Thor Odinson

Few characters in Marvel's vast pantheon carry the mythic weight of Thor Odinson, the Asgardian thunder god who first roared onto the Silver Age scene in Journey into Mystery #84 in 1962, conjured by the legendary trio of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Don Heck. Over an astonishing 64-year publishing history — with more than 2,000 catalog appearances and 72 key issues that any serious collector will recognize — he stands as one of the most enduring figures the House of Ideas has ever produced. His adventures unfold most grandly across the pages of Thor and The Avengers, where he shares the stage with the absolute cream of Marvel's roster: Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and their civilian counterparts Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. If you're building a reading list that stretches from the earliest days of the Marvel Universe straight through to today, Thor Odinson isn't just worth knowing — he's essential.