Don Blake

A mild-mannered American physician with a lame leg, Donald Blake discovered an enchanted walking stick in a Norwegian cave; striking it on the ground transformed him into the Asgardian god of thunder, Thor — complete with the mystic hammer Mjolnir and command over storms and lightning.

Few characters can claim a debut as seismic as Don Blake's — stepping onto the page in The Avengers #1 in 1963, right at the heart of Marvel's Silver Age explosion, brought to life by the legendary duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. From that thunderous opening, Blake has kept extraordinary company, sharing adventures with the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, and the Hulk — the very bedrock of the Marvel Universe. A proud Avengers affiliate, his presence has stretched across an remarkable 63 years of publishing history, turning up across titles as varied as Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD and Godzilla, racking up 158 catalog appearances and 15 collector-significant key issues along the way. For any fan serious about Marvel's Silver Age roots and the characters who helped build the House of Ideas from the ground floor, Don Blake is absolutely essential reading.