Thor (1966 series) #380

Review: The cover alone makes this a classic! And such an epic battle—the long prophesied final battle between Thor and the Midgard Serpent (we’ll overlook that fact that they both come back eventually—Thor sooner than his enemy because he has a monthly comic to support)! And the only way this larger-than-life confrontation can be told is through full-page drawings! And Walt S. provides narration in the voice of a Greek chorus to underline the momentous event (wait, a Greek chorus?). Thor sums it up by saying, “Heroes have an infinite capacity for stupidity…thus are legends born!”

Comments: Story continues in MEPHISTO VS. #4. Contrary to the credits Walt Simonson did the pencils, according to the Grand Comics Database. The prophesy of the final battle between Thor and the Serpent was later repurposed to provide the climax of the FEAR ITSELF epic event. The site of this epic confrontation is revealed to be the Delaware Water Gap in MEPHISTO VS. #4; I kind of assumed it would be someplace more exotic.