Did anyone ever notice this?

[BobT99]

This is a painting of Thor (the god of thunder in Norse Mythology) from 1872 called "Thor's Battle Against the Giants". I stumbled across it surfing online, and noticed a strong resemblance to the orginal Doom cover art. Check it out -

[DJShrimpy]

absolutely amazing

[lupinx-Kassman]

I sense sarcasm within the immidiate area.

[DJShrimpy]

BobT99 said:

Did anyone ever notice this?

Well on a side note, yes. Whenever I see a painting of Greek mythology the first thing that comes to my mind is a video game with space marines and zombies.

[Searcher]

It must be the goats. ;)

[Grazza]

Actually, I do find that somewhat similar.

[Coopersville]

Sure looks simular, though you could probably find a thousand pieces of art that resemble it just as much.

[Bank]

On an even more seperate note, Thor is famous for using a magical hammer.
The original script for Quake had the main character use a magical hammer.
Coincidence? I'd say probably!

[BobT99]

Interesting additional fact that may or may not be connected, this same painting is featured on the cover of the Finnish DOOM metal band Reverend Bizarre's album "Harbinger of Metal". (I read that on Wikipedia)

[doomer524]

actually, i think the original poster is on to something.. look at the guy in the lower right hand corner of the Norse painting and then at the demon in the center with the gun grafted onto his arm (the one closest to the doom marine). The angle of Thor and Doomguy is also exactly the same although Doom Guy looks like he's trying to hold ground while Thor seems to be pushing forward. Also the general feel of each is similar with the bad guys surrounding a lone hero in the center, and then of course the horned goats in the Norse one.

[Da Spadger]

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/5370/mankingsmz9.jpg

Another example on video game covers being inspired from somewhere. :]

[myk]

Sure seems similar... and artists do sometimes pay homage to paintings in ways like this. The best way to confirm if it really is inspired from there, or just a coincidence, is to contact Don Ivan Punchatz himself. At Romero's forums someone contacted his son not too long ago, for info on the monster models, so perhaps it wouldn't be imporssible to get in touch.

[Jonathan]

Thor's hammer doesn't nearly as bad-ass as I imagine it. Looks a bit gay, in fact. I suppose there's a slight similarity in the composition between the two, but Thor isn't surrounded, he's bursting through on a goat pulled chariot.

[Kristian Ronge]

Jonathan said:
Thor's hammer doesn't nearly as bad-ass as I imagine it. Looks a bit gay, in fact.

The painter's rendition of Mjölner (Tor's hammer) doesn't really do it justice. It is a devastating weapon, with the power to -- literally -- pulverize foes.

[myk]

Kristian Ronge said:
The painter's rendition of Mjölner (Tor's hammer) doesn't really do it justice. It is a devastating weapon, with the power to -- literally -- pulverize foes.

Yeah, but this was drawn a little before the Warhammer miniatures game came out, with the fad where mighty weapons are about four times as heavy as their wielder.

[Kristian Ronge]

I sincerely hope you're not seriously thinking I would prefer some oversized "Warhammer"-styled hammer. The hammer in the painting just doesn't quite match the archeological findings of how the hammer was perceived at the time. See this or this for more accurate representations.

EDIT: Artistic license, and all that, I guess.

[DeumReaper]

It's not the size that matters, its how you use it

[myk]

Heh, Kristian, it made sense, as only a gigantic hammer would really pulverize opponents; at least the weapons in that game look blatantly powerful. Actually, the hammer seems pretty similar to the representations you linked, which seem to be an ornaments anyway. Mårten Eskil Winge must have been aware of the designs. The hammer in the painting has longer heads, which are slightly less bent but still have the spikelike top. He must have looked at some Thor's hammer pendants and used his imagination to define what usable hammers they could have been based on.

Also, any depiction of something like Thor is going to display "artistic license", even those done by the vikings of over 1000 years ago.

Jonathan said:
Thor's hammer doesn't nearly as bad-ass as I imagine it. Looks a bit gay, in fact. I suppose there's a slight similarity in the composition between the two, but Thor isn't surrounded, he's bursting through on a goat pulled chariot.

I see where you're coming from; most popular pictures make it look like a heavier onehanded sledge hammer.

[Inferno]

Wow really awesome comparison. I've seen this painting before but never put the two together.

The Hammer does look very... well... flat. Maybe just how the artist drew it and never really cared for accuracy I suppose? Anyway good find.

Can anyone think of any other comparisons with game covers?

[Vegeta]

I think titlepic from Heretic is closer than the one from DOOM. But cool pic indeed.

[The Lag]

don't forget the other marine in the background matching the other norman with the hammer behind thor.

[OobyDoo]

I've always wondered why there is a second marine in that pic. :( Isn't Doomguy supposed to be alone?

[myk]

OobyDoo said:
I've always wondered why there is a second marine in that pic. :( Isn't Doomguy supposed to be alone?

Must be a Coop buddy (yeah, they're not described in the intro story, but maybe they're surviving guys that regrouped from the ones that left the marine behind).

[printz]

I had read in an old post that the player is actually the marine from behind, because the one we see the most is forfeit.

[DJShrimpy]

Yeah but they might not be on Phobos, they might be in hell. On most of the console port and PC box art covers is appears that they might be in hell, however the SNES box has stars in the background which makes it look like they're on a planet.

[myk]

DJShrimpy said:
Yeah but they might not be on Phobos, they might be in hell.

Right, it's reddish and there are huge flames in the background. Plus the marine never sees any dying fellows; he either sees them dead already, or fighting alongside him, if you consider the Coop marines.

[DJShrimpy]

Exactly. they're in hell, and the game starts on Phobos, therefore niether marine can be considered the actual player.

[myk]

DJShrimpy said:
they're in hell, and the game starts on Phobos, therefore niether marine can be considered the actual player.

Why? The pic seems to just be representing some random moment in the game, not necessarily the start. I'm pretty sure the guy on the front is supposed to represent the player (it's an association anyone would make, unless they started speculating wildly), and the guy in the background is showning the game can be played by more than one person at once.

[DJShrimpy]

I know, but a few people earlier in the thread said that the guys on the box art might be the players.

[doomer524]

i just think the boxart is cool, like all old game boxart lol :P