Thor: Vikings
Encyclopedia
Thor: Vikings is a 5-issue comic book
limited series
published by MAX Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics
for adult audiences, in July – November 2003
. Written by Garth Ennis
and illustrated by Glenn Fabry
, the series follows Thor
's adventures against a group of thousand-year-old zombie
Viking
s who attack New York City
.
The comics are rated parental advisory/explicit content.
, Lord Harald Jaekelsson and his Vikings raid the town of Lakstad. After having their way with the women and killing nearly all the villagers, they decide to leave for the New World. But the town wise man, the last survivor, with the help of a runestone, places a curse on them. He pleads with the gods that they never reach their destination. Harald takes a bow and shoots the wise man dead, and they sail on. They sail for 1000 years, until they finally land at the South Street Seaport
in New York. They are not human any more; they are powerful zombies. They kill everyone they encounter, and are about to have fun with a woman when Thor
shows up.
Harald Jaekelsson recognizes the Avenger
as the god of thunder. Not afraid of him, he beats Thor
without difficulty, ties Mjolnir to him, then tosses him in the Hudson. His men continue their reign of terror over New York. They create a mountain of severed heads. They fight and defeat policemen and army. Their Viking ship
, magically powered by the spell, can fly in the streets and throw fire. Thor manages to pull himself out of the river; Doctor Strange
is waiting for him.
A journalist and his cameraman cover the story of the invasion. They are interviewing the mayor when a spear goes through his head. After recovering in Doctor Strange's house, Thor follows him into a room where a mystic river runs, "somewhere time flows by like a river and may be observed as such." This allows the sorcerer to look at the past, seeking for answers. There, they discover how Harald and his crew came to be so powerful. The death of the town wise man provided too much blood for the spell. They figure out that to stop Harald and his Vikings, they need descendants of his bloodline. They look through time and select three mighty warriors and bring them forward to help: Sigrid, a Viking battle maiden, Magnus of the Danes, a Teutonic knight
, and Erik Loonroth, a Luftwaffe
Messerschmitt
pilot in the Second World War. Meanwhile, the Avengers
- Captain America
, Iron Man
, Vision
, the Scarlet Witch
, and Hawkeye
- have been defeated and need medical assistance. More Marines are sent to fight against Harald and his men.
A helicopter flies over the city and discovers the heads of the Marines on pikes in the street. Doctor Strange and Thor ask Harald Jaekelsson's descendants to fight with them. They are all ready to fight for a noble cause, especially Erik. Doctor Strange uses their blood to empower a spell to make them as strong as the undead Vikings, and they go to fight them. Harald now has a bone throne at the top of the Empire State Building
. The heroes defy him. The Messerschmitt attacks the flying Viking ship.
The heroes stage an assault on Harald Jaekelsson's forces, Erik in the air, the others fighting on the ground. In a moment of inattention, Harald strikes Thor in the back. He knock out Sigrid and wounds Magnus. The God of Thunder fights back. In the air, the Vikings jump onto Erik's airplane. The pilot bales out safely with his parachute and lets the plane crash into the ship, destroying them both. All Harald's dead Vikings are destroyed. Out of respect, Sigrid, Magnus and Erik decide to not help Thor finish Harald. The Avenger sends him directly off earth and into space. Finally, the three warriors return back in time to where they fought their own war. When they disappear, Thor says: "I will see thou in Valhalla
"
(ISBN 9780785111757)
.
The trade paperback Thor: Vikings reached 5th place in the Top 50 Graphic Novels/TPB's in terms of sales in February 2004
.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by MAX Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
for adult audiences, in July – November 2003
2003 in comics
-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
. Written by Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
and illustrated by Glenn Fabry
Glenn Fabry
Glenn Fabry is an Eisner Award-winning British comics artist known for his detailed, realistic work in both ink and painted colour.-Biography:...
, the series follows Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
's adventures against a group of thousand-year-old zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
s who attack New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Publication history
The series is composed of five comics :- Thor: Vikings #1 "Endless Ocean"
- Thor: Vikings #2 "Kingdom of Iron"
- Thor: Vikings #3 "Time Like a River"
- Thor: Vikings #4 "Fight the Good Fight"
- Thor: Vikings #5 "See You In Valhalla"
The comics are rated parental advisory/explicit content.
Plot synopsis
In 1003 AD, along the west coast of NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Lord Harald Jaekelsson and his Vikings raid the town of Lakstad. After having their way with the women and killing nearly all the villagers, they decide to leave for the New World. But the town wise man, the last survivor, with the help of a runestone, places a curse on them. He pleads with the gods that they never reach their destination. Harald takes a bow and shoots the wise man dead, and they sail on. They sail for 1000 years, until they finally land at the South Street Seaport
South Street Seaport
The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District...
in New York. They are not human any more; they are powerful zombies. They kill everyone they encounter, and are about to have fun with a woman when Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
shows up.
Harald Jaekelsson recognizes the Avenger
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
as the god of thunder. Not afraid of him, he beats Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
without difficulty, ties Mjolnir to him, then tosses him in the Hudson. His men continue their reign of terror over New York. They create a mountain of severed heads. They fight and defeat policemen and army. Their Viking ship
Viking ship
Viking ships were vessels used during the Viking Age in Northern Europe. Scandinavian tradition of shipbuilding during the Viking Age was characterized by slender and flexible boats, with symmetrical ends with true keel. They were clinker built, which is the overlapping of planks riveted together...
, magically powered by the spell, can fly in the streets and throw fire. Thor manages to pull himself out of the river; Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
is waiting for him.
A journalist and his cameraman cover the story of the invasion. They are interviewing the mayor when a spear goes through his head. After recovering in Doctor Strange's house, Thor follows him into a room where a mystic river runs, "somewhere time flows by like a river and may be observed as such." This allows the sorcerer to look at the past, seeking for answers. There, they discover how Harald and his crew came to be so powerful. The death of the town wise man provided too much blood for the spell. They figure out that to stop Harald and his Vikings, they need descendants of his bloodline. They look through time and select three mighty warriors and bring them forward to help: Sigrid, a Viking battle maiden, Magnus of the Danes, a Teutonic knight
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, and Erik Loonroth, a Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
pilot in the Second World War. Meanwhile, the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
- Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, Vision
Vision (Marvel Comics)
The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first Vision was created by the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that...
, the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, and Hawkeye
Hawkeye (comics)
Hawkeye , also known as Goliath and Ronin, is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck. Hawkeye joined the Avengers in Avengers Vol. 1 #16 Hawkeye...
- have been defeated and need medical assistance. More Marines are sent to fight against Harald and his men.
A helicopter flies over the city and discovers the heads of the Marines on pikes in the street. Doctor Strange and Thor ask Harald Jaekelsson's descendants to fight with them. They are all ready to fight for a noble cause, especially Erik. Doctor Strange uses their blood to empower a spell to make them as strong as the undead Vikings, and they go to fight them. Harald now has a bone throne at the top of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
. The heroes defy him. The Messerschmitt attacks the flying Viking ship.
The heroes stage an assault on Harald Jaekelsson's forces, Erik in the air, the others fighting on the ground. In a moment of inattention, Harald strikes Thor in the back. He knock out Sigrid and wounds Magnus. The God of Thunder fights back. In the air, the Vikings jump onto Erik's airplane. The pilot bales out safely with his parachute and lets the plane crash into the ship, destroying them both. All Harald's dead Vikings are destroyed. Out of respect, Sigrid, Magnus and Erik decide to not help Thor finish Harald. The Avenger sends him directly off earth and into space. Finally, the three warriors return back in time to where they fought their own war. When they disappear, Thor says: "I will see thou in Valhalla
Valhalla
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
"
Collected editions
The trade paperback Thor: Vikings collecting #1-5 was published in February 20042004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
(ISBN 9780785111757)
Reception
Each comic of the series Thor: Vikings was in the 70 first places of the Top 300 Comics in terms of sales for each comic in 20032003 in comics
-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
.
The trade paperback Thor: Vikings reached 5th place in the Top 50 Graphic Novels/TPB's in terms of sales in February 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
.
External links
- The Official Site for Thor Comics
- Thor: Vikings at the Immortal Thor
- Thor: Vikings at the Marvel Comics Database