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1st appearance of Thor (Dr. Don Blake) w/ origin; Jack Kirby cover/art; COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 10 (CBI)


Journey Into Mystery #83 marks the first appearance of Thor as a Marvel superhero, giving Stan Lee an outlet for his more grandiose stylings. The issue also introduces readers to Dr. Don Blake, a humble human who (in this particular origin story) visits Norway and stumbles upon the walking stick that transforms him into Thor. That stick, naturally enough, becomes the mighty hammer Mjölnir. Fortunately, this all happens just in time for Thor to turn back an alien invasion by Stone Men from Saturn.

Thor’s continuing appearances in Journey Into Mystery would eventually lead to his own title exploring the epic world of Asgard. This issue was always considered rare after an unusually low print run, and remains reliable as a great investment. Fans of artist Jack Kirby even consider this issue to be a breakthrough for the legendary comics artist, offering pencils drawn with a surprising grace and elegance. The God of Thunder has remained one of Marvel’s biggest draws, with the character’s next MCU appearance already a source of great speculation.
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