Thunderstrike (comics)

Thunderstrike is the name of a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, and first appeared in Thor #391 (May 1988) as Eric Masterson, a supporting character.

Character History:

Eric Masterson was an architect and single father who found himself bonded with the Asgardian god Thor. This occurred after Masterson was seriously injured during a battle between Thor and the villainous Mongoose. To save Masterson's life, Odin merged him with Thor, much like he had previously done with Donald Blake.

During this period, Eric shared Thor's body and powers. He struggled with sharing his life with the god of thunder, balancing his responsibilities as an architect and father with his newfound heroic duties. Over time, they developed a close, if somewhat complicated, relationship.

Eventually, Odin separated Eric and Thor. Eric was given the enchanted mace Thunderstrike, along with a costume resembling Thor's, and adopted the identity of Thunderstrike.

As Thunderstrike, Eric Masterson possessed many of the same powers as Thor, including superhuman strength, speed, durability, and the ability to summon and control lightning. The mace Thunderstrike also granted him the power of flight and energy projection.

Publication History:

Following his debut in Thor, Eric Masterson's popularity led to him starring in his own comic book series, Thunderstrike, which ran for 24 issues from 1993 to 1995. The series explored Masterson's struggles to balance his personal life with his superhero responsibilities and dealt with more grounded, street-level threats than Thor typically faced. He also joined the Avengers for a brief period.

Legacy:

Eric Masterson died in Thunderstrike #24, sacrificing himself to save the world from the villain Bloodaxe. However, the mantle of Thunderstrike was later taken up by his son, Kevin Masterson, who continues to carry on his father's legacy.

Powers and Abilities:

• Superhuman Strength: Possesses strength far exceeding that of a normal human.
• Superhuman Speed: Capable of moving at speeds far beyond human limitations.
• Superhuman Durability: Highly resistant to physical injury and disease.
• Flight: Able to fly at high speeds through the air.
• Energy Projection: Can project powerful blasts of energy from the mace Thunderstrike.
• Lightning Control: Able to summon and control lightning.
• Mace Thunderstrike: The enchanted mace serves as a focus for his powers and can be used as a weapon.