Giving major characters makeovers or outright replacing them was all the rage in the ’90s. Sure we’d already seen Steve Rogers switched out for John Walker as Captain America and James Rhodes replace Tony Stark as Iron Man in the ’80s, but it was a theme that hit big in the era that fashion forgot. Thor would be no exception. Architect Eric Masterson had befriended Thor, but the two were merged when Eric – who had already proven his worthiness by lifting Mjolnir – was merged with the God of Thunder to save his life, mimicking the Thor/Donald Blake dynamic from years earlier.
Now, Thor is about to be pushed to the edge of reason in a deadly battle with Loki that will leave the universe without the Asgardian god’s protection. Can Eric Masterson prove himself worthy one final time?
I put this one together for my good buddy Eric Anthony – the other half the the Omniverse Comics Guide and host of the Cave of Solitude podcast! The Marvel Comics Guide will jump to the new Omniverse Comics Guide website soon, where you’ll find reading orders for characters, teams, storylines and events from Marvel, DC and independent comic companies. More news to follow!
MCG Notes:
- Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read Thor stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
- Issue listings in grey: Cameo appearances or stories of note that are non-essential, not as strong or no longer considered ‘required reading’.
- Chronology: Every appearance of Thor from this period is included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
- Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
- WANT TO KEEP IT SIMPLE? Scroll down to THE CORE LIST to see a version of this reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns or the less-important appearances – just a list of core stories.
See previous entries in the Thor reading order:
- 1983-1987 – Doom!
- 1987-1991 – War of the Pantheons
Thor #431, 432[1/2], 433-435 (1991)
First appearance of Eric Masterson as Thor; first appearance of Bobby Steele; Amora the Enchantress kidnaps Eric Masterson’s son for Loki; Loki offers Kevin Masterson in return for Thor‘s hammer, Mjolnir; the Enchantress turns against Loki; left with no choice, Thor kills Loki; Thor is banished as punishment, but insists that his power is passed to Eric Masterson; as Thor, Eric battles Ulik, reveals his true identity to Captain America at Avengers Mansion and travels to Asgard to find out what happened to the real Thor; as Thor, Eric and the Asgardians rescue the sleeping Odin from Annihilus.
Iron Man #275 (1991)
Thor cameo; Thor senses the power unleashed by the Mandarin.
Infinity Gauntlet #2-3(pp.1-10) (1991)
Silver Surfer #52 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #3(pp.11-12) (1991) / Silver Surfer #54 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #3(pp.12-40)-4(pp.1-3) (1991)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #33[1/2] (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #4(pp.4-40) (1991)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #35 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #5(pp.6-32) (1991)
Silver Surfer #59 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #5(pp.33-40)-6(pp.1-35) (1991)
Silver Surfer #60 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #6(pp.35-40) (1991)
Thanos has wiped out 50% of all life in the universe using the Infinity Gauntlet; Thor is among the handful of Avengers who still exist and joins the attack on Thanos’ space shrine to Death; narrowly surviving the initial assault, Thor is part of the small band of heroes who face Nebula during THE INFINITY GAUNTLET.
Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular #2[5/7] (1991)
The Impossible Man meets Thor which prompts him to journey to Asgard.
Thor #436-437[1/2] (pp.1-3) (1991)
The Absorbing Man reconstitutes himself and immediately faces Thor who let shim go free so he can reunite with Titania; when Eric Masterson tells Hercules about Thor’s banishment, Hercules thinks the worst…
Avengers #343-344 (1992)
First appearance of the Gatherers (Magdalene of Earth-9201, Proctor/Dane Whitman of Earth-374 & Swordsman/Philip Javert of Earth-921) and Marilla; Crystal joins the Avengers as Thor/Eric Masterson is officially recognised as a member; the Avengers battle the Swordsman and Magdalene, unsure how one of their deceased former-members is somehow alive.
Thor #437[1/2] (pp.4-17) (1991)
First appearance of Gary Paretsky; Hercules puts the new Thor to the test by tricking him and Quasar into a fight; Amora the Enchantress actually subverts Quasar’s will, leaving it up to Thor to free him so the duo can have their sweet revenge on Hercules.
Captain America #395[1/2] (pp.1-9) (1992)
Captain America #395[1/2] (pp.9) (1992) / Quasar #28(pp.13) (1991)
Captain America assesses the new Thor‘s abilities and recent judgements, offering him the role of ‘member-in-training’ with the Avengers.
Thor #438[1/2]-442[1/3] (1991-1992)
Thor #442[3/3] (1992)
Thor #443-444 (1992)
First appearance of Demonstaff/Hallan Gorko, Shatterfist, the Thor Corps and New Korbin; Zarrko the Tomorrow Man tricks Dargo Ktor (Thor of Earth-8710) into travelling to present day Earth-616, telling him Eric/Thor is responsible for the true Thor’s disappearance; Stellaris returns looking for revenge on Thor; Beta Ray Bill reveals Zarrko’s true intentions and the three Thors – as the Thor Corps – face Zarrko and a number of villains plucked from the timestream, including Loki; Bobby Steele tells Eric Masterson he intends adopting Kevin Masterson; ‘Donald Blake’ returns; Eric Masterson, Doctor Strange and the Silver Surfer venture into Mephisto‘s realm to retrieve Mjolnir; Thor battles the mutant Groonk.
Slapstick #4 (1993)
Thor cameo; Slapstick defeats Neutron Bum on his own, while other heroes can only watch.
Death’s Head II #4 (1992)
Thor cameo; Thor is among the Avengers who give chance when the new Death’s Head arrives on Earth-616 and steals a truck.
Captain America #395(pp.9-17)-397 (1992)
First appearance of Jack O’Lantern/Steve Levins; Thor accompanies Captain America on a mission to find the Red Skrull; Thor clashes with Doughboy.
Avengers #345 (1992)
Thor #445 (1992)
Quasar #33 (1992)
Wonder Man #8 (1992)
Thor #446 (1992)
Avengers West Coast #82 (1992)
Wonder Man #9 (1992)
Avengers #347 (1992)
Captain America #401 (1992)
First appearance of Deathweb (Anthro/Hashi Noto, Arachne/Sylvie Yaqua & Therak/Theodore Davros), Hardball, Moondancer/Myla, Solar Wind, Voyager/Divad & the Nega-Bomb; the Avengers are caught up in the war between the Shi’ar and Kree races; Thor is part of the team dedicated to Shi’ar space and battles the Gladiator of the Imperial Guard; Thor is instrumental in saving his fellow Avengers when a Nega-Bomb is detonated during OPERATION: GALACTIC STORM.
Infinity War #2 (1992) / Fantastic Four #367 / Marc Spector: Moon Knight #41(pp.1-12) / Wonder Man #13(pp.1-3) (1992)
Infinity War #3 (1992) / Fantastic Four #368 / Marc Spector: Moon Knight #41(pp.12) / New Warriors #27 / Quasar #38(pp.5-10) / Warlock and the Infinity Watch #8 / Wonder Man #13(pp.4-22) (1992)
Infinity War #4 (1992) / Fantastic Four #369 / Quasar #39(pp.1-2) / Silver Sable & the Wild Pack #5 / Wonder Man #14 (1992)
Quasar #39(pp.2-22) (1992)
Infinity War #5 (1992) / Quasar #40 (1992)
Infinity War #6 (1992) / Fantastic Four #370 (1992)
First appearance of the Goddess; Thor is among the many heroes manipulated by the Magus into fighting amongst themselves; Thor is part of the team assigned to taking down Thanos and the Infinity Watch, believing them to be responsible for the coming cosmic catastrophe during THE INFINITY WAR.
Thor Annual #17[1/4] (1992)
Avengers Annual #21[1/5] (1992)
While investigating the disappearance of Captain America and the Vision, Thor is hurtled back into time to fight Prester John; returned to the present, Thor and his fellow Avengers tackle Kang, Terminatrix and the Anachronauts during CITIZEN KANG.
Thor Annual #17[2/4] (1992)
Thor and Hercules weigh up the God of Thunder’s ten toughest foes.
Iron Man #284
Thor cameo; Thor is present when Captain America waves the flag to mark the death of Tony Stark.
Thor #447[1/2]-449[1/2] (1992)
Thor #450[1/4] (1992)
Thor #451[1/2]-456[1/2] (pp.1-16) (1992)
First appearance of Jackie Lukus as Bloodaxe; Thor tries to help the Absorbing Man convince Titania to turn away from a life of crime, leading to a misunderstanding with Spider-Man; Odin wakes from the Odinsleep, demanding to know where the true Thor is; the Asgardians face betrayal by one of their own; Thor and Code: Blue storm Asgard, returning ‘Odin’ to the throne; someone lays claim to the Executioner‘s Bloodaxe, transforming them into the magically-enhanced murderous vigilante Bloodaxe who soon battles Thor; Sif makes a deal with Mephisto, turning her against Thor when he tries to rescue her from Mephisto’s realm; Thor goes up against ‘Odin’ and prepares to rescue the true Thor by facing the Gauntlet of the Grim Guardian…
Avengers #349 (1992)
First appearance of Taylor Madison; Thor falls under the influence of Hera and Ares and attacks Hercules.
Quasar #41-42 (1992-1993)
The Blue Marvel – a construct of Marvel Boy/Thelius created by Thanos – tries to join the Avengers; Thor and his teammates become suspicious of the Blue Marvel, stepping in when he tries to kill Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau).
Avengers #350[1/2]-351 (1992)
The Avengers come to the Black Knight’s defence when the Starjammers are sent to apprehend him.
Avengers #355-356 (1992)
First appearance of Cassandra & Sloth; the reality-hopping Gatherers invade Avengers Mansion, then take the Coal Tiger of Earth-355 to Wakanda to save his life by killing the Black Panther; the Avengers help defend Wakanda from the Gatherers.
Mys-Tech Wars #1-3 (1993)
Thor and his fellow Avengers assist the UK heroes against Mys-Tech to stop them subverting the Earth using the UnEarth; Thor is killed by Psycho-Warriors (though isw later restored off-panel when the events of the war on Mys-Tech are undone) during MYS-TECH WARS.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #50 (1993)
Thor assists the Avengers when they visit Marc Spector’s mansion to revoke Moon Knight’s Avengers membership during THE LEGACY QUEST.
Thor #456(p.17) (1992)
Eric Masterson finally decides to risk his life to save Thor and run the Gauntlet of the Grim Guardian…
Thor #457[1/2]-459 (1992-1993)
First appearance of Thunderstrike (mace); Thor/Eric Masterson runs the Gauntlet of the Grim Guardian, defeating past foes and the Guardian himself before freeing Thor’s spirit from within himself; Thor gives Eric Mjolnir and asks him to protect Earth while he stays on Asgard; Thor asks Sif to marry him, but she’s confused by her feelings for Eric; Amora the Enchantress manipulates Eric while disguised as Sif, provoking him into attacking Thor; Odin has an enchanted mace called Thunderstrike forged on his behalf; Odin breaks the Enchantress’ control over Eric; Thor returns him to Earth and gives him a cane which transforms into the Thunderstrike mace, allowing him to return to his ‘Thor’ form during THE FINAL GAUNTLET.
A version of this reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns or less non-essential guest appearances – just the primary Thor/Eric Masterson stories:
- Thor #431-435
- Infinity Gauntlet #2-6
- Thor #436-436
- Avengers #343-344
- Thor #437-444
- Avengers #345
- Thor #445
- Quasar #33
- Wonder Man #8
- Thor #446
- Avengers West Coast #82
- Wonder Man #9
- Avengers #347
- Thor #447-456
- Avengers #349, 355-356
- Thor #456-459
Reading order entries featuring Thor will continue:
- THOR: Worldengine (1993-1997)
Follow Eric Masterson‘s next transformation with this reading order:
- THUNDERSTRIKE: Eric Masterson (1993-1998)
Notable alternate universe versions of Thor/Eric Masterson:
EARTH-93165
What If #55-56 (1993)
The Avengers‘ role in Operation: Galactic Storm results in failure and the Avengers are taken captive by the Kree; Thor leads the Asgardians into Kree space to rescue the Avengers.
EARTH-93549
What If? #49 (1993)
The Silver Surfer obtains the Infinity Gauntlet, rather than Nebula; the Surfer transports Thor back to Earth.
Other reading orders that feature Thor from this period:
