THORG

Real Name: Thorg

Identity/Class: Extra-terrestrial (race unnamed, see comments)

active between Distant Past and Pre-Modern era

Occupation: Would-be world conqueror

Affiliations: Other members of his race

Enemies: Helen, Linus

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Thorg the Unbelievable, Thorr, Thorr the Unbelievable

Base of Operations: An island in the South Pacific;
    Pre-Modern era;
    formerly mobile throughout the universe;
    Distant Past

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish I#16/1 (February, 1961)

Powers/Abilities: Thorg possessed superhuman strength (Class 75?). He was extremely long-lived, being over one million years old. Thorg could shoot a beam of light from his finger that was a beacon to other members of his race, and could be seem from galaxies away. Other members of his race could place him in suspended animation for ages. Just under his skin was a small chamber of electronic devices that could awaken Thorg from suspended animation.

History: (Tales to Astonish I#16/1 (fb)) - <one million years ago> Thorg's race planted agents on planets throughout the universe, intending to activate them ages later and conquer those planets. Thorg was among a number of agents placed on Earth on a South Pacific island, buried up to his neck and placed in suspended animation.

(Tales to Astonish I#16/1) - Thorg was accidentally awakened by Linus the archaeologist. Linus convinced him that the small Pacific Island he was stationed on was the whole of human civilization, and that he didn't need his fellow agents on the island to conquer it. After subduing the local villagers Thorg signaled his masters, and the next day they arrived on Earth. As Thorg welcomed his comrades, Linus threw dynamite into the island's volcano. The resulting explosion destroyed Thorg and his friends, who were too slow and heavy to swim away.

Comments: Created by an unnamed writer, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

As with many 1950's and 1960's Marvel monster stories, this story is not confirmed as part of Earth-616 continuity, but there's nothing to exclude it either.
    --Leave it in unless something rules it out!--Snood.

This story was reprinted in Where Creatures Roam#3. In the reprint Thorr's name was changed to Thorg.

It's possible that Thorg was a robot or a cyborg, as Linus found a small chamber in Thorg's chest that reactivated him. I prefer to think this chamber was a cybernetic implant.

Thorg's race looks identical to the Things on Easter Island, aliens from Lithodia Rex with a similar plan of world conquest (Tales to Astonish I#5). Similar aliens called Stone Men, also lurking on Easter Island, appeared in Tales of Suspense I#28.

PROFILE BY FUTURE

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

• Kronans, Stone Men from Saturn, @ Journey into Mystery I#83
• THOR, Asgardian god of thunder, @ Journey into Mystery I#83
• Thorgum the Tree-Shaper, @ Thor I#415
• Tharg, alien editor of British comic 2000 A.D. @ 2000 A.D.#1
• Any other characters named "Thor"

Helen

Linus' wife. She found Linus' work boring, and thought of him as a milquetoast. When Linus told Thorg how easily he could conquer the island she accused him of being a coward and a traitor. Helen changed her mind about Linus once Thorg was destroyed, she called him the bravest man in the world.

--Tales to Astonish#16/1

Linus

Archaeologist exploring a newly discovered volcanic island in the South Pacific. After discovering Thorg he began digging around the immobile alien. Linus found a small chamber inside Thorg, and accidentally set off an electric eye in the chamber, awakening Thorg. Linus convinced Thorg not to awaken his allies on the island, saying Thorg could take the island all by his lonesome. Linus then prodded Thorg to summon his allies in outer space. Once Thorg and his friends were gathered together Linus threw dynamite into the island's volcano. Linus, his wife, and the island villagers all escaped the volcanic eruption, but Thorg and his fellow aliens were all destroyed.

--Tales to Astonish#16/1

images:
Where Creatures Roam#3, cover;
(Helen) Tales to Astonish I#16/1, p2, pan1;
(Linus) Tales to Astonish I#16/1, p6, pan6