Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson)

Superherobox|

caption=
character_name=Thunderstrike
alter_ego=Eric Kevin Masterson
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut= "Thor" vol.1 #391 (May, 1988)
creators=Tom DeFalco (writer)
Ron Frenz (artist)
alliances=Asgard
Avengers
Secret Defenders
aliases=Thor
powers=Superhuman strength, stamina, durability, speed and reflexes.
via Thunderstrike:
Flight
Dimensional travel
Force blasts|

Eric Masterson is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe acting as a superhero under the aliases of Thor and later Thunderstrike. His son, Kevin Masterson, takes the alias of Thunderstrike in the MC2 Universe.

Publication history

Thunderstrike was given his own self-titled series in 1993, after being introduced in "Thor" by writer Tom DeFalco. The series lasted approximately two years. DeFalco has often claimed that the book outsold "Thor" and "The Avengers" combined at the time of its cancellation [ http://www.newcomicreviews.com/GHM/specials/LifeOfReilly/11.html ] . This has been shown to be extremely unlikely [ [http://goodcomics.blogspot.com/2005/08/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-10.html Comics Should Be Good: Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #10! ] ] .

Thunderstrike made many appearances outside of his own title, notably in various Avengers titles. The title was used to launch an ongoing Blackwulf (cancelled after ten issues), and a limited series for .

Fictional character biography

Eric Masterson, an architect, is merged with Thor and given Thor's form and powers after Thor is sealed in Eric's mind, by Odin, due to Thor's accidental killing of Loki. Eventually, Odin is revealed to have been possessed by Loki, who was attempting to manipulate everybody. Eric and Thor are separated and restored to their original bodies.

Eric continues in the role of Thor, after having been given Mjolnir by Thor, who tells Eric to carry on as Earth's protector. Eric then returns to Earth and joins the Avengers in Thor's place. During this time, he aids them in such battles as and the Infinity Gauntlet crisis, being one of only three heroes at the conclusion of that battle to remember the entire confrontation (the other two being Doctor Strange and the Silver Surfer).

Eric's role as Thor is relatively brief, as the Enchantress manipulates Eric into attacking Thor for Sif's affection. During a confrontation with Thor, Eric hits Sif, which provokes Thor, leading him to defeat Eric and reclaim Mjolnir while Odin reveals the Enchantress’s manipulations. Odin then creates a new mace for Eric called Thunderstrike.

Eric first uses the Thunderstrike mace against the villain Bloodaxe and is promptly defeated. Afterwards, Eric creates his own costume to distinguish himself from Thor, while keeping Thor’s reputation intact. Eric names himself Thunderstrike, after the mace itself. Eventually Eric defeats Bloodaxe, only to discover that Bloodaxe was actually Jackie Lukus, his current love interest.

After a confrontation with Seth the Egyptian god of death, Eric realizes the only way to defeat him is to succumb to the curse contained with the Bloodaxe and increase his strength. After his supposed slaying of Seth, Eric is confronted by the Avengers, who attempt to arrest him for murder. Eric defeats the Avengers and is confronted by Thor. Eric pleads with Thor to kill him to prevent the curse of the Bloodaxe from taking him over completely. Eric is eventually forced to fight the Bloodaxe subconsciously, which manifests in Eric’s mind in the form of Skurge. Eric eventually defeats the Skurge duplicate, causing a psychic backlash that kills him and destroys the two weapons. Claiming that Valhalla is not where he belongs, Eric is sent into the afterlife by Odin.

Eric is temporarily resurrected by the Grim Reaper several years later, along with several other deceased Avengers. After overcoming the Grim Reaper's control, he and the other undead Avengers are returned to the afterlife by the Scarlet Witch. Before returning to the afterlife, Eric asked Thor to check in on his son for him.

Powers and abilities

Eric’s abilities are derived from the Thunderstrike mace, disguised as a walking stick. By stamping his walking stick on the ground Eric Masterson is transformed into a superhuman form dressed in the garb of Thunderstrike. Stamping the mace turns Thunderstrike back to Eric with any physical damage fully healed with the exception of certain mystical spells such as Seth's Mark of Death.

The mace itself can be thrown over great distances and return to the point it is thrown from. It also possesses various other abilities, such as firing mystical bolts of energy, mimicking flight when thrown and held onto (though the comic emphasizes that this is much rockier and less steady than Thor's flight), tracking various energy sources and the ability to create mystical vortexes to travel from one place to another.

Thunderstrike’s physical abilities are enhanced, including his reflexes, durability, speed and strength. He can survive in space without the need for oxygen.

Other versions

MC2

When the second Thunderstrike and the new generation of Avengers, A-Next, travel through a portal to an alternate dimension, they’re confronted by the Thunder Guard, that world's version of the Avengers. One of their members is Stormtrooper, who is an alternate version of Eric Masterson. Stormtrooper confronts the Avengers before they depart to safety. When Thunderstrike and Stormtrooper meet again, the two bond because the other person's counterpart is dead in their respective reality. After the Avengers defeat the alternate dimension's ruler, Kevin stays behind to be with the alternate version of his father.

In other media

Video games

* Thunderstrike makes a cameo appearance as a non playable character with the rest of the Avengers at the end of "".

* Thunderstrike appears as a playable character in the one-on-one beat 'em up arcade game "Avengers in Galactic Storm".

Notes

References

*comicbookdb|type=character|id=10062|title=Eric Masterson