Marvel's True Believers series was great. For only a buck, you could purchase reprints based on some of the most iconic moments in comic book history. In full glorious color. They were great for collectors like me who didn't want to pay beaucoup bucks for the originals. The True Believers helped me make affordable dents into collections that would have to go without if I had to rely on purchasing an original copy of the story to complete my runs. Plus, for those of us who tried to support younger readers who were interested in getting their collections going, these were cheap ways to provide essential reading material.
This volume reprints issue #337 of Thor (Vol. 1) which introduced fans to the hugely popular Beta Ray Bill. A member of the Korbinites, Bill has the face of a horse with a slighter snout. Armed with cybernetic enhancements and a specialized suit, Bill was chosen by his people to lead them to a new home. During this exodus, the Korbinites are attacked by demons of Surtur and almost Bill, despite saving his people, nearly died in the assault. To save him, his mothership encases him in a crystalline structure that places Bill in a state of suspended animation.
All of this backstory gets revealed later on. SHIELD tasks the thunder god in investigating Bill's space ship which has gotten too close to earth's orbit for Nick Fury's taste. Aboard the ship when Thor meets Bill, it's classic Marvel. Both think the other are enemies. Naturally, Bill thinks Thor is one of those demons. Thor thinks Bill is a dangerous alien intent on conquering his beloved adopted planet. In the melee, Thor drops his hammer which to the Odinson's shock is picked up and used with ease by Beta Ray Bill. 60 seconds have now passed and Thor reverts back into his human form of Dr. Donald Blake.
And wouldn't you know it, just when it looks like Beta Ray Bill is about to make ketchup out of Blake, Odin interferes and whisks Bill away to Asgard! That's because with Bill holding onto Mjolnir, the Highfather believes that he's Thor and calls him away to an emergency brewing in the nine realms.
You'd think for a god with the ability to see everything, Odin would know that an orange skinned fella with huge teeth and an equine face is totally different looking from a scrawny white dude. And this isn't the first time Odin makes these sort of impulsive mistakes. Believe me when I say that the most unworthy character in this story is the leader of Asgard!
While you get to see Beta Ray Bill in action, you don't get to see much of him as Thor. The cover is the biggest glimpse you get of Beta Ray Thor! But it's one of the most memorable covers of all time! This issue was originally published in 1983 and in my original comic book collection, I was the owner of this book. That previous ownership is why I wanted this book again. This 2020 reprint was issued as a tie-in to the King in Black major Marvel crossover event. I had zero interest in that storyline. Nostalgia was the main reason I needed this book.
Written, penciled and inked by Walt Simonson, this is the issue that turned him into a definitive creator of Thor stories. When I was just a mere lad of 5 when I bought this book, I just wasn't old enough to appreciate it. Now in my mid-40s, I am so fond of this era of Thor. Why I just haven't done more than dip my toe into the Thor stories of the 1980s, it's not because of hatred. I'm still into the mid-70s on my run of Essential Marvel collections. I'll get to this period of time. It's just going to take me some time to get there.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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