Anyway, reading and re-reading lots of Thor, while I construct my Top Ten Thor list for the blog. These are probably too recent for me to include in the Top Ten list, but weren't too shabby.
Thor #615 to #621 "The World Eaters"
So I caught up on the current Thor arc , because after fellow Fanhole, Mike a.k.a. Thunderwing, told me about the new Marvel event title Fear Itself, I was curious how the status quo came back into play.
It was kinda ham-fisted (I will never, NEVER understand all the kindnesses Loki receives, even less so than the Joker). However, Fraction wrote a pretty entertaining beat-em-up, while probably following the editorial edicts to include Odin, Dr. Jane Foster and Loki in time for the upcoming film on May 6th. Though frankly, I'm surprised that they didn't send Don Blake to a peace conference...
The big bad seems like an Asgardian Darkseid from Tron Land and I think lil' Loki and Amadeus Cho need to have a showdown at some point. Anyway, because I got all caught up on my current Thor reading, I could read Fear Itself #1 and not be scratching my head (since I was when Mike mentioned the plot to me the other night).
Fear Itself is pretty disappointing to me so far BTW. I didn't really care for the first issue. Also the companion mini-series Fear Itself - The Homefront was maudlin and depressing. I don't read comics to be reminded how fucked up the real world currently is. If I wanted that, I'd watch the damn news.
Thor: For Asgard #1-6 (of 7)
Same creative team as the Loki mini that the new motion comics are based on. Marvel Knights labeled, doesn't really tie into 616 at all. Lots or death and carnage going on, and for once a subtle commentary on affairs of the world without bludgeoning you with a big political baseball bat. There's one more issue to go and I'm curious to see how it all wraps up.
Thor the Mighty Avenger #1-8
Again not a 616 book. Seems to be a cross between movie tie-in,all ages line and classic Kirby era elements. It's a fun book once you get past the homeless bum Thor intro. I think having trades of this out in time for the movie may work out well, even though the series ended after 8 issues.
The movie parts are obvious. No Blake identity, hence the homeless bum bit. Hanging with Jane in a small town (though she's a museum curator and not a nurse or doctor). Heimdall is ethno-switched (which begs the question, if Sif ever gets in the movie will Zoe Saldana be cast?). Update: I guess not. Brannagh did make Denzel and Keanu brothers in Much Ado About Nothing, so I suppose this isn't all that different.
The Kirby stuff is reflected in the Brave and Bold-esque team ups with guys like Namor, Iron Man, Ant-man and Wasp. In fact Iron Man has the gray clunker armor and asks Thor to keep his Tony Stark identity secret. So while the some of the Thor stuff is movie-related, Iron Man's appearance has nothing to do with his movie at all. Heimdall also turns into Fin Fang Foom while guarding the Rainbow Bridge.
I say all ages hesitantly, because while it could be geared for that, other more mature elements suggest otherwise. Jane is having Thor live with her, and while the romance is slow-paced, there are still suggestive moments. Jane comes out of the shower with little shame in front of Thor and there is an issue where Thor and the Warrior's Three go out to a British pub and get into fisticuffs with Captain Britain. While I enjoyed the story, I thought both Thor having a boy's night out, while Jane had her girl's night out, was a little less than all ages. They both come home drunk and the Warrior's Three elect not to "drive" Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder home.
Pretty cool overall, but the genre or target audience is all over the place in my opinion.
Astonishing Thor #1-3
If you like cosmic stuff, this first arc seems pretty cool so far. Features The Stranger,Collector and Thor attempting to stop Ego The Living Planet from meeting his counterpart called....wait for it....Alter-Ego. From Robert Rodi, the same writer who did the Marvel Knight's Loki and For Asgard, but apparently within the context of 616.
Iron Man/Thor: God Complex #1-4
DnA written Iron Man and Thor team up mini-series, where they come up against the High Evolutionary as the big bad. The Evolutionary wants to redefine the concept of God for the modern age. He gives Ulik,Diablo and Crimson Dynamo some power ups to fight off Thor and Iron Man. Dynamo wants to be called Ragnarok after the power up. Ulik kinda looks like Tron or one of these Worthy people from Fear Itself. Volstagg has a great line about eating 9 meals a day like, "any one with common sense would do."
Overall, a pretty good book, though I like it better when Thor refers to the current day vernacular as "modern mortal" speak instead of "as the Americans say." It just seems like a slip of the writer tongue for the latter is all.
- Derek
No comments:
Post a Comment