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Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #9
Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor, Vol. 9
Collects The Mighty Thor #173-183
- GenresComicsMarvelComic Book
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2010
8 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,563 books2,346 followersStan 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 15, 2022
One last hurrah for Jack Kirby with a story where Loki finally gets to take over Asgard (Odin is having one of his naps) and promptly lets Surtur loose by mistake. As ever with Thor stories where the resolution is “Dad turns up and sorts it out” it’s a bit unsatisfying but it is one last chance to see Kirby cutting loose in the glorious big-panel, big-action style he’d developed for the book. Even Volstagg gets to fight!
It’s a style that works so well his immediate follow up artists stick to it. This turns out ok for the reliable John Buscema but it’s a waste of Neal Adams, whose strength is dramatic page compositions more than kinetic storytelling - a few splash pages are a glimpse of what might have been. Adams gets to complete a Thor/Loki body swap story though the sense of wasted potential extends to the script - mid sixties Stan would surely have got a lot more fun out of Loki addressing the UN.
The final Buscema-illustrated yarn pits Thor against Dr Doom. It’s a story with some remarkably contrived plot logic (Thor: I can’t just fly to Latveria and beat Doom up, it would cause an international incident. Also Thor: Destroys Latveria’s entire missile defence system.) but rattles along nicely.
It does however mean there are two stories in the same book where Thor “helps out” a human worried about their relative and the relative a) turns out to be bad b) dies and c) Thor ends up flat out lying that they “died a hero”. Stan Lee really loved this plot! The other one, with Kirby, features new villain the Crypto Man, whose plan involves inventing something that drains vast amounts of energy just to show off. Lee and Kirby - visionaries to the end.
It’s a style that works so well his immediate follow up artists stick to it. This turns out ok for the reliable John Buscema but it’s a waste of Neal Adams, whose strength is dramatic page compositions more than kinetic storytelling - a few splash pages are a glimpse of what might have been. Adams gets to complete a Thor/Loki body swap story though the sense of wasted potential extends to the script - mid sixties Stan would surely have got a lot more fun out of Loki addressing the UN.
The final Buscema-illustrated yarn pits Thor against Dr Doom. It’s a story with some remarkably contrived plot logic (Thor: I can’t just fly to Latveria and beat Doom up, it would cause an international incident. Also Thor: Destroys Latveria’s entire missile defence system.) but rattles along nicely.
It does however mean there are two stories in the same book where Thor “helps out” a human worried about their relative and the relative a) turns out to be bad b) dies and c) Thor ends up flat out lying that they “died a hero”. Stan Lee really loved this plot! The other one, with Kirby, features new villain the Crypto Man, whose plan involves inventing something that drains vast amounts of energy just to show off. Lee and Kirby - visionaries to the end.
May 12, 2024
Kirby's last volume, and Lee is starting to run out of ideas. As in other books, they attempt some one-off stories to appease demand for shorter stories but end up with a two-parter and a three-parter. Apparently Roy Thomas wasn't helping Stan Lee with his memory in this one. Not only did he just do Captain America and the Red Skull switching bodies in
Marvel Masterworks: Captain America, Vol. 4
, this one isn't even consistent with the fact that in the first part the two switched only faces, and Loki had to change their clothes. This nuance is completely ignored in parts 2 and 3 of the story on even the most basic de facto level--even the recaps say that they switched bodies, let alone the fact that Loki was never as bulky as Thor. The volume ends with Thor lying to Cosette LaFarge to spare her feelings. It wouldn't be long before Lee would step away from the series he had started when he was promoted to publisher. While the material here is still of good quality, as with the lackluster end to the last volume with a one-off story, it feels like it was becoming time for new blood to step in. Still, the Ragnarok epic where Loki casrs Odin into the realm of Surtur and uses Odin's ring as a legal loophole to make the Asgardians obey him is a strong one. Perhaps Lee should have left there and gone out with a bang, even if his reprise of the Circus of Crime that preceded it is nothing special.
December 25, 2021
Epic story and unbelievable art. Kirby delivered unimaginable and unbelievably complex dreamscapes as well as intense and bombastic action. Even in the waning months of his time at marvel he was still operating at an unmatched level.
The story with Galactus was also stellar. A true sci-fi epic of tragedy and pathos
The story with Galactus was also stellar. A true sci-fi epic of tragedy and pathos
October 12, 2017
John Kirby's final stories in his run on Thor show a master at the top of his form. John Buscema and Neal Adams, great artists in their own right, valiantly take up the pencils after Kirby's departure to DC Comics, and while interesting, just aren't at the same epic level.
January 14, 2018
More asgardian greatness!
Thor! The beautiful Sif! Fandral! Hogrun! Voluminous Volstagg! Mephisto! Doctor Doom! Loki! Not to mention John Buscema and Neil Adams! Some of the greatest Thor action ever!
Thor! The beautiful Sif! Fandral! Hogrun! Voluminous Volstagg! Mephisto! Doctor Doom! Loki! Not to mention John Buscema and Neil Adams! Some of the greatest Thor action ever!
May 3, 2024
Kirby and Lee at their best. A great collection. Love to hate Loki. Doctor Doom was awesome as always. Of course you can’t beat good ol Donald Blake.
May 10, 2013
Loki makes Thor's life a misery. This is definitely a Loki volume, he tries to take over asguard, and Thor. There's some nice little moments, and you get to learn more about the other gods too. A decent read.
February 5, 2016
The Marvel Masterworks volumes are fantastic reprints of the early years of Marvel comics. A fantastic resource to allow these hard to find issues to be read by everyone. Very recommended to everyone and Highly recommended to any comic fan.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews