Thunderstrike (comics)
Eric Masterson Thunderstrike | |
---|---|
Notable aliases | Thor |
Abilities | Formidable hand-to-hand combatant Highly skilled architect Superhuman strength, speed, agility, durability, reflexes and endurance As Thunderstrike: Flight Dimensional travel Energy blasts |
Thunderstrike is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Eric Masterson has appeared as Thor 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
Publication history
Eric Masterson first appeared in Thor #391 (May 1988), as a supporting character.[2] 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.[3] Thor #432 featured the character assuming the role of Thor, and appearing as the title character until Thor #459.[4] Following Thor #459, Masterson was introduced as "Thunderstrike" in the eponymous series starting in June 1993.[5] The series lasted approximately two years. Thunderstrike ran for 24 issues, the series canceled in September 1995. Creator Tom DeFalco has often claimed that the book outsold Thor and The Avengers combined at the time of its cancellation;[6] although this has been shown to be extremely unlikely.[7] 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,[8] and crossover series Operation: Galactic Storm. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War. Outside the many appearances in Thor and Avengers, Thunderstrike was used to launch an ongoing series Blackwulf, and a limited series 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.
Fictional character biography
Eric Masterson
First encounter
Eric Kevin Masterson was working as an
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.
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.[22] Odin then ordered the creation of a new mace for Eric, called Thunderstrike.[23]
Eric first used the Thunderstrike mace against the villains
Final conflicts and death
After a confrontation with
Returns from and to the dead
Eric was temporarily resurrected by the
Kevin Masterson
Kevin Masterson (Eric Masterson's son) first appeared in Thor #392 (June 1988).
An embittered adolescent, Kevin is featured in the 2011 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
During the Fear Itself storyline, Thunderstrike ends up teleported onto a station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with Amadeus Cho, X-23, Spider-Girl, and Power Man. They end up fighting a bunch of samurai Shark Men.[30] Kevin briefly appeared as part of the new class of students when the Avengers Academy moves to the former headquarters of the West Coast Avengers.[31] He later joins the Asgardians of the Galaxy.[32]
In the
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 eyeglasses.
Kevin Masterson manifests the same powers as his father when using his mace, but learned to make his appearance as Thunderstrike a modified form of his own visage. In the MC2 universe, he has the same powers, but he is not reliant upon the mace.
Enemies
In his comic series, Thunderstrike has fought an array of enemies:
- Absorbing Man - A supervillain who can absorb the properties of anything.[35]
- 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.[36]
- Bloodaxe - A villain who fought Thunderstrike on occasion.[24]
- Bristle - A servant of Tantalus who can fire sharp quills from his wrists.[37]
- Juggernaut - The stepbrother of Professor X who is empowered by the Gem of the Cytorrak.[38]
- Khult - A Deviant from the planet Tebbel who is the son-in-law of Tantalus.[39]
- Loki - The Norse God of Mischief.[40]
- Mephisto - A demon and enemy of Thor and Ghost Rider who once manipulated Thunderstrike into stealing the Golden Apples of Idunn.[41]
- Mongoose - A mongoose that was experimented on by the High Evolutionary.[36]
- Pandara - A former gym teacher that possesses a box that can release demons and drain energy from people.[42]
- Quicksand - A female supervillain with sand-based powers.[36]
- Sangre - Julia Concepcion is a police officer who became an assassin after her son was the victim of a heinous crime.[43]
- Schizo - A servant of Tantalus.[37]
- Seth - The Egyptian God of Evil.[44]
- Stegron - A Stegosaurus-themed supervillain.[45]
- Tantalus - A Deviant.[46]
- Lucian - A Deviant and the son of Tantalus.[37]
- Titania - A super-strong female supervillain and Absorbing Man's girlfriend.[35]
- 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.[47]
In other media
Television
Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Avengers Assemble episode "Into the Future" as part of a resistance against Kang the Conqueror in a possible alternate future.[48] Additionally, Jane Foster takes on the Thunderstrike moniker in the present day after helping the Avengers destroy Battleworld and obtaining an enchanted mace.
Video games
- Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage.
- Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in Avengers in Galactic Storm.[49]
- Eric Masterson / Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers.
Collected editions
Title | Character | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|---|
Thor: Thunderstrike | Eric Masterson | Thor #431-433 and #457-459, material from #408, and Thunderstrike #1. | June 2011 | 978-0785156383 |
Thunderstrike: Youth in Revolt | Kevin Masterson | Thunderstrike (vol. 2) #1-5 and material from Thor Spotlight | June 2011 | 978-0785152712 |
References
- ^ "Spoiler Warnings: New Thunderstrike Revealed in Thunderstrike #1 by Tom DeFalco! | Inside Pulse". 25 November 2010.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ^ "Thor #421-430". Archived from the original on 2004-10-24.
- ^ "Thor #431-440". Archived from the original on 2004-10-24.
- ISBN 978-1465455505.
- ^ "GrayHaven Magazine presents.. "The Life of Reilly" [ Chapter 11 ]". Archived from the original on 2006-03-27. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ Comics Should Be Good: Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #10!
- ^ Marc Steven Sumerak (w), Eric Eng Wong (p), John G. Roshell (i). "An A-Z Compedium of Earth's Mighiest Heroes" Avengers Casebook 1999 1 (1) (Feb 2000), Marvel Comics
- ^ "DeFalco and Frenz to revive Thunderstrike". 2 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 October 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Marvel News, Blog, Articles & Press Releases | Marvel".
- ^ Thor #391-392. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #405-408. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #421. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #423. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #425. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #431-432. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Thor #433. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #434-435. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #439-441. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #445. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Infinity Gauntlet #1-6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thor #458
- ^ Thor #459. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b Thunderstrike #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #22. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #22-23. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #24. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3 #11. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike vol. 2 #1–5 (2011). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Fear Itself: The Home Front #5-7
- ^ Avengers Academy #20–21 (2011). Marvel Comics
- ^ Asgardians of the Galaxy #1 (2018). Marvel Comics
- ^ Avengers Next #1
- ^ Avengers Next #5
- ^ a b Thunderstrike #16. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Thunderstrike #13. Marvel Comics.
- ^ a b c Thunderstrike #6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #7. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #19. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #14. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #17. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #20. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #5. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Thunderstrike #12. Marvel Comics.
- ^ "Into the Future". Avengers Assemble. Season 3. Episode 13. August 22, 2016. Disney XD.
- ^ Jasper, Gavin (January 21, 2022). "How the MCU Made an Obscure Avengers Fighting Game Relevant". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
External links
- Thunderstrike at the Marvel Universe wiki
- Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson) at Marvel Wiki