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Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson)
Encyclopedia
Eric Masterson is a fictional character
in the Marvel Comics
Universe, a superhero
that has appeared as Thor
and later Thunderstrike. The character was introduced as a supporting character in the Thor title, but continued in several other comic books, including the self-titled series Thunderstrike in 1993. Later interpretations of Thunderstrike would appear in both the MC2 and Heroic Age
Marvel Comics storylines, featuring the character's son, Kevin Masterson
, as the hero.
Following Thor #459, Masterson was introduced as "Thunderstrike" in the eponymous series starting in June 1993
. The series lasted approximately two years. Thunderstrike ran for 24 issues, the series canceled in September 1995
. Creator Tom DeFalco
has often claimed that the book outsold Thor and The Avengers combined at the time of its cancellation; although this has been shown to be extremely unlikely. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Thor Corps as Thunderstrike, and appeared as a guest star in the Thor series.
The character was featured in the Avengers from issue #343 until issue #374, and crossover series Operation: Galactic Storm
. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War
. Outside the many appearances in Thor and Avengers, Thunderstrike was used to launch an ongoing series
Blackwulf
, and a limited series
. Code: B.L.U.E.
It was announced that the character will be returning in a new miniseries by co-creators Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz in November 2010. Promotionals leading into the event began in August depicting the mace stating "One will rise..." and "The World Still Needs Heroes."
. Masterson was injured by falling girders, and was taken to the hospital by Thor. Now on crutches, Masterson was attacked by Quicksand
, but saved by Thor. Masterson was then abducted by Mongoose
. Masterson accompanied Thor to the Black Galaxy, where he first met Hercules
. Masterson was mortally wounded by Mongoose, and is given Thor's form and powers after the original is sealed in Eric's mind, by Odin, to save Eric's life. Masterson gave up custody of his son Kevin to his ex-wife Marcy. Masterson was then separated from Thor by the Red Celestial
. Shortly thereafter, Masterson saved Thor's life, and was merged with him again. Masterson's son Kevin was captured by Ulik
for Loki
. Thor freed Kevin and seemingly slew Loki in battle. Heimdall
separated Thor from Masterson, then banished Thor, and transformed Masterson into a new Thor. He then met the Enchantress
as Leena Moran, and battled Ulik.
Eric continues in the role of Thor, after having been given Mjolnir by Thor, who tells Eric to carry on as Earth's protector. Eric then returns to Earth and joins the Avengers in Thor's place. Masterson revealed his double identity to Captain America
. He then first visited Asgard
, where he fought the Warriors Three
, Balder, Heimdall, and Sif, while trying to discover the whereabouts of the real Thor. Masterson then helped rescue the sleeping Odin from Annihilus
. He teamed with Beta Ray Bill
and Dargo Ktor as the "Thor Corps" against Zarrko
and Loki. During his time with the Avengers as Thor, he aids them in such battles as the Kree/Shi'ar war
and the Infinity Gauntlet crisis, being one of only three heroes at the conclusion of that battle to remember the entire confrontation (the other two being Doctor Strange
and the Silver Surfer
).
Eric's role as Thor is relatively brief, as the Enchantress manipulates Eric into attacking Thor for Sif's affection. During a confrontation with Thor, Eric hits Sif, which provokes Thor, leading him to defeat Eric and reclaim Mjolnir while Odin reveals the Enchantress's manipulations. Odin then creates a new mace for Eric called Thunderstrike.
Eric first uses the Thunderstrike mace against the villains Bloodaxe
and Carjack and is promptly defeated. Afterwards, Eric creates his own costume to distinguish himself from Thor, while keeping Thor's reputation intact. Eric renames himself Thunderstrike, after the mace itself, operating as an adventurer and crimefighter. Eventually Eric defeats Bloodaxe, only to discover that Bloodaxe was actually Jackie Lukus, his current love interest.
After a confrontation with Seth the Egyptian god of death, Eric realizes the only way to defeat him is to succumb to the curse contained with the Bloodaxe and increase his strength. After his supposed slaying of Seth, Eric is confronted by the Avengers
, who attempt to arrest him for murder. Eric defeats the Avengers and is confronted by Thor. Eric pleads with Thor to kill him to prevent the curse of the Bloodaxe from taking him over completely. Eric is eventually forced to fight the Bloodaxe subconsciously, which manifests in Eric's mind in the form of Skurge
. Eric eventually defeats the Skurge duplicate, causing a psychic backlash that kills him and destroys the two weapons. Claiming that Valhalla
is not where he belongs, Eric is sent into the afterlife by Odin.
Eric is temporarily resurrected by the Grim Reaper
several years later, along with several other deceased Avengers. After overcoming the Grim Reaper's control, he and the other undead Avengers are returned to the afterlife by the Scarlet Witch
. Before returning to the afterlife, Eric asked Thor to check in on his son for him.
The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. By throwing the mace and gripping it strap, Thunderstrike can fly (although the comic emphasizes that this is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight). He can use the mace to fire powerful concussive blasts of mystical energy. The mace magically enables him to survive the adverse conditions of outer space, including its lack of oxygen. The mace can also be used for tracking various energy sources and has the ability to create mystical vortexes to travel from one place to another.
Thunderstrike's physical abilities are enhanced to superhuman levels, including his strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, and endurance. As Thunderstrike, he was one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel Universe, though his strength didn't approach the level of Thor
. He can survive in space without the need for oxygen. He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and has received some combat training from Captain America
.
As Masterson, he is a highly skilled architect, with a masters degree in architecture. He is near-sighted and wears glasses.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Universe, a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
that has appeared as Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
and later Thunderstrike. The character was introduced as a supporting character in the Thor title, but continued in several other comic books, including the self-titled series Thunderstrike in 1993. Later interpretations of Thunderstrike would appear in both the MC2 and Heroic Age
Heroic Age (comics)
"The Heroic Age" is a 2010 comic book branding that ran through a number of books published by Marvel Comics. It began in May 2010, marking a major change in the status quo of the Marvel Universe after the events of the "Siege" crossover event, much as "The Initiative" and "Dark Reign" dealt with...
Marvel Comics storylines, featuring the character's son, Kevin Masterson
Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson)
Kevin Masterson, a fictional character that appeared in Marvel Comics. The character was first introduced as a supporting character in Thor and later in spin-off series Thunderstrike, as the son of Eric Masterson, the featured character of both series...
, as the hero.
Publication history
Eric Masterson first appeared in Thor #391, as a supporting character. Thor #408 featured the merging of the character Eric Masterson with Thor, Masterson being utilized as the God of Thunder's alter ego until issue #432. Thor #432 featured the character assuming the role of Thor, and appearing as the title character until Thor #459.Following Thor #459, Masterson was introduced as "Thunderstrike" in the eponymous series starting in June 1993
1993 in comics
-January:* Doom Patrol #63: " The Empire of Chairs," Grant Morrison's final issue as Doom Patrol writer.-February:* Action Comics, with issue #686, suspends publication following "The Death of Superman."...
. The series lasted approximately two years. Thunderstrike ran for 24 issues, the series canceled in September 1995
1995 in comics
-January:*After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse is launched. All X-titles change to different names for the next four months.* Thor marks his 400th appearance in Marvel Comics with issue #482....
. Creator Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well known for his association with Marvel Comics and in particular for his work with Spider-Man.-Career:...
has often claimed that the book outsold Thor and The Avengers combined at the time of its cancellation; although this has been shown to be extremely unlikely. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Thor Corps as Thunderstrike, and appeared as a guest star in the Thor series.
The character was featured in the Avengers from issue #343 until issue #374, and crossover series Operation: Galactic Storm
Operation: Galactic Storm
"Operation: Galactic Storm" was a 19-part comic book crossover storyline which ran through Marvel Comics' Avengers related titles - Avengers, Avengers West Coast, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wonder Man and Quasar - between March and May 1992.The storyline, which involves the Avengers...
. Masterson also appeared in the mini-series Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War
Infinity War
The Infinity War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 1992. The series was written by Jim Starlin and penciled by Ron Lim, Ian Laughlin, Al Milgrom, Jack Morelli and Christie Scheele....
. Outside the many appearances in Thor and Avengers, Thunderstrike was used to launch an ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
Blackwulf
Blackwulf
-Fictional Character Biography:Blackwulf is the fourth son born to Lord Tantalus and Queen Nirvana on Armechadon. Though all of Lord Tantalus’ children had been born considered genetically perfect, Lucian bore a birthmark which was considered his affliction of the Black Legacy...
, and a limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
. Code: B.L.U.E.
Code: Blue
Code: Blue is a fictional organization in the Marvel Universe.Code: Blue was a New York City police SWAT team that was specially trained and equipped to deal with super-powered criminals.-Publication history:...
It was announced that the character will be returning in a new miniseries by co-creators Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz in November 2010. Promotionals leading into the event began in August depicting the mace stating "One will rise..." and "The World Still Needs Heroes."
Fictional character biography
Eric Kevin Masterson was working as an architect when he met ThorThor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
. Masterson was injured by falling girders, and was taken to the hospital by Thor. Now on crutches, Masterson was attacked by Quicksand
Quicksand (comics)
Quicksand is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. Her first appearance was in Thor #392.-Fictional character biography:...
, but saved by Thor. Masterson was then abducted by Mongoose
Mongoose (comics)
Mongoose is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain from the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Apparently, Mongoose was a real mongoose before his powers were genetically engineered by the High Evolutionary to serve as his agent. At one point, the Mongoose arrives in...
. Masterson accompanied Thor to the Black Galaxy, where he first met Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
. Masterson was mortally wounded by Mongoose, and is given Thor's form and powers after the original is sealed in Eric's mind, by Odin, to save Eric's life. Masterson gave up custody of his son Kevin to his ex-wife Marcy. Masterson was then separated from Thor by the Red Celestial
Celestial (comics)
The Celestials are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters first appear in Eternals #1 and were created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
. Shortly thereafter, Masterson saved Thor's life, and was merged with him again. Masterson's son Kevin was captured by Ulik
Ulik
Ulik is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Ulik was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appears in Thor #137 ....
for Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
. Thor freed Kevin and seemingly slew Loki in battle. Heimdall
Heimdall (comics)
Heimdall is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, loosely based on the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. He first appeared in a comic in Journey into Mystery #85 and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby...
separated Thor from Masterson, then banished Thor, and transformed Masterson into a new Thor. He then met the Enchantress
Enchantress (Marvel Comics)
The Enchantress is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe, the first of which is a powerful sorceress named Amora and is one of the most notable antagonists of Thor.-Publication history:...
as Leena Moran, and battled Ulik.
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
. He then first visited Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
, where he fought the Warriors Three
Warriors Three
The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters who served as supporting cast members in Thor, published by Marvel Comics. The Warriors Three is made up of the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg...
, Balder, Heimdall, and Sif, while trying to discover the whereabouts of the real Thor. Masterson then helped rescue the sleeping Odin from Annihilus
Annihilus
Annihilus is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe. In 2009, Annihilus was ranked as IGN's 94th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.-Publication history:...
. He teamed with Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Thor #337 and was created by writer-artist Walt Simonson....
and Dargo Ktor as the "Thor Corps" against Zarrko
Zarrko
Zarrko, the Tomorrow Man is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain, most commonly associated with Thor. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Journey into Mystery #86 .-Fictional character biography:...
and Loki. During his time with the Avengers as Thor, he aids them in such battles as the Kree/Shi'ar war
Operation: Galactic Storm
"Operation: Galactic Storm" was a 19-part comic book crossover storyline which ran through Marvel Comics' Avengers related titles - Avengers, Avengers West Coast, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wonder Man and Quasar - between March and May 1992.The storyline, which involves the Avengers...
and the Infinity Gauntlet crisis, being one of only three heroes at the conclusion of that battle to remember the entire confrontation (the other two being Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
and the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
).
Eric's role as Thor is relatively brief, as the Enchantress manipulates Eric into attacking Thor for Sif's affection. During a confrontation with Thor, Eric hits Sif, which provokes Thor, leading him to defeat Eric and reclaim Mjolnir while Odin reveals the Enchantress's manipulations. Odin then creates a new mace for Eric called Thunderstrike.
Eric first uses the Thunderstrike mace against the villains Bloodaxe
Bloodaxe (comics)
Bloodaxe is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics who exists in that company's Marvel Universe as a foe of Thor and Thunderstrike. This character first appeared in Thor #449, though he did not adopt his name and appearance until #450...
and Carjack and is promptly defeated. Afterwards, Eric creates his own costume to distinguish himself from Thor, while keeping Thor's reputation intact. Eric renames himself Thunderstrike, after the mace itself, operating as an adventurer and crimefighter. Eventually Eric defeats Bloodaxe, only to discover that Bloodaxe was actually Jackie Lukus, his current love interest.
After a confrontation with Seth the Egyptian god of death, Eric realizes the only way to defeat him is to succumb to the curse contained with the Bloodaxe and increase his strength. After his supposed slaying of Seth, Eric is confronted by the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, who attempt to arrest him for murder. Eric defeats the Avengers and is confronted by Thor. Eric pleads with Thor to kill him to prevent the curse of the Bloodaxe from taking him over completely. Eric is eventually forced to fight the Bloodaxe subconsciously, which manifests in Eric's mind in the form of Skurge
Executioner (comics)
Executioner is the name of two fictional characters in the .-Skurge:Skurge is born in Jotunheim, and later becomes a warrior, gaining his name the Executioner after fighting in a war against the Storm giants. Skurge has always had feelings for Amora, the Enchantress, and regularly aids her in...
. Eric eventually defeats the Skurge duplicate, causing a psychic backlash that kills him and destroys the two weapons. Claiming that Valhalla
Valhalla
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
is not where he belongs, Eric is sent into the afterlife by Odin.
Eric is temporarily resurrected by the Grim Reaper
Grim Reaper (comics)
Grim Reaper is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in The Avengers #52 May , by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.-Fictional character biography:...
several years later, along with several other deceased Avengers. After overcoming the Grim Reaper's control, he and the other undead Avengers are returned to the afterlife by the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
. Before returning to the afterlife, Eric asked Thor to check in on his son for him.
Powers and abilities
Eric's abilities are derived from the enchanted mace Thunderstrike, made of mystic uru metal, which is nearly indestructible, crafted by the Asgardian dwarves Brokk and Eitri, and given the following enchantments by Odin. Stamping the mace reverts Thunderstrike back to Eric's mortal human form, dressed in whichever clothes he last wore in that form, with any physical damage fully healed with the exception of certain mystical spells such as Seth's Mark of Death, while the mace Thunderstrike transforms into a wooden cane. By stamping his walking stick on the ground Eric Masterson transformed back into his superhuman form, bearded and dressed in the garb of Thunderstrike, while the cane again becomes the mace.The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. By throwing the mace and gripping it strap, Thunderstrike can fly (although the comic emphasizes that this is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight). He can use the mace to fire powerful concussive blasts of mystical energy. The mace magically enables him to survive the adverse conditions of outer space, including its lack of oxygen. The mace can also be used for tracking various energy sources and has the ability to create mystical vortexes to travel from one place to another.
Thunderstrike's physical abilities are enhanced to superhuman levels, including his strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, and endurance. As Thunderstrike, he was one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel Universe, though his strength didn't approach the level of Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
. He can survive in space without the need for oxygen. He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, and has received some combat training from Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
.
As Masterson, he is a highly skilled architect, with a masters degree in architecture. He is near-sighted and wears glasses.
Video games
- Thunderstrike makes a cameo appearance as a non playable character with the rest of the AvengersAvengers (comics)The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
at the end of Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is a scrolling fighting game for the Super NES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, developed by Software Creations and published by LJN in 1994...
. - Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in the one-on-one beat 'em upBeat 'em upBeat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
arcade gameArcade gameAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Avengers in Galactic StormAvengers in Galactic Stormis a 1995 fighting arcade game developed and published by Data East. It features a single player story mode or multiplayer one-on-one mode, and was the first modern fighting game to feature assistant characters commonly referred to by gamers either as "helpers" or "strikers". The game is based on...
.