The best tall comics move the character beyond his mythical origins to one of Marvel’s great heroes. Thor got his start as a goofy, one-dimensional character. But both he and his Asgard home became complicated over time, making him a multifaceted hero across dozens of amazing stories.
Thor’s first Marvel appeared more than 60 years ago, and during that time he has been featured in hundreds of comics. It is impossible to cover the entirety of his mythology or cover Marvel’s impact on the universe in one article. So we chose a handful of arcs for those who want to see the best of their hero adventures. Our list is by no means exhaustive, but each of the works below is a great jump-off point for pursuing the Thunder’s Journey God more.
Published between 1979 and 1980, The Eternals Saga is 18 Thor Comic Arcs written by Roy Thomas, most famous by John Buscema, and also art by Keith Pollard (credits must be given here). In this story, Thor meets three powerful space races known as Celestial, Deviant and Eternity. The celestial body is a huge cosmic god that regularly returns to planetary judges, this time it has arrived on Earth. And when it appears to be worthless (and things don’t look too big to us), humanity is destroyed.
For fans of classic and epic storytelling, this is a great read. However, some readers may be unhappy with the lack of character development, the need for more stringent pacing, and the lack of cohesion in general. Still, it stands as one of the best tall comics, and is worth reading for anyone interested in seeing the god of Thunder go straight to their heads with the universe side of the Marvel universe.
In Thor Issues #340–353, now known as the stur saga, Walt Simonson wrote and described the story that revolutionized the myth surrounding the god of thunder. The last year’s arc, published between 1984 and 1985, centers around the fire demon Satur, who attempts to fulfill his prophecy to bring Ragnarok and destroy Asgard. Odin, who once imprisoned Serture, mysteriously went missing. Naturally, the timing is perfect for Sultar’s attacks. Thor is standing up to defend his territory alongside allies of the Avengers, Fantastic Four and Warriors 3. And of course, Loki is also doing his part – the guy is always tying us down and testing both sides. This arc was groundbreaking for not only its epic scale but also how heroes are integrated throughout the Marvel universe. This typical Thor story also served as an inspiration for Ragnarök in Thor: MCU.
From Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Mangog Saga is a three-island arc that begins with fighting the brothers Thor and Loki. Odin intervenes to stop the brother’s nausea and warns Thor of the looming threat. Before taking on this new responsibility, Thor visits the injured Schiff. He is faced with Hera, the horrifying Goddess of Death (and Thor’s less gentle half sister), who declares that she will take him to Valhalla. Obviously uninterested in this idea, Thor refuses. Bonus Issue: If you want to read a comic featuring the dark and twisted sister Hera, check out Skurge’s Last Stand (Thor #362).
Meanwhile, deep in Asgard, Ulic and the Rocktroll unconsciously destroy the prison door that holds the demon sealed by Odin. Now, the embodiment of hatred and anger of a billion-billion beings, Mangog is loose and he is crazy like crazy. Each attempt to stop him only gets closer to Mangog drawing Odin’s sword. And, by doing so, it is the end of the universe. This is Silver Age Classic with dynamic art through the distinctive mythical style of Kirby and Lee. We obviously couldn’t leave Lee/Kirby’s Thor Story off the best Thor comic list.
One of the most powerful solo arcs coming out of Brian Michael Bendis’s Avengers (and why it’s on the list of the best tall comics): Disassembly, Thor: Disassembly was released in 2004 and written by Michael Avon Orming. Thor returns to Asgard, only to find territory in a complete abandonment. Ragnarok, an eternal cycle of death and rebirth of the gods, has begun, but something is incorrect. As the gods continue to fall, Thor must stand up to reveal the truth behind the cycle and break it completely.
While this mythical high stakes story arc is a strong read in itself, Thor’s (temporary) ending is satisfying, before his return to Japan, close to his story. OEMING truly honors the character’s history and the weight of the mythology of Ragnarok.
Thor: After the breakup, author J. Michael Straczynski resumed Thor in the post-war world of Marvel. But this was more than just a reboot – it was a revival. For a while, Thor floats in the void, looking back at his adventures, the Asgardians, his fellow heroes, especially Sif and the Warriors Three. In the end, he feels summoned. It’s a pull from Donald Blake, a human who once served as Thor’s human host. In the good old days, Dr. Don is walking the earth thanks to a loophole in a spell, and says it’s time for Thor to return to his living land. And he has to. And he does. But where will he land? Oklahoma, cleans the wind sweeps through the plains.
This gives way to some hilarious exchanges between ordinary humans and their new Viking god neighbors. The result is a witty, fast-paced reading that makes Strakinski feel like he’s hit gold, making it one of the best tall comics. The pencil in the comic is by Oliver Coypel and has ink by Mark Morales.
Narrowing down the best tall comics will be important: how important it is to the character, how fun it is to read, how to contribute, close or open a new chapter in the Marvel Universe. The creators and artists behind each comic also played a major role in joining this list.
