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Journey Into Mystery #119: Review

Aug 1965
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Story Name:

The Day of the Destroyer!


Synopsis

Journey Into Mystery #119 Synopsis by Arcturus Jackson
Image from Journey Into Mystery #119
Thor is trapped in the temple floor, helpless as the Destroyer’s bolt of elemental destructive power moves closer to him. Suddenly, Thor becomes unsolid and able to escape the trap; the Thunder God then rushes through the building and finds himself back to normal. The explanation? Loki, imprisoned in Asgard was able to send a force of thought to save his brother’s life. He then sends a mental message to the Norn Queen to awaken Odin from his Odinsleep. Thor, tired of fleeing, takes stand, bringing a huge stone arch down on his enemy’s head. The Destroyer, however, is unfazed. Thor seizes the body of the hunter whose spirit animates the monster and holds it hostage but the Destroyer calls his bluff, knowing Thor will not allow a human to be disintegrated along with him. The newly wakened Odin calls on Thor to step aside but the Thunder God insists on winning the battle on his own terms. The Destroyer, facing stalemate, sends his soul back into the hunter, who then escapes Thor’s grasp and tries to reenter the deadly armor. Thor demolishes the temple and carries the hunter to safety. Thor allows the chastened hunter to go free and discovers that his Uru hammer (damaged by the Destroyer last issue) needs to be repaired. He uses one of the Norn Stones to levitate out of the jungle and heads home. In Asgard, Loki is sentenced to be the servant of Ularic, the Royal Warlock, but is already thinking up plans of revenge….


Story #2

Gather, Warriors! (Tales of Asgard series)

Writer: Stan Lee. Penciler: Jack Kirby. Inker: Vince Colletta. Letterer: Art Simek.

Synopsis

About to depart on their quest to learn who cracked the great Oversword of Asgard, Thor awaits only the arrival of all of his mighty warriors. As he watches, Balder enrolls the names of great heroes: Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, Kroda the Duellist, Magrat the Schemer and more. Suddenly a commotion attracts the Thunder God’s attention: a brawl has broken out on the docks as the enormous blustering Volstagg mixes it up with a trio of mocking fighters. Thor halts the altercation with a hammer blow to the ground and hustles the big and boastful warrior onto the ship. Meanwhile back at the palace, Odin reveals to his advisers what he has discovered: behind a curtain, etched into a wall, the words, "Ragnarok is coming," the day the world will perish….

 

Review / Commentaries

Rating:
5 stars

Journey Into Mystery #119 Review by (November 14, 2012)
Review: Another wild sixties fun ride: part two of the Destroyer story has Thor realizing he can’t best his all-powerful foe by strength alone so he resorts to taking a hostage! And somehow he still ends up demolishing a huge stone building! Norse gods: even when they take a non-violent route, it results in massive property damage! And Loki interrupted Odin’s nap for nothing! In addition to the epic conclusion of the Destroyer tale we reach another red-letter day: the introduction of the Warriors Three in the “Tales of Asgard” back-up story! And from the first we learn that Volstagg is comic relief and the other two guys are just back-up!

Comments: 1. There’s actually a position of Royal Warlock? Far out, man! 2. First appearances of Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, and Volstagg, as well as the lesser-known Kroda and Magrat.


> Journey Into Mystery comic book info and issue index

Elektra

This comic is in the following collection:
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Collecting JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #83-120 and ANNUAL #1

Excelsioring your collection:
Kotobukiya Marvel Universe: Thor The Bronze Age ARTFX Statue, Multicolor
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Jack Kirby
Vince Colletta
?
Jack Kirby (Cover Penciler)
Vince Colletta (Cover Inker)
Stan Goldberg (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Art Simek.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Balder
Balder

(Balder the Brave)
Karnilla
Karnilla

(Norn Queen)
Loki
Loki

(Loki Laufeyson)
Thor
Thor

(Odinson)
Warriors Three
Warriors Three

(Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg)

Plus: Kroda the Duellist, Magrat the Schemer, Ularic.