History
The being that would come to be known as Volstagg began its life on a distant world manipulated by the Celestials. As part of their method of reproduction, the Celestials imbued Volstagg's world with an embryo and manipulated the genetics of its inhabitants to grant them the power to defend their world, and thus the embryo within it. Volstagg and his people eventually reached a point in their mutation where they lost all shape and definition, instead becoming defined by the perceptions of others.
Escaping their world at some point, they made their way to Earth, where they encountered the ancient Norse. The Norse, and in particular one among their number, a storyteller known as Donnerson, shaped Volstagg and the other Asgardians by believing them to be the gods of their myths come to Earth. Donnerson would merge with two of the Asgardians and assume the role of Odin.
It was then that Volstagg assumed his current form, a member of the Warriors Three and faithful companion of Thor. [1] [2]
Much of Volstagg's subsequent history presumably mirrors that of his Earth-616 counterpart.
Following the battle against the final host of Celestials, Loki and Thor learned the truth of their origins and conspired to bring down Odin and free their people from his story. Part of their plan involved accompanying Dr. Strange and the members of Xen to Asgard to free Clea who had been Odin's prisoner since the battle against the Celestials. In order to provide opposition, Odin would summon various beings from all over Asgard to combat these invaders, including the Warriors Three. Thor, Loki, Dr. Strange and Xen would battle all assembled including Volstagg. Although the appearance of the Warriors Three shook Thor's resolve, he stuck true to his cause and was forced to kill his long time friends.[3]
Volstagg and the others would be sent to Hel, however when Thor was banished there as well in exchange for Clea's freedom, Volstagg and the others would be freed when he showed them that they could cheat Death. When Odin's lies were revealed, Volstagg would briefly return to his previously undefined form with the rest of those of Asgard, but he and the rest of his people ultimately chose to return to Odin and continue acting out his fantasies.[3] [2]Attributes
Powers
Volstagg is a member of an unknown alien race which has been manipulated by the Celestials. The natural evolution of any species created by the Celestials are three fold and happen over centuries of evolution: The first is an original mutation, based on some subconscious level by the individual, the second is that all members of that race have the same power, the third is a power that the beings lose all self definition and their appearance and abilities are at the whim of others belief in them.
Volstagg's evolution was such that it was at the third tier of mutation, as such his abilities and powers likely mirrored that of his Earth-616 counterpart, because that is what Odin believed his abilities should be. Further, this was reinforced by the belief of his fellow Asgardians and the population of Earth.