Journey into Mystery #114
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeJourney into Mystery #114 is a double-barreled key from the height of the Lee-Kirby Thor era, delivering two significant debuts in a single issue: the first appearance and origin of the Absorbing Man (Carl 'Crusher' Creel) in the lead story, and the first appearance of Fenris the Wolf God — along with the goddess Idunn and the hunter Haakun — in the 'Tales of Asgard' backup. The Absorbing Man proved durable enough to migrate well beyond his Thor origins, becoming one of Marvel's most recognizable working-class heavies across the Hulk, Avengers, and street-level books for more than six decades. The 'Tales of Asgard' feature, meanwhile, demonstrated Lee and Kirby's creative ambition in blending Norse mythology with fairy-tale structure, threading the larger Asgardian mythology that would define the Thor corner of the Marvel Universe.
In "The Stronger I Am, the Sooner I Die!", Stan Lee and Jack Kirby deliver a pulse-pounding tale where Loki’s dark magic transforms Crusher Creel into the Absorbing Man, setting off a chain of events that pulls Thor into a deadly confrontation. When reporter Harris Hobbs warns Dr. Blake of the creature’s existence, Thor must abandon a dinner date with Jane to investigate—leading to a brutal clash with Creel that ends with Thor whisked away to Asgard by Balder. Cover by Jack Kirby and Chic Stone, this 1965 Marvel classic captures the raw energy of the era, with Kirby’s dynamic art and Stan Goldberg’s bold coloring bringing the mythic stakes to life.
In "The Stronger I Am, the Sooner I Die!", Thor faces a terrifying new foe when Loki transforms Crusher Creel into the Absorbing Man, a being whose power grows with every blow. When reporter Harris Hobbs alerts Dr. Blake to the threat, Thor abandons a dinner date with Jane to investigate — only to clash with the Absorbing Man in a brutal battle that leaves Hobbs injured. After tending to the wounded reporter, Thor is suddenly whisked away to Asgard by Balder, who reveals Loki has taken Jane to the Golden Realm. As Thor prepares to ride to her rescue, Creel believes he has finally bested the God of Thunder.
In "The Golden Apples!", Iduna journeys through the wilds with a precious gift for Odin—golden apples meant to preserve the god’s strength. Her path is threatened by the fearsome Fenris Wolf, until Haakun the Hunter arrives to drive the beast back.
ComicBooks.com Value
Show all 22 grades ▾
This exact issue on ebay
CGC 7.5 ▾ $418–$700 2 listings
CGC 6.5 ▾ $195–$325 3 listings
CGC 4.5 ▾ $100–$180 5 listings
CGC 2.5 ▾ $115–$138 2 listings
Raw — FN/VF ▾ $199–$539 3 listings
Raw — FN ▾ $103–$150 4 listings
Raw — VG+ ▾ $73.95–$115 4 listings
Raw / ungraded ▾ $25–$1,259 17 listings
More listings for this title
Read it digitally
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
By early 1965, Journey into Mystery was firmly established as a Thor showcase, with the 'Tales of Asgard' backup feature — introduced in issue #97 — running alongside the main story to flesh out the Norse pantheon. Issue #114, released with a March 1965 cover date (on sale January 5, 1965), was written by Stan Lee, with Jack Kirby providing pencils throughout; the lead story was inked by Chic Stone while the 'Tales of Asgard' segment was inked by Vince Colletta. The issue also introduced a redesigned corner-box cover image, replacing the Steve Ditko artwork that had been in use since issue #92 — a small production detail that marked a visual refresh sustained all the way through Thor #138.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of the Absorbing Man (Carl 'Crusher' Creel, Earth-616) in the lead story 'The Stronger I Am, the Sooner I Die!' — Creel is empowered when Loki secretly laces his prison drinking water with an enchanted Asgardian potion, granting him the ability to absorb the physical properties of anything he touches.
- First appearance of Fenris the Wolf God (Earth-616) in the 'Tales of Asgard' backup story 'The Golden Apples!' — Fenris disguises himself as a frail traveler to ambush the goddess Idunn and steal the Golden Apples of Immortality, before being driven to the dimension of Varinheim by Haakun the Hunter's enchanted battle axe.
- First appearance of Idunn (Iduna), the Asgardian goddess of youth and keeper of the Golden Apples, also in the 'Tales of Asgard' backup.
- First appearance of Haakun the Hunter and first appearance of the dimension of Varinheim, both in the backup story.
- First appearance of Harris Hobbs, a reporter and patient of Donald Blake's, in the lead story — a supporting character who witnesses the Thor-Absorbing Man battle.
- Creative team: story and script by Stan Lee; pencils by Jack Kirby; lead story inked by Chic Stone; 'Tales of Asgard' backup inked by Vince Colletta; lettered by Sam Rosen and Artie Simek.
- The 'Tales of Asgard' backup is structured as a Norse-mythology retelling of the 'Little Red Riding Hood' fairy tale, with Fenris in the role of the wolf and Idunn as the imperiled traveler.
- The issue has been widely reprinted, including in Thor Annual #3 (1971), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor Vol. 3, Essential Thor Vol. 2, the Mighty Thor Omnibus Vol. 1, and the True Believers: The Criminally Insane — Absorbing Man one-shot (March 2020); the Absorbing Man was also adapted for the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Brian Patrick Wade beginning in the Season 2 premiere.
Cast · 1 character
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in The Mighty Thor Collector's Album #72-125 (1966), Fantastic! #41 (1967), Fantastic! #42 (1967), Special Marvel Edition #1 (1971), Thor Annual #3 (1971), Il Mitico Thor #14 (1971), Il Mitico Thor #18 (1971), Thor #194 (1971), Spider-Man Comics Weekly #33 (1973), Hulk #11 (1978), Thor le fils d'Odin #13 (1981), Conan der Barbar #1 (1982), Hulk #12/1982 (1982), Vengeur #11 (1986), Biblioteca Marvel: Thor #1 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #[3] (2001), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #3 (2004), Essential Thor #2 (2005), Thor: Tales of Asgard by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby #3 (2009), The Mighty Thor Omnibus #1 (2010), Thor: Tales of Asgard #[nn] (2010), Thor: Tales of Asgard #[nn] (2011), Marvel Classic #2 (2011), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #3 (2011) + 11 more
Key issues in Journey into Mystery
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.