Hermod (comics)

Hermod
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Thor #274 (Aug 1978)
Created by	Roy Thomas and John Buscema
In-story information
Full name	Hermod
Species	Asgardian
Place of origin	Asgard
Team affiliations	Asgard
Notable aliases	Howard "Howie" Barker
Abilities	Superhuman speed, strength, stamina, and durability

Hermod is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, based on the Hermóðr of Norse myth.

Publication history

Hermod first appeared in Thor #274-275 (August–September 1978), and was adapted from mythology by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

The character subsequently appeared in Thor Annual #7 (1978), Thor #294-295 (April–May 1980), 300-301 (October–November 1980), 306 (April 1981), Avengers #249 (November 1984), Thor #350-352 (December 1984-February 1985), 359 (September 1985), Marvel Super-Heroes #9 (April 1992), Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular #2 (September 1991), Thor #454 (November 1992), #474 (May 1994), and Journey Into Mystery #504-513 (December 1996-October 1997).

Hermod appeared as part of the "Asgardians" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1.

Fictional character biography

Hermod is a young god who is shrouded in mystery. It is known, however, that Odin will usually employ Hermod as a messenger because of his great speed. Hermod's greatest mission was when he traveled to Hel in order to ask the goddess Hela for information on how to revive Balder the Brave.

During the Fear Itself storyline, Hermod was among the few Asgardians who agreed with Thor and helped Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three into freeing Thor after Odin imprisoned him for objecting to his plans to raze the Earth in order to eliminate the Serpent. When Hermod offered to help Thor escape to Midgard, Odin found out about this. Odin returns to Asgard with the corpse of the Serpent sealing off Asgard from Hermod and a number of other Asgardians who are left on Earth.

Genealogy

Hermod's family tree as it appears in Thor #500 (July 1996);

Powers and abilities

Hermod possesses normal strength, stamina, and durability for an Asgardian god. He is presumably resistant to all terrestrial poisons and diseases and has some resistance to magic. He also can run at speeds far exceeding those of other Asgardian gods.

In other media

Television

• Hermod appears in the Guardians of the Galaxy episode "Asgard War Part One: Lightnin' Strikes," voiced by Troy Baker. He is among the Asgardians that are still on Asgard at the time when Thor was leading some Asgardians in their war against Spartax. When Hermod asks Loki what he plans to do when Thor returns and finds that he has run Asgard in his place, Loki claims to Hermod and the other Asgardians present that Thor won't be coming back ever.

Video games

• Hermod appears in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Josh Keaton. He has special dialogue with Thor where it is mentioned that Hermod evaded capture. When not talking to a character he runs around the area. To talk to him, the player must summon him on a part of the porch or wait till he moves near them.

External links

• The Official Site for Thor Comics
• Hermod at Marvel.com
• Hermod at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Hermod at MarvelDirectory.com