“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 #428: Once Upon a Time at the End of the World
Comic Picks #427: Alien at Marvel
Comic Picks #426: Star Trek -- Day of Blood
Comic Picks #425: Delicious in Dungeon
Comic Picks #424: X-Men -- The Krakoan Era Finale
Comic Picks #423: Hellsing
Comic Picks #422: Miracleman -- The Silver Age
Comic Picks #421: Transformers by Daniel Warren Johnson vol. 1
Comic Picks #420: Buried Garbage of Manga -- Goldenboy
Comic Picks #419: Kaguya-sama -- Love is War
Comic Picks #418: Star Wars -- Dark Droids
Comic Picks #417: Fire Power
Comic Picks #416: Void Rivals vol. 1
Comic Picks #415: The Metabaron
Comic Picks #414: Joe Kelly & Ken Niimura
Comic Picks #413: Golden Kamuy
Comic Picks #412: Best of 2023
Comic Picks #411: The Ancient Magus' Bride -- College Arc
Comic Picks #410: Captain Marvel & Hawkeye by Kelly Thompson
Comic Picks#409: Nocterra
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Fandom Presents: Superman vs. the KKK
Otaku’s Anonymous
That One Piece Talk
Dinner with the Heelers - A Bluey Podcast
The Anime Effect