In the world of superheroes DC Comics owns the animated film space with such successes as Superman/Batman Public Enemies and the recent All-Star Superman animated feature. Marvel’s previous attempts at animated feature films, such as the Avengers movies and the Iron Man film, have not been so successful. Marvel has however owned the more lucrative live-action feature film space, so who’s laughing?

Well Marvel isn’t ready to give up yet! They’ve teamed with Lionsgate Home Entertainment to release a new animated feature: Thor: Tales of Asgard on Blu-Ray Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download, On Demand, and via Carrier Pigeon (well ok nix the bird idea) on May 17, 2011.

From Marvel:

The newest Marvel Animated Feature is the perfect companion to the May 6th release of the live-action theatrical film Thor. The title builds on the strength of more than 40 years and 10 million copies of Thor comics and the timelessness of The Mighty Thor to create a truly epic adventure that both lifelong fans and those new to the story will love.

Synopsis:

Before he ever lifted his mighty hammer, there was the sword. Fantastic journeys beckon from the mysterious nine realms. Places of dark mists and fiery voids. Of winged creatures and giants in the ice. And the most alluring quest of all – the search for the legendary Lost Sword of Surtur. Hungry for adventure, Thor secretly embarks on the journey of a lifetime, joined by his loyal brother Loki, whose budding sorcery equips him with just enough magic to conjure up trouble, along with the Warriors Three – a band of boastful travelers reluctant to set sail on any adventure that might actually be dangerous. But what starts out as a harmless treasure hunt quickly turns deadly, and Thor must now prove himself worthy of the destiny he covets by saving Asgard itself.

Based on what we know of the feature film, this appears to be a prequel story, which is a cool idea if it’s actually done well. Marvel promises that both the Blu-ray combo pack and DVD releases will come “packed with special features.” You be the judge. There’s one audio commentary with supervising producer Craig Kyle and screenwriter Greg Johnson and a second one with supervising director Gary Hartle, animation director Sam Liu, and character designer Phil Bourassa. There’s a featurette titled Worthy: The Making of Thor: Tales of Asgard and a bonus episode of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I wouldn’t call this “packed,” but at least there are some commentaries. The Blu-ray will retail for a cool $29.99 and the DVD will hit shelves at $19.98.