Wednesday, November 29, 2017

COMICS IN REVIEW: SKULL ISLAND ~ THE BIRTH OF KONG

Hello everyone! As some of you may know, I am writing for the website COMICONVERSE. I have been covering the current comic books from Marvel Comics and BOOM! Studios such as Doctor Strange and Kong of Skull Island.

For myself and anyone else interested I am documenting each of my articles here at Blood Work.

If you haven't checked out this latest article here you go!






This is a review of the complete four issue mini series that ties into the film KONG: SKULL ISLAND from Legendary pictures. Legendary has been releasing these comic book tie ins since 2013 with PACIFIC RIM: TALES FROM YEAR ZERO (totally awesome btw). They did it with the 2014 Godzilla and earlier this year with The Great Wall (is that going to be folded into the Monsterverse too?). They just finished their latest movie tie-in comic, Skull Island: The Birth of Kong.

Simply put... It's awesome! The art work you see above is what all the interior art looks like! It's seriously some of the best artwork I've seen in comic books this year and maybe for the last few years. It's breathtaking (it puts Marvel to shame). The story is fast and action packed and it weaves a really detailed narrative of Kong's past and future (post 1973). Of course I am biased as I love King Kong and have loved the great ape since I was a kid. But really, this is pretty darn good.


Check out my full review by clicking the links above!


Check out my other articles for ComiConverse linked below!
 
 
 
 
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Monday, November 27, 2017

BLOODY GOOD TELEVISION: NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES ~ THE PUNISHER (2017)


I can't state this fact enough that this year has been absolutely incredible for comic book fans in regards to the number of movies and television series based on super hero properties that have come out! Some of them have been great and, yeah... some of them were not what I hoped they'd be. But all in all, just the fact that these things are being made in such quantity is mind blowing. One of the last of these properties to be released this year is the Netflix original series THE PUNISHER.

The Punisher has always been a controversial character in comic books and media. He's less a super hero and more an action hero melding of Rambo and Paul Kersey (DEATH WISH). Frank Castle is a completely normal person dealing with an incredible tragedy and post-war trauma. He's what a real life vigilante might look like. And he kills his enemies. With extreme prejudice. These are the aspects of the character that make him so compelling and so enduring.

I'll admit that I haven't read a whole lot of Punisher comics. While I think he's a great character and beyond cool, I personally was getting my fix of this type of character elsewhere, like in the Rambo movies or the action movies in general that I was watching growing up. I tend to gravitate more towards the super-powers in the comic books I read than the human vigilantes (with obvious exceptions of course i.e. Batman). I guess I look for a bit more theatricality in super-heroes like a fiery-skulled biker from Hell or a cosmic chrome surfer dude or an angry green giant.

All of this is to say that I am no Punisher expert whatsoever. Not even close. I was lucky enough to know who Micro and Billy Russo were before going in.

That being said, I loved this new Punisher series.

THE PLOT

After having avenged his family's murders, eliminating the gangs responsible and his former Marine commander, Frank Castle has disappeared living a shadow of a life. Still haunted by the things he'd done in Afghanistan and the feeling that those events led directly to his family's deaths, Frank wonders if his vengeance is finished or not. When a mysterious figure named Micro contacts Frank, revealing a web of government corruption and deceit tying back to Frank's military unit, Castle is forced out of hiding once more.With Micro as the eyes and ears and Castle as the trigger finger, the Punisher sets out to kill all those responsible for his family's death once and for all.

WHAT I LIKED

Jon Bernthal. The Punisher is one of those characters whose been done many times and many times by great actors. I personally thought both Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson were great Punishers. And a part of me even enjoys Dolph Lundgren as Frank Castle too. Jon Bernthal contributes another wonderful portrayal of the Punisher worthy of the greats. I thought he stole the show when Punisher was introduced in Daredevil Season 2 and he delivers the goods here too. The jailhouse hallway scene in Daredevil is still one of the greatest onscreen moments the Punisher has ever had (or any hero for that matter) and as the Punisher's own show reaches its finale there is a scene nearly as incredible if not moreso. 

Heavy stuff. Wow, if anything has ever made me feel sympathy for our soldiers and what they have to go through, this show drove that message home. As you'd might expect this series has a major focus on ex-military soldiers and doesn't mince words when it comes to PTSD. The series approaches the subject matter very seriously and never makes light of what soldiers endure, both on and off the battlefield. This subject matter is the grounding rod for series. Of all Netflix's Marvel series this one feels the most real and serious of them. In many ways it touches on the same pulse that the original Rambo film, FIRST BLOOD, touched on (by the way, this storyline would make for an epic Rambo movie). The series is very tragic but by the end it manages to send a message of hope.

The Punisher/Micro Relationship. Now I don't know the comics as well as I would like but I believe this show took some liberties with Micro's character, giving him a different background and motivation. Punisher and Micro both end up wanting the same thing but believe in going about it differently. As a result they have some entertaining interactions and one of the best relationships in the show. It develops naturally and feels genuine. You want to root for these characters as the show progresses. 

Episode Highlights. The episodes in the series that I found particularly good were Episode 5: Gunner, Episode 10: Virtue of the Vicious (a Rashoman style episode where the same story is told from several perspectives), and of course the final two episodes, 12 and 13, a brutal, bloody, and intense duo of episodes.

NITPICKS

Not as kill crazy. After the incredibly violent spectacles with Punisher in Daredevil Season 2, I was kinda hoping for more similar intensity in this series. What they gave me was intensity of a different kind, that of former soldiers dealing with their PTSD. We do receive several action heavy episodes and two extremely bloody episodes at the end, but overall there was more character study and drama than I was expecting. These aspects of the show were very well done but in hindsight I just didn't feel the action level was as high as Daredevil Season 2.

Lackluster Villains. Aside from Billy Russo, I thought the central villains were lacking a bit in comparison to Kingpin, Kilgrave, Nobu, or even Madame Gao. Given, those characters were far more fantastic in scope. The villains of this series are all too human which adds a level of reality to them that those more outrageous villains don't have (with the obvious exception of Kingpin). They are appropriate for this series but as far as the bar set for the villains by the previous Netflix series I felt these villains didn't measure up as well. Billy Russo I thought was done very well though and wonderfully setup for his super villain alias: Jigsaw.

The Agent Madani plot thread also takes a while to get going and feels sluggish for several episodes. Ultimately though, I really enjoyed this series and feel it might be the best of the three series to come out of 2017 from Netflix.

THE VERDICT

The Punisher picks up where Daredevil Season 2 left off and takes Frank Castle through the last leg of his mission against those responsible for the death of his family. The subject matter of this series is far heavier than any of the other Netflix Marvel shows (Jessica Jones coming close though), more serious, and far more grounded in reality. There's a brutal truth to the series just like in Jessica Jones and the filmmakers handle it with respect. The characters are portrayed very well by the actors and writers and the series is easily the bloodiest of them all as would befit the Punisher. It's as if the film First Blood had been turned into a television series. I loved it.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10
Nude-O-Meter: 1 out of 10

For more of my thoughts on the Marvel Netflix shows and the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe check out these other posts below


 
And for more Marvel, DC, and comic book related movies check these out too!
 
 



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Tuesday, November 21, 2017

MARVEL'S INHUMANS: AN ABC ORIGINAL SERIES


The Marvel Comics characters the Inhumans first appeared in 1965 in the pages of Fantastic Four. An original creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Inhumans were and remain some of the wildest and truly imaginative creations in all of Marvel. The Inhumans have come a long way since their debut fifty-two years ago. Only within the last few years though have these far out characters enjoyed the widest exposure in their history.

In the wake of the 2012 Marvel Comics event, Infinity, a new book titled Inhuman was released. Since then Marvel has continued to push these characters, expanding them into a line of books, and having them play central roles in Marvel events such as Civil War II and Inhumans Vs X-Men. The push of the Inhumans didn't stop at comic shops either. During the early stages of Phase Two for the Marvel Cinematic Universe rumors online were that the Inhumans would be receiving a big budget feature film. Then in 2014 Kevin Feige announced the Inhumans film as one of the final pieces in the plans for Phase Three. Even actor Vin Diesel seemed to be lobbying for the role of Black Bolt for a time.

The ABC television series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. began laying the groundwork for the Inhumans. The concepts surrounding the Inhumans such as Terragenesis and their Kree origins were fleshed out and made known to the widest possible audience thus far. The stage seemed set for the Inhuman royal family to make their big screen debut. But this would not come to be. Due to a number of reasons and events the Inhumans MCU film was pushed back yet again and ultimately dropped from the schedule, only to be picked up by ABC as an eight episode network television series.

The announcement of the Inhumans television series came early in 2017 and by September the world was privy to the first episode. And in November of 2017 the series had already come to a close. Now with the series wrapped, how did it ultimately shape up? I offer one view of the series.

THE PLOT

The Inhumans, having lived in secrecy on Earth's moon for generations, are forced to flee to Earth when Black Bolt's brother, Maximus, stages a coup against the royal family. The royal family escapes but not without suffering harm. They are spread out across the Hawaiian island of Oahu with no idea of where the rest of their family is or in what shape they're in. Pursued by Inhuman troops loyal to Maximus, the royal family must find each and return to the moon to set things right before Maximus has them all killed.

NEGATIVITY AT THE ONSET

The initial announcement of the Inhumans going from a big budget star studded cast feature film to a network television mini series was met with obvious disappointment from fans. And when the first images of the costumes for the royal family emerged online the disillusionment with the series began, well before the first episode even aired. When the actors cast in the central roles were announced there was hope. But the sight of the first trailers only undercut the series further, displaying the still disappointing costumes and unfinished network television level CGI special effects.

The actual series itself seemed to do little to change audiences' opinions.

Ultimately the problems with the series lie with the lack of budget and an overall rushed presentation.

It was clear from the trailers that ABC television didn't have (or were not allocating) a budget big enough to fully realize the scope of story. The costumes, sets, and CGI effects all suffered significantly as a result. The costumes are bland and uninspired, looking similar to the early 2000's X-Men films. And the Inhuman city of Attilan is equally uninspired, evoking generic neo-modernist styles. But perhaps the greatest tragedy of this limited budget is the gross disservice to the characters.

The harm caused by the lack of CGI effects runs deeper than merely affecting the action and spectacle. The lack of CGI effects hurts who these characters are. Medusa's hair was featured in one episode before being shaved. Black Bolt coughs and whispers two words. Crystal displays limited pyrotechnics, winds, and lightning. Karnak's powers receive fair treatment, but his powers are absent for most of the series due to a head injury. Gorgon receives perhaps the best treatment of his powers among the royal family yet Gorgon's hooves are covered by boots for most episodes. And Triton is missing for five of the eight episodes altogether.

The series also suffered from a poorly developed narrative with pacing issues. The series strives to give nearly each member of the royal family an arc. What this does is create a fractured narrative with numerous plot threads almost from the very beginning. Had this series been a full twenty-two episode season this narrative style may have come to more satisfying fruition. But within the eight episode time frame, the longhand approach to the story adopted by the show fails to pick up momentum or give any of its multiple plots satisfying conclusions. As a result the show walks when it should be running and many of the various plots feel superfluous.

While it is an important aspect of storytelling that characters have arcs and grow, not every character needs an arc initially. I would argue that function is equally important to a character. Triton is the perfect example of a character in this series with no arc but employed with expert function within the show. Limiting the focus to Black Bolt, Medusa, and Maximus, taking the time to develop them as complex and compelling characters would be fitting for a truncated season. The remaining royal family being relegated to supporting roles without arcs of their own, fulfilling vital functions, and displaying their talents and abilities would showcase the characters just as well if not more so. As it is we just begin to know who these characters are and what they can do before they're either depowered or forced to question who they are themselves.

After finishing the series it is apparent that not enough time and money were invested in properly developing the series. I'm sure there are numerous reasons for why the series ended up the way it did. But even so, there are a few aspects that shouldn't share the blame.

WHAT I LIKED

A worthy cast.

The greatest success of this show lies with the cast. While their characters may have had their powers taken and their hands tied, the actors played their parts with fervor and conviction. Anson Mount and Serinda Swan give everything they can to the roles of Black Bolt and Medusa, but sadly the series barely gives either actor anything to work with. Black Bolt is constantly thrust into situations where he cannot use his powers and Medusa loses her powers in the first episode. When they are allowed to do something the results are great, the major highlight being the relationship dynamic between the two.

Ken Leung and Eme Okwuakor are wonderful as Karnak and Gorgon. Both actors bring genuine humanity to the roles as well as channeling the unique personalities of the characters. When the two characters are reunited during the second half of the series they have some of the best exchanges and character interplay of all the cast. And both characters receive some quality action sequences as well. While neither necessarily needed their own subplots in the show, the two actors showcased the characters very well.

Iwan Rheon and Isabelle Cornish did well with what little they were allowed to do as Maximus and Crystal. The two were barely given any character development beyond the standard archetypes of the usurping villain and gilded caged princess. Both actors could do far more for these characters then the series gave them. Taking in the full view of the series, more time needed to be devoted to Crystal and Maximus, developing their characters further, while other characters needlessly soaked up too much screen time.

Mike Moh as Triton was amazing and his action sequences were among the major highlights of the series. If only he had been featured more as he is the least seen member of the royal family in the series.

And finally the CGI effects for Lockjaw were very well done. It is apparent that the CGI focus was on Lockjaw and the powers of the other characters were sacrificed in service of this.

Lastly there were several themes of unity and equality running throughout the series. No one, with super powers or not, is better than anyone else. One of the fundamental flaws of the Inhuman society in the comics is the caste system and the series takes the first opportunity to address this. The theme of family runs deep through the series as well. In regards to Maximus the message is not to take other people's feelings for granted nor dismiss other's feelings as less than your own. Not to needlessly tear others down. The world needs more messages such as these, especially today.

THE VERDICT

ABC's Inhumans is a perfect example of what not to do. The series feels rushed, ill-conceived, and not possessing nearly enough resources to do the characters or subject matter justice. The actors do the best they can with the material, delivering quality performances, while the writing and special effects seemed to undercut them much of the way. If you know the Inhumans from the comics this barely services the material. If this was your initial introduction to the Inhumans, know that their is so much more to these characters that you didn't see. I can't help but feel like the Inhumans heralds the end of Marvel television and from here on out we'll see a steady decline in quality across the board, from ABC to Netflix, until the television division dies off completely.

Overall Ranking: 4 out of 10

Did you guys watch Inhumans? What did you think?

Let's discuss!

And for more of the Marvel Cinematic Universe check out these other posts below!









 





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Friday, November 17, 2017

SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017)


The end of a huge year for movies is upon us and with that one of the biggest question marks of the year: JUSTICE LEAGUE. The DC Extended Universe of films have been a polarizing franchise to say the least. The critics seem to, by and large, disagree with the films while the fans are decidedly split. From ages 25 and under the responses have been more or less positive. Ages 26 and up the reactions have been less than enthusiastic. The obvious exception to this is WONDER WOMAN, DC's most positive reception thus far. And while I don't believe that having everybody "like" a movie translates to a good movie, it has created interesting and ongoing debates about what "should" be done with the DCEU. You've got fans who grew up with these characters, fans whose initial exposure to these characters came from the animated series of Batman, Superman, and Justice League/JL Unlimited in the 90's and fans from even further back. Then you've got the fans who grew up after all of that, fans who want something different.

It seems as though the original direction of the DCEU was decided upon in an effort to differentiate themselves from their competition and in doing so they went a little overboard, in my opinion. My initial exposure to all these characters was through the Adam West Batman television series, the Christopher Reeve Superman films, Tim Burton's Batman films, and those wonderful animated series from the 1990's. I wish the powers that be, in charge of the DCEU, would study these aforementioned source materials for their tone and character depictions, maybe not to a "T" but as an example of how to execute these characters properly. It boggles my mind how DC can have such wonderful animated movies (mostly) and at the same time have such mixed live action films.

Getting back to Justice League, I feel the film corrected some problems while at the same time repeating particular mistakes. At the end of the movie though, the positives were at the forefront of my mind and I was happy leaving the theater.

So, allow me to expound!

THE PLOT

An ancient cosmic conquerer named Steppenwolf has returned to Earth upon the death of Superman. Steppenwolf had been to Earth once before ages ago and was repelled by a great alliance of the powers of Earth. The Atlanteans, the Amazons, humans, and many others united to save the planet. Now the descendants of these heroes and new heroes must unite to stop Steppenwolf's second coming. But even together will they be enough, especially without Superman there to help them?
WHAT I LIKED
SPOILERS AHEAD

Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg. My favorite part of this movie was without a doubt Superman. The movie really takes off and gathers energy when Superman Returns. He was smiling! He was confident, hopeful, and just fun to be with. Honestly I wanted more Superman out of this film. Supes' dialog was delightful and felt like something the Superman I knew would say. My favorite scene in the entire movie though is when Flash is running around him at top speed and Superman looks at him. Sounds stupid when I write it but on screen it is chilling and oh so cool. I like Henry Cavill as Superman and they finally allow him play the Superman he should've been playing all along.

Wonder Woman remains the shining aspect of the DCEU as she carried most of the movie for me. During the early engagements against Steppenwolf it becomes apparent that he outclasses nearly all the heroes in terms of sheer power. This in turn leads to Wonder Woman being the central force taking on Steppenwolf and it is so cool seeing her portrayed as the "muscle" on the team. And Gal Gadot brings her signature style once again to the character. To that effect I really enjoyed Steppenwolf's initial appearance opposing the Amazons, another of my favorite sequences in the film.

And Cyborg too, wonderfully portrayed by actor Ray Fisher, was one of the best characters in the film. Fisher delivers a convincing performance as a man filled with emotional turmoil. His insertion into the film feels the most natural and organic of all the new characters added in the movie. Without Cyborg the film would not work. I was initially worried about Cyborg's CGI and design. I was very happy upon seeing the finished CGI on Cyborg. I swear they even used a few real make-up prostheses on Fisher's face, which was surprising and a welcome sight.

And the cameo appearances! There are a lot of them and I won't spoil them. But I will say stay to the end of the credits to see all of them. It was such a joy getting to see all of these characters.

INDIFFERENT

Aquaman. I didn't dislike him nor did I overly like him as we were all expecting to from the trailers. The trailers really gave away Aquaman's epic moments, almost all of them in fact to the point where I was just checking them off my list instead of being surprised and excited by them. And while this is a pretty drastic change in depiction for the character, it didn't feel earned but rather forced. It was like the filmmakers were saying "hey, he's different and cool now and played Jason Momoa! You like him now!" instead of actually giving us something beyond the cosmetic appeal to latch onto. It felt as if they were trying too hard with him. I'm sure it will feel better in Aquaman's solo film, a movie I now wish would've come before Justice League. I didn't feel Aquaman received enough attention here to leave any real sort of impression or impact. Overall he felt a little superfluous and unnecessary to the movie.

NITPICKS

Bat-Fleck. Talk about disappointing. Ben Affleck played Batman with so much intensity and conviction in BVSDOJ. Here he barely has a heartbeat. I have to wonder if the reception to BVSDOJ broke Ben Afflect's spirit, his own metaphorical "Knightfall." Here it seems like his heart just wasn't in it. His portrayal felt empty and his dialog just didn't work for me, especially his attempts at humor.

Flash also fell flat for me. He was more annoying than anything else and lacked the speedster joy so wonderfully captured in other "non-DC" films (I still think Dash in THE INCREDIBLES is my favorite speedster film depiction). Just the humor in general felt very forced as did the Flash in general. I know the writers of the movie can do action and serious drama but I don't believe they can do humor at all.

Six movies in one. The sin that keeps on sinning. One of my major beefs with BVSDOJ and Suicide Squad was the jammed packed scripts that do so much yet contribute so little. The narrative aspect of Justice League feels very akin to BVSDOJ in this way. It's like they've once again taken six different movies and jammed them together into one movie, and a shorter two hour movie at that. They taking entire comic book story arcs and doing them in five minutes and moving onto the next comic book story arc you've loved for years only to hash it out in ten minutes or less.

Picking on the Nitpicks. There a lot of little things in this movie that don't quite sit right. For instance, the characters seem pretty casual about Superman and Batman's secret identities, calling them out in front of hosts of onlookers and outing themselves completely in front of strangers. Then there was how easily Batman bursts the "Mother Box bubble" and took down the tower at the end. And the Parademons fear-seeking abilities but their perplexing inabilities to sense the fear of all those people in that Russian town right under their noses. Again these are all the very definition of nitpicks and, by themselves, these aren't that big of a deal and I can let them go. But together they add up to a lot. Just seems like another unpolished piece of the writing phase.

THE VERDICT

Justice League gets certain aspects right this time around while still committing many of the same sins as BVSDOJ and Suicide Squad. They're moving more in the right direction this time around by it's a slower progression than I would've thought. Still though, there is pure joy in seeing Superman do his thing in this film. Wonder Woman remains one of DC's best characters and Cyborg enters the stage with a great performance and character foundation. Also the cameos and easter eggs where so much fun seeing, you definitely want to stay through to the end. I felt the positives were very strong in this film and the negatives, well, sadly some of them are still there. Justice League does start moving the DCEU in the right direction, to what degree I'll leave open to you.

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10

For my thoughts on the rest of the DCEU films click on the links below! And of course tell me your thoughts as well! Let's discuss!
 

Later this year we'll add Justice League to the list!
For my favorite DC characters check out the post below too!
 
 
 
 
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Thursday, November 9, 2017

TOP TEN THOR VILLAINS

TOP TEN THOR VILLAINS

With Thor: Ragnarok fresh out in theaters and loaded with villains I thought this would be the perfect time for a Top Ten List on the many foes of Thor ~ God of Thunder!

Of all the heroes of the Marvel universe and their subsequent galleries of rogues, it is my opinion that Thor has one of the best Rogue's Gallery's of all and an underrated gallery at that. Just like Spider-Man or Batman, I daresay I like Thor's enemies more than I like Thor himself. But if I'm being honest I love Thor too... and Batman... and Spidey too, but you know what I mean. It's just me trying to say that I think the world of Thor's villains.

Now as opposed to, say, Batman, Spider-Man, or Captain America's lists of enemies, Thor's enemies are quite different and unusual by comparison. On that note, Thor himself is very different from your usual heroes too. Thor is a Norse god and wields vast incredible powers. So I ask you all this:

What kind of villain can challenge a god?

The answer: a villain larger than life, sometimes beyond scope, and with powers beyond measure. The enemies that Thor battles are not your usual criminals, thieves, or murderers. These villains are gods themselves, monsters of myth and prophecy, beings of magic and elemental forces, beasts and dragons thought to be mere fairy tales. There are no villains quite like those enemies of Thor. All these aspects are what I find so amazing about these characters, so unique, imaginative, and compelling. If we were to choose our favorite gallery of rogues, for me, Thor's would be one of my top picks (if I had a top ten list of super hero rogues galleries that is... hey, there's an idea for a future top ten list!).

You didn't come here to hear me blather on, did you? So, without further pretentious pontificating, I give you the list.

As usual we start with a few bonuses before cracking the top ten.

Disclaimer:
This is a list of my favorites of Thor's enemies, not who the world has deemed the best. And just because a character is at a certain spot on the list and not higher doesn't mean that I don't like them. And in no way am I trying to discredit any of the characters on this list by their placements. To be clear, I think every character on this list is great and I love them all. And just because a character isn't on this list doesn't mean I don't like them either. There's a chance I forgot them or they just didn't make the list.

Now, for real, here's the list.




THE BONUSES







#15
THE WRECKING CREW
Left to right: Piledriver, Thunderball. The Wrecker, and Bulldozer.
First Appearance: The Mighty Thor #148 (the Wrecker) January 1968

First Appearance (of the rest of the team): The Defenders #17 November 1974

Who They Are: One day the villain known as the Wrecker (a normal human at the time) entered a hotel room after a robbery. Unbeknownst to the Wrecker, Loki was in the room as well. The contact with Loki granted the Wrecker super strength and turned his crowbar indestructible. The Wrecker gained Hulk-level strength and durability. Later the Wrecker managed to replicate the Asgardian enchantment upon him, splitting it among his three partners in crime, Piledriver, Thunderball, and Bulldozer. All four now possessed super human strength and nigh invulnerability.

Why I Like Them: The Wrecking Crew began as Thor enemies but eventually became regular enemies of the greater Marvel Universe, going up against the Avengers, the Thunderbolts, and just about everybody else. They're fairly standard "villains of the week" stereotypes but among that denotation is where they stand out. These guys are powerful! Even for stock villains, when they come into a comic book they have the potential to do some real damage and even take out the hero or heroes. Few villains can just come into somebody's comic book and trash the hero. They're simple but effective and totally classic.









#14
THE EXECUTIONER ~ SKURGE 
Left to right: The Enchantress and The Executioner

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #103 April 1964

Who He Is: Skurge was a powerful Asgardian warrior who was in love with the Asgardian Goddess, Amora ~ The Enchantress. Amora claimed to love him too if he'd but only help her defeat Thor. The two Asgardians fought Thor many times and were ultimately banished from Asgard. Eventually Skurge realized Amora was only using him and he left her side to find redemption. During a battle in which the dark elf Malekith trapped countless living human souls in Niflheim (the Asgardian underworld) Skurge sacrificed himself and saved the human souls for Malekith.

Why I Like Him: He started off as your standard brute, the muscle working for the Enchantress. To go up against Thor with nothing but your own strength means that the Executioner is one strong Asgardian. So right there tells you that few other heroes could take him. You'd think he'd be just a standard villain though but then he leaves the Enchantress and nobly sacrifices himself to save innocent people, fighting alongside Thor during the battle. That moment gave the character depth and made him more complex. Skurge went from being a rather basic villain to a pretty cool villain.










#13
ABSORBING MAN
First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #114 March 1965

Who He Is: Carl "The Crusher" Creel made the mistake of taking an Asgardian potion from the trickster himself, Loki. The potion gifted Creel with the power to alter his molecular structure to assume the properties of any material he touches. If he touches brick his body becomes as hard as brick. If he touches water he'll become like water. And if he touches Thor's uru hammer, Mjolnir, Creel becomes as powerful as Mjolnir! His height and weight can increase or decrease depending on the material he's absorbed, sometimes rendering him as big as buildings.

Why I Like Him: Absorbing Man started off as a Thor villain and has fought Thor on numerous occasions. But, like the Wrecking Crew, he has become a mainstay menace for the Marvel universe abroad fighting nearly every hero the universe has to offer. He's a simple minded thug but his abilities make for endless story possibilities. It's the reason he has endured as a character for over 50 years. It's just such a cool power and the fact that it is in the hands of a villain makes it all the more interesting. He has actually battled against my favorite hero, the Hulk, the second most of any hero, Thor being the first.








#12
KARNILLA ~ THE NORN QUEEN


First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #107 August 1964

Who She Is: Ruler of the Nornheim, a sovereign nation on Asgard, Karnilla is a powerful sorceress and possesses perhaps the greatest knowledge of magics among any of the Nine Realms. Though her land exists upon Asgard she is not a subject of Odin's. Karnilla pursues her own interests and often times they place her at odds with Thor and Odin. She has allied herself with Loki several times in order to defeat Thor and secure her love, Balder the Brave. After Thor's death during the battle against the Serpent, Karnilla and the Norns cast a powerful spell of forgetfulness over all the Nine Realms in an attempt to erase Thor completely from memory and place a sleeper agent within Asgard. But in order to gain the love of Balder she has sometimes allied herself with Asgard as well.

 Why I Like Her: The queen of the Norns is an interesting and complex character. A Stan Lee and Jack Kirby original, Karnilla, while often on the side of evil doers, is somewhat of a wildcard among Thor's rogues. She is very powerful and motivated by her own interests. There's no telling which side she'll ally with in any given situation or what exactly she has planned. And with her incredible abilities as a sorceress there's no telling what she could do. When Karnilla is involved the stories always become more intriguing.









#11
LOKI ~ GOD OF MISCHIEF

First Appearance (in a Marvel comic): Venus #6 August 1949

First Appearance (in a Thor comic): Journey Into Mystery #85 October 1962

Who He Is: The god of mischief himself, Loki is Thor's adopted brother. Son of the frost giant, Laufey, Loki has a deep seeded hatred for his brother and father whom have long slain frost giants. But with the hate there is also love for Thor, no matter how much Loki may deny it. His complicated emotional state has resulted in many schemes to either dispose or kill his brother and father. And on many occasions his plans have imperiled not just those of Asgard but all of the Nine Realms including Earth. Loki is the most frequent thorn in Thor's side but also a threat to all the heroes of the Marvel universe.

Why I Like Him: Loki needs no introduction. Thanks to the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe he has become a household name. Now, while I like Loki he is far from my favorite Thor villain. But it's hard to argue with how treacherous and devious Loki is. Simply put, no other villain has complicated and frustrated Thor's life more than Loki. Not only is he one of the biggest enemies in the Thor comics but he has plagued the greater Marvel universe many times. From Hulk to Spider-Man to the Guardians of the Galaxy of the 31st century. This god of mischief is someone not to be trifled with.







 THE TOP TEN







#10
THE DESTROYER

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #118 July 1965

What It Is: Ages ago it was foretold that a grave threat from the stars would one day come and threaten the Earth. The Destroyer is an enchanted suit of armor created by Odin in preparation for this threat. Empowered with Odin's magic, Zeus and other gods from the pantheons of Earth filled the armor with their magics as well, creating one of the most powerful objects in the cosmos. To animate the Destroyer one transfers their consciousness into the armor and is then able to control it as if it were their own body. This is also the Achilles' heel of the Destroyer as the user's body is left empty and vulnerable. But while in the Destroyer armor one is literally invincible, sporting incredible physical strength and powerful energy attacks.

Why I Like Him: While not inherently evil or good, the Destroyer has been used by Loki and other villains on many occasions to battle Thor. That's the problem with a weapon falling into the wrong hands. It's also what makes the Destroyer such an incredible adversary for Thor, one that strikes fear into the heart of a god. Once possessing the armor even the weakest villain can become the deadliest. Yes, the Destroyer has been used by heroes as well, like it was intended, but the Destroyer is essentially the perfect example of what can happen when a weapon falls into the wrong hands. All bets are off when the Destroyer enters the picture, which makes it so interesting.









#9
AMORA ~ THE ENCHANTRESS

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #103 April 1964

Who She Is: Amora, the Enchantress, is one of Asgard's most adept magic users. Learning from Karnilla, queen of the Norns, Amora studied magic from all of Asgard's great sorcerers eventually becoming perhaps the most powerful sorceress in all of Asgard. Amora then became smitten with the prince of Asgard, Thor. When Odin commanded Amora kill Thor's earthly love interest, Jane Foster, the Enchantress was more than willing. This put her on Thor's bad side and placed the two at odds with each other. Enchantress would rather see Thor dead than in the arms of another.

Why I Like Her: Amora's story is the all too relatable tale of a one-sided love. That's her story on the surface but she is a far more complicated character than one would think. While more often depicted as the villain than not she constantly rebounds between helping Asgard, helping save the universe from Ragnarok, and trying to bring Thor's world crashing down around him. She's not evil at all but rather a goddess subject to whims and emotions much like classic Greek gods and goddesses. All this, plus nigh unlimited magic, and her propensity to switch sides render the Enchantress an unpredictable and interesting character.








#8
 MALEKITH THE ACCURSED

First Appearance: The Mighty Thor #344 June 1984

Who He Is: Malekith is a Dark Elf from Svartalfheim. When the Dark Elves warred against the Trolls, Malekith lost almost his entire family. He was taken prisoner where he met a wizard who schooled him in the magic arts. Once freed Malekith devoted his life to the pursuit of war, considering the horror of war as the fire that forged him. As long as the fire of war burned his life would have meaning. Malekith has made many dark deals in service to his cause, including deals with Loki and Surtur. He has wielded awesome weapons such as the Casket of Ancient Winters and the magic rings of the Mandarin. Eventually Malekith became ruler of the Dark Elves and unleashed a tide of war upon the Nine Realms until Thor and an alliance of representatives from the Nine Realms stopped him.

Why I Like Him: Malekith is one purely black-hearted individual. He is easily one of the cruelest and most vile enemies Thor has ever faced and that's what makes him so intriguing. He's a schemer like Loki but lacks Loki's playfulness opting instead for straight forward evil. His backstory cements him as one extremely emotionally and mentally damaged character. While definitely one of the weaker villains on this list in terms of power, he more than makes up for it in sheer brutality, tenacity, and intelligence. He is easily the nastiest of Thor's enemies.








#7
YMIR

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #97 October 1963

Who He Is: Ymir is a 1,000 foot tall Frost Giant and the undisputed lord of Niffelheim. Older than all the gods and one of the oldest and most powerful beings in all the Nine Realms, Ymir is one of Thor's strongest opponents. Ymir believes that all none-frost giant life is a blight on existence and therefore his purpose is to destroy all life save his kin. His power is beyond all the gods, even Odin, but his tactics are direct and pure elemental force. And the gods of Asgard are quite resourceful.

Why I Like Him: Ymir is the first of many monstrous villains on the list, ones with which I have more of a natural affinity for. While a simple and straight forward character, Ymir is the personification of cold and a literal force of nature. While the average Frost Giant is weak to heat, Ymir is the only Frost Giant impervious to heat. Too powerful to battle head on or defeat by force alone, Ymir by default forces Thor to use his mind rather than Mjolnir or brute strength to win. A hero facing impossible odds is always compelling and Ymir represents insurmountable power. That and he's a monster... and I really like monsters.








#6
 KURSE

First Appearance: The Mighty Thor #347 September 1984

Who He Is: Algrim the Strong was once the most powerful Dark Elf in history. Goaded on to battle Thor by Malekith, Algrim was later betrayed by Malekith and nearly killed. Algrim survived thanks to his armor, fostering a single-minded goal to kill Thor. The cosmic being known as The Beyonder granted Algrim power double that of Thor's and transformed the dark elf into the being known as Kurse. Kurse thoroughly defeated both Thor and Thor's oath-brother Beta Ray Bill and later pummeled Loki to near death. Thor's only salvation came from convincing Kurse that it was Malekith who betrayed him and not Thor's doing. Thor needed the combined power of Mjolnir and Beta Ray Bill's hammer, Stormbreaker to render Kurse unconscious.

Why I Like Him: First off, the design is wicked awesome. Second is the sheer power. Anyone who can beat both Thor and Beta Ray Bill is someone not to be trifled with. I'd love to see Kurse battle the Hulk or the Silver Surfer. And what's more is that he's not evil. He's more of a rival warrior who had been lied to. This aspect kind of makes you root for him in a way or at least sympathize a little bit. He's a villain who's not a badguy... kind of. Anyway all of this renders Kurse one undeniably awesome Thor enemy.









#5
ULIK

First Appearance: The Mighty Thor #137 February 1967

Who He Is: Ulik is a Rock Troll from the Nornheim. As with all trolls, Ulik possesses an ingrained contempt for all Asgardians. Being the strongest of all trolls, Ulik is given the task by his king to defeat Thor, a task with which he is more than happy to oblige. Ulik possesses ever increasing strength equal to Thor's and typically equips a pair of knuckle dusters made of the same uru metal as Mjolnir. Ulik has fought Thor many times, occasionally to a standstill and coming very close to victory. Ulik has an iron will and focus that has kept him undeterred and a constant threat to Earth, Asgard, and Thor.

Why I Like Him: One of Thor's most enduring foes, Ulik has returned time and time again to plague the God of Thunder. I've loved Ulik ever since I was a little kid. I like his design and monstrous character. He was one of the earliest Thor villains I really attached to and a character I longed to see face my favorite character, the Hulk. He's another straight forward villain and not too complicated a character. He's a comfort food villain like the Abomination or Sabretooth, a true classic.









#4
MANGOG

First Appearance: The Mighty Thor #154 July 1968

Who He Is: Mangog is a monster comprising the power of "a billion billion beings" who were killed by Asgardians. Burning with hatred and possessing immeasurable physical power, Mangog was once believed to be the beast destined to bring about Ragnarok. Mangog desires to unleash the Odinsword from its scabbard thereby bringing about the end of the universe. Thor is unable to defeat Mangog and the monster is only defeated when Odin breaks the spell that houses the billion billion souls trapped in Mangog. Odin restores the beings to life and thereby negates Mangog's existence, saving all reality. But enemies of Asgard (or at least Thor and Odin) plot to recreate Mangog and use him to destroy Thor once and for all... Enter Loki.

Why I Like Him: He's ugly. He's scary. And he's angry. Mangog is one of the ultimate monsters of the Marvel universe and one of the greatest enemies Thor has ever faced. I doubt even the Hulk would stand a chance against Mangog. He's so weird looking and incredibly menacing. My love of monsters draws me to this character like a shark to blood. He's one of a few "Doomsday" enemies that heralds the...well, doomsday of Asgard. He rather simple but most good monsters are. There's even a subtle connection to Godzilla in Mangog's composition as a collection of restless souls (a theory used to explain Godzilla's existence in one of the Godzilla films). So, right there is reason enough for me to love this character.









#3
SURTUR

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #97 October 1963

Who He Is: Surtur is a 1,000 foot tall fire giant from the realm Muspelheim. Wielding the Twilight Sword, one of the most powerful weapons in all the Nine Realms, Surtur awaits the end of days when he will bring about Ragnarok and an end to all beings, humans, gods, and destroy all the Nine Realms. One of the oldest and most powerful beings in all existence, Surtur's power is immeasurable, matched only by Ymir of Niffelheim. Through the combined forces of Odin, Thor, and many of Asgard's greatest heroes and powerful villains has Surtur been repelled. Repelled but never defeated. Like Ymir, Surtur is immortal and will return to bring about the end of days for all existence.

Why I Like Him: Surtur represents the gravest of threats to Thor, Asgard, and the Nine Realms. I mean look at him, he resonates with menace. I love the scary devilish design and his mission. He is easily the greatest challenge Thor has and will ever face. Power levels off the charts, monstrous looking (notice he has a tail), and undeniably scary. He is the king monster of Thor's rogues and one of my favorite monsters in all of Marvel's universe.









#2
FAFNIR

First Appearance: The Mighty Thor #134 November 1966

 Who He Is: Long ago Fafnir was a king of the land of Nastrond, a kingdom on the continent of Asgard. According to Odin, the gods of Nastrond were evil and Odin laid waste to their kingdom. Fafnir was sentenced to death in the wasteland that was once his kingdom. But thanks to mystic waters Fafnir survived. And over the ages the waters transformed Fafnir into a colossal dragon. In modern times Loki freed Fafnir from his exile and sent the great dragon to Earth to battle Thor. Possessing immense power and strength, Fafnir has battle Thor on several occasions and nearly bested the thunder god a time or two. Later when Hela possessed the Twilight Sword and threatened all existence Fafnir joined forces with Thor to stop the goddess of the death.

Why I Like Him: First off, yes I acknowledge the extreme obscurity of this character and the bizarre nature of me placing him as #2 on the list (needless to say he's not on most Thor villains top ten lists let alone #2). But I have my reasons and the only reason that really matters is this: My very first issue of Thor I ever owned was this...

 and I must have read it a hundred times. I think at the time I liked Fafnir more than I liked Thor. Needless to say it was this issue of Thor that led to my love of the thunder god and his rogues. And to a degree it was a gateway for me to the Marvel universe and comic book collecting. This was and still is one of my favorite comic books and Fafnir will always hold a high spot on my favorite Marvel villains list. To state the obvious, he's a giant fire-breathing monster which is like, you know, my thing. I have a natural love for all things giant monsters and dragons. To me he is only second to one other Thor villain...









#1
HELA ~ GODDESS OF DEATH

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #102 March 1964

Who She Is: Hela is the Goddess of Death and Queen of the underworld known as Hel. She is the ruler of the realm of Niflheim and has the power over life and death. Not content with dominion over all Niflheim, Hela has sought to claim all the realms of the dead including Valhalla. Her attempts to take Valhalla have placed her at odds with Odin and Thor. This conflict has led to her desire for possession of Thor and Odin's souls. On several occasions she has claimed Thor's soul after his deaths on the battlefield only to restore him to life due to various circumstances. She has even stolen Odin's soul while the All-Father slumbered in the Odin-Sleep.

Why I Like Her: Okay, I know what you're thinking, "He just likes her because of the movie that JUST came out." Not true (although I do like her portrayal in the film). Hear me out... First off is the design. I love the unquestionably "Jack Kirby" design, the cool lines, and the wicked cool headdress. And then there's the color green, my favorite color. And finally there's Hela's natural horror alignment, by which I mean all the scary elements of her character. She's the Queen of the Dead! How cool is that? Those who know me know how much I love monsters and horror movies and Hela is the queen of all the things that go bump in the night. Seriously, Hela is one of those characters that seems tailor made for me.



And there you have it! My top ten favorite Thor villains!

Hope you all enjoyed the list!

Who do you feel are Thor's Top Ten Villains? Who are your favorite?

Let me know in the comments below!

And for more Top Ten lists check out these others below!















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