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Actual mythology post later today. I just have a lot of feels that Tumblr and Plurk aren't good for.

Here's the thing. The only ongoing American comics I'm following right -thanks to DC- now are the Marvel Thorverse. I know, I know. I had this on-and-off fling with the current continuity that has nothing to do with the movieverse and more with me considering Asgard(ia) a character of her own. Plus mythology bitchery, you know how I am. The interesting thing about the Thor comics is them tending to be more fantasy action than superhero action most of the times, in later decades having more inner supernatural baddies and cosmic menaces than rich men with a lot of power -except when Doctor Doom comes to troll.

I started with the JMS run, and I'm still reading the two ongoing series (Journey Into Mystery is my favorite thing ever, adorbs baby trickster ♥) So I slowly want to read the old stuff, and I wanted to start from the very Silver Age beginning. It was... very different, a little hard to swallow too, and the original myth butchery by Stan Lee was very painful. So after a few issues (as in comic issues, not mental issues), I decided to jump into the Walterson run because it's universally accepted as the best. But then suddenly Balder had just recovered from ded and was white-haired, and I hadn't seen Sif becoming an actual character; I wanted more context here, so I guess I'll be back to it afterwards. So I haven't taken Simonson yet.

BUT I'M MISSING THE POINT WITH BACKSTORY HERE. Since the modern Thor comics mention the last Ragnarok a lot, I decided to read the Thor: Disassembled/Ragnarok arc to understand exactly how it happened.

OH GOD. JESUS CHRIST ON A ROLLER COASTER. IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE PUT THOR COMICS, A REAL BOOK OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY, AND A BUNCH OF MANGA VOLUMES BY CLAMP ON A BLENDER.

I mean. I know it is Ragnarok, and I knew that rocks fell and everyone died, and I knew it was really tragic. I just didn't expect it to be written by Nanase Ohkawa!! I don't know how to feel! Because the thing was well-written but it was so frustrating and CLAMPish it felt like a kick on the stomach.

Hnnnnnngggggg. When I said that Marvel is the CLAMP of superhero fandoms, I didn't mean it so literally :(((((( TWO LOST EYEBALLS.

100 things mythology [004/100]

Okay, okay, I swear that this time I'll make a post about something nicer. Here is a story that has a happy ending or at least it's happy if you're not the random old guy who saw it all. This is one of my favorite myths because the main character not only is a trickster, he actually gets away with it without a scratch and gets his life made because of his trolling. If you've read tales with more traditional tricksters (Loki, Coyote, Anansi, etc.) you'll be aware that it's a rare occurrence. Even Bugs Bunny loses sometimes. This awesome dude only loses when he lets you win.

This is the only story where Hermes of the Greco-Roman pantheon gets the leading role. They probably were too scared to let him be main character again when he got older, so from now on he's only the best support character. But that's a topic for another day, how Hermes is such a strange trickster. For now, let's go on with the story.

( Turnabout Cattle )