The Top 10 Thor Artists

Countless artists have tackled the God of Thunder, but who's the best?

Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Ever since Thor debuted in the pages of Journey Into Myserty #83back in 1962, the character has been one of Marvel’s most high profile heroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the God of Thunder has been a magnet for some of the most biggest artistic talents in the comic business.

His beefy blonde physique and broad range of abilities has leant himself to some of the most powerful and epic artwork in the history of the funny books. From the hallowed halls of Asgard to mountainous frost giants and fire demons, Thor’s world has been imagined and reimagined by some of the greatest artists throughout the evolution of American comics.

With the big screen adaptation Thor storming into theaters this Friday, we’re taking a look at The Top 10 Thor Artists Ever!

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Neal Adams

10. NEAL ADAMS

Neal Adams was one of the most influential artists in all of comics during the '60s and '70s. His near perfect depiction of human anatomy, and his grounded realism, ushered in a movement of photorealism in comic art. And it was those realistic leanings that made his version of Thor different than anyone else’s turn on the character.

Just like he did with every character that he worked on, Adams reinvigorated Thor with every line that he drew. And while his tenure on the character was painfully short, his work is still influences any artist that comes after him.

John Romita Jr

9. JOHN ROMITA, JR.

After the overblown and ridiculous art of the '90s, the comic industry needed fresh blood to come in and bring art back to its storytelling roots. And when John Romita, Jr. came on board the title in 1998, he injected Thor with the typical comic exploits fans were used to, but he also brought back classic storytelling and a touch of humanity.

In 2010, Romita returned to the character in Avengers. He has continued to inject life and ingenuity into a character that is almost 50 years old.

Bryan Hitch

8. BRYAN HITCH

While not known for his take on the mainstream Marvel version of Thor, Bryan Hitch created a more grounded and real world take on the character for Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. Ditching the cape and tights, Hitch reimagined Thor in a more streamlined outfit complete with scraggly beard and an updated version of his trusty hammer. Some of the more realistic aspects of the character’s redesign even made their way into the movie version of the costume.

Hitch updated Thor’s classic duds, but it's important to note that he never lost sight of the over-the-top power and raw abilities that made the character so memorable in the first place.

Esad Ribic

7. ESAD RIBIC

Loki was a seminal story in Thor’s history that told Asgardian history from the perspective of the God of Mischief, Loki. And while the story, written by Rob Rodi, shed light on the true feelings of Thor’s misguided half brother, it was the art by Esad Ribic that made the story really memorable.

Fully painted and meticulously crafted, Ribic portrayed Thor’s world and supporting cast with a sense of otherworldly power and beauty that was completely distinct from the rest of the comic world. Combining the grandeur of Norse mythology with the unique styling of the comic world, Ribic’s take on Thor is easily the most unique of the past decade.

Walt Simonson

6. WALT SIMONSON

Simonson is better known as the writer who revolutionized Thor in the '80s, but his art managed to be just as influential. From his unique version of Asgard, to the huge scope that he gave Thor’s enemies, Simonson took the fantasy aspect of Thor and ran with it like very few artists have.

In terms of art, Simonson is most memorable for his design work on the popular character Beta Ray Bill, one of the only other beings worthy of lifting Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjolnir.

Mike Deodato

5. MIKE DEODATO

In the '90s, comic book art focused on how obscenely large an artist could make a hero’s muscles instead of actual storytelling. Deodato still drew gigantic muscles, but he also crafted a logical story behind them.

Compared to the rest of the '90s sludge, Deodato had actual artistic talent and eventually became a fan favorite on the book. And while today he rarely draws the God of Thunder anymore, whenever he does it’s just as great as his initial run.

John Buscema

4. JOHN BUSCEMA

John Buscema’s work on Thor spanned both his solo book and his adventures in Avengers. Buscema added a sense of godly anger to the character that made him truly feel like a force of nature as opposed to just another spandex covered hero.

While a lot of writers and artists showcase Thor as a benevolent and friendly god, Buscema’s approach opened the door to an interpretation of the character that was very confrontational, especially with other heroes. One of his most famous stories featuring Thor came in Silver Surfer #4, when the God of Thunder took part in a brutal showdown with the Surfer.

Marko D

3. MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Marko Djurdjevic is not a regular interior artist, but his fully painted Thor covers have played a huge part in the character’s recent renaissance. Displaying the power and raw emotion that people fell in love with back in the '60s, Djurdjevic’s take on Thor has become iconic for a new generation of comic book readers.

Olivier Coipel

2. OLIVIER COIPEL

Olivier Coipel’s art has changed Thor forever. From his revamp of the classic costume, to his stripped down take on Asgard, Coipel’s vision of Thor in 2007 reinvigorated the character after nearly a decade of stagnation.

His costume redesign proved so popular that the movie almost took it straight from the page. Duds aside, Coipel’s introspective Thor gave the character a sense of humanity and vulnerability. Explosions and muscles are awesome, but they alone don’t make a book great.

Jack Kirby

1. JACK KIRBY

Jack “The King” Kirby is known as the architect of the Marvel Universe. Along with Stan Lee, Kirby had a hand in creating timeless characters such as The Hulk, X-Men, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, and, of course, Thor.

For Thor, Kirby crafted the unique world of Asgard with a sense of scope and wonderment that showed off the huge scale and originality of the realm. His seamless blend of classic Norse mythology and contemporary sci-fi is something that artists still try to achieve.

And while Kirby’s imaginative take on Asgard has been copied throughout the decades, his take on Thor has yet to be improved upon. From the dynamic use of his mighty hammer to his control over the weather itself, Kirby’s Thor is still the most powerful rendition of the character yet.