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It may seem weird, but there's a fictional version of Marvel Comics that exists inside the Marvel Universe - a comic company that publishes stories based on the adventures of the superheroes that are actual people in the Marvel Universe itself.
And in November 15's Immortal Thor #4, the publishing rights to those stories fall into some of the worst hands - or hoofs - possible, with the return of a frightful Thor villain.
Spoilers ahead for Immortal Thor #4
Immortal Thor #4 from writer Al Ewing, artist Martín Cóccolo, color artist Matthew Wilson, and letterer Joe Sabino primarily deals with Thor using the powers of his godly whirlwinds to summon a new Thor Corps to his side, including Storm, Beta-Ray Bill, Jane Foster, and even Loki (who is currently in their guise as God/Goddess of Stories, just as in the MCU), as seen in the already released cover of Immortal Thor #5.
Thor assembles the new team to take on Toranos, the ur-God of Thunder, with each of them sharing Mjolnir between them, 60 seconds at a time. That's a fun dynamic that's bound to lead to some interesting action and excitement in their upcoming fight with Toranos.
But Toranos and his ultimate storm power, which seems to even outstrip Thor's, aren't the only threat looming in the future for the God of Thunder. In fact, one of Thor's newer enemies has returned - Dario Agger, the Minotaur disguised as a man who wields immense corporate power against his enemies.
This time, he's apparently used the considerable resources of his notorious company Roxxon to purchase the rights to the Marvel Universe version of Marvel Comics - everything from all of Marvel's merchandising, to the in-universe movies, video games, and more that are based on the comics which tell the stories of the heroes' lives. He also reveals the somewhat interesting origin of the Marvel Comics of the Marvel Universe.
"Close to a century of illustrated journalism - the true story of the Marvels of the age, in comic book form," Agger explains, holding a copy of Journey Into Mystery #83, the first Marvel Comics appearance of Thor in the real world. "'Because plain-text can't tell the story.' That was the line back in the '40s, I hear."
"And now I will tell the full story. I will create the true story," he continues, ominously. "Make mine Marvel."
That last bit is, of course, Marvel's classic catch phrase, coined by the late Stan Lee back in the early days of the Marvel Universe. It seems like Loki will have a challenge of their own from Dario Agger's attempts to rewrite Thor's story in the public eye.
We'll leave it to you to sort out the metaphorical implications of a massive, plainly evil company buying Marvel Comics with the purpose of distorting the stories. But we'll also point out the sign in the background that says "Now Untamable!" with the cartoon bull, a seeming reference to Marvel Now! - the 2012 line wide relaunch of the Marvel Universe, and one of the first big relaunches after Disney's purchase of Marvel in 2009.
The story continues in December 13's Immortal Thor #5.
Read about the many heroes who have been worthy of lifting Mjolnir.
