Marvel fans may know the version of Valkyrie from the Thor: Ragnarok movie best, but the original Brunnhilde is returning to the comics universe in a BIG way.
Fans knew to expect that the classic Valkyrie would be traveling from Valhalla back into the land of Marvel's living soon enough, helping to found the publisher's replacement for its outlaw Guardians - known as the Asgardians of the Galaxy. Valkyrie isn't the only Thor character on the team, but she's definitely one of the most anticipated.
And thanks to the preview of Asgardians of the Galaxy #1, we've got our first look at classic Valkyrie back in action.
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The fans of Tessa Thompson's take on Valkyrie may be a bit confused, and with good reason. Especially after the strong fan response to the Ragnarok hero led to the movie version of Valkyrie joining Marvel Comics. But that MCU variation was only an alternate-dimension-crossover. The original Valkyrie, Brunnhilde, was recently recruited by the god of thunder himself - when Thor died to travel to Valhalla and request her help.
Request her help, along with that of all other members of the Valkyrie. The mission took an unexpected turn when the villain was defeated - after Thor gained the power of the King of Hel - and the heroes sent back to the living Earth (Thor's brother Balder and Brunnhilde included).
At the time, Brunnhilde's ability to take a physical form and state her plan to stay on Earth a while seemed unclear. In her most recent comic stories, Brunnhilde could only walk the Earth while sharing the body of Annabelle Riggs, her former teammate (and lover). That confusion is cleared up now that Marvel has offered a preview of Asgardians of the Galaxy #1, showing Annabelle being recruited for her Asgardian alter ego.
And recruited by team leader Angela, Thor's sister. So yes... this is a book that fans of the extended Thor universe will want to watch out for. Because it doesn't take Valkyrie long to take over her and Annabelle's body, and let her blade do the talking:
Skurge the Executioner is also on hand as a member of the team, played by Karl Urban in Thor: Ragnarok. Keep the host of MCU-familiar characters coming, since the team also features an Asgardian Destroyer best known as a powerful suit of armor designed to be strong enough to take on a Celestial (with the current pilot... unknown).
Add in Thunderstrike, the now-adult Kevin Masterson who claimed the similarly-named mace from his own father, who took Thor's place in the Marvel Universe when the true hero went AWOL. And it wouldn't be a true Asgardian hero reunion without Throg, the frog who befriended Thor (in frog form) and earned his own hammer, Frogjolnir.
Asgardians of the Galaxy #1 arrives on September 5th from Marvel Comics.