Ulik
Encyclopedia
Ulik is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics
. Ulik was created by Stan Lee
and Jack Kirby
, and first appears in Thor
#137 (Feb. 1967).
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books
, Ulik has appeared in over four decades of Marvel continuity, principally as a member of the character Thor
's Rogues' Gallery. The character has also appeared in other Marvel-related products including animated television series; toy
s and trading cards.
#137 (Feb. 1967), writer Mike Conroy noted "In a strip as steeped in Norse mythology as Marvel's Thor, it was no surprise to come across a troll as big and mean as Ulik." Created as a physical equal for the Thunder God, the Asgardian troll
Ulik guest starred in an initial trilogy in Thor #137 - 139 (Feb. - Apr. 1967).
Ulik became a perennial villain in the title, and notable appearances included Thor #151 - 154 (April - July 1968); #210 - 211 (April - May 1973); #237 - 239 (July - Sep. 1975); #252 (Oct. 1976); #413 - 414 (Jan. - Feb. 1990) and #430 - 431 (March - April 1991).
gods, Odin, and forbidden to live on the surface. Ulik is commanded by the Rock Troll King, Geirrodur
, to steal Thor's enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, before an attempt to invade Asgard, leading to an extended series of battles with the Thunder God. Ulik proves to be a match for Thor, as the character possessing increasing strength and is equipped with knuckle dusters made of the metal uru (the same metal Mjolnir is composed of). He nearly defeats Thor after going into the beserker state of mind, but is transported away by Geirrodur. Later on Earth he traps Thor in his guise as Don Blake, and tries to gain the power of Thor with his cane. Don tells him to strike it again, although Ulik says if this fails he will kill Blake, but when Ulik brings the cane down Don suddenly holds it, meaning he transforms into Thor.
Ulik returns on a regular basis: battling Thor and being thrown down a deep hole before accidentally waking Odin's former foe Mangog
hoping he can be used as an ally against Asgard after reading an inscription on the prison door by Odin; aiding Geirrodur once again ; kidnapping Thor's mortal love Jane Foster
; and battling Thor for possession of a mystic artifact called the Ruby Eye. The character has also travelled to Earth and battled both Thor and Olympian
ally Hercules
.
For a time Ulik fought on the side of several Asgardians, who were lost in their own Earthly identities. This group included the Warriors Three
, Balder and Sif. He battled a version of Thor called Red Norvell and worked with his temporary allies to escape a Midgard-based technological conspiracy against lost Asgardians.
Much later, maddened and feral, Ulik is given weapons made from the same forge which created Mjolnir. He becomes the lead in Loki's attack on Asgard; this snowballs into the true Ragnarok. Ulik perishes early on in the battles. A child's hammer, made of troll-hurting iron, is thrown into his mouth by Captain America
. This results in an explosion that ends his life.
However, like all of Asgard, Ulik is reformed on Earth. During the World War Hulks
storyline, Ulik resurfaces and is shown to have gone on a multi-state drinking binge. He ends up destroying a train bridge with the disaster being averted by A-Bomb
and Marlo Chandler
. When Ulik starts choking Marlo, he is defeated by A-Bomb.
After Thor dies during the Fear Itself
event, Ulik replaces him as the god of thunder under the disguise of Tanarus, taking advantage of Thor sustaining a wound in his side that tore through time and space to insert his new identity into Earth's history with the aid of the Norn Queen so that all but Loki remember Taranus where Thor once was.
range of the spectrum, allowing complete night vision. In battle Ulik uses "pounders", metal bands forged from uru and worn over the hands like brass knuckles.
title A-Next
, a futuristic alternate universe
of Ulik aids the daughter of Loki
(Sylene) into temporarily turning Earth into a new version of Asgard.
In the Ultimate imprint, Thor talks of how Ulik forges weapons for his father.
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...
. Ulik was created by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, and first appears in 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....
#137 (Feb. 1967).
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
, Ulik has appeared in over four decades of Marvel continuity, principally as a member of the character 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 Rogues' Gallery. The character has also appeared in other Marvel-related products including animated television series; toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s and trading cards.
Publication history
Debuting in ThorThor (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....
#137 (Feb. 1967), writer Mike Conroy noted "In a strip as steeped in Norse mythology as Marvel's Thor, it was no surprise to come across a troll as big and mean as Ulik." Created as a physical equal for the Thunder God, the Asgardian troll
Troll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
Ulik guest starred in an initial trilogy in Thor #137 - 139 (Feb. - Apr. 1967).
Ulik became a perennial villain in the title, and notable appearances included Thor #151 - 154 (April - July 1968); #210 - 211 (April - May 1973); #237 - 239 (July - Sep. 1975); #252 (Oct. 1976); #413 - 414 (Jan. - Feb. 1990) and #430 - 431 (March - April 1991).
Fictional character biography
Ulik belongs to a race of Rock Trolls who live in the dimension of Asgard in the "Domain of Trolls" in Nornheim. Like all trolls, Ulik has an innate hatred of the Asgardians as they were driven underground by the King of the NorseNorse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
gods, Odin, and forbidden to live on the surface. Ulik is commanded by the Rock Troll King, Geirrodur
Geirrodur
Geirrodur is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Geirrodur first appeared in Journey Into Mystery #101 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, to steal Thor's enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, before an attempt to invade Asgard, leading to an extended series of battles with the Thunder God. Ulik proves to be a match for Thor, as the character possessing increasing strength and is equipped with knuckle dusters made of the metal uru (the same metal Mjolnir is composed of). He nearly defeats Thor after going into the beserker state of mind, but is transported away by Geirrodur. Later on Earth he traps Thor in his guise as Don Blake, and tries to gain the power of Thor with his cane. Don tells him to strike it again, although Ulik says if this fails he will kill Blake, but when Ulik brings the cane down Don suddenly holds it, meaning he transforms into Thor.
Ulik returns on a regular basis: battling Thor and being thrown down a deep hole before accidentally waking Odin's former foe Mangog
Mangog
Mangog is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Thor #154 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
hoping he can be used as an ally against Asgard after reading an inscription on the prison door by Odin; aiding Geirrodur once again ; kidnapping Thor's mortal love Jane Foster
Jane Foster (comics)
Jane Foster is a Marvel Comics supporting character who for many years was the nurse employed by Dr. Donald Blake, the secret identity of the Norse god superhero Thor.-Publication history:...
; and battling Thor for possession of a mystic artifact called the Ruby Eye. The character has also travelled to Earth and battled both Thor and Olympian
Olympian (comics)
Olympian is a fictional character, a superhero published by DC Comics. Olympian first appeared in DC Comics Presents #46 , and was created by Nelson Bridwell and Alex Saviuk.-Fictional character biography:...
ally Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
.
For a time Ulik fought on the side of several Asgardians, who were lost in their own Earthly identities. This group included the Warriors Three
Warriors Three
The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters who served as supporting cast members in Thor, published by Marvel Comics. The Warriors Three is made up of the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg...
, Balder and Sif. He battled a version of Thor called Red Norvell and worked with his temporary allies to escape a Midgard-based technological conspiracy against lost Asgardians.
Much later, maddened and feral, Ulik is given weapons made from the same forge which created Mjolnir. He becomes the lead in Loki's attack on Asgard; this snowballs into the true Ragnarok. Ulik perishes early on in the battles. A child's hammer, made of troll-hurting iron, is thrown into his mouth by 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...
. This results in an explosion that ends his life.
However, like all of Asgard, Ulik is reformed on Earth. During the World War Hulks
World War Hulks
"World War Hulks" is a comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics that ran in 2010 following the "Fall of the Hulks" storyline....
storyline, Ulik resurfaces and is shown to have gone on a multi-state drinking binge. He ends up destroying a train bridge with the disaster being averted by A-Bomb
Rick Jones (comics)
Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk...
and Marlo Chandler
Marlo Chandler
Marlo Chandler is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Peter David, she first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #347 , and became an ongoing supporting character, first in that book, and later in the Captain Marvel series published between 1999–2004...
. When Ulik starts choking Marlo, he is defeated by A-Bomb.
After Thor dies during the Fear Itself
Fear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
event, Ulik replaces him as the god of thunder under the disguise of Tanarus, taking advantage of Thor sustaining a wound in his side that tore through time and space to insert his new identity into Earth's history with the aid of the Norn Queen so that all but Loki remember Taranus where Thor once was.
Powers and abilities
Ulik possesses superhuman strength, stamina, and durability and has the ability to see into the infraredInfrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
range of the spectrum, allowing complete night vision. In battle Ulik uses "pounders", metal bands forged from uru and worn over the hands like brass knuckles.
Other versions
In the MC2 imprintImprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
title A-Next
A-Next
A-Next is the Marvel Comics' MC2 universe version of the Avengers. The team made its first appearance in What If? #105, the first comic featuring Spider-Girl, and the team's origin story was told in the A-Next #1, cover dated October 1998....
, a futuristic alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
of Ulik aids the daughter of Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
(Sylene) into temporarily turning Earth into a new version of Asgard.
In the Ultimate imprint, Thor talks of how Ulik forges weapons for his father.
Television
- Ulik appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest HeroesThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest HeroesThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is an American animated television series by Marvel Animation in cooperation with Film Roman based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers. The show debuted on Disney XD in Fall 2010 starting with a 20 part micro-series. A second season has been...
episode "The Fall of Asgard", voiced by Troy BakerTroy BakerTroy Baker is an American actor and voice actor who works with anime films, television series, as well as video games....
. He ambushes Eitri and the Dwarves before they can make it to their forge and ends up fighting them and Iron Man. Ulik is defeated when Iron Man dislodges the cap on his chest device which knocked Ulik unconscious. Shortly after that, Eitri reattaches the cap to Iron Man's chest device.
Video games
- Ulik appears in the video game Marvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
, voiced by Fred TatascioreFred TatascioreFrederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types...
. He and Kurse steal a chest containing VollaVolla (comics)Volla is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Volla first appeared in Thor #127 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
's ring and the heroes have to fight them to get it back. - Ulik appears in Thor: God of ThunderThor: God of ThunderThor: God of Thunder is a 2011 third person single-player video game based on the film Thor developed by Liquid Entertainment and co-written by Matt Fraction, the Eisner Award-winning writer of the comic book series...
(based on the live-action filmThor (film)Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name published by Marvel Comics. It is the fourth film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
), voiced by Steven BlumSteven BlumSteven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
. Loki diverts Thor to Ulik's realm as part of a plan to make himself the new hero of Asgard by defeating the powerful MangogMangogMangog is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Thor #154 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
only for Loki to be forced to help Thor activate Frostgrinder (the troll version of Bifrost) when he realizes that Mangog is too strong for him, culminating in Thor defeating Ulik to gain access to Frostgrinder.