Catching Up on Thor

Yesterday, I started my Twitter feed, and I kicked it off by posting my reviews of the last 5 canonical Thor issues. With the limited message space on Twitter, I feel I'd like to discuss my thoughts a bit further. If you're not into spoilers, or haven't read all the way up yet, read at your leisure :)

Marvel decided a few months back that the greatest way to make a jump-on-point with their more popular series was to make an issue between continuity, and thus: Marvel.1! Thor #620.1 was enjoyable enough. It shows an average feast in the hall of the Asgardians. An average feast meaning the Grey Gargoyle came and turned everyone into stone! Only in comics, I swear. Mark Brooks artwork is noteworthy for it's detail and crisp look, and great for a Thor book. As far as jumping on points go... eh, maybe. The cover art was extremely bland. I feel like most of Thor's cover art looks like this. I gave this issue a 7/10.

From what I've heard, this is the last issue of the long-running Thor series, Vol. 1. The numbers pick up at 622 in a new title, under the Fear banner, "Journey Into Mystery". For a last issue, I was fairly disappointed. In fact, Matt Fraction's story hardly delivered. The art was very cartoony, but easy on the eyes. The high point I found in this issue is that the colors chosen were so vibrant, they became easily more enjoyable than the story, which was everywhere at once. Some panels were extensively trippy. I gave Thor #621 a 5/10.

Matt Fraction, Olivier Coipel and the gang, really bring Thor back with a great new Galactus themed run and start to a new series. Matt, you've redeemed yourself. The artwork is superb throughout, and so far the story has kept me on the edge of the page (I have to watch out for papercuts!). In the midst of the end of the Thor run, Asgard has fallen to Earth, and in so doing the world tree Yggdrasil has been "rendered in twain". Seeing the possibility and the state that Asgard is in, the Silver Surfer attempts to end Galactus' hunger forever, in sending him to the remains of Asgard. Thor and his folks ain't too happy. Great concept. The cover artwork for issue three is beautiful. It reminds me that these books are as much pieces of art as they are great stories! I rated issue #1 with a 10/10, issue #2 with a 9/10, and issue #3 with a 9/10.

Happy reading!