Warning! Potential spoilers for Thor #6 by Marvel Comics below

In a new Marvel Comics cover, Thor is crushed under the weight of his own hammer, Mjolnir. In a new look at Thor #16 by Nic Klein, the God of Thunder strikes a pose that seems to be partly inspired by a classic Hulk cover, which itself was inspired by Atlas holding the globe in Greek Mythology.

In recent stories, Thor's hammer Mjolnir isn't working as it should, as it's become heavy and unpredictable for the powerful God. He's struggled to lift it and has been forced to watch the hammer lose control and attack his own teammates - including going after Captain America, despite his best efforts to stop it. It seems after being named King of Asgard, Thor's enchantment became weaker, as it's supposed to be wielded by the most worthy warrior. Since he's now the ruler of the realm, the enchantment seems to be rejecting Thor - leading to him abandoning Mjolnir and leaving in the care of Captain America.

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Marvel Comics revealed the cover for the upcoming Thor #16. In the art by artist Nic Klein, Thor struggles under the weight of his hammer, as his face tells the story of the pain he's feeling. It's an excellent metaphor for Thor's current troubles with Mjolnir. Beside Klein's signature on the cover, you can see the remark "After Steranko," which is a shoutout to Jim Steranko's original Hulk cover, which inspired the piece.

Thor Marvel Comics

The cover referenced by Klein is The Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1, which is one of Steranko's most iconic covers. In the original cover, the Hulk struggles under the weight of stone bearing his name. In addition, it features Hulk standing atop the word "Inhumans," which is crushed by the added weight of the stone above. Marie Severin (also credited as the cover artist) slightly redesigned the cover before release, as Steranko said Marvel felt his version of the Hulk's face was "too fierce."

Hulk Marvel Comics

It seems Klein went with a more fierce look to Thor's face, as he is having trouble balancing the weight of his name. Cover homages are always a lot of fun, especially when they do something new with a classic concept. In this case, Klein perfectly captured the intensity of Steranko and Severin's cover, while adding something fresh for new readers. It also smartly hints at what's to come in Thor, as the God of Thunder feels trapped under the weight of expectations and Mjolnir. Klein's variant for Thor #16 by Donny Cates, Michele Bandini, Matthew Wilson, and Joe Sabino is in comic stores on August 25th.

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