Mighty Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor Vol. 3 - The Trial Of The Gods

by Stan Lee, Leonardo Romero (Cover Art)

All hail Asgard! All hail Stan and Jack! That's right, the creative team that sparked the Marvel revolution is back to show you just how it's done with a collection of THOR classics! Experience a war against the Cobra and Mister Hyde for the life of Jane Foster, earthshaking fisticuffs between the Mighty Thor and the Incredible Hulk, the return of the Grey Gargoyle, the entrance of the Absorbing Man, Odin's trial of Thor and Loki that exiles them to the dangerous and desolate Skornheim, and the first appearance of the unstoppable Destroyer! Also featuring the fan-favorite "Tales of Asgard" backup stories revealing the origins of Marvel's Norse pantheon of heroes, villains, giants and mystic lands. Reserve your copy today - lightning doesn't strike twice! Collecting JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (1952) #110-119.

Genres: Graphic Novels

232 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2023

About the author

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.

With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.

Reviews

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume, which reprints Journey Into Mystery 110-119, is where Thor finally starts to come together. With issue #114—which introduces the Absorbing Man, not Stan and Jack’s finest moment, at least villain-wise—a long, interconnected story begins in which Thor slowly becomes more of the main character and Dr. Donald Blake starts to fade into the background, as does the soap opera-ish love story with Jane Foster. Thor starts to spend more time on Asgard in these stories, and the series is all the better for it. Unfortunately, it’s also in this volume where Vince Colletta takes over as inker, and while some people swear by his inks, especially on Thor, I just swear at them. Colletta would erase parts of the background and obliterate Kirby figures to do less work, but spend extra “loving” care on the cross-hatching on Thor’s massive arms. I hate his inking on anyone, but especially Kirby. Like a lot of the early Marvel creations, it took Stan & Jack quite a few issues to finally find their groove with this character, and Kirby’s epic storytelling starts to stand out in these issues, and continues until he leaves the book with issue #179.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like Thor finally came together or, at least, more interesting, with the story arc beginning with the Absorbing Man through the Destroyer (Issues 114-119).

[Paul Stanis · Rating 3 out of 5]

“None may disturb Odin while he takes his imperial bath!”

First appearances of: Fenris, and the Absorbing Man, who gets his powers from Loki. He’s significantly more powerful here than I know him to be later (#114); the Destroyer (#118); Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg (#119).

Look for: an oversize cardboard Hulk head, similar to examples in Thor: Ragnarok (#112); Thor, like Christopher Reeve’s Superman, able to make a human forget anything he wishes them to (#115); Thor all of a sudden able to go sixty seconds without Mjölnir and avoid transforming into Don Blake (#116); remarkable Silver Age fight dialogue in, “He was a fool to announce his intention!” (#119); and the warning, “Ragnarok is coming” (#119).

“Let us have done with this charade!”

[Mr. Stick · Rating 3 out of 5]

"ODD'S BLOOD!! NONE BUT MIGHTY THOR COULD CALL VOLSTAGG STOUT!! 'TIS BUT NY NUSCLES THAT HAVE GROWN MORE ROUND!"
- Volstagg's exclamation after Thor comments on the former's increased appetite.

Kirby's art absolutely killed in this series, which was a little rough at first, but really came together once he and Stan started producing multi-issue stories for the son of Odin.
Loki's character development made leaps in just a few issues, largely taking the co-star role away from Dr. Donald Blake.
Thor and Blake's love of Karen brings Odin's disapproval into the mix, which is where it gets really interesting.
Big improvement. Much more readable from last volume. Three stars.