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Hammer Of The Gods: Back From The Dead #6
Published by ComicMix, August 2008
A tale from a time before light and life!
Credits: Mike Oeming (Artist), Mike Oeming (Writer), Mark Wheatley (Colorist), Mark Wheatley (Letterer), Mark Wheatley (Writer), John Staton (Colorist)
Comments (2)
Russ Rogers (12:56 PM on Mon Aug 18, 2008)
I mentioned in the comments to HotG #2 the parallels between the story of Odin and Christ hanging from the tree. The Wicker Shoes of All Knowledge (Wikipedia) says that Odin hung from the tree for nine nights. Nine realms of exhistence, nine nights, originally nine ruins learned, laterthis was eighteen (2 X 9=18).
Now, Christ's crucifixion and resurrection took three days, HotG #6 has Odin hanging from the tree for three days. Odin's hanging for just three days makes the parallels between Odin and Christ even stronger. The introduction to "Back from the Dead" back in HotG #1 is told by a Christian Monk, Snorri. The implication is that Snorri is the narrator of the entire book.
It's the Hávamál Edda that has Odin hanging for nine days. Is HotG based on a different Edda? Or is the implication that Snorri is modifying these Edda to Christianize them? This certainly happened, quite often.
Many Christmas traditions like Christmas trees, holy and ivy, wassail are co-opted Druidic tradition. Even the time of year of Christmas (the time isn't specified in the Bible) is there to co-opt the celebrations of the Winter Solstice. Speaking as a Christian, the fact that there is poetic sense in tying celebrations of the Rising Sun with celebrations to the Risen Son adds meaning and depth.
It would be interesting if Snorri was trying to bastardize and "Christianize" the story of Odin and Modi. It might be especially interesting then if Snorri and Modi could somehow meet!
Reading Hammer of the Gods, is like reading a really cool primer on Norse Mythology. I'm learning more about actual Norse tradition in just a few pages than I did from YEARS of reading Marvel's Thor.
But, having mentioned Marvel's Thor, and continuing a tradition of poetry and song here, I'll leave you with the lyric to The Mighty Thor theme song:
Cross the rainbow bridge of Asgard,
Where the blue mean heavens roar,
You'll behold in breathless wonder,
The god of thunder, Mighty Thor!
MARK WHEATLEY (8:42 PM on Wed Aug 20, 2008)
Russ - there are times I think you are reading my mind. As for the 3 days VS 9 days - I got that from one of my books and I no longer know which book it was. I remember thinking it was cool that it would make people think Snorri was taking liberties - beyond that I didn't give it much thought!