WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology: Prologue. by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, Lovern Kindzierski and Galen Showman, available now.
Marvel’s take on Norse mythology is detailed primarily through Thor and his home of Asgard, which exists inside the greater Marvel Universe. There are connections to Scandinavian folklore, but there are also differences in tone, history and character. However, Dark Horse will publish Neil Gaiman's take on Norse mythology as a comics series -- and it couldn't be more different than Marvel's.
As its name suggests, Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology is based on Gaiman's 2017 prose book and will feature the work of P. Craig Russell, Mike Mignola and Jerry Ordway, among others. While the series won't officially launch until this Fall, Dark Horse released the prologue as part of its 2020 Free Comic Book Day offerings.
In Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, Niflheim lies in the North, hidden by constant fog and freezing temperatures. To the South, Muspell is recognizable by its molten lava and land of fire. The void between them, called Ginnungagap, was eventually given an icy shape by the repeated freezing and melting of the poison rivers.
From the ice, a giant named Ymir, soon gave birth to many children. A giant child of Ymir married a man born of the ice named Buri, the ancestor of the gods. His child, Bor, had three children of his own: Vili, Ve and Odin.
As it turns out, these kids were quite precocious. Despite the frozen lands, Ginnungagap was still a large void and Buri’s descendants were trapped here. After much discussion, Vili, Ve and Odin determined it was time for the creation of new realms. They killed Ymir, for the giant’s body served as the foundation for the world to come.
This act represents a stark difference between Marvel's Norse mythology and Norse mythology. In Marvel Comics, the hatred between gods and giants was already coming to a breaking point. The emotion and complexity of the characters explain their action. In Norse Mythology, killing Ymir was a pragmatic decision for Odin and his brothers. However, Ymir is still alive and well in the Marvel Universe, where he's been a regular foe of Thor for decades.
In Norse Mythology, the blood from Ymir’s body drowned all of the giants except for two. They tasked themselves with keeping the race alive and the feud between giants and gods began.
Ymir’s body was used to create the physical realm as humans understand it. His flesh was used for soil, blood and sweat became the seas and brains were used for the clouds. The giants, who were now fueled by revenge, resided at the edge of the seas. With this in mind, Odin used Ymir’s eyelashes to create a protective barrier around Midgard, also known as Earth. Midgard was empty, so Bor’s children filled it with life. Ve carved two bodies out of wood, Odin breathed life into them and Vili gave them will. Ask and Embla, named after the wood from which they were carved, are the ancestors of all humans. This is why Odin is also known as the All-Father since he gave life into gods and men alike.
Any similarities to the Odin of the Marvel Universe are going to end here. While Marvel has certainly borrowed material from Norse stories to fuel epic comics, Odin is more complex in the original legends. The final panel of the Norse Mythology prologue is very telling. Odin sits above all life with his powerful spear in his lap and a curious expression on his face.
Famously, Odin has a quest for knowledge, but few know he will do anything to get it. That includes sacrificing his eye for a sip of magical drink or even studying sorcery, which is suspicious behavior in the original folklore. Odin may be the All-Father and a teacher, but his ambition did not end with Ymir’s death, as Norse Mythology seems set to prove.
Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology #1 will be available Oct. 7.