Valkyrie - an interesting character

I first saw the character in 1972. Don't believe I regarded her as sexy (I was 12) but she sure was impressive.


This was actually her second appearance, but the first was a one-shot deal that didn't have to be reproduced.


She was presented as an uber-feminist, strong and capable. She was challenged later in this issue as someone who hated men. She replied that no, she merely knew she was as good as we were.

She distinguished herself as an excellent teammate and very forwardly offered to join the group.


For the next few decades, Valkyrie was pretty much just a group member. I don't recall her ever being in a series of her own. In 1980, the series Thor incorporated Richard Wagner's the Ring of the Nibelung. It was made clear then, that Valkyrie's "civilian" name was Brunnhilda. Here she is in 1981, still with the Defenders.


She was very frequently featured in group settings like this. And yes, she's both one of many Valkyries that collects dead Vikings from the battlefield and takes them to their reward in Valhalla and Valkyrie is her superheroine name.


Over the course of the series, she regained a good deal of assertiveness and authority.


In 2010, she was re-introduced with all of the features that made her impressive in 1972. I don't recall her ever being in a relationship, except for with Seigfried in Ring of the Nibelung, but she made it clear that she's no ice queen and the fact that she hasn't slept with anyone since then is, well, just because she's never gotten around to doing so.


So she's in some new series' now and it's lookin' pretty good. She's lost the cape, I see.


Looks like she's come into her own now as a highly capable and assertive character. Lookin' forward to seeing more of her.

All images ^@Copyright Marvel Comics.