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16. That time he was a frog
Laugh as you might, but this is actually one of the more interesting and compelling stories to involve an animal-based transformation in comics. Thank Walt Simonson again for his innovative work on the “Thunder Frog”.
So, how exactly did Thor find himself as a frog, anyway? Unsurprisingly, Loki has a lot to do with it. It’s a pretty silly setup, and Thor is justifiably embarrassed to discover that he’s transformed into an amphibian. Even living in Central Park with a surprisingly advanced frog community isn’t enough to assuage Thor’s shame.
Mission achieved, Loki might have thought, and then wandered away. Yet, Frog Thor’s story doesn’t stop there. As it so happens, the Central Park frog society is being attacked by a rival rat community. Thor cheers up when he learns that he can get in some good, old-fashioned fighting in, despite his froglike nature.
When he recovers Mjolnir, he becomes even more powerful, though still in the form of a frog. Of course, Thor’s gotta Thor, so he keeps on being a superhero despite his bizarre form.
Naturally, he eventually regains his Asgardian shape, to the shock and disappointment of Loki, who must have thought that he’d finally gotten Thor this time. And before you dismiss this whole thing as a ridiculous bit of writing, remember that Walt Simonson was at the helm. As silly as this may sound, it’s actually a ton of fun.