Oklahoma's 'Thor' tops July comic book sales

By Matthew Price

Published: September 10, 2007

Oklahoma's superhero topped the sales charts for July, as "Thor" No. 1 was the most-ordered comic book by comic specialty shops.

Industry Web site ICV2.com estimates "Thor" No. 1 sales at 165,235.

The first and second issues of the title sold out at the distributor level, according to a release from Marvel. Marvel is reprinting these issues for fans who missed out the first time around.

Kevin Stark, curator of the Toy & Action Figure Museum, 111 S Chickasaw in Pauls Valley, said he's not surprised that Oklahoma's adopted superhero is doing well.

"We had a whole stack of them that sold quickly," Stark said. "It's a very well-written and well-drawn comic book. Since we have a display on 'Thor,' that makes it even better."

"Babylon 5" creator J. Michael Straczynski writes the series, which has art by Olivier Coipel.

"I wanted to put this somewhere fresh, somewhere in the American heartland, and for a number of reasons, including the Heavener runestones, this seemed like the perfect place," Straczynski said in an interview with The Oklahoman.

Bart Torbert, president of Gloria Farley Publications Inc., talked to The Oklahoman about possible implications of the "Thor" story.

Gloria Farley was a writer who is credited with bringing the world's attention to the Heavener Runestone. She died in March 2006, and Gloria Farley Publications Inc., is a nonprofit organization that keeps her work in print. The organization is found online at www.gloriafarley.com.

The Heavener Runestone is the centerpiece of Heavener's 50-acre Runestone State Park.

"Many people think the Heavener Runestone is just a fantasy anyway. Many people have accused Gloria Farley of carving the symbols herself in an effort of self glorification," Torbert said. "So if Marvel Comics presents the runestone in the wrong fashion, it will only increase the skepticism over its ancient authenticity.

"I also see this as an opportunity to provide the general public with good, factual information about the runestone and raise the awareness of its existence and its historical importance."

While some competing theories have been advanced about the Heavener Runestone, Torbert gave the following information about the stone, based on Farley's research:

"The text on the stone reads 'Glome Dal.' This is 'Glome's Valley.' Glome is a common Norse name. So the stone is a land claim marker.

"The stone is located in a protected stream drainage that provides shelter, wood, and water. It would have been a very good place to live.

"In 2003, two university professors from Europe, who are runic experts, visited the Heavener Runestone. These were Ian Kirby, now retired from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland; and Peter Piper of the University of Dusseldorf, Germany. The comment Piper made was that the setting of the Heavener Runestone was identical to ancient human occupation sites in Northern Europe. These sites are excellent places to find runestones.

"The style and combination of the runes used on the Heavener Runestone date the inscription from 600 to 900 A.D. This was the period in history when Christianity was starting to win followers in Scandinavia. The irony of this date is that while Marvel Comics is using the pagan Norse religion as the starting point for their story, Glome could well have been a Christian."

Comments