Thor, Surtur and the Flames Threatening Asgard in Ultimates #23
Ultimates (2024) #23 throws Thor straight into an Asgardian crisis that feels far removed from his movie adventures. The issue, written by Deniz Camp with art by Stipan Morian, sees Thor and Sif join the wider war against the Maker – Marvel’s mad, reality‑breaking villain – as a dangerous bargain comes due. Thor’s deal with the fire demon Surtur finally "comes to fruition," and previews tease page after page of divine destruction and flames consuming Asgard itself. It’s less quippy space‑fantasy and more apocalyptic myth, with Thor seemingly suffering immediate regret as Surtur’s power spirals beyond control. The Asgardian stakes here aren’t just about saving a city; they’re about what happens when a god trades with something designed to burn everything it touches. For Malaysian readers used to the MCU’s Ragnarok, Ultimates #23 offers a harsher, stranger version of Thor’s world.
A ‘New Thor’ and His Own Avengers: Legacy Gets Experimental
Running alongside the Ultimates upheaval, Marvel is also pushing the idea of a "new Thor" leading his own Avengers‑style squad. In the Queen in Black: Defenders of Light and Dark miniseries, long‑time fan‑favourite Beta Ray Bill is positioned as Thor’s official replacement for a major crossover. Bill has always been one of the God of Thunder’s most powerful and loyal allies, but he isn’t Asgardian – which makes his promotion an intriguing legacy twist. He now assembles the Defenders of Light and Dark to fight a corrupted Hela, working with heavy hitters like Monica Rambeau, Iron Man, Sunfire, Agent Anti‑Venom, and Cloak and Dagger. This new Thor Avengers team shows Marvel experimenting with the Thor mantle as something that can be shared and delegated, especially when the original is busy guarding the Ten Realms. It’s a more flexible, comic‑book approach to hero identities than moviegoers usually see.
Deadpool’s Armored Redesign: Knullbuster Suit for a Cosmic War
Deadpool is also getting a dramatic overhaul in the pages of Wade Wilson: Deadpool, thanks to Marvel’s upcoming Queen in Black event. Artist Luciano Vecchio has equipped Wade with a spiky black "Knullbuster" suit of Marvel cosmic armor, built specifically to challenge the King in Black, the god of symbiotes. The redesign, appearing on variant covers for Wade Wilson: Deadpool #6, surrounds Deadpool in red energy and arms him with two gigantic glowing swords. It’s being touted as perhaps his coolest look yet, turning the usually scrappy mercenary into a one‑man anti‑symbiote tank. These variants are part of a broader initiative where heroes from Punisher to Doctor Doom – and even Jeff the Landshark – receive symbiote‑busting armor as Marvel’s universe is caught between Hela, the new goddess of symbiotes, and a newly empowered Knull fueled by cosmic light.
Bigger, Weirder Than the Movies: Why Comics Get the Wildest Ideas First
For Malaysians who mainly know Thor and Deadpool from the MCU, these twists can feel surprisingly wild. Film Thor wrestles with family drama and city‑level disasters; comics Thor makes Faustian pacts with Surtur that threaten to burn Asgard to ash, then cedes the spotlight to a horse‑faced alien wielding similar power. Likewise, movie Deadpool leans on meta‑humour and grounded firefights, while the comics happily strap him into Knullbuster armor to duel a symbiote god on a cosmic battlefield. Marvel uses its comics line as a laboratory, testing bold redesigns and status‑quo shifts – from new Thor line‑ups to anti‑light and anti‑dark Avengers – long before anything appears in films, games or merchandise. When an idea sticks, elements often trickle outward, sometimes years later. Following these stories on the page lets fans watch that experimentation in real time, instead of waiting for a streamlined movie version.
Where Malaysian Readers Can Start with Ultimates and Deadpool’s Armor
If you’re in Malaysia and want to jump in from the ground floor, Ultimates (2024) #23 is the immediate must‑grab for the Surtur Thor deal storyline, as it’s billed as the issue where the bargain finally erupts. To get the full war‑against‑the‑Maker context, look for earlier Ultimates (2024) issues, especially #22, which leads directly into this fiery clash. For the Deadpool armored redesign, keep an eye out for Wade Wilson: Deadpool #6 and its Knullbuster variant covers – that’s where Vecchio’s spiky, sword‑wielding suit appears. Readers interested in Beta Ray Bill’s new Thor Avengers team should start with Queen in Black: Defenders of Light and Dark #1, which spotlights his Defenders line‑up against Hela. Most major Malaysian comic shops that stock current Marvel titles should be able to order these issues, or you can follow them digitally via official platforms.
