The New Thor Won't Be the First Woman to Wield the Hammer

Thor, Marvel’s famous hammer-wielding superhero, will undergo a major change, the hosts from ABC’s The View announced on Tuesday. The Norse god — widely regarded as among the mightiest of all superheroes — will be recast as a woman in a comic-book series Marvel will be launching this October.

View host Whoopi Goldberg offered her own take on the change. “Thor, the God of Thunder, he’s messed up,” she said. “He is no longer worthy to hold that damn hammer of his. And for the first time in history, that hammer is being held by a woman.”

In point of fact, the hammer — known to fans as Mjölnir — has been handled by a few women. Storm and Rogue (from the X-Men) and even Wonder Woman (a character from rival publisher DC Comics) have all wielded the ultimate power tool. The new Thor won’t be toting Mjölnir — she will, however, be given one of her own, supposedly identical in every way.

Fans of cosplay – and, indeed, anyone who’s been to a recent comic-book convention – are no doubt aware that long before today’s announcement, the God of Thunder has been a favorite of female comic enthusiasts.

And while a female Thor will increase interest from girls, there is at least one case of a young female fan — in 1987’s Adventures in Babysitting — expressing extreme devotion to the Thor Classic, here, played by Vincent D’Onofrio.

Photos: Marvel, Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images, Steven A Henry/WireImage