Iron Man & Odin Have an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting in Thor #10

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Iron Man and [SPOILER] Bond Over Their Demons in a Bottle

By Tim Adams

Published Feb 22, 2019

Marvel hosts an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting in Thor #10, with Iron Man stepping in to lend a helping hand.

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Thor #10 by Jason Aaron, Mike Del Mundo, Marco D'Alfonso and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.

If there's one thing Thor loves more than smiting his enemies and loving the ladies, it's quenching his thirst with a big cup of mead. The beverage has become so synonymous with the God of Thunder, fans can envision either the comic character or Chris Hemsworth flaming back a massive mug.

Of course, one could make the case that Thor picked up his affinity for mead from his father, Odin. Asgardians can handle their liquor almost as gracefully as they swing a deadly weapon, with communal drinking a major part of Asgardian culture. That's why it's not surprising to see Odin in a drunken haze in Thor #10, though the revelation that follows it is.

Marvel's most famous alcoholic may be Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. The character's groundbreaking "Demon in a Bottle" story arc took place in Invincible Iron Man #120-128 and dealt with Tony's growing addiction to liquor. (Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe got to see a very short variation of the storyline in 2010's Iron Man 2.) Though he's had episodes where he's slipped, Tony has been able to keep his sobriety intact for the most part.

However, one of his darker moments took place in the 2011 Marvel event, Fear Itself. With the Earth under attack from Cul (go figure), Iron Man traveled to Asgard to seek Odin's help in forging mystical weapons to fight back the onslaught. After Odin brushed Tony off, he returned to Asgard with a bottle in hand, ready to sacrifice his dignity and integrity in exchange for an audience with the All-Father.

So what does Iron Man and Odin's shared love of the booze have to do with the God of Thunder? Well, Thor #10 opens with a flashback to Odin on Old Asgard, to a time when he tasked his villainous brother Cul with infiltrating the Dark Elf realm of Svartalfheim to uncover Malekith's evil plans. Once we jump to the present, a visibly drunk Odin tried to bond with Thor by picking a fight.

If it wasn't for Balder's interference, Thor would have beat Odin to death with one of his many replacement hammers. Odin has never been what you would call an "affectionate" father to his kids, and the only way he knows how to show he cares is through an insult. And though he'll never verbalize it, Odin knows Thor is more of a god than he will ever be.

Odin is also showing classic signs of an alcoholic, which is why he made a call to his "sponsor," Tony Stark.

Odin is currently serving as an advisor to Black Panther's Agents of Wakanda, who serve as the support staff to the Avengers. Black Panther has made many a trip to Old Asgard to gain Odin's counsel and hear his tales of the Avengers of 1,000,000 BC. Now it looks like Iron Man is doing the same to help another alcoholic in need.

"Believe me, I know rock bottom when I see it. I've been there," Tony tells the All-Father. And Odin will need Tony's help to get his act together; the Marvel Universe is marching closer to the start of the War of the Realms, the publisher's big 2019 crossover event. The All-Father will surely play a major role in defending Midgard, which means Thor will need a sober Odin by his side if they, the Avengers and the rest of the planet's heroes can hope to defeat Malekith.

KEEP READING: War of the Realms: How Marvel's Big Event Will Invade the Earth