From the Mouths of the Marvels:

"My mighty limbs - - my raging heart - - tempered in a thousand battles, shall not fail me now!"”

- - Thor, page 5

Loki and the Norn stones: not a good combination!

Thor and Tales of Asgard
from Journey Into Mystery #116
May 1965 • 21 pages

Publication Date: March 4, 1965

Letters Page: No letters page was published in this issue

I: Feature Story: "The Trial of the Gods!"

Pages: 16

Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Jack Kirby
Inks: Vince Colletta
Letters: Artie Simek

First Appearance: Yagg the Slayer

Villain: Yagg the Slayer, Loki, Executioner, Enchantress

Guest Appearance: Odin, Jane Foster, Balder

Cameo: Teen Brigade, Avengers: Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Man, Wasp, Rick Jones; Daredevil, Frightful Four: Medusa, Wizard, Trapster, Sandman

Settings: Skornheim

Marvel Milestones: First appearance of Norn Stones

Synopsis: The Trial of the Gods begins, as Odin sends Loki and Thor into Skornheim, with the challenge that whichever of the two make it back to Asgard first will be the victor. He strips Thor of his hammer, as the combatants are to have no weapons to help them. Once they are in the hellish pits of Skornheim, Loki reveals his bag of enchanted Norn Stones, and he taunts Thor with a vision of Jane Foster on Earth, being intimidated by the Executioner and the Enchantress.

Thor flies into a rage, falling into Loki's trap to distract him. The menaces of Skornheim immediately fall upon Thor, as the intense sun and lava flow bear down on him. Loki, though, is able to pass through a thick forest of deadly plants by turning himself into a ghost, thanks to the Norn Stones. Thor makes it through the forest, too, but it takes him more time to get through with brute force. But he does catch up to Loki, and smacks him around, demanding that he call back the Enchantress and Executioner. But this confrontation is suddenly stopped by Yagg, the guardian of Skornheim.

Balder alerts Odin to the threat against Jane Foster, and Odin agrees to let Balder address the situation personally. Meanwhile, Loki and Thor leap out of the way of Yagg, who is trying to kill them. Loki flies away with the aid of the stones, leaving Thor behind to defeat Yagg. Loki makes much ground ahead of Thor, bypassing every treacherous threat with his unfair advantage.

Jane Foster is chased through the streets, bullied by the two Asgardian villains in Loki's employ. Passers by try to help her, but the Enchantress knocks them back with a spell. A member of the Teen Brigade sees the trouble and puts a call out for help. His attempts to contact Rick Jones and the Avengers, Daredevil, and the Fantastic Four (who face the threat of the Frightful Four) all come to naught.

There is, however, one who knows of the threat and has finally arrived on Earth. Alighting atop the Baxter Building is Balder, and he immediately sets out (in normal street attire!) to find his foes. Meanwhile, Thor follows the path that Loki made it through with relative ease; but Thor is beaten down and bloodied by all the danger that has befallen him. He finally sees Loki ahead of him, crossing the barrier just before he could. Loki has completed the Trial of the Gods before him. Loki has won!

--synopsis by Gormuu

Issues Reprinted
Thor and Tales of Asgard from
Journey Into Mystery #111-120 and Annual #1

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.

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