Warning! Minor spoilers for God of War: Ragnarok on PlayStation 4 and 5 belowWhile God of War: Ragnarok introduced many to the battles of Kratos and Thor, in the early 1970s Marvel Comics showed the two gods battling well before the video game. In Avengers #99, Kratos and his fellow demigod Bia attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes to apprehend Hercules. However, before capturing the mighty hero, Thor and Kratos battled, with Thor getting in some good shots with Mjolnir before his opponent departed.
Kratos is the main protagonist of the God of War franchise from Santa Monica Studios, as the character has been based on both classic Greek and Norse Mythology. In the Game of the Year-nominated God of War: Ragnarok, Kratos and his son Atreus face off against the Norse god Thor, who wields a mighty hammer against the powerful god. However, long before Kratos and Thor battled in the God of War video game, they fought one another in the pages of Marvel Comics. Kratos has a brief but notable history of taking on Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
In Avengers #99 by Roy Thomas, Barry Smith-Windsor, Tom Sutton, and Art Simek from Marvel Comics, Earth's Mightiest Heroes try to figure out what happened to Hercules after the hero returns to their home base after losing his memory before joining a traveling circus. As they look for solutions for Hercules, the Avengers are attacked by Kratos and Bia, who Ares sends to capture the Greek god. However, Thor and the other heroes don't go down with a fight as they exchange several mighty blows, with the God of Thunder even staggering Kratos with Mjolnir.
Thor and The Avengers Ultimately Lost Against Kratos and Bia
While Thor was one of the best-equipped and most-effective heroes against Kratos and Bia, his efforts with Mjolnir still weren't enough to take down his fellow gods. Thankfully, Thor would be among the Avengers who went to Olympus to save Hercules - as even Kratos or the forces of the realm weren't enough to stop Earth's Mightiest Heroes from rescuing one of their most powerful members.
So, while Kratos and Thor's matchup might not have been as memorable as their fight in the newest God of War video game, the battle between gods ended up showcasing the true strength of the two powerhouses. Kratos and Bia took down the Avengers, including Thor, who gave the servant of Ares all he could handle before he teleported away safely - so, the epic Marvel Comics tilt ultimately didn't have a clear winner.