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Eric Masterson is a
fictional superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in American comic books published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The character has appeared as
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...
and later Thunderstrike. The character was introduced as a supporting character in the ''Thor'' title, but continued in several other comic books, including the self-titled series ''Thunderstrike'' in 1993. Later interpretations of Thunderstrike would appear in both the
Marvel Comics 2 Marvel Comics 2 is an imprint from Marvel Comics whose comic books depict an alternative future timeline for the Marvel Universe. The imprint was spun off from the events of '' What If?'' #105 (February 1998), which was the first appearance of the ...
and Heroic Age Marvel Comics storylines, featuring the character's
son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
as the hero.


Publication history

Eric Masterson first appeared in ''Thor'' #391, as a supporting character. ''Thor'' #408 featured the merging of the character Eric Masterson with Thor, Masterson being utilized as the God of Thunder's alter ego until issue #432. ''Thor'' #432 featured the character assuming the role of Thor, and appearing as the title character until ''Thor'' #459. Following ''Thor'' #459, Masterson was introduced as "Thunderstrike" in the eponymous series starting in June
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...
. The series lasted approximately two years. ''Thunderstrike'' ran for 24 issues, the series canceled in September 1995. Creator
Tom DeFalco Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''. Career While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
has often claimed that the book outsold ''Thor'' and ''The Avengers'' combined at the time of its cancellation; although this has been shown to be extremely unlikely. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series ''Thor Corps'' as Thunderstrike, and appeared as a guest star in the ''Thor'' series. The character was featured in the ''Avengers'' from issue #343 until issue #374, and crossover series Operation: Galactic Storm. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series ''
Infinity Gauntlet ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series (comics), limited series written by Jim Starlin and Penciller, pencilled by George Pérez and Ron ...
'' and ''
Infinity War ''Avengers: Infinity War'' is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to '' The Avengers'' ( ...
.'' Outside the many appearances in ''Thor'' and ''Avengers'', ''Thunderstrike'' was used to launch an ongoing series ''
Blackwulf Blackwulf (Lucian) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney C ...
'', and a
limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
'' Code: B.L.U.E.'' It was announced that the Thunderstrike character would be returning in a new miniseries by co-creators Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz in November 2010. Promotionals leading into the event began in August depicting the mace stating "One will rise..." and "The World Still Needs Heroes." Ultimately, the new Thunderstrike miniseries featured Eric Masterson's son, Kevin, in the role once inhabited by his father.


Fictional character biography


First encounter

Eric Kevin Masterson was working as an
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
when he met
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...
. Masterson was injured by falling girders, and was taken to the hospital by Thor. Now on crutches, Masterson was attacked by
Quicksand Quicksand is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that los ...
, but saved by Thor. Masterson was then abducted by
Mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
. Masterson accompanied Thor to the Black Galaxy, where he first met
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...
. Masterson, mortally wounded by Mongoose, was given Thor's form and powers after the original was sealed in Eric's mind, by Odin, to save Eric's life. Recognizing that his new life as Thor was too dangerous for a child, Masterson gave up custody of his son Kevin to his ex-wife Marcy, reasoning that Kevin would be safer with her, even if she was relatively ambivalent about her role as a mother. Masterson was then separated from Thor by the Red Celestial. Shortly thereafter, Masterson saved Thor's life, and was merged with him again. Masterson's son Kevin was captured by
Ulik Ulik is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He usually appears as an adversary of Thor. Ulik was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appears in ''Thor'' #137 (February 1967). Debuting in t ...
for Loki. Thor freed Kevin and seemingly slew Loki in battle.
Heimdall In Norse mythology, Heimdall (from Old Norse Heimdallr) is a god who keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himinbjörg, where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets the sky. He is attested as possessing forekno ...
separated Thor from Masterson, then banished Thor, and transformed Masterson into a new Thor. He then met the Enchantress as Leena Moran, and battled Ulik.''Thor'' #433. Marvel Comics.


Surrogate of Thor

Eric continued in the role of Thor, after having been given Mjolnir by Thor, who then told Eric to carry on as Earth's protector. Eric then returned to Earth and joined the Avengers in Thor's place. Masterson revealed his double identity to Captain America. He then first visited
Asgard In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr'' ; "enclosure of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts. It is described as the fortified home of the Æsir ...
, where he fought the
Warriors Three The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters served as supporting cast members in ''Thor''. The Warriors Three are the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg ...
,
Balder Baldr (also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, Baldr (Old Norse: ) is a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg, and has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli. In wider Germanic mythology, the god was kno ...
, Heimdall, and
Sif In Norse mythology, Sif (Old Norse: ) is a golden-haired goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century ...
, while trying to discover the whereabouts of the real Thor. Masterson then helped rescue the sleeping Odin from
Annihilus Annihilus () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily as an adversary to the Fantastic Four. The character debuted in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four Annual'' #6, which was published i ...
. He teamed with
Beta Ray Bill Beta Ray Bill is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books, the character was initially intended to be a surprise; an apparent monster who unexpectedly turns ou ...
and
Dargo Ktor Dargo Ktor is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He lived in a distant dystopian future, where people of earth are oppressed by the oppressive corp. He becomes the Thor of that future after reali ...
as the "Thor Corps" against Zarrko and Loki. During his time with the Avengers as Thor, Masterson aided them in such battles as the Kree/Shi'ar war and the
Infinity Gauntlet ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series (comics), limited series written by Jim Starlin and Penciller, pencilled by George Pérez and Ron ...
crisis, being one of only three heroes at the conclusion of that battle to remember the entire confrontation (the other two being Doctor Strange and the
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
) as he had briefly witnessed Warlock's soul during the fight.


Thunderstrike is born

Eric's role as Thor was relatively brief, as the Enchantress manipulated Eric into attacking Thor for Sif's affection. During a confrontation with Thor, Eric struck Sif. This provoked Thor, leading him to defeat Eric and reclaim Mjolnir while Odin revealed the Enchantress's manipulations. Odin then ordered the creation of a new mace for Eric, called Thunderstrike. Eric first used the Thunderstrike mace against the villains Bloodaxe and Carjack, but he was promptly defeated. Afterwards, Eric created his own costume to distinguish himself from Thor, while keeping Thor's reputation intact. Eric renamed himself Thunderstrike, after the mace itself, operating as an adventurer and crimefighter.''Thunderstrike'' #1. Marvel Comics. Eventually Eric defeated Bloodaxe, only to discover that Bloodaxe was actually Jackie Lukus, his current love interest.


Final conflicts and death

After a confrontation with Seth the Egyptian god of death, Eric realized that the only way to defeat him was to succumb to the curse contained with the Bloodaxe and increase his strength. After his supposed slaying of Seth, Eric was confronted by the
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
, who attempted to arrest him for murder. Instead, Masterson defeated the Avengers, and Thor confronted him. Eric pleaded with Thor to kill him to prevent the curse of the Bloodaxe from taking him over completely. But Eric was eventually forced to fight the Bloodaxe subconsciously, which manifested in Eric's mind in the form of Skurge. Eric eventually defeated the Skurge duplicate, causing a psychic backlash that killed him and destroyed the two weapons. Claiming that
Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...
was not where he belonged, Eric was sent into the afterlife by Odin.


Returns from and to the dead

Eric was temporarily resurrected by the
Grim Reaper Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...
several years later, along with several other deceased Avengers. After overcoming the Grim Reaper's control, he and the other undead Avengers were returned to the afterlife by the
Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964 ...
. Before he returned to the afterlife, Eric asked Thor to check in on his son Kevin for him.


Successor

Eric's Thunderstrike mace (revealed to have been repaired by Thor and left in custody of the Avengers) was eventually given by Commander Steve Rogers to Kevin Masterson, who went on to become the new Thunderstrike and succeed his own father in the use of that identity.


Powers and abilities

Eric's abilities are derived from the enchanted mace Thunderstrike, made of mystic uru metal, which is nearly indestructible, crafted by the Asgardian dwarves Brokk and Eitri, and given the following enchantments by Odin: * Stamping the mace reverts Thunderstrike back to Eric's mortal human form, dressed in whichever clothes he last wore in that form, with any physical damage fully healed--with the exception of certain mystical spells such as Seth's Mark of Death, while the mace Thunderstrike transforms into a wooden cane. By stamping his walking stick on the ground Eric Masterson transforms back into his superhuman form, bearded, mustachioed, and dressed in the garb of Thunderstrike, while the cane again becomes the mace. * The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. By throwing the mace and gripping the strap, Thunderstrike can fly. (However, the comic emphasizes that Thunderstrike's is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight.) He can use the mace to fire powerful concussive blasts of mystical energy. The mace magically enables him to survive the adverse conditions of outer space, including its lack of oxygen. The mace can also be used for tracking various energy sources and has the ability to create mystical vortices to travel from one place to another. * Thunderstrike's physical abilities are enhanced to superhuman levels, including his strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, and endurance. As Thunderstrike, Masterson's appearance is identical to that of Thor, hence his superhuman form possesses Asgardian physiology. While his superhuman abilities were significantly above those of most Asgardians, his strength, stamina and durability were only a fraction of Thor's. He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and has received some combat training from Captain America and Hercules.
As Masterson, he is a highly skilled architect, with a master's degree in architecture. He is near-sighted, and wears eye-glasses.


Enemies

In his comic series, Thunderstrike has fought an array of enemies: *
Absorbing Man Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Journey into Mystery'' #114, cover dated March 1965, created by writer Stan Lee and writer/artist Ja ...
- A supervillain who can absorb the properties of anything.''Thunderstrike'' #16. Marvel Comics. * Bison - Billy Kitson is a former basketball player whose leg got broke when he was accidentally tripped by another player. Seth turned him into the bull-like Bison to serve him where Seth will restore him to normal and heal his leg if his mission is a success.''Thunderstrike'' #13. Marvel Comics. * Bloodaxe - A villain who fought Thunderstrike on occasion. *
Bristle A bristle is a stiff hair or feather (natural or artificial), either on an animal, such as a pig, a plant, or on a tool such as a brush or broom. Synthetic types Synthetic materials such as nylon are also used to make bristles in items such as ...
- A servant of Tantalus who can fire sharp quills from his wrists.''Thunderstrike'' #6. Marvel Comics. * Juggernaut - The stepbrother of Professor X who is empowered by the Gem of the Cytorrak. * Khult - A Deviant from the planet Tebbel who is the son-in-law of Tantalus. * Loki - The Norse God of Mischief. *
Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...
- A demon and enemy of Thor and Ghost Rider who once manipulated Thunderstrike into stealing the Golden Apples of Idunn. *
Mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
- A mongoose that was experimented on by the
High Evolutionary High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Chukwudi Iwuji will portray the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3''. ...
. * Pandara - A former gym teacher that possesses a box that can release demons and drain energy from people. *
Quicksand Quicksand is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that los ...
- A female supervillain with sand-based powers. * Sangre - Julia Concepcion is a police officer who became an assassin after her son was the victim of a heinous crime. * Schizo - A servant of Tantalus. * Seth - The Egyptian God of Evil. *
Stegron Stegron the Dinosaur Man is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Gil Kane, the character first appeared in ''Marvel Team-Up'' #19 (March 1974). Fictional char ...
- A
Stegosaurus ''Stegosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of herbivorous, four-legged, armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, characterized by the distinctive kite-shaped upright plates along their backs and spikes on their tails. Fossils of the genus have been fou ...
-themed supervillain. *
Tantalus Tantalus ( grc, Τάνταλος ) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the wate ...
- A Deviant. ** Lucian - A Deviant and the son of Tantalus. * Titania - A super-strong female supervillain and Absorbing Man's girlfriend. * Whyteout - Stuart Anthony Whyte is a scientist who developed a special stealth that can white out anything at will. He was seemingly killed by Bloodaxe.


In other media


Television

Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike has a non-speaking cameo appearance in the '' Avengers: Ultron Revolution'' animated series episode "Into the Future". This version hails from a possible future where he opposes
Kang the Conqueror Kang the Conqueror (Nathaniel Richards) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is most frequently depicted as an opponent of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. A time-traveling entity, sev ...
alongside Black Widow, Hawkeye, Iron Woman, and Joaquin Torres.


Video games

* Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike made a cameo appearance as a non-playable character at the end of '' Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage'' alongside the rest of the
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
. * Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in the
arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...
fighting game '' Avengers in Galactic Storm''. * Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Wind ...
''.


Collected editions


Notes


References

*


External links

* 1993 comics debuts Avengers (comics) characters Characters created by Ron Frenz Characters created by Tom DeFalco Comics characters introduced in 1993 Fictional architects Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters who use magic Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics superheroes Thor (Marvel Comics)


Publication history


Eric Masterson

Eric Masterson first appeared in ''Thor'' #391, as a supporting character. ''Thor'' #408 featured the merging of the character Eric Masterson with Thor, Masterson being utilized as the God of Thunder's alter ego until issue #432. ''Thor'' #432 featured the character assuming the role of Thor, and appearing as the title character until ''Thor'' #459. Following ''Thor'' #459, Masterson was introduced as "Thunderstrike" in the eponymous series starting in June
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...
. The series lasted approximately two years. ''Thunderstrike'' ran for 24 issues, the series canceled in September 1995. Creator
Tom DeFalco Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''. Career While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
has often claimed that the book outsold ''Thor'' and ''The Avengers'' combined at the time of its cancellation; although this has been shown to be extremely unlikely. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series ''Thor Corps'' as Thunderstrike, and appeared as a guest star in the ''Thor'' series. The character was featured in the ''Avengers'' from issue #343 until issue #374, and crossover series Operation: Galactic Storm. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series ''
Infinity Gauntlet ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series (comics), limited series written by Jim Starlin and Penciller, pencilled by George Pérez and Ron ...
'' and ''
Infinity War ''Avengers: Infinity War'' is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to '' The Avengers'' ( ...
.'' Outside the many appearances in ''Thor'' and ''Avengers'', ''Thunderstrike'' was used to launch an ongoing series ''
Blackwulf Blackwulf (Lucian) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney C ...
'', and a
limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
'' Code: B.L.U.E.'' It was announced that the Thunderstrike character would be returning in a new miniseries by co-creators Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz in November 2010. Promotionals leading into the event began in August depicting the mace stating "One will rise..." and "The World Still Needs Heroes." Ultimately, the new Thunderstrike miniseries featured Eric Masterson's son, Kevin, in the role once inhabited by his father.


Kevin Masterson

Kevin Masterson was created by
Tom DeFalco Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''. Career While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
and
Ron Frenz Ronald Wade Frenz (born February 1, 1960) is an American comics artist known for his work for Marvel Comics. He is well known for his 1980s work on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and later for his work on '' Spider-Girl'' whom he co-created with writ ...
, first appearing in ''Thor'' vol. 1 #392 in June 1988 as the son of the original hero known as Thunderstrike, Eric Masterson. He would continue to appear in a supporting role in ''Thor'' and spin-off series ''Thunderstrike''. The character would be re-imagined in ''
What If What If may refer to: Film * ''What If'', a 2006 TV film starring Niall Buggy * ''What If...'' (2010 film), an American film * ''What If...'' (2012 film), a Greek film * ''What If'' (2013 film) or ''The F Word'', a Canadian-Irish film Telev ...
'' vol. 2 #105, appearing for the first time as a new version of Thunderstrike. An origin for Kevin Masterson as Thunderstrike would appear in the follow-up MC2 series ''A-Next'' #1, where he would continue to be featured, as part of the ensemble cast of characters. He would also appear in the MC2 series ''
Last Hero Standing ''Last Hero Standing'' is a 5-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2005. The series was written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Pat Olliffe (who also co-plotted the series). The series stars many characters from the MC2 un ...
'' and sequel '' Last Planet Standing''; as well as, the follow-up series ''Avengers Next.'' The use of Kevin Masterson as a legacy version of Thunderstrike was a theme revisited during the Heroic Age. It was announced that the character would return in a new five-issue miniseries by co-creators Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz in November 2010. Promotionals leading into the event began in August depicting the mace stating "One will rise..." and "The World Still Needs Heroes." The first issues received generally positive reviews, lauding the premise, characterization and plotting. By series end the book was praised for plotting, dialogue, and characterization, with the contemporization of a classic character into timeless. Thunderstrike appeared in ''Fear Itself: The Home Front''. He is currently a member of the
Asgardians of the Galaxy The Asgardians of the Galaxy are a team of superheroes that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team made their first appearance in ''Asgardians of the Galaxy'' #1 (September 2018) by writer Cullen Bunn and artist Matte ...
.


History


Eric Masterson


First encounter

Eric Kevin Masterson was working as an
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
when he met
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...
. Masterson was injured by falling girders, and was taken to the hospital by Thor. Now on crutches, Masterson was attacked by
Quicksand Quicksand is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that los ...
, but saved by Thor. Masterson was then abducted by
Mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
. Masterson accompanied Thor to the Black Galaxy, where he first met
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...
. Masterson, mortally wounded by Mongoose, was given Thor's form and powers after the original was sealed in Eric's mind, by Odin, to save Eric's life. Recognizing that his new life as Thor was too dangerous for a child, Masterson gave up custody of his son Kevin to his ex-wife Marcy, reasoning that Kevin would be safer with her, even if she was relatively ambivalent about her role as a mother. Masterson was then separated from Thor by the Red Celestial. Shortly thereafter, Masterson saved Thor's life, and was merged with him again. Masterson's son Kevin was captured by
Ulik Ulik is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He usually appears as an adversary of Thor. Ulik was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appears in ''Thor'' #137 (February 1967). Debuting in t ...
for Loki. Thor freed Kevin and seemingly slew Loki in battle.
Heimdall In Norse mythology, Heimdall (from Old Norse Heimdallr) is a god who keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himinbjörg, where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets the sky. He is attested as possessing forekno ...
separated Thor from Masterson, then banished Thor, and transformed Masterson into a new Thor. He then met the Enchantress as Leena Moran, and battled Ulik.''Thor'' #433. Marvel Comics.


Surrogate of Thor

Eric continued in the role of Thor, after having been given Mjolnir by Thor, who then told Eric to carry on as Earth's protector. Eric then returned to Earth and joined the Avengers in Thor's place. Masterson revealed his double identity to Captain America. He then first visited
Asgard In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr'' ; "enclosure of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts. It is described as the fortified home of the Æsir ...
, where he fought the
Warriors Three The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters served as supporting cast members in ''Thor''. The Warriors Three are the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg ...
,
Balder Baldr (also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, Baldr (Old Norse: ) is a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg, and has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli. In wider Germanic mythology, the god was kno ...
, Heimdall, and
Sif In Norse mythology, Sif (Old Norse: ) is a golden-haired goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century ...
, while trying to discover the whereabouts of the real Thor. Masterson then helped rescue the sleeping Odin from
Annihilus Annihilus () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily as an adversary to the Fantastic Four. The character debuted in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four Annual'' #6, which was published i ...
. He teamed with
Beta Ray Bill Beta Ray Bill is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books, the character was initially intended to be a surprise; an apparent monster who unexpectedly turns ou ...
and
Dargo Ktor Dargo Ktor is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He lived in a distant dystopian future, where people of earth are oppressed by the oppressive corp. He becomes the Thor of that future after reali ...
as the "Thor Corps" against Zarrko and Loki. During his time with the Avengers as Thor, Masterson aided them in such battles as the Kree/Shi'ar war and the
Infinity Gauntlet ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series (comics), limited series written by Jim Starlin and Penciller, pencilled by George Pérez and Ron ...
crisis, being one of only three heroes at the conclusion of that battle to remember the entire confrontation (the other two being Doctor Strange and the
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
) as he had briefly witnessed Warlock's soul during the fight.


Thunderstrike

Eric's role as Thor was relatively brief, as the Enchantress manipulated Eric into attacking Thor for Sif's affection. During a confrontation with Thor, Eric struck Sif. This provoked Thor, leading him to defeat Eric and reclaim Mjolnir while Odin revealed the Enchantress's manipulations. Odin then ordered the creation of a new mace for Eric, called Thunderstrike. Eric first used the Thunderstrike mace against the villains Bloodaxe and Carjack, but he was promptly defeated. Afterwards, Eric created his own costume to distinguish himself from Thor, while keeping Thor's reputation intact. Eric renamed himself Thunderstrike, after the mace itself, operating as an adventurer and crimefighter.''Thunderstrike'' #1. Marvel Comics. Eventually Eric defeated Bloodaxe, only to discover that Bloodaxe was actually Jackie Lukus, his current love interest.


Final conflicts and death

After a confrontation with Seth the Egyptian god of death, Eric realized that the only way to defeat him was to succumb to the curse contained with the Bloodaxe and increase his strength. After his supposed slaying of Seth, Eric was confronted by the
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
, who attempted to arrest him for murder. Instead, Masterson defeated the Avengers, and Thor confronted him. Eric pleaded with Thor to kill him to prevent the curse of the Bloodaxe from taking him over completely. But Eric was eventually forced to fight the Bloodaxe subconsciously, which manifested in Eric's mind in the form of Skurge. Eric eventually defeated the Skurge duplicate, causing a psychic backlash that killed him and destroyed the two weapons. Claiming that
Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...
was not where he belonged, Eric was sent into the afterlife by Odin.


Returns from and to the dead

Eric was temporarily resurrected by the
Grim Reaper Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...
several years later, along with several other deceased Avengers. After overcoming the Grim Reaper's control, he and the other undead Avengers were returned to the afterlife by the
Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964 ...
. Before he returned to the afterlife, Eric asked Thor to check in on his son Kevin for him.


Kevin Masterson


MC2

Kevin Masterson is granted the mace of his deceased father by
Edwin Jarvis Edwin Jarvis is a supporting character in the Marvel Comics titles ''Iron Man'' and '' The Avengers''. He is the loyal household butler of the Stark family. Since the 1990s, the character has appeared heavily in media adaptations of ''Iron Man'' ...
, the Avengers' butler, per his father's will. The mace is stolen from Kevin and even comes into the possession of Loki, who had created a spell to tap the dormant power within the mace. Kevin leaps into the midst of the spell, absorbing the mace and the magic it contains. He becomes his own version of Thunderstrike and a founding member of a new version of the
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
. As the series continues, Thunderstrike's biggest challenge comes when the Avengers travel to a dark parallel dimension, where he encounters a dark version of his father. The alternate Eric Masterson recognized Thunderstrike as Kevin, who learns that in this reality, he, not Eric, has died. The alternate Eric and Kevin bonded, and once the Avengers defeat the dark dimension's ruler, Kevin stays behind to be with his "father". Kevin returns to his home reality, and rejoins the Avengers to aid in the battle with Seth. When
Galactus Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of t ...
destroys
Asgard In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr'' ; "enclosure of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts. It is described as the fortified home of the Æsir ...
, Thunderstrike seemingly loses his powers in '' Last Planet Standing''. He is kidnapped by Ulik and Sylene, daughter of Loki, as part of a plan to restore Asgard; but Kevin Masterson struggles against his captors. Ultimately he is responsible for turning the tables on the villains.
Thena Thena (born Azura) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Martin A. Burnstein and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared as Minerva in ''Red Raven Comics'' #1 (August 1940), but was later reint ...
, daughter of Thor, who had also taken part in the battle against her cousin, is able to restore Kevin's power, allowing him to become Thunderstrike once again.


''Thunderstrike'' (limited series)

An embittered adolescent Kevin Masterson is featured in the ''Thunderstrike'' limited series. The character previously featured as an idealistic child is shown to have anger, behavioral problems, and disillusioned outlook on "spandex-covered glory hounds." He is given his father's enchanted mace by Captain Steve Rogers; which to their mutual disappointment triggers no change in the character (although he does receive an open invitation to the
Avengers Academy ''Avengers Academy'' is a Marvel Comics comic book series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the " Heroic Age", and concluded after thirty-nine issues in November 2012. The series was written by Christos Gage, with artwork by Mike McKone and t ...
in which he is later seen arriving on their New Campus in California). While on his way home, Kevin tries to save a mother and child from a rampaging
Rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
and is transformed into a superhero. Kevin briefly battles the Rhino, and shortly after Kevin is defeated, he realizes that he is in his father's body.
Mangog Mangog is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The character first appeared in ''Thor'' #154 (July 1968) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Fictional character biography ...
, a foe of Thor, resurfaces and threatens
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. The young hero teams with Thor, to battle the monster. Kevin accepts his new identity as Thunderstrike, along with a new image, and continues his adventures under the mentorship of Gruenhilda the Valkyrie. During the '' Fear Itself'' storyline, Thunderstrike ends up teleported onto a station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with
Amadeus Cho Amadeus Cho, also known as Brawn, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by American writer Greg Pak and Canadian artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' vol. 2 ...
,
X-23 Laura Kinney (born X-23; Pseudonym, codename Wolverine (character), Wolverine) is a fictional superhero appearing in media (communication), media published by Marvel Entertainment, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was cr ...
, Spider-Girl, and Power Man. They end up fighting a bunch of samurai Shark Men. Kevin briefly appeared as part of the new class of students when the
Avengers Academy ''Avengers Academy'' is a Marvel Comics comic book series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the " Heroic Age", and concluded after thirty-nine issues in November 2012. The series was written by Christos Gage, with artwork by Mike McKone and t ...
moves to the former headquarters of the
West Coast Avengers The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fi ...
.


Powers and abilities

Thunderstrike is a magical mace made of nearly indestructible uru metal. It was crafted by the Asgardian dwarves Brokk and Eitri and given the following enchantments by Odin. Stamping the mace reverts Thunderstrike back to Eric's mortal human form, dressed in whichever clothes he last wore in that form, with any physical damage fully healed with the exception of certain mystical spells such as Seth's Mark of Death, while the mace Thunderstrike transforms into a wooden cane. By stamping his walking stick on the ground, Eric Masterson transformed back into his superhuman form, bearded and dressed in the garb of Thunderstrike, while the cane again becomes the mace. The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. By throwing the mace and gripping the strap, Thunderstrike can fly (although the comic emphasizes that this is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight). He can use the mace to fire powerful concussive blasts of mystical energy. The mace magically enables him to survive the adverse conditions of outer space, including its lack of oxygen. The mace can also be used for tracking various energy sources and can create mystic vortexes to travel from one place to another.


Eric Masterson

Eric's abilities are derived from the enchanted mace Thunderstrike, made of mystic uru metal, which is nearly indestructible, crafted by the Asgardian dwarves Brokk and Eitri, and given the following enchantments by Odin: * Stamping the mace reverts Thunderstrike back to Eric's mortal human form, dressed in whichever clothes he last wore in that form, with any physical damage fully healed--with the exception of certain mystical spells such as Seth's Mark of Death, while the mace Thunderstrike transforms into a wooden cane. By stamping his walking stick on the ground Eric Masterson transforms back into his superhuman form, bearded, mustachioed, and dressed in the garb of Thunderstrike, while the cane again becomes the mace. * The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. By throwing the mace and gripping the strap, Thunderstrike can fly. (However, the comic emphasizes that Thunderstrike's is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight.) He can use the mace to fire powerful concussive blasts of mystical energy. The mace magically enables him to survive the adverse conditions of outer space, including its lack of oxygen. The mace can also be used for tracking various energy sources and has the ability to create mystical vortices to travel from one place to another. * Thunderstrike's physical abilities are enhanced to superhuman levels, including his strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, and endurance. As Thunderstrike, Masterson's appearance is identical to that of Thor, hence his superhuman form possesses Asgardian physiology. While his superhuman abilities were significantly above those of most Asgardians, his strength, stamina and durability were only a fraction of Thor's. He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and has received some combat training from Captain America and Hercules.
As Masterson, he is a highly skilled architect, with a master's degree in architecture. He is near-sighted, and wears eye-glasses.


Kevin Masterson

Kevin has the ability to change from his normal form into the superhuman Thunderstrike. As Thunderstrike, he has the powers contained within the mace of the same name. Thunderstrike is superhumanly strong and durable. He can generate explosive bursts of sonic force (his "thunderbolts") from his hands, and direct them as blasts of force, or focus the energy into his fists to deliver super-strong punches. Thunderstrike can direct his blasts downwards to launch himself into the air and, while he cannot fly, can propel himself to great distances. He even learned how to modulate the frequency of his sonic energies to shatter objects just by touching them, without harming nearby people. Kevin's demonstrated powers in the ''Thunderstrike'' limited series are the same as his father's, including the reversion to his normal state if he is separated from Thunderstrike for over sixty seconds. He did not use the ability to fire energy blasts from the mace in the limited series. Thanks to tutoring by the valkyrie Brunnehilde, he is also capable of changing his appearance as Thunderstrike, finally choosing a form which is a modified version of his normal self.


Enemies

In the comic series, Thunderstrike has fought an array of enemies: *
Absorbing Man Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Journey into Mystery'' #114, cover dated March 1965, created by writer Stan Lee and writer/artist Ja ...
- A supervillain who can absorb the properties of anything.''Thunderstrike'' #16. Marvel Comics. * Bison - Billy Kitson is a former basketball player whose leg got broke when he was accidentally tripped by another player. Seth turned him into the bull-like Bison to serve him where Seth will restore him to normal and heal his leg if his mission is a success.''Thunderstrike'' #13. Marvel Comics. * Bloodaxe - A villain who fought Thunderstrike on occasion. *
Bristle A bristle is a stiff hair or feather (natural or artificial), either on an animal, such as a pig, a plant, or on a tool such as a brush or broom. Synthetic types Synthetic materials such as nylon are also used to make bristles in items such as ...
- A servant of Tantalus who can fire sharp quills from his wrists.''Thunderstrike'' #6. Marvel Comics. * Juggernaut - The stepbrother of Professor X who is empowered by the Gem of the Cytorrak. * Khult - A Deviant from the planet Tebbel who is the son-in-law of Tantalus. * Loki - The Norse God of Mischief. *
Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...
- A demon and enemy of Thor and Ghost Rider who once manipulated Thunderstrike into stealing the Golden Apples of Idunn. *
Mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
- A mongoose that was experimented on by the
High Evolutionary High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Chukwudi Iwuji will portray the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3''. ...
. * Pandara - A former gym teacher that possesses a box that can release demons and drain energy from people. *
Quicksand Quicksand is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that los ...
- A female supervillain with sand-based powers. * Sangre - Julia Concepcion is a police officer who became an assassin after her son was the victim of a heinous crime. * Schizo - A servant of Tantalus. * Seth - The Egyptian God of Evil. *
Stegron Stegron the Dinosaur Man is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Gil Kane, the character first appeared in ''Marvel Team-Up'' #19 (March 1974). Fictional char ...
- A
Stegosaurus ''Stegosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of herbivorous, four-legged, armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, characterized by the distinctive kite-shaped upright plates along their backs and spikes on their tails. Fossils of the genus have been fou ...
-themed supervillain. *
Tantalus Tantalus ( grc, Τάνταλος ) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the wate ...
- A Deviant. ** Lucian - A Deviant and the son of Tantalus. * Titania - A super-strong female supervillain and Absorbing Man's girlfriend. * Whyteout - Stuart Anthony Whyte is a scientist who developed a special stealth that can white out anything at will. He was seemingly killed by Bloodaxe.


In other media


Television

Variations of Thunderstrike appear in '' Avengers Assemble''. * A character resembling Eric Masterson named Tadd McDodd (voiced by
Roger Rose Roger Rose (born August 15, 1958) is an American actor and former VH1 VJ, known for such films as ''Ski Patrol'' and for voice work in animated films and television series such as ''Happy Feet'', ''Rugrats'', ''Scooby-Doo'', '' The Grim Adventure ...
) appears in the episode "Ant-Man Makes It Big" as a actor playing the Viking King in the in-universe film ''Human Ant and the Revengers''. *
Jane Foster Jane Foster is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was introduced as a love interest of the superhero Thor Odinson until becoming a superhero in her own right. Created by writers Stan Lee an ...
(voiced by
Erica Lindbeck Erica Lindbeck (born May 29, 1992) is an American voice actress known for her work with Bang Zoom!, Studiopolis, and NYAV Post in voicing characters in English-dubbed anime and video games. She was the voice of the Barbie dolls and merchandise ...
) takes up the Thunderstrike mace and alias in the episode "All Things Must End".


Video games

* The Eric Masterson incarnation of Thunderstrike makes a cameo appearance as a non-playable character at the end of '' Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage''. This version is a member of the
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
. * The Eric Masterson incarnation of Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in '' Avengers in Galactic Storm''. * The Eric Masterson incarnation of Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Wind ...
''.


Collected editions


References


External links

* * *
Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson)
at Marvel Wiki
Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson)
at Marvel Wiki
Thunderstrike (item)
at Marvel Wiki {{MC2 Marvel Comics superheroes Marvel Comics magical objects Marvel Comics weapons Set index articles on comics 1993 comics debuts Avengers (comics) characters Characters created by Ron Frenz Characters created by Tom DeFalco Comics characters introduced in 1993 Fictional architects Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters who use magic Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics mutates Thor (Marvel Comics) Comics characters introduced in 1988 Fictional characters from parallel universes Marvel Comics 2