The All Mighty

You know I'm behind if it's June and we're just getting into Halloween pics!  This year, err, last year (2014) my beautiful daughter went as a "good witch" and I went as the Son of Odin.  It was a lot of fun, and though my outfit wasn't stage-worthy I still felt the embodiment of the god of thunder.  Enjoy!

The Final Thor's Day Hero: James Tiberius Kirk

Who else could cap off the great run we've had here at the Thor's Day Day Heroes other than Captain Kirk himself? This is the character I'd want at the helm of this whole enchilada, and when those snap decisions need to be made under the most stressful of situations, this is the guy I want in the captain's chair.

Sixty seven weeks of heroes later (over a year!) and I've gotta say I hope y'all have enjoyed reading these as much as I have had writing them. When I think back there are dozens more heroes that never made the cut, and I'm sure some new heroes yet to be introduced to. As for this list, we're stopping it here for posterity. Here's to Captain Kirk, you have the conn.

Thor's Day Hero: BMO

BMO may not be the first robot among the Thor's Day Hero ranks, but it is definitely one of the most unique of our A.I. friends to grace this esteemed cast. BMO is a supporting character on the excellent cartoon Adventure Time, which you should check out if you haven't already. What is BMO? Kind of a cross between an original Apple computer and an original Game Boy, with classic Atari controllers and is filled with self awareness.

BMO has got some chops, but its main contribution it to just hang out with everyone, BMO is your buddy you can count on and life just seems better with BMO around. It will surprise you though with its resourcefulness and come up with a solution just when everyone else has given up. I couldn't imagine traversing the cosmos without 'him'. It also comes pre-loaded with over a dozen great game titles. Welcome to the ranks BMO, now who wants to play some Portender Defender?

Thor's Day Hero: Willy Wonka

I must specify that my pick for Willy Wonka, whacked out chocolateer, to be inducted into the Thor's Day Heroes is the Gene Wilder version. Everyone has their favorite Dr. Who, me, my favorite Wonka is Wilder. His portrayal as this sheer genius madman is just so over-the-top and amazing, yet sprinkled with just enough inner darkness that he's a force not to be ignored. I envision the Thor's Day Collective, myself in the captain's chair of course, as a giant ship plying the spacelanes, intervening with galactic situations as needed. To this end how could we not afford to bring on board Willy Wonka? He's got confectionary skills as well as engineering.

Thor's Day Hero: Ron Swanson

"You may have thought you heard me say I wanted a lot of bacon and eggs, but what I said was: Give me all the bacon and eggs you have." -Ron Swanson

When looking at civilians to answer the call to the ranks of the Thor's Day Heroes one has to use a very stringent set of parameters. Fortunately Ron Swanson wrote the book on having just such a stringent set of parameters. When looking at the cast of Parks and Recreation, honestly, most of them are "favorite" chaaracters. You can only pick one however, err, not you per se but me, since I'm the commander supreme of the Thor's Day Heroes. Even then, I am both in awe, and intimidated by this guy. He knows how to use a gun, he loves steak, and his woodworking skills are without parallel, just don't ask him about his ex-wives. How can we afford to not have him on the team?

Thor's Day Hero: Kl'rt the Super-Skrull

All the powers of the Fantastic Four, combined, as well as the sheer ruthlessness to use said powers to their fullest potential. Super-Skrull was always a cool "bad guy" in the comics, but it wasn't until I read the Super-Skrull four issue series as part of the Annihilation Wave that I became endeared to him. He's a great concept for an arch-enemy, and an even cooler canvas for some serious depth if handled by the right author, such as what Grillo Javier-Marxuach did. I haven't considered "power levels" in the Thor's Day Heroes (how do you put a power level on Ridley Scott anyway) but if I did, Super-Skrull would be near the top of the charts. This isn't the only reason for his induction, but it doesn't help!

Thor's Day Hero: Samurai Jack

The television cartoon Samurai Jack is going to go down in the long run as one of those gems that just can't be outdone. The character of the title name, Jack, is a time-displaced samurai fighting across a post-apocalyptic world to find his way home. The apocalypse in this case is the rise of the Shogun of Sorrow and his enslavement of the planet, and beyond. The future is the ultimate, four-colored dystopian melting pot with creatures and races from worlds over mixed in with sentient machines and cyborgs. Even a talking dog or two. In the middle of it all is Jack, stranger in a strange land, stoic to the end, determined and deadly. I think he would see his membership into the Thor's Day Heroes as a pragmatic move, so I'd hate to let him down!

Thor's Day Hero: Butters

I'm not a huge South Park fan, never really was, but when I would hear someone talk about a particularly funny episode I would invariably find it, watch, and laugh for about twenty minutes straight. I'm no stranger to the show either and of all the characters, Butters has to be my favorite. He is the perpetually innocent and when the other characters are going off the deep end and cursing like sailors, he toes the line and gives a few "aww shucks" or couple of "oh hamburgers!" He did a brief stint as a maniacal supervillain as well, a villain that is still at the top of the wanted charts for the South Park police. Overall Butters is that likable 'buddy' you always want to have around. Admission here to the Thor's Day Heroes is a shoe-in, I just worry what might happen if he comes across Sarah Connor on a bad day.

Thor's Day Hero: David Byrne

I know something you don't, well, now you do. Thor's Day Heroes is kind of coming to a close! Remember, I've been writing these in the past, in fact LEGO Thursdays are still posting as I type this! Anyway, I've already got something new lined up to take the Thursday slot a few weeks from now, you know me, wheels within wheels.

But what about the smiling 'Ken' doll up top? Well if you know who it is, you don't need to ask, if you don't know it's none other than artist and musician David Byrne. I don't discount his early work as lead singer of the Talking Heads by any means but he has come a very long way since those days. His solo work is amazingly diverse and having seen him a few times in concert I gotta say he puts on one heck of a show. His music is one of those background tracks that I can watch through my own timeline over the last twenty years or so. Kind of neat when you think about it. Anyway, here's your bathroom key David, enjoy your stay with the Thor's Day Heroes!

Thor's Day Hero: Rankin Bass Bilbo Baggins

I had to be specific in my title, today's Thor's Day Hero isn't just any ole Bilbo Baggins. No, today's inductee is the one you see above, the Rankin Bass 1977 Bilbo. Sure, I saw Star Wars in '77 but it wasn't until a few years later I was into it thanks to the toys. My first geek introduction though, pretty much ever in my life, goes to my Lord of the Rings storybook record sets. Yes, records, played on my Fisher-Price turntable. Of those Bilbo and the tale of the Hobbit took center stage, we even named a litter of puppies at the time after Hobbit characters. Good, moving memories. Welcome aboard Bilbo!

Thor's Day Hero: Marshal Law

I'm not into comics like I used to be, but for about twenty years there I'd say I was a 'serious' collector at the very least. This also meant that I was reading pretty much all of the current titles out there, and when the first issue of Marshal Law came out of that brown paper comic book store bag I knew I had something unique on my hands. I was blown away, it was a force of nature, a slap in the superhero face, a superbly written, wonderfully drawn, satirical anti-hero comic. I really didn't know what to think. I loaned it to my friends and they handed it back to me with polite smiles. Law is a hero hunter, a government sanctioned 'cape killer' whose job is to eliminate genetic super soldiers back from the war who tear apart the fabric of civilization. The stories are dark, perverse, and gritty but also excellent. I would say "welcome" to Marshal Law, like I do all inductees to the Thor's Day Heroes, but he might kick my teeth in.

Thor's Day Hero: Sarah Connor

The ultimate tough chick, Sarah Connor. From oblivious waitress to hardcore mother of the leader of humanity's resistance against robot overlords, Sarah Connor has more in the hard-as-nails department than anyone we've seen here at Thor's Day Heroes, male or female! She is tough but more than that, as a recurring theme of my favorite characters, she is fractured and her psyche is beyond repair. She has seen the future...in the form of homicidal, unstoppable killer robots sent to destroy her and her son. If they succeed, the world of mankind ends. No pressure, right? Welcome aboard Ms. Connor, make yourself at home but try not to carve anything on the picnic tables please.

Thor's Day Hero: Sergeant Lincoln Osiris

"I know who I am. I'm the dude playin' the dude, disguised as another dude!" -Kirk Lazarus

The first ten minutes of Tropic Thunder are too funny. The rest of the movie isn't bad, but it's hard to match the humor up front. In it, Robert Downey, jr. plays grizzled Vietnam veteran Lincoln Osiris. There's obviously a lot going on with the Lincoln character, considering in the movie within the movie aspect on top of everything else. Lincoln Osiris as character though? Great. Great lines, though none I can repeat here, great intensity, and great over-the-top action. If you haven't seen the movie, it's almost worth it just for Osiris alone. So forget that he's a character played by a character about a fake movie in a real movie, Lincoln Osiris is on the skids so "elevator up" for the Thor's Day Heroes.

Thor's Day Hero: Ellen Ripley

The character of Ellen Ripley is a pretty dynamic one. Ripley spans over two hundred and fifty years within the Alien franchise timeline, and as an actor, Weaver played the role four times over almost twenty years, 1979-1997. This is just the character's longevity, let alone her force of will and on-screen presence. Ripley's shining moment was alongside the colonial marines in the second movie, but her performance in the first Alien film is actually a bit better. The third film saw her character come full circle and she was at her most vulnerable. By the time the fourth movie came about, we had a cloned Ripley much changed and in a new future that was both darker and more sinister. She knows how to wield an M41a Pulse Rifle, she can operate a power loader, she's got a commercial spaceship license, she hates it when androids offer her corn bread, and her maternal instinct meter goes to eleven. You gotta induct Ripley into the Thor's Day Heroes, the first truly strong heroine I can remember in film or television

Thor's Day Hero: Beach Head

As a kid 1986 was a pretty good year for toys. Being an avid GI Joe fan up until that point I was blown away (once again) by the new lineup in 1986. The Dreadnoks got a new member (who looked like half the friends my parents had), there was a really cool new sniper and even Cobra got a crazy android trooper. But Beach Head was by far the coolest that year.

He wasn't a ninja, but he had a cool mask sort of like one. He had a chest rig loaded with ammo mags, a cool sub-machinegun, and a backpack that had a crossbow on it. He had a few, brief shining moments in the comics, but he was very underplayed. Backyard action however was where Beach Head really cleaned house, often having to save the rest of team because they went and got captured or some such. For cool equipment and good childhood memories Beach Head is a welcome addition to the Thor's Day Heroes.

Thor's Day Hero: Dr. Peter Venkman

Let's face it, those of us in a certain age group just love Ghostbusters. Now we all have our favorite Ghostbuster of the group, but for me it was Peter Venkman. I feel a closer connection to him than the others. Ray was lovable and good-natured but too innocent. Egon was too brainy and socially awkward. Winston was a little too blue-collared for me, so in the end it was Venkman. Flippant, sarcastic, and kind of just along for the ride at first...until he makes contact with the supernatural. He's still flippant and sarcastic after ghost contact, but determined to take the fight to the foe, or at least goad his buddies into attacking first. It's kind of hard not to imagine the Thor's Day Heroes without Venkman somewhere on the roster, welcome aboard!

Thor's Day Hero: Rick Deckard

This is the second week in a row an inducted member into the Thor's Day Heroes is shown using chopsticks! Having a little snack here is replicant hunter Rick Deckard, also known as a 'blade runner'.

Dystopian Los Angeles of 2019 (just six years from now!) is still a pretty decent place to raise a family, well, except for the renegade androids running around. Bring in the no-nonsense, straight shooting character excellently portrayed by Harrison Ford and you've got both a great movie and a new member to Thor's Day Heroes! Deckard of course would brook no such fanfare, he's just doing his job after all.

Thor's Day Hero: Jack Burton

Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like...Jack Burton? When Big Trouble in Little China hit the big screen back in 1986 it wasn't a smash success but I think there was a large chunk of viewers who became instant fans, my twelve year old self at the time being one of them.

Jack Burton would certainly think he's the hero of the movie, but is he really? He gets the girl, sure, and gets the bad guy, all right, but for the most part he was just always in the right place at the right time. It was a whole host of other characters that did the heavy lifting, so why aren't they being admitted into the Thor's Day Heroes? Well, Burton has style, he's quick with the one-liners, and he's a decent shot with the throwing knife. It's all in the reflexes you know. Welcome aboard Jack Burton, truck parking is behind the building.

Thor's Day Hero: FBI Special Agent Dana Scully

We don't really think of the X-Files television show nowadays, I don't anyway, but it did kind of open a lot of doors to a lot of the shows around today, just like the shows Twilight Zone and Kolchak kind of paved the way for the X-Files. But when the X-Files was in its prime, man, it was hard to beat. Also hard to beat was Agent Scully, the incredibly skeptical and incredibly hot FBI 'straight man' to her partner, the rogue Fox "I believe in aliens" Mulder.

She was tough, she was smart, and she didn't take any guff. She was also a medical doctor and decided to trade in her surgeon's mask in order to go on adventures with an FBI badge and a gun. A lot of these adventures were 'monsters of the week' but some were longer lasting alien twists, of course all of it was wrapped in government conspiracy. As I type this it will be an entire year before Scully's official debut of which you're reading right now, so until then, err, now, welcome aboard the Thor's Day Heroes Agent Scully!

Thor's Day Hero: Dragun

This might be where it all started. The Shogun Warrior known as Dragun. I'm a kid, four years old, but I had this heavy, die-cast metal robot. I have no idea where I got it or who gave it to me, but it was awesome. It had these fists that were spring loaded and would launch at the touch of a button. He also had an axe too, but that got lost easily enough. Was it a man in armor? No, even as a kid I could tell this was a warrior robot through and through. He also had a cape. What's even more inexplicable, was the fact that had two of them. The above pic I found online, but coincidentally it's exactly as I remember my own.

There were four Shogun Warrior figures in the 1970's 5" die-cast line, and all of them were cool. How I ended up with two identical ones is beyond me. This was my toy though, lots of backyard adventures and the like were had with Dragun. We didn't have cable television or whatever, and I don't recall the packaging even, so I never knew Dragun's name or what he came from, just that he was awesome sci-fi robot goodness. So today Dragun, better known as GX-18 Getter Dragon, joins the ranks of the Thor's Day Heroes.