Marvel Teases Thor's Showdown With a Reinvented MCU Villain

04/11/2023 04:23 pm EDT

As Marvel prepares for a new era of Thor comics, the God of Thunder is about to go up against a villain who recently debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This summer will see the release of Thor Annual #1 from writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly (Guardians of the Galaxy) and artist Ibraim Roberson. The special one-shot will serve a dual purpose: pitting Thor up against a reinvented M.O.D.O.K., and setting up the next chapter in his ongoing series with a new creative team. Instead of being simply a Mechanized Organism Designed Only For Killing, this M.O.D.O.K comes with some god-tiered, cosmic upgrades.

"After accomplishing his greatest scheme yet, M.O.D.O.K has evolved into a being that's more than a match for Thor, and has begun a conquest of all there is to conquer!" a press release from Marvel reads. M.O.D.O.K. gets renamed to "MYTHOS" and sets out on a revenge-filled mission to take control of the Ten Realms. The only Realm left for MYTHOS to conquer is Asgard, aka Earth, and Thor will team up with some unlikely allies to save the day. So after appearing on the big screen in films such as Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel has decided it's time to give the God of Thunder an all-new challenge.

Thor Annual Sets Up Next Era for Marvel's God of Thunder

The ongoing Thor series has undergone some shakeups over the last several months. Donny Cates stepped aside from his duties of writing both Hulk and Thor, with writer Torunn Gronbekk stepping in to collaborate with Nic Klein on the most recent Thor story arc. Nic Klein confirmed he is departing Thor as its artist, and Thor Annual #1 teases a story that will set up what's next for the All-Father of Asgard.

While it's not known if Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing will be the new writers on Thor, the latter did state how it's an honor to add to the hero's mythos in the upcoming annual.

"Collin and I are wildly honored to contribute to the glorious legacy of THOR!" Lanzing said. "Annuals are a wonderful way to dig into a unique aspect of a character – so we're taking Thor through a gauntlet of epic proportions to finally face down the self-doubt that plagues the new All-Father of Asgard. Does he truly deserve his throne? Or do the Nine Realms belong to he who can take them with ingenuity, intelligence, and tireless effort? Is Thor truly worthy… or does the future belong to MYTHOS?"

• THOR ANNUAL #1
• Written by JACKSON LANZING & COLLIN KELLY
• Art by IBRAIM ROBERSON
• Cover by ADAM KUBERT
• On Sale 7/5
• Enter…MYTHOS! When M.O.D.O.K. – fueled by revenge and a refusal to ever again be someone else's pawn – seizes control of all of the Ten Realms but Asgard, Thor the All-Father must step in and regain control of the Ten Realms and the World Tree. But M.O.D.O.K.'s new, cosmic power proves to be a greater threat than Thor could imagine, and he'll need the inspiration of some beloved friends from Midgard to reclaim his realms and his awesome power.

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.