Thor’s original alter-ego is back in the spotlight, and he could be a bigger problem than ever before.

Immortal Thor #17 finds the titular Asgardian staring down a terrifying vision of the afterlife. After being turned to stone by the Grey Gargoyle and shattered by some of his other worst enemies, Thor has been relegated to an obscure, ominous corner of the cosmos where his worst self has been waiting for him. As it turns out, Donald Blake is more than happy to wait and see what happens once the God of Thunder is no more, especially if it means getting another shot at destroying the world he was never really meant to be a part of in the first place.

• Written by AL EWING
• Art by JAN BAZALDUA
• Colors by MATT HOLLINGSWORTH
• Letters by VC’s JOE SABINO
• Main cover art by ALEX ROSS
• Variant covers by STEFANO CASELLI & FEDERICO BLEE, DAVI GO, and GREG LAND & RACHELLE ROSENBERG

Donald Blake was introduced alongside Thor himself all the way back in Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby’s opening story from the pages of 1962’s Journey Into Mystery #83, “The Mighty Thor and the Stone Men from Saturn!” Originally an American doctor visiting Norway, Blake’s life was altered forever when he was accosted by alien invaders, trapped in a cave, and miraculously transformed into none other than the Asgardian God of Thunder – Thor. In the years that followed, the connection between Thor and Donald Blake was built up as a necessary and indelible part of their characters, though it wouldn’t last nearly as long as their respective comic book careers.

As it would eventually be revealed, Donald Blake was never truly a human being unto himself, but rather a facsimile of one created by Odin for the express purpose of providing Thor with a much-needed alter-ego during the God of Thunder’s time in exile on Earth. When the two were ultimately separated, Donald Blake found himself relegated to a separate, seemingly idyllic yet almost completely devoid vision of Earth. This slowly ate away at Blake’s mind and spirit, with the experience turning him into a would-be God Butcher of his very own. When Blake was finally defeated, he was imprisoned by Loki and subjected to a form of torment which effectively turned Thor’s former other into the new God of Lies.

Paul Pierre Duval, better known as the Grey Gargoyle, is another classic Marvel character whose first appearance stretches back to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s “When the Grey Gargoyle Strike!” from the pages of 1964’s Journey Into Mystery #107. A chemist-turned-mercenary, Duval was swept up in an accident in which his physical form was contaminated by a strange substance that turned him to literal stone. This also imbued Duval with the power to turn others he touches to stone as well, kicking off his career as the villainous Grey Gargoyle. Recently, Duval teamed up with fellow villains Mister Hyde, King Cobra, and the Radioactive Man to take down Thor at the behest of the God of Thunder’s current worst nightmare and former Roxxon CEO, Dario Agger.

Immortal Thor #17 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.

Source: Marvel Comics

Marvel

Marvel is a multimedia powerhouse encompassing comic books, movies, TV shows, and more, captivating audiences with its iconic characters, thrilling narratives, and diverse worlds. From the legendary Avengers to the street-level heroes like Daredevil, Marvel’s universe is vast and ever-expanding.