Thor: Son of Asgard

Thor: Son of Asgard is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from March 2004 to January 2005. Written by Akira Yoshida and illustrated by Greg Tocchini, the series follows Thor's early adventures in Asgard with Sif and Balder. It was originally a limited series of six issues but, thanks to popular demand, it was later extended to an ongoing series that lasted for twelve issues in total.

Plot

The series is composed of three storylines: "The Warriors Teen" (issues #1-6), "Enchanted" (issues #7-9), and "Worthy" (issues #10-12).

The Warriors Teen

In Thor: Son of Asgard #1-6, titled "The Warriors Teen," a teenaged Thor and his friends, Sif and Balder, sneak into the great hall of Asgard and Thor tries to lift Mjolnir, without success. He states that someday, he will be worthy enough to lift it. Three giant spiders enchanted by Loki attack them. Working together, the three young warriors defeat them. After this feat, Odin decides to send them on a quest to find four mystical elements that will then be fashioned into an enchanted blade. The four items are: However, when Karnilla captures Loki and attempts to convince him to aid her in overthrowing Odin, he refuses and instead informs Thor, Sif, and Balder of her plan. Sif, Balder, and Loki return to Odin to prepare for Karnilla's attack, while Thor completes the quest.

One month after the battle, the enchanted blade is finished. During a banquet, Odin presents the sword Svaden and gives it to Balder for his mercy and compassion. The two blondes remind her that she lost her golden hair after Loki jealously cut it and replaced it with enchanted black hair made by dwarves. Taking advantage of her vulnerability, Amora and Loki trick Sif into stealing the Mirror of Mycha.

The Mirror of Mycha is an enchanted mirror that, when the proper spell is cast upon it, will cause the person who is looking into it to fall in love with the person holding it. The legend says that only a woman's touch can give life to the mirror.

Worthy

In Thor: Son of Asgard #10-12, titled "Worthy," Thor, frustrated by his incapacity to wield the hammer Mjolnir, decides to travel to the Norns to learn how to succeed. They tell him that he must first face death. After his return to Asgard, he discovers that the Storm Giants have attacked the city and kidnapped Sif. Odin tells Thor to stay and guard Asgard and he and the gods will go rescue her. Due to his feelings for the young woman, Thor disobeys his father and finds himself worthy to lift Mjolnir.

On his horse Treibold, Thor travels to Jotunheim. He defeats many Storm Giants to face Rugga, their king. Rugga tells him he was offered immortality by the goddess of death, Hela, if he turned Sif over to her. Thor goes to confront Hela. During the confrontation, Hela threatens to kill Sif. However, when Thor offers himself in her place, Hela realizes that he would die an honorable death (thereby spoiling her desire to inflict great sorrow on Odin and the Asgardians), and so sets Sif free.

Development

Originally, the dialogue was supposed to be written in "old world" style as in other Marvel comics with Asgardians; however, Marvel chose finally to use a more modern tone. Akira Yoshida explained, "The first issue was lettered and I had already seen the proofs when my wonderful editor MacKenzie Cadenhead called and said that the general feeling at Marvel seemed to be to make the dialogue more colloquial. She explained that we should tone down the THYs and HATHs and NAYs, so younger comic fans could pick up the book and enjoy it as well without getting turned off by the older-sounding language."

Thor: Son of Asgard, Vol. 2: Worthy, collects issues #7-12, April 2005,

Trade paperbacks

Thor: Son of Asgard, collects issues #1-12, August 2010,

Public reception

Thor: Son of Asgard #9 reached the Top 300 list in terms of direct sales estimates in October 2004.
Thor: Son of Asgard, Vol. 1: The Warriors Teen reached the Top 100 Graphic Novels/TPB's in terms of direct sales estimates in October 2004.