“War Thor?” More like “Edgelord Thor” as he’s presented here. This new Thor, brought into existence after a certain person picked up the Mjolnir of the Ultimate Universe, is all about anger, rage, blood raining from the skies, and vengeance to be visited upon the Queen of Cinders for the deaths she’s caused in the burgeoning War of the Realms. This is a Thor that means business and he’s not about to let anyone stand in his way when he comes to bring justice to those who have committed awful crimes during wartime. Especially not the current Thor, Jane Foster, who’s dealing with some long-delayed personal drama of her own. You see, she’s finally let the Odinson know that she’s the new Thor and he’s taking it about as well as could be expected…
I’m only partially kidding about this “Edgelord Thor” business as his characterization is over-the-top in a way that’s more distracting than endearing when it comes to Jason Aaron’s writing. However, his actions are just about barely justified by the fact that I can actually believe that this normally jolly character would be traumatized into acting the way he does as a result of what happens to him in the first issue. In fact it’s honestly kind of touching to see how Thor deals with him after the initial round of fisticuffs is over. It almost makes up for how Ultimate Mjolnir is described as conjuring unmitigated rage in its user. You might think that it’s Aaron offering a kind of commentary on the Ultimate Universe, but there’s nothing in the storyline to back it up. It’s just been reduced to a plot device here.
Rounding out the collection is the “Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor” one-shot, which has Young Thor teaming up with the current Thor to help some vikings take on Apocalypse and his clan in Egypt. It’s a fun but largely inconsequential story that has Thor teaching Young Thor some lessons about worthiness and some really dynamic art from Mahmud Asrar. Backing up a bit, even if the main story is somewhat uneven and overdramatic, it’s still very nice to look at courtesy of Valerio Schiti’s art (with regular artist Russell Dauterman pitching in for a couple scenes). If this isn’t the best lead in to Jane Foster’s “final” story as Thor, it at least doesn’t completely derail the series’ momentum.
jason@glickscomicpicks.com
Comic Picks #318: Barakamon
Comic Picks #317: No One Left to Fight
Comic Picks #316: Buried Treasures of Manga -- Here is Greenwood
Comic Picks #315: Thor by Jason Aaron
Comic Picks #314: Harleen
Comic Picks #313: Infinity Wars by Gerry Duggan
Comic Picks #312: Curse Words/Rumble
Comic Picks #311: Star Wars -- Doctor Aphra
Comic Picks #310: Absolute Carnage
Comic Picks #309: Happiness
Comic Picks #308: Best of 2019
Comic Picks #307: X-Men -- House of X/Powers of X
Comic Picks #306: Paper Girls
Comic Picks #305: The Wild Storm
Comic Picks #304: Black Science
Comic Picks #303: I Am A Hero
Comic Picks #302: Prison School
Comic Picks #301: The Wicked + The Divine
Comic Picks #300: Joker
Comic Picks #299: Thief of Thieves
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