Marvel Roasts Elon Musk's Cybertruck, Axe Body Wash & More In A Scathing Thor Story
Contains spoilers for "Roxxon Presents: Thor" #1 (by Al Ewing, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, Frank D'Armata, and Joe Sabino)
Marvel Comics' "Immortal Thor" takes significant shots at Elon Musk and capitalism as a whole. In "Roxxon Presents: Thor #1," the God of Thunder sees his classic history reimagined as a tale of a hero fighting for the rights of corporations, artificial intelligence, and pollution. In the process, the comic throws barbs at real-world figures like Musk, with Thor even getting his own satirical version of the controversial Tesla Cybertruck.
In the "Immortal Thor" series, longtime Thor villain Dario Agger (the Minotaur) is using his resources to change the public's perception of the Asgardian Avenger. As the CEO of Roxxon, Dagger purchased the rights to Thor's comic book series (which has the rights to publish the hero's real-life experiences) and is rewriting the All-Father's adventures in order to turn readers against him. In "Roxxon Presents: Thor" #1, those changes are revealed as Thor becomes Chad Hammer, a muscle-bound hero with little individual agency and even less intelligence. Working alongside Roxxon, Thor takes a stand against everything the true hammer-wielding god actually fights for. Chad is shown decrying "cancel culture," hocking engine oil and hot sauce-scented Axe-style body wash (with exfoliating microplastics), and promoting the goodness of capitalism in his role as a superhero inspired by the worst kind of corporate greed.
Marvel Destroys AI, Big Tech & More in Roxxon Presents: Thor (And It's perfect)
"Roxxon Presents: Thor" #1 opens with a radical version of Roxxon Thor returning to Earthgard with the intent of working with Roxxon to make the world a better place, both as a superhero and as pro-A.I. influencer Chad Hammer. Almost immediately, the issue parodies Elon Musk's Cybertruck as the Thunder God debuts his gaudy, rectangular Thor-Truck. The vehicle, forged from the strongest Uru metal, the same material Thor's hammer is made of, has zero weaknesses and no crumple zones, a reference to the legitimate safety concerns over Elon Musk's Cybertruck. Thor uses his smartphone-powered hammer to gain entry to the vehicle, but his access is complicated by technological roadblocks. And in a final dig on Tesla, the Thor-Truck dangerously swerves into traffic on autopilot mode after he finally gets inside.
The propaganda continues as Roxxon Thor meets with Minotaur, who argues in favor of increased quality of life through products and capitalism over the Earth's long-term health. Loki appears, disguising himself as a leader of pro-climate change protesters who never worked a day in their lives, revealing his plan to turn the "great power" of cancel culture against Thor. To stop Loki, Roxxon Thor turns to Heimdall, who offers a smartphone A.I. assistant to guide the hero. As he begins to push back, Roxxon Thor uses virtual reality to see through Loki's illusion and uses drones to take down the protesters.
When Thor confronts Agger on Earth-616, the villain calls the comic a self-parody and weaponizes the satire. He says that brands that mock themselves have free rein to influence consumers and tells the God of Thunder the joke is on him — the perfect description of this meta-comic-within-a-comic-within-a-comic.
Marvel Just Made Thor's Hammer More Powerful Than Ever - In The Worst Possible Way
"Immortal Thor" has been throwing shade at the corporate influence of superhero stories. In "Roxxon Presents: Thor," that continues, with one major example being the introduction of a new version of Mjolnir. Referred to as "Mjolnir Premium," it's a "smart" hammer with Roxxon branding replacing the traditional "if he be worthy" text. Thor's iconic weapon is now a supercharged smartphone, giving him alerts and showing him memes in addition to summoning lightning. Thor even uses the hammer, which is connected to the internet, to access his two-factor authentication when unlocking his Thor-Truck.
While Roxxon Thor seems to have weather-based powers that are similar to the real Avenger's abilities, his hammer operates via an internet connection to meme culture blended with big business. This weapon is arguably more powerful than the original, but Roxxon Thor doesn't use it for altruistic feats. Instead, he is driven by money, technology, and fame rather than maximizing his heroic potential.
It remains to be seen how well Dario Agger's attempts at sullying Thor's image through the comic book tale will work, though there's little doubt that the true Thunder God will eventually triumph over the evil minotaur. But for now, he has his work cut out for him. "Roxxon Thor" shows the damage things like misinformation, product placement, and big tech's empty promises can cause, presenting a horrifying capitalist worldview of Thor and his stories via some truly hilarious yet scathing social commentary.
Marvel Comics' "Roxxon Presents: Thor #1" is available in comic book stores and through online retailers.