Thor #137

Feb 1967 · Marvel · 0.12 USD

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“The Thunder God and the Troll!”

★ 1st appearance — Ulik

About this Issue

Thor #137 is the entry point for one of the Thunder God's most durable antagonists: Ulik, the mightiest of the Rock Trolls, whose raw physical power made him one of the few foes capable of going blow-for-blow with Thor across decades of Marvel continuity. The issue also launches the 'Mystic Mountain' arc in the Tales of Asgard backup — the first story to dig into Hogun the Grim's personal history and homeland, giving the Warriors Three genuine narrative depth beyond their roles as colorful companions. Together, the two stories in this single issue seed two simultaneous multi-part conflicts, a structural ambition that typified the Lee–Kirby Thor at the height of its Silver Age invention.

In "The Thunder God and the Troll!", Thor and his companions stumble upon the dying Saguta, a fellow countryman of Hogun, whose final words ignite a vow of vengeance against Mogul, the tyrannical lord of the Mystic Mountain. Written by Stan Lee and brought to life with dynamic energy by Jack Kirby, this 1967 classic features Kirby’s bold cover art and Vince Colletta’s crisp inks, capturing the mythic clash of gods and monsters.

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writer Stan Lee · artist Jack Kirby · inker Vince Colletta · letterer Artie Simek · cover Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta

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History

The issue was produced by writer/editor Stan Lee and penciler Jack Kirby at the peak of their collaborative run on The Mighty Thor, released on newsstands December 1, 1966 with a February 1967 cover date. Vince Colletta, who had been Kirby's regular inker on the Thor feature since Journey into Mystery #116, provided the finishes, with lettering split between Sam Rosen (lead story) and Artie Simek (Tales of Asgard backup). The issue appeared during a period when Lee and Kirby were actively expanding the Asgardian supporting cast and rogues' gallery, just one issue after Sif's debut as Thor's new love interest, and within a broader editorial push to shift the series' center of gravity away from Earth and toward the Nine Realms.

Trivia · 8 facts

First full appearance of Ulik, the Rock Trolls' most powerful warrior, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; he would become one of Thor's most persistent physical adversaries across four-plus decades of Marvel publishing.
First appearance of Mogul of the Mystic Mountain and his Jinni Devil, both introduced in the Tales of Asgard backup story titled 'The Tragedy of Hogun!' — Part 1 of the Mystic Mountain arc.
First appearance of Ulik's signature 'Pounders' — iron knuckle-weapons that became a visual trademark of the character in subsequent appearances.
The issue contains two complete stories: the 16-page lead 'The Thunder God and the Troll!' and the 5-page Tales of Asgard backup 'The Tragedy of Hogun!' — both scripted by Stan Lee, penciled by Jack Kirby, and inked by Vince Colletta.
The Tales of Asgard backup introduces the backstory of Hogun the Grim, revealing that his homeland was razed by Mogul — the first time any of the Warriors Three received a personal origin-level story thread.
Released December 1, 1966 (cover date February 1967); the lead story was reprinted in Marvel Spectacular #8 (July 1974), with page 9 omitted from that reprint.
The issue has been collected in Essential Thor Vol. 3, Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor Vol. 5, The Mighty Thor Omnibus Vol. 2, and Thor Epic Collection Vol. 3: The Wrath of Odin, as well as the Tales of Asgard by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby collected edition.
Geirrodur, King of the Rock Trolls, appears prominently as the architect of the troll invasion plot, though his actual first appearance predates this issue in a Journey into Mystery Tales of Asgard backup story.

Cast · 8 characters

Fandral Geirrodur Hogun Mogul Sif Thor Ulik Volstagg

Full credits

writer Stan Lee

artist Jack Kirby

inker Vince Colletta

letterer Artie Simek

cover pencils Jack Kirby

cover inks Vince Colletta

Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers

▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers

Thor and his companions find the dying Saguta who is a countryman of Hogun's. Hogun swears vengeance on Mogul, lord of the Mystic Mountain, who did this.

Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).