# How well-known is Thor, the Marvel comics character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 26, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578 "2010-02-26T22:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/21 "2010-02-27T08:05:01Z")
Funnily enough I heard of Thor (the comic book character) for the first time just yesterday on this Youtube [clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NtvOu0jpjI)of Conan. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/22 "2010-02-27T08:14:43Z")
Jesus, dropzone, what the hell is your problem? You’re shooting the mesenger, big time, for no reason. The OP asked a valid question that I’ve wondered about myself. You know, if you really don’t give a shit, you can show it by not posting. Thor has been in popular, mainstream comics every month for the last 50ish years, roughly. He has had tv appearances, and the Hulk tv movie appearance as noted, and he’s getting his own major film. He’s currently being written by a very popular writer. He’s very well-known to anyone who has ever had any interest in comic books. Outside of that, I really don’t know, but he could become very popular, like Iron Man, if his movie is good. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/23 "2010-02-27T08:29:08Z")
DC’s thor also appeared in John Byrne’s run on **New Gods** in the 80s, and in Jack Kirby’s version of **Sandman** in the 40s. He was in one issue of each and was not a major character. I don’t think that more than 2% of the US population could tell you that Thor is Dr. Donald Blake. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/24 "2010-02-27T08:29:47Z")
Know him? The punk owes me 20$ ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/25 "2010-02-27T08:54:40Z")
DC Thor also dragged Superman and Wonder Woman off to Asgard for two thousand subjective years of war. It was a moderately important plot point that Clark was recently married to Lois, so although he and Diana were occasionally tempted to do the nasty, they never did. At the end of the war they returned to the moment they’d left. > [@outlierrn](#): > > Know him? The punk owes me 20$ _blink_ Thor’s mortal avatar is **Otto**? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/26 "2010-02-27T09:12:59Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > Interesting! I have never followed “Vertigo” – I will have to check it out sometime. Just to be clear, Vertigo is not a title, but a line of comics published by DC, united only in being mature readers books. For Thor, you need to check out Sandman. I think he only appears in Season of Mists, though, as mentioned, Loki, whose first Sandman appearance is in SoM is important later. Some Vertigo books tie into the main DCU in various ways - Sandman and its related series and are considered to take place in a far flung corner of the DCU, occasionally moving closer…others were never particularly detached - Doom Patrol, for instance, while not crossing over with other books when it moved to Vertigo, was still grounded in the DCU by the characters, and was important to the creation of the team in the next series when it returned to the DC imprint. There’s currently claims of an inviolable wall between Vertigo and DC, but actual books in both lines have put the lie to that - Madam Xanadu, particularly, currently uses the Homo Magi (the people from whom the Zataras are descended) as a major plot point, has featured the Green Lantern, the Demon, the Spectre, Zatara, etc… Then there are books completely unrelated to the DCU, or other Vertigo books, which are the bulk of them. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/27 "2010-02-27T12:58:25Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > Is there a DC version of Thor? I know both they & Marvel used Hercules. Actually, Thor is a Lee/Kirby retelling of Captain Marvel, according to their own lights. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/28 "2010-02-27T13:16:10Z")
… and the scales fell from his eyes, and Dr Fidelius saw a character with greater clarity than ever before… Of Course he’s a Captain Marvel swipe! Weakling, powers of a god, magic walking stick instead of magic word. Damn. Why didn’t I ever see that before. (Maturally, this makes no difference in The Real World, but it adds to my geek factor.) ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/29 "2010-02-27T13:25:05Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > .. and the scales fell from his eyes, and Dr Fidelius saw a character with greater clarity than ever before… > > Of Course he’s a Captain Marvel swipe! Weakling, powers of a god, magic walking stick instead of magic word. > > Damn. Why didn’t I ever see that before. > > (Maturally, this makes no difference in The Real World, but it adds to my geek factor.) And the lightning. Don’t forget the lightning. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/30 "2010-02-27T14:08:06Z")
I don’t \*collect \*comics, but I do read them, and I know him, although I greatly prefer the much more realistically-Scandiwegian-looking eco-warrior version from _The Ultimates_. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/31 "2010-02-27T14:12:56Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Actually, Thor is a Lee/Kirby retelling of Captain Marvel, according to their own lights. If true, I’m glad they didn’t take it any further. I would have hated to see a Thor family consisting of Thor Jr., Thelma Thor, etc. 🙂 And if it had carried over to the bad-guys, we might have had the Absorbing Man & Absorbine Jr.! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/32 "2010-02-27T17:17:45Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I believe this is the thread I was privately called on for threadshitting, though in my case the accusation don’t mean shit. > > To my accuser: Nobody, beyond you and a few other fanboys, have paid more than a cursory glance at Thor for as long as I can remember. He was a secondary character 30 years ago and you should be demanding discounts for buying his issues today. If you actually said “No one outside the comics community knows he’s a character”, maybe people wouldn’t report you, but if these posts are typical of your behavior in these thread, then you’re being a jerk, and threadshitting. > [@dropzone](#): > > I’m pretty sick of, when the question is how well-known or even NOTICED by the general population certain comic book characters are, that I’m the one getting reported to the mods when I say, “Nobody outside your fraternity gives a shit.” The Emperor not only has no clothes, he’s been dancing naked for years. Everybody else is convinced you are useless twits. It’s a painful lesson, but after all these years it’s one you have to learn. The question in the OP was, “How well-known is Thor, the Marvel comics character?” By any realistic estimation the only answer is “Not very.” Eat it or repeat it, anything out of your mouth is bullshit. And reported. For what it’s worth, I’ve never been much of a comics reader, and get most of my knowledge through its adaptations, wikipedia articles, and threads like this. I also don’t really care about the Avengers or Thor, and my favorite characters are all second to third tier X-Men characters that are even less known than the God of Thunder. I don’t give a damn about their popularity except in so far as they’re popular enough for writers to keep using them. As to the OP: I agree with **Cisco**. Anyone who’s been into comics should be aware of him as he’s one of the core members of the Avengers, Marvel’s elite team of superheroes. In the world at large, though, I doubt many really know him at all. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/33 "2010-02-27T17:27:44Z")
> **[Asgard](https://grimadventures.fandom.com/wiki/Asgard)** > > Asgard is the name of the paradise where the Norse Gods live. In the episode A Kick in the Asgard, Billy climbed up a rainbow leading to Asgard. The Gate Keeper let him in, and Billy switched worlds with an unnamed Viking. In Asgard, Billy... ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/34 "2010-02-27T17:29:37Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Guys, you enjoy your comics. The rest of us can’t be bothered, but we don’t begrudge you your pleasure, as long as you don’t force it on us. You read “Thor” comics. I read “Road & Track.” To each our own, and I don’t poll the R&T vs Car and Driver readers for some localized popularity poll. :rolleyes: This is borderline threadshitting, and this > [@dropzone](#): > > Everybody else is convinced you are useless twits. It’s a painful lesson, but after all these years it’s one you have to learn. The question in the OP was, “How well-known is Thor, the Marvel comics character?” By any realistic estimation the only answer is “Not very.” Eat it or repeat it, anything out of your mouth is bullshit. is way over the line. If these threads annoy you so much, **dropzone** , you should probably avoid them. “He’s not well known” is an acceptable answer. “He’s not well known, and god, you guys are so stupid for asking” is threadshitting. This is not the first time this has been explained to you and this is a warning not to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/35 "2010-02-27T20:51:00Z")
I do have a totally inappropriate bug up my ass about comic book fans and have asked to have my account suspended for a while. I apologize for my threadshitting. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/36 "2010-02-27T21:00:24Z")
Hey, drop, I can empathize. Comic book fans tend to annoy me and I’m one of 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/37 "2010-02-27T21:03:09Z")
A long time ago I read some Thor and I liked it but I can’t remember who his alter ego is? IIRC he is a doctor and he has a cane, which he strikes to the ground to become Thor. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/38 "2010-02-27T21:14:25Z")
Dr. Donald Blake. I’m guessing Marvel’s Thor is roughly as well-known as Iron Man was before his movie. Maybe slightly less since Thor didn’t have a 90’s cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/39 "2010-02-27T21:31:49Z")
> **[Thor (Marvel Comics) in other media](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_(Marvel_Comics)_in_other_media)** > > Since the 1960s, The Marvel Comics superhero, Thor has appeared in a wide variety of media outside of comic books including films, television programs and video games. > Thor starred in the segment "The Mighty Thor" of The Marvel Super Heroes, originally syndicated in 1966. There were thirteen episodes that centered on Thor, who was voiced by Chris Wiggins who also voiced his human host Donald Blake. > In 1990, after finishing with the filming of Darkman, Sam Raimi and Stan Lee originally pitc... ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578/40 "2010-02-27T22:13:52Z")
I’ve heard before that there is a comic character called Thor, but I don’t think this has come up often. I don’t believe I’d ever seen a picture of the Marvel comics Thor before I looked at the links in the OP. Between the helmet and hammer I could have identified him as being based on the Norse god Thor, but I don’t have any idea whether this character is actually the mythical Thor or a superhero named after Thor, what his powers are, or the basics of his origin story. I gather from this thread that there’s going to be a Thor movie, but this is the first I’ve heard of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-known-is-thor-the-marvel-comics-character/530578.md?page=3)