*WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS*
[dropcap size=small]T[/dropcap]he event that’s been talked about for months since it was announced on The View has finally arrived:
There’s a new Thor in Asgard, and she’s a woman.
The all-new Thor #1 by written by Jason Aaron with art by Russel Dauterman arrived on comic book store shelves today, and the issue sets the stage for big changes in the story of the Norse god.
Thor # 1 begins a new storyline succeeding Aaron’s previous spectacular run on the Thor: God of Thunder series.
Without giving too much away, This new story picks up after the events of Marvel’s Original Sin event. Thor Odinson has been devastated by some horrible secret that has rendered him unworthy of wielding Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, therefore leaving him powerless.
Thor’s fellow Asgardians watch on as he tries to lift the hammer once again, but to no avail. The other gods, including Odin himself, attempt to lift Mjolnir, but it is all in vain. Very Sword in the Stone type stuff going on here.
The stakes are raised when new threats are revealed that could spell disaster for Asgard and Midgard alike now that the Odinson is left weak and helpless.
But…
“There must always be a Thor.”
The book concludes with an incredible full-page showcasing the new Thor in all her glory, and it is assured that we’re in for a thrilling ride.
Aaaand that’s all we see of her.
This issue serves as more of an epilogue to Thor Odinson’s time as the God of Thunder, and a quick (but impactful) introduction for the new “mystery Thor”. There’s no other explanation of who this mysterious woman is, but of course that should all be revealed soon.
Thor #1 is a great jumping-on point, and there are still a lot of questions left to be answered.
One of the things that is really missed, however, is the artwork of Esad Ribic. His work on the previous Thor: God of Thunder series was nothing short of beautiful. Paired with the engaging writing style of Jason Aaron, that series made it feel less like you were reading a comic book, and more like you were reading some old Nordic legend found in the tattered pages of a leatherbound volume discovered in some viking ruins.
For this run, the art by Russel Dauterman and coloring by Matthew Wilson is good, but it can’t help but feel a little uninspired compared to Ribic’s work.
For Thor fans, the announcement a few months ago that Thor would now be a woman was very polarizing. While some fans found the news exciting, others were downright outraged. Many of them were worried that the Thor they had come to know and invest so much time (and money) in would be cast aside in favor for the latest “gimmick” by Marvel.
To them I say: Rest assured. This issue makes it pretty clear that we have not seen the last of Thor Odinson, and there’s still much of his story to tell. Don’t take my word for it though; in the letters column in the back of the issue, Jason Aaron makes it clear that:
[dropcap size=small]“[/dropcap]…This is merely the next act of what I still hope will be a very long run by me as writer of Thor’s adventures. Yes, it’s an act where Thor Odinson has to face a very different sort of challenge. The challenge of a world where he’s not worthy. But just because he’s not holding the hammer doesn’t mean he’s going away. His story will continue on in these pages and elsewhere. Believe me. I’ve still got big plans for the Odinson. The same big plans I’ve always had.”
Now doesn’t that make you feel better?
In the meantime, the new Thor looks like she’s ready to kick some major butt, and we should have another great Thor story play out in the coming issues.
