Popa's 10 Favorite THOR Covers

As I've become the Cranboyz resident THOR GUY, I dug through the classic series and picked my 10 favorite covers.

Obviously, The King himself - Jack Kirby - makes up the majority of the list but Walt Simonson and Ron Frenz are present and accounted for too.

What makes a great Thor cover?  SHEER AWESOMENESS.  Thor stories don't have to be subtle or nuanced.  There's a massive threat and Thor is going to pummel it.  He's not especially angst-ridden, after all, he's the God of Damn Thunder!

This is all from the initial series, I know Thor's been relaunched a few times but I didn't keep up with all that.  I HAVE read the tremendous run where Jane Foster becomes Thor but, well, that's all part of a post for another day!

As usual, this is my favorite stuff, which may not always be the most common or historic stuff.

Without further adieu....

10.  JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #83 - Jack Kirby

It all began right here, my friends!!

9. THOR 148 - Jack Kirby

Bad ass bad guy The Wrecker got his start giving Thor a hard time - just like he does here.  The God of Thunder trembles beneath the fury of the Wrecker and his crowbar!

8. THOR 429 - Ron Frenz

Whenever Thor and Juggernaut tussle the world should freakin' SHAKE.  Oh, and Ghost Rider was in this issue too.  It's all a boy could hope for, assuming that boy was me.  

7. THOR 126 - Jack Kirby

There's barely room for Thor and Hercules on this cover either!!  Fights with Thor take up the entire cover!! Why are Thor and Herc at each other's throats?  I HAVE NO IDEA.

6. THOR 363 - Walt Simonson

KURSE, baby.  The best thing to come out of Secret Wars II that wasn't The Beyonder's fashion was KURSE.  Unstoppable and probably the coolest looking costume in comics, Kruse was immediately a threat to Thor's dominance.  There's a new Kurse that's a lady person and her first appearance was drawn by Steve Epting, which automatically makes her awesome.  (Honestly, that story was pretty great too.)  

5. THOR 409 - Ron Frenz

You know what makes any comic cover better?  DR. DOOM.  He's been a thorn in everyone's side for as long as the Marvel Universe has been around.  

4. THOR 171 - Jack Kirby

The Wrecker's back and Thor's in big trouble again!!   

3. THOR 150 - Jack Kirby

Hela makes her first appearance and it's a doozy.  Did she kill Thor?  I hope not!  Otherwise, who's going to be in the next issue?  

2. THOR 359

A cover so cool I had Craig Rousseau do a recreation of it for my collection.  It's got it all - Thor defeated, Loki triumphant, the always bewitching Lorelei.  Pure comics heaven, right here my friends! 

1. THOR 157 - Jack Kirby

I mean, come on, this is just freakin' awesome.  Even the colors are awesome.  And RAGNAROK!  Any Thor comic that talks about Ragnarok kicks ass.

HONORABLE MENTIONS.

I know this was stuff from the original series but the aforementioned Steve Epting did some really cool covers for the more recent Thor comics a couple years ago.

And getting away from the Thor title entirely - this classic Silver Surfer cover has been making fans' collective heads' spin with excitement for like 40 years.  That's what happens when John Buscema draws you.