Journey into Mystery #632

History

Kieron Gillen launched this volume of Journey into Mystery with issue #622 in April 2011 as part of Marvel's post-Siege publishing initiative, centering the anthology title on a reborn, child-bodied Loki who had lost most memories of his former villainous self. Issue #632, the opening chapter of the 'Terrorism Myth' arc, was drawn by Mitch Breitweiser (with colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser) and carried a cover by Stephanie Hans, whose painted aesthetic became closely associated with the run's visual identity. The editorial team consisted of assistant editor John Denning, editor Lauren Sankovitch, and executive editor Tom Brevoort, a structure that kept the book tightly integrated with the broader Thor line running alongside Matt Fraction's The Mighty Thor. In 2012, actor Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reportedly sent Gillen a letter praising the run's characterization — a piece of publicity Marvel used to raise the series' profile at a time when Loki's cultural footprint was rapidly expanding.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance of Thori (also called 'Deathripper'), a Hel-hound born to Garm and the Hel-Wolf, who becomes Loki's reluctant pet — the only pup in the litter capable of speech and a recurring character across many subsequent Marvel titles.
• Also contains the first appearance of Thori's six unnamed littermates, each of whom is placed with a different Marvel character or faction (including Mephisto, Gaea, Heimdall, Tyr, the New Mutants' Warlock, and an Asgardian internet celebrity).
• Written by Kieron Gillen; interior art by Mitch Breitweiser; colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser; cover by Stephanie Hans; letters by Clayton Cowles.
• Published by Marvel under the 2011 third series of Journey into Mystery (vol. 4); cover-dated December 2011 / released February 2012 (sources vary on which date to treat as primary).
• The issue serves as the opening chapter of the 'Terrorism Myth' story arc, collected in Journey into Mystery Vol. 3: The Terrorism Myth (ISBN 978-0785161066), which spans issues #632–636.
• The issue is set during an Asgardian Yule celebration and features Volstagg in a Santa Claus analog role — an atypical holiday-issue format that contemporary reviewers noted worked because Gillen kept it structurally continuous with the ongoing plot.
• Thori was co-created by Kieron Gillen; the Multiversal Omnipedia and Screen Rant credit Doug Braithwaite as co-creator, though Braithwaite did not draw this specific issue — a potential attribution ambiguity worth noting.
• The full Gillen Kid Loki run (issues #622–645) has been collected in multiple formats, including two Complete Collection trade paperbacks and the Loki: Journey into Mystery by Kieron Gillen Omnibus, making #632 widely accessible in reprint.

Full credits

Key issues in Journey into Mystery

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#624 1st appearance — Leah

Variants (1)