NorsePlay.

  Yes, this splash page flashback scene from The Mighty Thor #22 has Marvel Odin wistfully remembering his hottest date ever with the fiery Phoenix Force herself! Perhaps the Phoenix's flavour of ice cream's one-eyed leaders? In terms of prestige, it's All-Father Odin over Blue Team X-Men leader Cyclops in any epoch of the Marvel Universe, but if a girl feeds her emotions with whole planets of sentient beings, perhaps that dark dinner bill's more than even a Norse God can afford. This surprising panel evokes what stories could be suggested about a more nascent Odin in the Norse Lore. If his forefathers married frost giantesses, then perhaps the idea of a dating a hot Eldjötunness isn't outside the Nine Realms of possibility. Many of the hard-won dating lessons in the Hávamál implies stories attached to them, and Odin's shouting match with Thor in the Hárbarðsljóð has them both relating & bragging on experiences that came from their pasts. It makes one w...

  So if the mantle of Thor can pass to Jane Foster, then that opens the multiversal door for Spider-Man 's Gwen Stacy to become Thorgwen . Her white-backed cape, it's round embossed clasp, and the golden rope braiding appear to be the distinctive costume touches that set Thorgwen apart as the Lady Of Thunder. Somewhat like Baldr, it seems that the mourning world will never, ever let Peter Parker's tragically deceased girlfriend go. And perhaps it is this same persistence of revered memory, this wishing against unthinkable loss, that allows them both to later return to us. [momoko design variant cover on Gwenverse #4.] 11/2024 Addenda: While the above multiversal design provokes the imagination, I just got through reading the Gwenverse story arc, and it was tonally far more comedic with Thorgwen being more of a personal aspect foil for Ghost-Spider than a character in her own right, which I cannot recommend. I wished they'd handled it more along the lines of Across The ...

During Marvel Thor 's The War of the Realms (2019 CE) comic book run, this neat cosmological map of Yggdrasil tapped into the figural stylings of the Torslunda helmet plates (6th~8th c. CE). Seeing that Vendel Period context with the modern skyscrapers of current-day Midgard and the added figure of Spider-Man hanging from one of the branches thrown in is a superclever archaeological borrowing that we wouldn't mind seeing NorsePlay'd more in any medium. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or ...

  In a strange turn of mash-up elements, Marvel Odin becomes the literal deus ex machina in The Mighty Thor 's The War Of The Realms when Iron Man Tony Stark, Shuri, and dwarf Screwbeard craft together this badarse battle Iron All-Father suit so he can go rescue his wife from her possible last stand at the enemy's Black Bifrost! The Norse Lore has a more than fair amount of technological solutions in terms of enchanted weapons ( Gungnir ,  Mjölnir ), objects imparting invisibility (two Tarnhelms, Gnipa's Ring), shirts of invulnerability (Katla's tunic, Bui The Dog's shirt), and many more, so this construction of tech-armor for an Asgardian only continues this storytelling motif. [quarter-splash panel from  War of the Realms #4  (2019 CE)] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fa...

During Marvel's The Mighty Thor 's The War Of The Realms (2019 CE) storyline, sorcerous dark elf Malekith the Accursed creates an axis among the numerous enemies of Asgard to takeover all the realms. At a certain point in the story, this ominous map of an occupied Midgard appears ... . #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

In reading The War Of The Realms story arc in Marvel's The Mighty Thor , the formidable NorsePlay creation of Sindr, the Queen of Cinders, daughter of Surt , usurps Helheim , much to the dismay of the Thunder God and the rage of Hela herself . In the actual Norse Lore, Surtr has the consort Sinmara mentioned in the Fjölsvinnsmál , interpreted by some to be his wife. In running with that, it would stand to reason that Surtr has children. Using that possibility, this ally of the Dark Elf Malekith invades Helheim and solidifies her power in a meeting with the various factions of the land of the dead. Hela is understatedly displeased, and conflict ensues. Unlike the predestination of the Lore, at this point in the Marvel Comics Thor story the fate weaving Norns are are almost all dead, and it would seem that it's anyone's ball game as to how the ending will ultimately turn out, but it seems that Sindr is one to watch out for. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena ...

  [hey there Loki , Thor, Valkyrie, Hela , and Sif !] As the close of summer approaches, NorsePlay presents this Marvel-ous fanservice cosplay version of the Æsir having a weapon-bearing loungeabout in a backyard pool. This totally updates the seasonal  Sports Illustrated -style swimsuit issues Marvel would sometimes put out in the 1980s. Also, you can't see below the waterline, but Thor 's trunks have the four steel shield chest badges on them. It's the less-is-more/just-enough  minimal   details of this group cosplay that we appreciate. [photo by Adrienne Longo.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheade...

The Marvel geography of Asgard re-imagined by MovieManiacsDesign on Etsy. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Balder leads the next generation of Æsir from the ashes of Ragnarök in Marvel Entertainment's The Mighty Thor #294. This surviving line-up's made of Hoder, Hoenir, Magni, Modi, Vali, Ve, Vidar , and Vili. Note the hole in Balder's white tunic where the mistletoe arrow's been removed. [pencils by Keith Pollard, April 1980.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Sometimes the best bit in those Silver Age Thor comics was the short Tales Of Asgard stories in the back which were "Based upon the immortal legends of the Norse Gods!"  Well, with some seriously fast & loose  Marvel-style NorsePlay anyhow, but so fun to read. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

In the Hyborian Age of Conan , Asgard & Vanaheim are NorsePlay'd as neighbors in Nordheim at the Northwest of this ancient Pangaean megacontinent. [from Marvel Entertainment, cartographed by Tony Edwards.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

Highly detailed Marvel Thor art of Hela & Fenris Wolf   penciled  by Jay Anacleto. The Death Goddess seems more than able to take care of business with that sword. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

There's a moment in Thor: Ragnarok that raises the question: What if Dr. Strange was foolish enough to tangle with God of Mischief Loki, a being who's been practicing sorcery for untold millennia longer than he? While Marvel Studios makes it look one way, we all know that either inside or outside of 177A Bleecker Street, Loki would gore out his Eye of Agamotto. [Art by Steve Ditko.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him...

Tanngrisnir & Tanngnjóstr front the God of Thunder's battlewagon! Those red goaty eyes are not messing around. And one imagines with them doubling as livestock that gets repeatedly necromanced back to life the next morning after serving as Thor's dinner, they must be quite beyond all fear of death, and would charge anything. Prepare to get the horns! #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .

We sought a modern visual of Odin and ran across this version in a three-piece suit. Not quite contemporary but not too far back either. And there's this untouchable 1960s Marvel Odin on the streets of NYC: #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .