Journey into Mystery #123
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeJourney into Mystery #123 (cover-dated December 1965) serves as the climactic chapter of the Absorbing Man's first extended Asgard story arc, delivering the payoff to a multi-issue plot in which Loki weaponized Crusher Creel against Odin himself — an escalation that demonstrated how fully Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had expanded Thor's universe beyond Earth-based brawls into cosmos-spanning Asgardian politics. The issue also introduces the Demon, a Norn Stone–empowered witch doctor whose debut seeds the following two issues' storyline, showing the creative team's confidence in serialized, interlocking narratives during the Silver Age. As one of the final issues before the title was renamed The Mighty Thor with #126, it represents the mature peak of the Journey into Mystery era: a book simultaneously wrapping a blockbuster villain climax and planting seeds for the next threat. The backup Tales of Asgard strip, 'The Jaws of the Dragon,' advances the Odinsword Quest and gives Balder a rare starring moment, reinforcing the book's dual-feature format that set it apart from every other superhero title of its era.
In "While a Universe Trembles!", Thor and reporter Harris Hobbs arrive in Asgard just as Odin confronts Loki and the Absorbing Man, banishing both to the void beyond. As Hobbs tries to document the moment, his camera mysteriously fails—leaving him stranded in a world far beyond his understanding. Meanwhile, deep in an Asian jungle, a tribal witch doctor uncovers a Norn stone, awakening a power that could reshape fate itself. Written by Stan Lee and brought to life with dynamic art by Jack Kirby, with inks by Vince Colletta and lettering by Artie Simek, the cover by Kirby and Colletta captures the cosmic scale of this mythic turning point.
In "While a Universe Trembles!", Thor and reporter Harris Hobbs arrive in Asgard just as Odin confronts Loki and the Absorbing Man, banishing them into the void. As Hobbs struggles to capture the moment on his broken camera, a tribal witch doctor in an Asian jungle uncovers a Norn stone that awakens ancient power within him.
In the timeless realm of Asgard, Odin’s foreboding vision of Ragnarok casts a shadow over the gods, while Balder’s courage turns the tide on a perilous voyage. When the Dragon of Utgard threatens his shipmates, Balder’s horn rings out—its power shattering the beast and clearing a path through the storm.
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The issue was produced by the core Lee–Kirby–Colletta team that had defined the Thor feature since its earliest Asgardian expansions: Stan Lee on script, Jack Kirby on pencils, Vince Colletta on inks, and Artie Simek on lettering. It sits near the end of the Journey into Mystery run, just three issues before Marvel officially rebranded the title as The Mighty Thor — a transition that reflected both the strip's commercial success and the degree to which Thor had completely overtaken the anthology's identity since issue #83 (1962). The cover was originally drawn with Thor alone; the additional figures of Loki, Odin, the Demon, and the Absorbing Man were composited from earlier story artwork for the published version.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Cover title: 'While a Universe Trembles!' — published by Marvel Comics with a cover date of December 1965 (on-sale October 5, 1965); 12-cent cover price.
- First appearance of the Demon — a tribal witch doctor in Mongolia who discovers a fallen Norn Stone, gains superhuman strength, and takes the name 'Demon' after his victims use the word to describe him; his story continues across issues #124 and #125.
- Concludes the Absorbing Man's first Asgard story arc (spanning JiM #121–123): Crusher Creel, transported to Asgard by Loki, absorbs the properties of Asgard itself and grows to tower over Odin, only to be defeated by Odin's trickery — both Loki and Creel are banished into deep space.
- The Absorbing Man (Carl 'Crusher' Creel) had originally debuted in Journey into Mystery #114 (cover-dated March 1965), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; #123 is his third major appearance and first encounter with Odin directly.
- Thor brings journalist Harris Hobbs to Asgard to honor a deal: Hobbs photographed Thor transforming into Donald Blake, and agreed to destroy the evidence in exchange for an Asgard visit — a plotline that directly ties Thor's secret identity to the Asgardian action.
- Backup feature: 'Tales of Asgard — The Jaws of the Dragon!' (Part 6 of the Odinsword Quest) — Balder blows his horn to shatter a stone dragon at the Pillars of Utgard, saving the crew of the Odinship; also features Hogun, Volstagg, and Odin's Ragnarok premonition.
- The cover was altered from its original Kirby art — the original composition showed Thor alone, and images of Loki, Odin, the Demon, and the Absorbing Man were added from prior story artwork for the final published version.
- Reprints: The main story was reprinted in Special Marvel Edition #3 (September 1971); the Tales of Asgard backup was separately reprinted in Marvel Spectacular #8 (July 1974) and later collected in Thor: Tales of Asgard by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby #4.
Cast · 11 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Fantastic! #58 (1968), Fantastic! #59 (1968), Special Marvel Edition #3 (1971), Il Mitico Thor #24 (1972), Spider-Man Comics Weekly #50 (1974), Spider-Man Comics Weekly #51 (1974), Marvel Spectacular #8 (1974), Thor #2 (1977), Thor #4 (1978), Biblioteca Marvel: Thor #1 (2001), Essential Thor #2 (2005), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #4 (2005), Thor: Tales of Asgard by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby #4 (2009), Thor: Tales of Asgard #[nn] (2010), Thor: Tales of Asgard #[nn] (2011), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #4 (2013), The Mighty Thor Omnibus #2 (2013), Marvel Gold. El Poderoso Thor: En Mis Manos, Este Martillo #[nn] (2013), Thor Epic Collection #2 (2016), Loki Omnibus #1 (2021), Biblioteca Marvel: El Poderoso Thor #6 (2023), Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Thor #4 (2024), Marvel Origins #40 (2025), Marvel Origins #44 (2025) + 4 more
Key issues in Journey into Mystery
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