Ymir (Marvel Comics)

Ymir

Ymir the Frost Giant.
Artwork from Journey into Mystery #98 (Nov. 1963) by Jack Kirby.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Journey Into Mystery #97 (Oct. 1963)
Created by Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Species Frost Giants
Place of origin Niffleheim
Team affiliations Frost and Storm Giants
Partnerships Surtur
Notable aliases Aurgelmir
Abilities

Based on the frost giant of the same name from Norse mythology, Ymir is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #97 (October 1963) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

The character Ymir first appears in Journey into Mystery, and considers all other forms of life — with the exception of his kin the Frost Giants of Niffelheim — to be aberrations that must be destroyed. He was among the first Asgardian creatures to be created and spawned the Asgardian gods. The next story depicts an early battle with and subsequent imprisonment by being lured into a trap and imprisoned in a ring of magical fire by Odin, King of the Norse gods while attempting to bring eternal winter to Asgard with the other giants.[1]

Ymir is mentioned in Savage Tales in a story set in the prehistoric Hyborian Age. Barbarian hero Conan encounters his daughter, Atali, and slays two of her brutish brothers.[2]

Ymir reappears in a two-part storyline in Avengers and Doctor Strange being summoned to Earth with the fire demon Surtur by a cult called the Sons of Satannish. The pair are defeated and banished when the heroes trick the two into fighting one another due to Strange.[3] Ymir and Surtur reappear in Thor, and invade the realm of Asgard. Both characters, however, are defeated when God of Thunder Thor uses the Odinpower to banish the pair to the other-dimensional Sea of Eternal Night.[4] Ymir reappears in the publication Marvel Super-Heroes, and with the Frost and Storm Giants launches attack on Asgard. On this occasion the character and his allies are stopped by Thor and his half-brother, Vidar.[5]

Ymir appears in an issue of the limited series X-Men: First Class, which is set during the early days of the modern Marvel universe. The original X-Men encounter a group called the "Sons of the Vanir" who summon Ymir to Earth. After a brief battle, Thor uses his mystic hammer Mjolnir to return Ymir to Niffelheim.[6]

Powers and abilities

Ymir is a huge ice giant over 1,000-foot (300 m) tall and possesses immense strength and durability greater than most other giants. Ymir is one of the few beings whose power makes him capable of battling Surtur and Odin to a standstill. The character can generate intense, deadly cold and regenerate from as little as a particle of ice. Ymir also carries a huge icicle which functions as a club. The character is an ancient being devoted to destruction and little else.

Other versions

Free Comic Book Day

Ymir is the villain in the giveaway title Free Comic Book Day 2009 Avengers.[7]

In other media

Television

Video games

References

  1. Journey Into Mystery #97 - 98 (Oct. - Nov. 1963)
  2. Savage Tales #1 (May 1971). An adaption of the Robert E. Howard short story The Frost Giant's Daughter, first published in Weird Tales (1932).
  3. Avengers #61 (Feb. 1969) & Doctor Strange #177 (Feb. 1969)
  4. Thor #425 (Oct. 1990)
  5. Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 3, #5 (Apr. 1991)
  6. X-Men: First Class #5 (Mar. 2007)
  7. Free Comic Book Day 2009 Avengers
  8. "SEGA Inks Actors Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston to Star in the Video Game Thor: God of Thunder". Business Wire. 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2010-12-02.

External links