By the ancient laws set forth by Bahlactus, even the gods may rise to single combat!
From Thor #361 by Walt Simonson and John Workman, part of the greatest run in comics history
By the ancient laws set forth by Bahlactus, even the gods may rise to single combat!
From Thor #361 by Walt Simonson and John Workman, part of the greatest run in comics history
I just figured out that these Friday Bight Fights are so bloggers can go out and party hearty and not worry about substantive content. D’oh…
What a smear!
baal Says:
I just figured out that these Friday Bight Fights are so bloggers can go out and party hearty and not worry about substantive content. D’oh…
I disagree.
But I’d also rather light a candle than curse your darkness.
So, I’m willing to pick up the tab on your ENTIRE YEAR’S subscription to the ISB.
You’re welcome.
Whew! Chill out, Wonder Chick!
Why was Thor wearing a giant bandanna?
Also, Tim. While you’re feeling so generous do you think you can take care of my tab with Bully? I’m behind by a few weeks and he’s threatening to break my elbows. My elbows man! I need those for quaffing!
Why was Thor wearing a giant bandanna?
Because Hela’s “very touch means aging and death.”
This is my all time number one comic book moment. I <3 Hela.
Not only is this my favorite run by any creator, but the three issue arc where Thor and the Einherjer went into Hel is probably the best part…but not for this.
“He stood alone at Gjallerbru-and that answer is enough.”
What happened with the Executioner in the next issue-THAT’S the best part.
God I love Simonson’s Thor.
The page with the Executioner holding the bridge is, no joke, in my top three comics pages all time.
Slightly less great but still mind-blowingly radical: Balder taking up the sword again.
He slew his 10,000 once again only to see Loki ignore Odin’s plea for help.
So he cut his head off.
Balder does not fuck around.
“When I left Hel, I did not walk, but swam out through a river of blood.”
Balder seriously does not fuck around.
Wait, Balder? The guy who was killed by mistletoe? And was really pretty?
Sometimes, I feel I don’t understand comics.
Man, I have really got to get around to reading Simonson’s run on Thor. Every time someone posts a panel it looks like the coolest thing ever written.
Wait, Balder? The guy who was killed by mistletoe? And was really pretty?
Yeah, in addition to that, he–like Achilles–was the greatest warrior of the Asgardians until he died, and considering that all those dudes do is fuck up ice giants, that’s saying something.
Man, I have really got to get around to reading Simonson’s run on Thor. Every time someone posts a panel it looks like the coolest thing ever written.
It only looks like that because it is the coolest thing ever written.
There may be runs of comics that are as good but, there is no purer or better example of good comic-book writing than Simonson’s Thor. Each issue kicked ass on its own and still supported years-long story arcs. The action worked, the humor worked, it had a great big cast but you actually cared about the characters as individuals… Seriously, even the stuff that sounds kind of sketchy on paper worked! Obviously a heartbroken bad guy redeeming himself and earning the respect of the heroes by doing something noble and legendary is a great moment, but what if I told you that he rewrote the big machinery-lifting scene in Amazing Spider-Man #33 almost down to the dialogue except that it’s a frog trying to lift Mjolnir and save Asgard? If someone had told that to me when I was a kid, I would have thought “That’s a funny idea, but it seems a little too cutesy-poo.” But when I actually read it, I started screaming “GO FROG, GO!! USA!! USA!! USA!!” and hitting my head against the wall. Freaking magic.
The page with the Executioner holding the bridge is, no joke, in my top three comics pages all time.
Number one here. Re-read the issue this morning and it STILL gets me. It’s the greatest moment in comics for me.
Best. Post Title. Ever.
And…I have to go digging through my long boxes so I can re-read the greatest comics run ever.
Thanks, Sims. Thanks a lot.
Wow, a hell based supervillianess who isn’t wearing any kind of version of a leather bikini? Cool.
What are the issue numbers for the Simonson run?
I think I’m going to have to start scouring ebay for the individual issues, since that seems to be the only way you can get them these days. I would seriously give my =right arm= if that was what it took to get Marvel to put the other two Simonson Visionaries books back into print.
Danicus:
The Simonson run is #337-382. The latter half with Sal Buscema on art.
Personally, though, my favorite is the final page in #379, the one that ends with: THE HAMMER SINGS THE DEATH OF JORMUNGAND!
Also, the four-issue Balder the Brave mini-series, which isn’t strictly necessary, but a heck of a lot of fun.
I finally bought Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating Sandman last week, complete with awesome Simonson art. I am scared to read the book properly in case it disappoints…
Thanks, guys.
I have a handful of issues that i got as a kid and didn’t like (because i was seven, and the overarching story is really confusing when you have three random issues that aren’t connected…)
But i reread them recently, and they certainly do kick a whole lot of ass. I need to get the rest and read it all in one fell swoop.
There is no finer run in superhero comics than Simonson’s Thor. I love it, love it, love it.