Thor in popular culture

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Thor appears frequently as a character in works of modern popular culture, largely due to his presentation as "Donner" (the German form of his name) in Richard Wagner's opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. This subsequently lead to many depictions based off of this representation, although some are closer to surviving representations Wagner's opera was based on.

Contents

1 Depictions in modern popular culture

1.1 Comics
1.2 Film
1.3 Games
1.4 Literature
1.5 Music
1.6 Television

2 See also

Depictions in modern popular culture

Comics

Marvel Comics' Thor

Thor (front) and Loki as depicted in the animated cartoon Valhalla

Marvel Comics publishes a comic book series called The Mighty Thor, in which modernized versions of the Asgardian gods inhabit the Marvel Universe.
Thor is the hero, along with Odin and Loki in the Valhalla graphic novel series published in Denmark by Interpresse. Originally published in Danish, translations were made into Dutch, German, French, Swedish, and Finnish. Several animated movies were also produced from the series.
Thor makes an appearance in DC Comics' Sandman comic series, written by Neil Gaiman. Thor is portrayed here as an overly muscular, red-bearded man, who eats his fill and hits on goddesses. He is also portrayed as a bit dim-witted, unlike in the Marvel universe. Thor also appears in DC Comics' Action Comics #761 (January 2000), where he teleports Superman and Wonder Woman to Asgard to fight a thousand-year war against an army of demons. Thor dies in battle and gives his hammer, Mjolnir to Superman. After Superman and Wonder Woman defeat the demons, Thor descends from the heavens and offers to grant them any wish they the desire. Their wish was to be returned to their own realm and time. Thor appeared in this story as a grizzled war-god. He stood about seven feet tall and wore gray armor with the letter 'A' for Asgard on his chest plates. He also had a winged helmet and wore a blue cape of fur.
Toothgnip, the title goat of the webcomic Goats, is Thor's third goat.
Thor appeared in a Dilbert comic strip offering Dogbert a position, citing a need to "update the pantheon's image".
Thor was the focus of a practical joke started by a Dilbert comic strip, whereby the prankster builds up static electricity from dragging their feet across a carpet, then greets an unwitting friend with the declaration: "Behold. I am Thor, God of Thunder."
In the webcomic series Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki, Thor appears as a red haired and bearded young man who, after attacking Yuuki with his hammer, proceeded to train her to become a proper Valkyrie.

Film

Thor has a small but important role in the movie Adventures in Babysitting (inspired by the Marvel Comics version).
Thor is featured in the 1989 Terry Jones comedy Erik the Viking, in which the title character goes on a quest to Valhalla.
Thor appears in a low budget Italian barbarian film called 'Thor the Conqueror'. Released in 1983 and directed by Tonino Ricci.

Games

The name "Thor" has been used as the name of a BattleMech in the MechWarrior series of games. Other Norse-inspired 'Mech names include "Loki", "Ymir", "Ragnarok", "Fenris", and "Valkyrie-mech". In the MechAssault series, the "Valkyrie" VTOL and the map "Jotenheim" are homages to Norse mythology.
A DOS computer game called God of Thunder (later released as freeware) allows the player to play as Thor. [link]
Thor was an ancient and technologically advanced civilization who mastered time travel in the world of Tales of Phantasia.
In the Halo video game series, the Master Chief's battle armor is named Mjolnir, after Thor's hammer.
On the radio stations in the game , Thor can be heard promoting his own series of self-help tapes.
One of the summons in Golden Sun is Thor, in which he descends from the sky sends bolts of lightning to the opponent.
Thor was one of the three main gods that could be worshipped while playing as the Norse in Age of Mythology.

Literature

Thor is mentioned briefly in Neil Gaiman's American Gods novel.
Thor appears in several novels by the late author Douglas Adams; namely, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul, and The Salmon of Doubt.

Music

Thor, under the German form of his name, "Donner", appears in Richard Wagner's opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. Near the end of das Rheingold he produces a thunderclap with his hammer, to reveal a rainbow bridge over which the gods can enter the newly-built Valhalla.
Thor is also the stage name for the Canadian hard-rock solo artist and theatrical strongman, John Mikl, who owns the copyright for 'Thor the Rock God.' Mikl's career has spanned from the late 70's to the present (2006).

Television

Thor is a recurring character in the Sci-Fi T.V. series Stargate SG-1. He is the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet, where his species is portrayed as technologically-advanced little gray beings akin to the purported Roswell Greys. The Asgard are said to have inspired the Norse Mythology and the Futhark alphabet, which can be seen occasionally written on Asgard technology.
Thor the Barbarian was the host of the fringe reality show of the same name.
Thor's Hammer was used in the show First Wave as an alien device that could travel through time and alternate dimensions.
Thor appeared in an episode of The Life and Times of Juniper Lee to stop his brother, Loki.
It is stated that Norman in Mighty Max was once Thor, as well as other famous mythical heroes.
A number of cartoons that featured Thor came out in 1966: Captain America, The Marvel Superheroes, and Mighty Thor. All were voiced by Chris Wiggins.