Thor #239
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThor #239 holds a firm place in Marvel's Bronze Age mythology-building as the first appearance of the Heliopolitans — Horus, Osiris, and Isis — the Egyptian gods who would go on to become a recurring, consequential corner of the Marvel Universe, eventually intersecting with storylines involving Odin, the Council of Godheads, and even the Moon Knight corner of the MCU. By weaving ancient Egyptian cosmology alongside the existing Norse pantheon (and a cameo setup for Hercules representing the Olympians), writer Roy Thomas dramatically expanded Marvel's 'gods are real' premise beyond Asgard and Olympus in a single issue. The issue also marks the abrupt end of Gerry Conway's nearly four-year Thor run and the beginning of a brief but pivotal Thomas stewardship that launched the 'Gods of Egypt' three-part arc in issues #239–241. Richard Fenster, a supporting character who would continue to appear in the series, also makes his debut here.
In "Time Quake!", Thor and Jane find themselves trapped beneath the earth, fleeing Ulik and a horde of trolls as the very fabric of time begins to unravel around them. With Odin still missing and the surface world out of reach, their desperate struggle to survive takes on a new urgency—while the ancient halls of Asgard echo with secrets yet to be uncovered. Written by Roy Thomas, with dynamic art by Sal Buscema and inks by Joe Sinnott, this issue delivers a gripping blend of mythic tension and high-stakes adventure, all wrapped in a striking cover by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins.
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Thor #238 was the final issue written by Gerry Conway, who departed Marvel abruptly in mid-1975 amid editorial turmoil surrounding the editor-in-chief succession — Conway had expected to succeed Len Wein, but when Marv Wolfman was named EIC instead, Conway left for DC Comics without providing a plot for #239. Roy Thomas stepped in as writer and editor for the transition, and the issue's letters page included an editorial note acknowledging that Thomas would only be handling Thor for a limited number of issues due to his other commitments. Thomas used the issue's back half to pivot away from Conway's Ulik-centric storyline and seed the Egyptian gods arc he had planned, resolving the troll conflict in the first half before introducing the Heliopolitans at the issue's close. Interior pencils were handled by Sal Buscema with inks by Joe Sinnott, while Gil Kane and Dan Adkins provided the cover.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of the Heliopolitans (also referred to in-issue as the 'Heliopians') as a team: Horus, Osiris, and Isis, the Egyptian gods who become central to the 'Gods of Egypt' arc in Thor #239–241.
- First appearance of Richard Fenster, a supporting character who invites Hercules to speak at UCLA on the subject of Greek mythology, seeding the Olympians' involvement in the arc.
- Written by Roy Thomas, penciled by Sal Buscema, inked by Joe Sinnott, with a cover by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins; Thomas also served as editor.
- The issue is the first post-Gerry Conway issue of Thor; Conway departed Marvel abruptly around mid-1975, leaving no plot for #239, which Thomas then restructured to introduce the Egyptian mythology storyline.
- An editorial note on the letters page acknowledged that Roy Thomas would only be writing and editing Thor for a short stint due to being stretched across other assignments.
- The story is titled 'Time-Quake!' and resolves the Ulik/Geirrodur underground battle in its first half before shifting focus to California, where a pyramid erupts from the ground and Osiris, Isis, and Horus make their debut appearance.
- The issue has been collected in Thor Epic Collection Vol. 7: Ulik Unchained (2021), Essential Thor Vol. 6 (2012, in black and white), and The Mighty Thor Omnibus Vol. 5 (2025).
- A British edition variant of the issue exists, as documented by the Grand Comics Database.
Cast · 11 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Comic Reader #119 (1975), Thor #23 (1976), Thor #14 (1985), Essential Thor #6 (2012), Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor #14 (2015), Thor Epic Collection #7 (2021), The Mighty Thor Omnibus #5 (2025), Thor e i Vendicatori #156
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