. Just classic stuff. I would buy this to own and share with anyone who wants to learn about Thor. I also love that I finally have an explanation for why Thor started wearing a beard.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is likely the peak of the famed Simonson run on Thor. A suicide mission by a grieving son into Hell itself, to follow a father if not to find & recover that father, taking an army of dead heroes to a final death for a noble cause.
Then to turn around and give us an even longer arc of Frog Thor, which highlights the Silver Age goofiness that Simonson aims to redeem in equal measure to your mythic Eddas. Other artists begin to appear, but they do not detract from the excellent storytelling on display.

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, but 5 for the Skurge arc.

"They sing no songs in Hel, nor do they celebrate heroes, for silent is that dismal realm, and cheerless. But the story of the Gjallerbru and the God who defended it is whispered across the nine worlds, 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."

[L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't much care for the artwork in this one. Kind of harsh and cheap looking.

The collection starts off with Thor battling against some worthy foes like Hela and Kurse. And then it happens. Thor is turned into a frog. For several issues. This is where the franchise hit rock bottom in my opinion. You know what they say about opinions: mine's right and you should listen to it.

[Ricky Kimsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goes All Over The Place

This collection of Thor comics just goes all over the place.
Over the course of these issues Thor is disfigured and later turned into a frog. The whole thing is very trippy.

[Melvin Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Marvel Goodness

With the upcoming release of Avengers Infinity War just tight I’d re read some past favs . Thor has always been one of my favorite heroes because his tale goes back to ancient legends.

[ISMOTU · Rating 5 out of 5]

The host of Asgard invades Hela's dark realm in an epic battle. Loki's scheming, Mjolnir's bashing faces, everything you want in a Thor comic, plus the Frog of Thunder! Simonson continues his amazing run writing and drawing the adventures of the Odinson.

[Adam Sequoyah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Man, this took a long time to finish. Thor as a bullfrog looks cool ... but man, this volume drags. I finished this one ... but I can't take any more.

MPA ratings: PG for violence and for scary images

[David(LA,CA) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He stood alone at Gjalleerbru... and that is answer enough."

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this one four stars largely because of the 'Thor as Frog' arc - it blew me away as a teenager and it's still fun now.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gems include “Executioner’s Last Stand!”, “Thunder Frog!”, & “Once upon a Time”

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A battle in Hel. Thor disfigured. The Frog. A Covey of Witches.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walt Simonson continues his great Thor run, handling both the art and the scripting for the god of thunder. In this volume Thor descends to Hel to save the souls of some mortals wrongfully condemned there, is turned into a frog (and leads Central Park's frogs to a victory over their rat foes) and rescues his friend Balder, to whom he's bequeathed the throne of Asgard.

Both the plotting and the dialogue aptly capture the aura of myth. Simonson is adept at throwing in little details that seem to evoke antiquity: some weird troll witch or a ship built from dead men's fingernails. Thor is noble and decent, hurting from Asgard's recent losses but striving to do what's right, even when he's a frog.

The other characters pale in comparison: the love triangle involving Sif and Beta Ray Bill is a bit stiff, and only Volstagg has the real spirit of life behind him. But still, the book is imaginative and does a good job inhabiting this other world. Similarly, Simonson's art mixes bold, active lines with magical landscapes.

The story suffers a bit in its final arc, a bit of a predictable tale involving some trolls who prey on unsuspecting travelers. (Even Thor isn't fooled for a minute.) But it continues to succeed and definitely deserves reading.

Read digital versions

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simonson's run continues to impress. The highlights include a story where Thor goes to Hel to rescue some mortal souls who were unjustly placed there, and another story where Loki has a unique way of removing Thor from Asgard during a crucial time. I don't want to spoil the surprise, as the story is a lot of fun. This is the last volume where Simonson pencils each issue. At that point he brought his pencils over to X-Factor, which was being written by his wife Louise. Sal Buscema, who takes over the art of the book does a great job, but he doesn't quite reach the quality established by Simonson.

[Michael Liggett · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid I loved Thor under Walt Simonson. I've always enjoyed his art and thought the fantasy angle of it was great. Coming back as an adult I expected the luster to be lost somewhat. That didn't really happen. Simonson's run is a great read decades later and has in spades what I feel most comics these days are missing...an unapologetic embrace of their pulp campiness. More fighting giant dogs and arming Norse gods with M-16s and less forced angst and juvenile "edginess"! I'm talking to you, DC!

[Jdetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection would be five stars just for the story of Throg, Frog of Thunder, but there's other good stories in here as well. Sadly, it also marks the end of an era, where Walt Simonson stopped penciling the series and turned it over to Sal Buscema. For me, that's where the classic run of Thor stops. Under Buscema's pencils, Simonson's stories lost their grandeur and just became silly.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Asgard is recovering from Odin's fall. Loki wants to become ruler and turns Thor into a frog to stop him. There's also a journey to Hel. The frog bit is the highlight of this volume, as Thor doesn't let his appearance stop him being a hero. A good read.

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of Simonson's epic run on Thor, including an extended silly episode in which Thor is turned into a frog. Thor is one title, though, which can use a little silliness now and then, as it can take to take itself a little too seriously. As always, Simonson's artwork is excellent.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simonson continues his spectacular run on the title.

[j_ay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carrying on with the original issues of Thor 360-369 from the mid-1980s.

[Shamesdean]

Walter Simionson is a legend. His run on Thor is still some of the best ever written for him.

[Reuvenc]

Well, my copy has every other issue torn out of it (along with all the interstitial covers) but luckily whoever it was who decided to do that chose to skip the one where Skurge has his last stand so, I dunnaknow, can't really begrudge them their deep need to have their comics. Enjoy your ill gotten gains, thief! Love the way Buscema draws Uglitha, by the by.